Although I’ve been on this isolated island nation for under twenty-four hours, I can already tell it is like nowhere I have ever been before.
The drive from the airport to Reykjavik was dark, but our tour guide Olof told us many fascinating things about the land. She told us that 86% of the island is uninhabitable and that there are only 380,000 people who live here. This is crazy to me because the only countries I know are filled with people and heavily populated throughout. The best word I can think of to describe the places we saw on the drive to Reykjavik is futuristic. Olof told us that their primary construction process is steel-supported concrete, and I think this makes the buildings look simple and modern.
We got into Reykjavik before many of the places were open and we had the chance to see some sights like the Rainbow Road, city buildings, sculptures, and more. It was fascinating that the capital seemed like such a quiet place compared to the bigger cities at home, but it was also early. I tried an Icelandic hot dog! This was adventurous for me because I could be a somewhat picky eater, but you only live once I guess!
We visited a geothermal powerplant, and I am very fascinated by the way Iceland harnesses its renewable resources to produce power both geothermally and hydroelectrically. On the way back, we stopped at a hot spring. The natural landscape is what fascinates me most about the rest of the trip. So far, Iceland seems quiet, but I am excited for the rest of the week and all of the cool things I am sure we will see!
Swanson School of Engineering 