Iceland and the Quest for the Aurora Borealis
It all began with a seemingly too-good-to-be-true travel offer that we received in the summer of 2013. Book a three-night getaway in Iceland. Round-trip, nonstop airfare on Icelandair; round-trip transfers and tours included. The aurora borealis (northern lights) night boat tour caught our attention. We had been north many times, but never caught a glimpse of it. A good hotel was added at a reasonable price. Food was not included but we will discuss that later.
My husband and I and our two travelling companions decided to check it out. We were all aware of the global financial crash in 2008 but did not realize that tiny Iceland was at its epicenter. The crash destroyed Iceland’s economy in a matter of days. It affected everyone in the country. So, Iceland’s government and population banded together to take advantage of their biggest assets – their friendly, hardworking people and their wild, beautiful, extraordinarily diverse land! They embraced tourism to help the whole country get back on its feet. We booked our trip for early November. We were all anxious to see Iceland!
The Land of Fire and Ice…and Green
We took off from Newark Airport on the evening of November 5th and arrived at Keflavik Airport about five and a half hours later. It was an uneventful flight and arrival. A good start to our trip. Dawn was breaking as our shuttle drove through the surreal spiky black fields of past seismic eruptions.
We drove into Reykjavik - a clean, modern city. It was hard to believe that – not that many years ago – it had been voted the dirtiest city in the world. That was during the days when Iceland’s only form of fuel for heat was peat. In more recent years, Iceland has converted to using its own geothermal energy as a source of home heat and hot water. It is clean and inexpensive.
Our hotel was sleek and modern in the Scandinavian style. The staff was accommodating and professional. We asked the concierge if there had been any recent aurora borealis activity. She told us that it had not been sighted for several weeks. She suspected our night cruise would be cancelled due to bad weather. It would be too dangerous to be out on the water. However, she said everyone in the country was on the lookout for it and all the tour operators would be notified if there was a chance to see it. If that happened, they would make sure we had seats for a land tour.
We knew the next two days would be busy with our tours, so we got settled in our rooms and then ate at the hotel’s highly rated Icelandic fusion restaurant. A standard breakfast cost about $28.00 U.S. dollars or about 3,613 (ISK) Icelandic Krona. Our first case of sticker shock. Food in Iceland could be quite expensive!
A Dome with a View… and Warm Hospitality
We took a cab to the Perlan in the afternoon. It is nicknamed the Pearl because it is a glass domed structure that sits on six giant hot water tanks formerly used to heat Reykjavik. It has many Icelandic exhibits and is located at the top of two hundred-foot Oskjuhlio Hill. The hill is now a park with many trees. It also has a revolving restaurant and a cafeteria in the dome with a 360-degree view of the city. We checked out a few exhibits and had a light dinner at the cafeteria. I had a traditional lamb stew. It was delicious. If you like lamb, you will be in heaven in Iceland. Of course, since this is Iceland, there is always fish.
We noticed it was almost dark and the Pearl was closing. We had been told there was a public telephone available, but it had been recently removed. Our cell phones would not work internationally so we could not call a cab. We knew there was a bus stop somewhere at the bottom of the hill, but it was too dark and cold to try to find it. Luckily, we saw several local women leaving the building and asked them if they could give us directions to the bus stop. One of them turned and said to wait there. She would be right back. She drove up and introduced herself by her first name. In Iceland, as she put it, everyone knows everyone else by their first name because everyone’s last name is someone’s “son” or “dottir”. Icelandic is quite close to the Old Norse language spoken by its first settlers. She offered us a ride. We asked her to take us to the bus stop. She asked where we were staying and insisted on driving us back to the hotel. We had a lovely conversation with her as we drove. We tried to repay her for her kindness, but she would not take anything except our thanks. She said she was happy to meet us and thanked us for coming to visit her country. We knew we had been lucky to meet such a gracious host. That night, we slept soundly under our eco-sourced eiderdown comforters as we dreamt of the aurora borealis!
Geysers, Falls, Government, Geothermal Heat and Bread
We were up early the next day, ready for our first tour. It was another blustery, cold, snowy day. A shuttle took us to the excursion transportation hub. It was an efficiently run operation. Everyone involved was engaging and helpful. We were taken to our bus and met our tour guide for the day. He regaled us with stories of Icelandic folklore, history, geology, flora, fauna, and music as we drove through the amazing, sometimes unearthly, countryside.
The day long tour was the “Golden Circle & Fontana Steambath”. The Golden Circle stops included, among others: the Geyser geothermic area with its two main geysers, Geysir and Strokkur; Gullfoss or “Golden Falls”, a huge three layer waterfall in a gorge on the Hvita River; and Pingvellir National Park which sits in a rift valley that marks the ridge between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates (one of the few places on earth they can be seen) - the pre-Christian Alpingi that convened at Logberg (Law Rock) where the “law speaker” recited existing laws, and the base of the Almannagja cliffs where the first Christian Icelandic parliament met for over 800 years beginning in 930 AD. We also stopped to catch a glimpse of the current summer home of Icelandic presidents.
