We set out today on part of the Golden Circle, a route south
popular with tourists.
Alping
First stop was a natural park that had housed the Alping, Iceland’s
parliament, the first parliament in the world. For two weeks every summer,
Icelanders would gather to resolve judicial cases, make political decisions,
meet up and share ideas. While at Alping, vendettas were temporarily halted. This
annual meeting and idea-sharing helped keep Iceland a more homogenous country.
That flag is where the Law Speaker would recite 1/3 of all Iceland's laws each year
Justice, of sorts
Interestingly, the Alping’s courts could resolve dispute and
pass rulings, but had no executive power to carry out their decisions. Victim’s
were allowed to exact punishment, extracting fines (punishment for small crimes)
or killing the perpetrator if they didn’t obey banishments (3 year’s exile, or
execution was common for larger crimes).
Conversion to Christianity brought harsher laws. People
feared that God would punish an entire community for one member’s misdeed. Thus,
harsh crackdowns would keep the community safe. Thieves were hung (which
perhaps makes some sense, as in older times and such harsh climates, theft could
jeopardize the owner’s livelihood). Somewhat horrifyingly, incest was also
punishable by death: drowning for a woman, beheading for a man. Drowning was a rather
common form of execution, especially for women.
When Norway took over rule of Iceland, the crown tried to express
its power by assigning royal officials to carry out judicial rulings, thus challenging
a culture of vengeance. Fines now went to the crown instead of the victims.
I can't remember what I asked him to pose as. To look judicial, maybe?
National Park
The park that housed the Alping is an interesting,
impressive area of rivers and rocky cliffs. Iceland was created out lava rock
spewed out of the rift between tectonic plates of Eurasia and North America and
here in the park the rift is most visible.
Denmark
Denmark received Iceland from Norway and, according to the
plaques at the park (I tormented my family by taking the time to read all of
them), the Danish king was super chill. The Danish king gave Iceland a
constitution. Then, in 1940, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany and lost
contact with Iceland. By 1944, Iceland decided it wanted to be a Republic and
after debating whether or not to wait until they could ask the king for
permission, chose to go ahead and do it. On hearing the news, the Danish King
telegrammed them congratulations. (Because of their time under Denmark,
Icelanders learn Danish and English in school).
Geysr
Geysr is the geyser after which all others are named. We
approached it walking up a marshy hill. Rust-colored dirt is intercut with
swaths of green and dry yellow grass, giving a mottled appearance. All around,
steam gusts out of pools and small openings in the ground. Clouds and trails of
steam gust across a landscape bare save for twisted red trees. The effect is
ghostly, ethereal. By the muddy path ran a river, pleasantly warm to the touch
on this dreary day. It had been raining continually and from horizon to horizon
stretched gray cloud. A sign warned the river is typically 80-100°C.
It’s unclear if geysr is still active. Three years ago it
was reported to go off 2-3 times a day, though I’ve also heard these days it
only goes off in the wake of earthquakes. Fortunately just yards away is
Stokkur, a more consistent geyser. Every few minutes the water level rises and
falls as if in breathing, then blasts out.
Standing in the steam from the geysers is a mixed venture:
warm comfort at the price of the eggy sulfur smell that clings to most water
here.
Food
I tried a bite of horse meat. It tastes dark, with an
intense note I couldn’t place, and is chewy. Man, I should be a food writer,
shouldn’t I? I’ll just stop trying.
Gullfoss
Gulfoss is an expansive series of waterfalls cascading into
a sharply-cut chasm. It makes an impressive sight. So much so that when the
foreign investors tried to dam them to generate power, the owner’s daughter
threatened to kill herself. The story is that the investors bypassed the owner
(who refused to sell) and secured rights from the government. It’s unclear if
the daughter’s threat to throw herself down the falls had any effect; the
investors failed to pay their lease and lost the rights.
Villages of cairns populate the cliff tops. According to
Zach’s guidebook, the Icelandic word for “cairn” is the same as the word for
“priest” as both point the way but never go there themselves.
Skálholt
The story behind the church is more interesting than the
sight, to be honest. This tall, plain white church was once a religious and
political center, and Jon Arrson, the last bishop of Iceland was executed here.
Traveler’s Tips
The church at Skálholt is more historically interesting than
visually so. Drop by if you need another stop on your way somewhere, but
otherwise, don’t bother.
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