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in iceland traveling

molten rock

having spent a couple of months going over daniela’s geology lessons in preparation for her national exams a few years ago, it all came rushing back to me in iceland. first, the black stones and sand that adorn residential gardens in reykjavik, and then later, out on the road.

the first lava field we drove by was a thrill of recognition, its spiky edges talking of semi-viscous, slow-moving a’a lava. then came the familiar slopes of old volcanos, the ropey waves of fluid pahoehoe lava, the neat geometrical columns formed by the quick cooling of basaltic lava…

all so familiar in theory, and yet, so foreign in practice.

volcanoes in iceland

volcanoes in iceland
volcanoes in iceland

volcanoes in iceland

volcanoes in iceland

volcanoes in iceland

volcanoes in iceland

in a different life, i think i could have been a geologist!

Categories
in iceland traveling

iceland, we meet at last

so… iceland. as we flew high above europe on our way back from 2 weeks there, i tried to gather the words to write about this place that so thoroughly charmed us. but how do you convey awe and speechlessness and magic, all wrapped into the same breath? the words i have keep coming up short of the quiet rush at every road turn, every snow-capped mountain peeking in the horizon, and at the sunset reflected on black pebbled beaches, crunching softly underneath our feet.

pebbles

it’s… magnificent. it feels as if you’re suddenly rendered insignificant, part of something much much bigger, a tiny speck on miles and miles of tundra without a single tree in sight. and so words fail me. iceland defies labels, it’s just breathtakingly beautiful.

the boy

going to iceland is also like finally seeing something you blindly believe in — a sort of secular confirmation of a geological faith, if that makes any sense. we spend years learning about vulcanos and tectonic plaques, geothermal energy and how rocks and mountains come to be… but for the most part, it’s all so slow as to give us the illusion of being static. but in iceland… well. if seeing is believing, a field trip there should be a required part of the school curricula.

volcanoes!

there are many little things to share about iceland, from the scenery to the food… and i do miss writing. now that our post-easter influx of visitors has ebbed, i’m hoping to catch up on my thoughts and have a little quiet time with the blog. so — more on iceland soon!