7-1-15: Off to the Land of Fire and Ice!

Off to the Land of Fire and Ice!

Tomorrow is fly day and it's getting pretty darned exciting.
A quick note came from Ryan today, from IceLimo, who set us up with fun and wonderful things to do while in Iceland. We are excited to finally land in this unusual and beautiful place in the world.

Ryan: "I have you set with, in my opinion, the most knowledgeable and best guide we have here at Icelimo. Some of the guides have their specialties, but Gylfi is very well rounded and I know know you will very much enjoy his presence."
Yes, we like him already!

Iceland's history

The first people believed to have settled in Iceland were Irish monks who came in the eight century AD. They left, however, upon the arrival of pagan Norsemen, who came in 874 to seek freedom from Norway's oppressive king Harald Fairhair. In 930 the Icelanders founded the Althingi, their supreme general assembly - the oldest parliament in the world. Christianity was adopted in the year 1000. In 1262, Iceland became subject to Norwegian control and in 1380 came under Danish control, along with Norway. After the granting of a constitution (1874) and with an improving economy, Iceland, in 1918, finally became an independent sovereign state under a common king with Denmark. The Republic of Iceland was formally declared on June 17, 1944.

• Population: 329.740 (Jan 2015).
• Religion: 86% Evangelical Lutheran.
• Total area: 103,000 square kilometers / 39,756 square miles.
• Capital: Reykjavik. President: Mr. Olafur Ragnar Grimson (since 1 August 1996)
• Prime Minister: Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson (since 2013)
• Form of Government: Republic since 17 June 17 1944. Independent since 1 December 1918.
• Approximately 7,250 square kilometers of Iceland is covered with glaciers.
• Hvannadalshnjukur is Iceland’s highest peak (2110 m).
• Jokulsarlon glacial reservoir is Iceland’s deepest lake (284 m).
• An average Icelandic male is 1,80 m, 88 kg and 33.9 years old.
• An average Icelandic female is 1,67 m, 73 kg and 35.3 years old.
• For two to three months in summer there is continuous daylight in Iceland.

So excited to get there!!