It is so peaceful here. I don’t recall being anywhere (my own town included) where I feel nearly absolutely certain that no one is going to do any bad. The crime rate here is quite low though gun ownership is quite high. I don’t imagine there is much theft or assaults. For one thing, there doesn’t seem to be a “poor” area and a “rich” area – at least not in the way I am used to in the states. I think this must help, if people all feel relatively equal, and if people all have their basic needs met….what need is there for crime – or at least – the risk is too great. At home, the risk is definitely not too great. And I am not at all suggesting we adopt a Singapore strategy – but I am suggesting that the Icelandic strategy might be one to consider.
But I digress….though not entirely. See today I got up at 8ish to get breakfast. I came back to my room and feel asleep again! Jet lag and losing a night of sleep will do that. I woke up a bit after 11, got my stuff together and headed out to see “one of the top ten ocean views in the world” according to National Geographic.
On the way there….I got gas which was necessary – but I put it off at home and I know what I am doing there, so I tried to put it off here, but had to get it. The process wasn’t overly complicated but they do seem to have all gas stations set up so that no humans are needed. I also figured out the radio in the car which was great because who doesn’t want to drive over cliffhanger roads singing at full volume to KC and the Sunshine Band?
I also stopped at a really big waterfall: Dynjandi – the name means “thunder”, I think.
The pictures below show the places. The cliff did have a pretty spectacular view but it was insanely windy – like blow you off the cliff windy – so I couldn’t really get too many shots. I did see some adorable puffins.
But back to the crime here for a minute. This is what really struck me all day. I have seen virtually no liter – I saw ONE cigarette butt, one plastic bottle, and one tissue. That is it! Just walk three blocks tomorrow and see how much you find. Also – there are no visible police or police stations. I don’t feel like I am being watched or forced into acting the right way. The waterfall and cliff are wide open to the public. There are not gates and fences and opening and closing times. You just go and visit them. And since jet lag and lack of sunset have me up at weird hours, I was walking along the cliff at 8 p.m. I drove back through the mountains on crazy roads for three hours because it was so light out that I didn’t have to worry about the time at all. So the climate enables one to be out and about, but what really makes it possible is that people are reasonable here. Not one car ever honked at me today – if one wanted to pass, I slowed down and moved over. If I wanted to pass one, the other car slowed down and moved over.
I could go on about this clearly, but I have to say that I am considering a summer home here. It is so refreshing to be away from the US and all the politics and chatter and just nonsense. Iceland in the summer is place you can think, relax, and be free.
Amy Oswalt 