Unimaginable Composition of Fire, Ice and Solitude

Decades ago it was a rare event when an article was published in the international press about Iceland. The writer became "a friend of Iceland" (even without knowing it) and we felt like everyone in the big world living outside our lonely island must have read the article at least once. We felt internationally recognized. Far from the truth, but it helped us in a way to keep our hopes alive that one day Iceland would become a tourist destination worth visiting.

Fast forward, decades passing by, a few volcanic eruptions later, with numerous internationally known artists telling the world about our island in the north, thousands upon thousands of articles written about Iceland online and offline and one gigantic banking (we were the bad people) crisis later Iceland has become a popular tourist destination.

Is Iceland really a destination worth visiting? This question probably pops into the minds of anyone thinking about visiting Iceland. The answer depends on the view of the beholder, and the guests visiting Iceland.

Iceland has one of Europe's largest abandoned areas. This area is in the northern part of the Westfjords of Iceland and is called Hornstrandir. There you can walk for days without meeting a single human soul, but you will meet the arctic fox and experience wildlife untouched for ages.

Iceland is one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. You can walk for days on earthly material that a few years ago were at the center of the earth and once again you can walk for days without meeting a single human soul.

Iceland is one of the rare places on our Earth where the land is still in the making where you can experience fire and ice in an unimaginable composition. You will believe it when you see it.

In Iceland there are a few areas that seem completely untouched and "un-touristic" and if you are the type of visitor that wants to avoid typical tourist joints you will find many areas of Iceland to be just what you are looking for.

Recently we read an article about Iceland written by Amelia Hill and published on the Guardian Website. The final word of the article really touched our hearts:

"How wonderful it was to discover the country almost entirely on our own. It felt like we had slipped back to a pre-tourist era. At one of these places, the beauty and isolation was so intense that I found a tear trickling down my cheek."

Europe's westernmost point is waiting for your visit. How about this summer?

Posted on: Mar 15 2011 in My Iceland