Thursday, November 12, 2009

The weather's getting cold in my mind... ICELAND!

There are some places that one has an affinity with. In his Sentimental Journey, Laurence Sterne hilariously (and pompously) borrows the French term avoir voyager. Wanderlust; the strongest current in our natural lives is the desire to travel. Waxing intellectual for *just* a moment, I think that travel is the sincerest way to fulfill the human desire of knowledge. And of course joy and aesthetic pleasure. That being said, the places that we're drawn to visit (maybe more than visit) say something about us as people...

And I know that I'm not being too selfish in an exposition on Iceland! A unique place in both geography and culture, Iceland has one of the most interesting histories and most beautiful geography in all the world. It shares neither the North American nor the European continental plates. It is the world's 18th largest island, but is one of the least densely populated areas of the globe. The current population is around 300,000 people, most of whom reside in the capital. The rest of the population lives in smaller cities along the coast of the island; they are connected by Ring Road. Geologically, Iceland is a hot bed of activity, abounding in geysers, volcanoes, as well as glaciers.

Iceland is also known for its tremendous artist population. Click here to get a taste of the local work. A visit to the galleries in Reykjavik is extremely rewarding! The music scene is also internationally known (the most famous musician, perhaps, is the singer Bjork!)...

Enjoy the pictures and if you find yourself inspired, why not plan a trip to Iceland. Life's short, and we all need to satisfy our wanderlust... what would Sterne say?