Thursday: 7 May 2009

“Twenty-five minutes until we land in Keflavik, Iceland please fasten your seat belts as we prepare for landing.”

Wow, feelings of anticipation and thoughts about an unknown territory that is beautiful by nature and mystical in a sense, especially after viewing many photographs and reading about many aspects of this island. I have developed an idea of what to expect but to physically see this beauty and to be able to view these sights first hand is completely different. As I gaze out the window at the Atlantic below you can see white choppy waves breaking in the vast ocean, frigid blue water but no sign of outer coastal shorelines of Iceland or even signs of life. It seems like the minutes are slowly approaching and even slower to pass as I desire to capture the aerial views of this first experience.

Tick, tick, tick, tick…still nothing. I begin viewing the map on the screen showing the route we were on and where we were, it seems like we are right over the edge of the island but the plane seems to be much larger in scale compared to the map and I still wait in anticipation. Ice sickles form on the windows, thin cloud coverage below, white waves and blue water.

Finally, I can see the waves crashing against the shoreline yet no sign of life for miles, a single rock protruding from the water just off the tip of first visible land and rock cliffs outline the western shores of this beautiful island. The first structure, which looks like a lighthouse and sporadic signs of life begin to interrupt the desolate land that looks unique and unlike anything I have seen before; almost like moss covering the ground with a slightly green shade. As the ground becomes clearer details begin to shape the landscape and you begin to discover why this country is a geologists playground. Rocks and plant life cover the area surrounding where the airport lies in the midst of this foreign landscape.

Traveling into the city Reykjavik, known as the most northern capital, gave a glimpse into the terrain of this island. Coastal water ways to the left with enclaves in which you can envision the shoreline as it formulates interesting nooks as if the ocean seems to be grasping on to the land with its watery hands indenting the coastline and forming small ports for fishing villages. While vast stretches of land, rocky and green, stretch for miles to the right before reaching the base of beautiful mountains topped with snow caps and slightly hidden by blankets of clouds; where the land meets the sky and they become one. Old farm houses, barns and rocky shores; colorful houses on hill sides and crosses on steeples on churches colored in green. Frigid cold winds make it difficult to breath as you gaze out across the city of Reykjavik; the final destination of my morning upon arrival to this beautiful land.