Day 2

Friday 13 May 2016

Today was a very busy one. We woke up relatively late (around 8:45am), before breakfasting at the hostel. At 10:45am, we met as a group to depart for Iceland's largest geothermal power plant. At the plant, we were given a detailed tour explaining how geothermal fluid is extracted, used to boil water to steam which turns turbines to produce electricity and is used for heating, and then reinjected back into the ground to be naturally reheated and prevent land subsidence. Our guide also explained why water here reeks of rotten eggs. High sulfur content gives water this distinct odor, and also stains the ground yellow. Geothermal energy is abundant and cannot be stored, so it is liberally consumed by Icelanders. During the winter months, heated water is run through pipes under Reykjavik streets to prevent the buildup of ice and snow. The power plant also had numerous rock samples from the 2014 eruption of Holuhraun, including gypsum, pumice, obsidian, jasper, chalcopyrite, spherulites, rhyolite, gabbro, and basalt. After visiting the power plant, we made our way to Burgerjoint, a small burger stand heavily inspired by American culture. The employees were sporting Jurassic Park and Philadelphia 76ers hats, and the walls were decorated with ET, The Godfather, and The Sopranos posters. The burger and fries were also quite good. After lunch, we hiked over to the National Museum of Iceland. Fascinating exhibits included early Christian and Norse artifacts (one small bronze piece was a figure of either Christ or Thor, originating from the time before Iceland was officially a Christian nation), a Badstofan (early, one-roomed form of Icelandic living space), and a small Nordic ship which probably closely resembled the type used by settlers to cross over from Norway. It is strange to consider the early settlers of this island making the voyage from Scandinavia aboard single-masted boats with just a handful of people, animals, and goods aboard. Another cool exhibit featured artifacts from the desk of Jon Sigurdsson, a key self-determination advocate and leader of Iceland's movement for independence from Denmark. The modern republic in Iceland was established after nearly 100 years of campaigning for nationhood, on 17 June 1944. After departing from the museum, we made our way to one of Reykjavik's most notable features: a towering downtown church (Hallgrimskirkja) which featured a many-tiered architectural design, a massive organ, simple concrete structure, and booming carillon bells. In the interior, the church had a Protestant feel, with stain glass windows depicting images from the life of Christ, as well as an ornate white marble statue of Jesus. An interesting fact about Icelanders is that all citizens of the country are registered members of the National Church of Iceland, a Protestant denomination with Lutheran and Episcopalian ties. After departing from Hallgrimskirkja, we walked a few blocks to downtown Iceland and explored Reykjavik's equivalent of Main Street. I was again surprised to see the high quantity of businesses with significant American influence, including Club Lebowski (a reference to the American cult classic: The Big Lebowski), Club Chuck Norris, and a handful more American-style burger and hot dog joints. We decided to dine at the Scandinavian, an upscale touristy place on Reykjavik's main drag. The catch of the day (Bluefling), was quite good, but a bit on the light side. After a couple hours of dining and visiting with one another, we made our way back to the hostel for some sleep.
Staying warm in the land of fire and ice,
-B