#MondayBlogs. Iceland is quite beautiful. A country that is the youngest one in Europe. People visit this place because of their Mother Nature. I can see why. It is run on giothermal energy. 50% of the people live in Reykjavik. In the 1940’s a lot of the people lived in caves, some you can still see. Timber was very scarce. If you did have a house, it was built with grass and driftwood.

We passed a place that was called Friendship Forest. The president invites visiting dignitaries to plant a tree. This tradition began with Vigdis Funnbogadottir, the first woman president of Iceland, or anywhere, really, in 1987. It is beautiful to see and quite full. I wondered how it would look all lit up with Christmas lights. A sight to behold, I am sure. And can see for miles, and miles. From the sea to the sky.

This is a land of farmers. Many were Vikings. And after they came back from the sea, and doing what Vikings do, they raised sheep and dairy. Today you see greenhouses dotted along the farmlands. They grow flowers, roses especially, fruits and all kinds of vegetables. Their sheep are along the countryside just grazing in the fields. In September the farmers go out and collect the sheep and place them in a big pen. During a fall festival where everyone gathers for the celebration.they collect their sheep (they have their personal markings on them) and take them back to the farm for the winter. In spring it starts all over again.

There are 120 volcanoes in Iceland, 60 are active. I already talked about Kerid, the explosion crater, formed by explosive eruptions that leave deep craters, in my last blog. I was talking with a local, which is something I always do, because you learn a lot, and he swears they are due to have another eruption……soon…..like this winter. When I asked him why, he told me they have been having little seismic earthquakes.

So much more….so much more…..well maybe not that much. But I will continue next time. And as always…….2 broke kids.