The Fontana Steambath and sauna in Laugarvatn was particularly interesting. Our first task was to dig up bread that had been baking in a cast iron pot with a lid in the steaming earth for 24 hours and replace it with dough that would be ready to eat the next day. While the bread cooled, we put on our bathing suits and ran to the three outdoor pools all heated geothermically to a different temperature. Imagine sitting comfortably in a pool while the wind blew the falling snowflakes on us as we looked out onto a lake, just a few feet away, being whipped into a frenzy of whitecaps! The hardest part was having to get out of the heated water to run back inside to the showers. Before we left, we enjoyed hot drinks and ate our bread.
When we returned to the hotel, the concierge let us know our aurora borealis night boat excursion had been cancelled. It was disappointing, but not unexpected.
The last full day of our whirlwind trip was spent in Reykjavik. We saw the Hofti House where Reagan and Gorbachev met for the 1986 Cold War Summit. Our tour guide had been one of the people who facilitated that event! We really enjoyed touring Hallgrimskirkja, the imposing all-concrete church with the Leif Eriksson statue in front and the amazing view from its soaring tower. We did a little shopping for locally made items and got a feel for the city. We ate at a locals’ eatery and took advantage of their daily specials.
And then…A Light Unlike Any Other
Over dinner at the hotel, we agreed that it had been a great trip even if we had missed the aurora borealis. We returned to our rooms to pack. Then, as if on cue, our room telephone rang. The tour was on. The chatter on the radios was most encouraging. Dressing warmly, we started our last adventure in Iceland. Everyone was excited, tourist and Icelander alike! We drove out into the pitch-black countryside. The only lights were from large year-round greenhouses in the distance. All the drivers were giving each other the latest updates. Our group pulled into a small parking lot and waited…and waited. Everyone was scanning the dark, star covered sky with anticipation. Then a driver’s voice rang out, “Look, it’s starting!” We watched in awe as the blue-tinged white light became a ribbon that slowly moved around the sky, going back and forth, then folding back on itself. It was mesmerizing. Time stood still as we watched until the last vestige faded away. The ride back to the hotel was quiet. There were no words to express what we had just experienced, just a peaceful calm.
We left Iceland the next day. We had a great experience in an incredible country and met some wonderful people along the way. We all hope to return to Iceland someday, maybe in the summer.
Learn More…
The Mercer County Library System has a wealth of information pertaining to Iceland and the aurora borealis. It is available in many formats. The following list is just a sample of what you can find on our website and in our branches. I used my own list to research our trip. There is something for everyone, even if you are just an armchair traveler. So, take a chance, who knows, something may pique you imagination and start you on your own personal quest!
Northern Lights: The Science, Myth & Wonder of Aurora Borealis by Calvin CaHall, Daryl Pederson, and George Bryson
Electric green pierced by neon blue, shocking pink spinning into violent red, and shimmering purple sidled up against deep indigo: never before have you seen such high-octane colors in the sky, and never before has a book shown the northern lights-aurora borealis-in such vivid color.
Pocket Reykjavik & Southwest Iceland by Lonely Planet Pocket Guide
Your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Jump on a whale-watching boat at Reykjavik's Old Harbour, peruse priceless artifacts at the National Museum, or wash away your cares at the ethereal Blue Lagoon geothermal waters set in otherworldly lava fields -all with your trusted travel companion.
Iceland by DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10
This Iceland travel book will ensure you explore the "Land of Fire and Ice" with absolute ease. Hike vast glaciers, see magnificent fjords, marvel at smoldering volcanoes and catch the Northern Lights.
Iceland by Bradt Travel Guides
A new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's Iceland, recipient of the Lowell Thomas Award (the highest travel writing award available in the United States) providing more context for individual places than any other guidebook, plus honest, investigative hotel and restaurant reviews that hide nothing.
Icelandia: Where the sun Never Goes Down (2014) by Exploring The Extraordinary
Featuring: Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon, Hveragerdi, Stokkur, Vic, Golden Falls, Skógafoss, Dyrkolæy, Myrdalsjókull, Glaumbær, Námaskard, Krafla, Myvatn, Dimmuborgir, Hüsavik, Akureyri, Jökulsárlón, National Park, Höfn, Egilsstadir, Dettifoss, Hafragilsfoss.
Doomsday Volcanoes (2013) by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajk̲ull volcano in 2010 turned much of the northern hemisphere into an ash-strewn no-fly zone. Katla, an Icelandic volcano 10 times bigger, has begun to swell and grumble, and Hekla and Laki, could erupt without warning. Iceland is a ticking time bomb: When it blows, the consequences will be global. What can we do to prepare for the coming disaster?
Iceland’s Hallgrímskirkja by William R. Cook
The Great Courses: The World's Greatest Churches.
How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island by Egill Bjarnason
Provides a tour of the history of Iceland, from the time a Viking captain ran aground there 1,200 years ago to the pivotal role it played during the French Revolution, the moon landing, and the foundation of Israel.
Icelanders in the Viking Age by William Rhuel Short
The Sagas of Icelanders are enduring stories from Viking-age Iceland filled with love and romance, battles and feuds, tragedy and comedy. Yet these tales are little read today, even by lovers of literature. The culture and history of the people depicted in the Sagas are often unfamiliar to the modern reader, though the audience for whom the tales were intended would have had an intimate understanding of the material.
Why Iceland? by Asgeir Jonsson
As late as the mid 1980s, Iceland's economy revolved around little else than a semi-robust cod-fishing industry. By the end of the century, however,it had transformed itself into a major player in world finance, building an international banking empire worth twelve times its GDP. The tiny island nation of 300,000 was one of the global economy's great success stories.
Reagan at Reykjavik: Forty-eight Hours that Ended the Cold War by Ken Adelman
The dramatic, first-hand account of the historic 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev summit in Iceland--the definitive weekend that was the key turning point in the Cold War--by President Reagan's arms control director, Ken Adelman.
North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland by Gunnar Karl Gislason and Jody Eddy
North is a celebration of the utterly unique, starkly beautiful foodways and landscapes of Iceland, with recipes and essays that showcase the island nation's rare, indigenous food products and artisanal food producers.
Paintings of Iceland by Elisabet Stacy-Hurley
"This book is a combination of real and unreal. I heard many stories from my Mother about the elves , witches, trolls and hillfolk as I was growing up. After I grew up I made many visits to Iceland to visit family. I began painting the amazing landscapes I saw there, but soon began to see why the Icelanders had many stories of these magical creatures. I began seeing trolls in the landscapes too. So, with very little effort I helped them come into view in my paintings." - Elisabet Stacy-Hurley
Icelandic Folktales and Legends by Jacqueline Simpson
"As Magnus Magnusson notes in his foreword to this volume, this second edition updates the classic collection first published in 1972, which included many stories taken from a mid-19th century collection by Jon Arnasson and Magnus Grimsson. Simpson focuses on tales of events and fantastic creatures--trolls, elves, ghosts, water dwellers, and magic (black and white)." - Choice
Iceland is a pictorial classic on one of the last "undiscovered" countries in Europe--reissued for the first time in paperback.
Beginner’s Icelandic with Online Audio by Helga Hilmisdóttir
Icelandic is a North-Germanic language spoken by over 300,000 people, mainly in Iceland where it is an official language. The language can be traced back to the Old Norse brought by settlers from Norway in the 9th and 10th centuries. Because of Iceland's isolation and remote location, the linguistic changes that occurred in other Scandinavian languages are not seen in Icelandic, which still has complicated grammar systems.
Rams (2016)
In a secluded valley in Iceland, Gummi and Kiddi live side by side, tending to their sheep. Their ancestral sheep-stock is considered one of the country's best and the two brothers are repeatedly awarded for their prized rams who carry an ancient lineage. Although they share the land and a way of life, Gummi and Kiddi have not spoken to each other in four decades. When a lethal disease suddenly infects Kiddi's sheep, the entire valley comes under threat.
Fever Dream (2019) by Of Monsters and Men
Fever Dream is the third studio album by Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men, released on 26 July 2019 through Republic Records.
The Shadow District: a thriller by Arnaldur Indriðason
A deeply compassionate story of old crimes and their consequences, The Shadow District is the first in a thrilling new series by internationally bestselling author Arnaldur Indridason.
Operation Napoleon by Arnaldur Indriðason
A mesmerizing international thriller that sweeps from modern Iceland to Nazi Germany. In 1945, a German bomber crash-lands in Iceland durign a blizzard. Puzzlingly, there are both German and American officers on board. One of the senior German officers claims that their best chance of survival is to try to walk to the nearest farm. He sets off, a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist, only to disappear into the white vastness.
Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriðason
Inspector Erlunder has spent his entire career struggling to evade the ghosts of his past. But ghosts are visiting him, both in the form of a séance attended by a dead woman and also in the reemerging puzzle of two young people who went missing 30 years ago. And there’s the ghost of the detective’s disastrous marriage, which, despite the pleas of his drug-addled daughter, he is unwilling to confront. In addition, he’s still obsessed with the disappearance of his brother, who vanished without a trace when they were boys.
Last Rituals: An Icelandic Novel of Secret Symbols, Medieval Witchcraft, and Modern Murder by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
The spellbinding debut and international sensation being published in thirty countries featuring Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, a smart, sexy lawyer and investigator whose hunt for a modern murderer points to a very odd--and evil--chapter in Iceland's past.
The Darkness: A Thriller by Ragnar Jónasson
The body of a young Russian woman washes up on an Icelandic shore. After a cursory investigation, the death is declared a suicide and the case is quietly closed.
- by Nancy, Lawrence HQ Branch
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