If the world does start going to hell in a hand basket, as I suspect it may, Iceland might be a nice refuge. The country may have absolutely no sun during the winter (and no darkness during the summer), but it's beautiful and it has plenty of eco-friendly, renewable geothermal energy sources!*
*And sulfurous hot water, which mean there are lots of smelly egg showers. But one would probably get used to that.
Some highlights from my trip last month:
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| View of Reykjavik from the spire of Hallgrímskirkja |
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| Viðey, the largest island of the Kollafjörður Bay, just 5 minutes from Reykjavík |
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| Geysir Geothermal Area |
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| Gullfoss |
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| Near Vík somewhere |
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| Jökulsárlón (glacial lagoon) |
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| Near Lake Mývatn |
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| Dettifoss |
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| Hiking up to Grábrók crater |
Way more pics
here (abridged version
here).
(Anon, this post was for you. Hope you enjoy.)
Oh man. I'm having Blogger commenting problems This is the third time I'm trying to write this. Boo.
ReplyDeleteI will enjoy (but maybe not for a few days)! Thank you!
Part of Boise is also on a geothermal system and you also get sulfurous hot water and I LOVE taking showers on it. I would do it all the time if I could. But my friends say that you do, indeed, get used to it.
Wow. What do I love the most? Your crazy windy hair. The turf house (I've always always always wanted to live in a turf house, and that one is awesome!). Those are probably my two favorites after not a whole ton of time yet spent browsing (been a busy day, and now I'm exhausted).
ReplyDeleteAlso, harnessing the power of the Google I've discovered that your traveling companion has made ocular art from you. I want one of those, it's awesome. Not sure if I can figure out how to get one without relinquishing anonymity, though.
Also, the Gullfoss pic on the blog page itself is amazing.
DeleteMy cousin just showed me this book which is related-ish to what I commented on above.
DeleteRelinquish your anonymity! It's time!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePretty much the same as the above-deleted comment, with some added commas and such so that it reads more smoothly...
DeleteYes. I know, C (I recognize you from Jessicool photo albums from years ago!) And two kids now! Wow!). I emailed a friend last week to chastise her, as I periodically do, that she didn't invite Jessicool to her wedding years ago. Her response was that they're not really friends, but I think that's no excuse.
w/r/t the aforementioned friend and pumping (love the blog), I have some other friends whose grandfather is Grandpa Lou, and in many ways he's my surrogate grandfather. And he's pretty legendary.
Anyway, the above-friend who didn't invite Jessicool to her wedding (back in 2008... this has gone on awhile, hasn't it?), despite my protestations that she should, was pumping a year or so back, and she told me that the whir of her electric breast pump sounded as though it was saying 'Grandpa Lou, Grandpa Lou' as it pumped. Always found that amusing. That she should hear her pump chanting 'Grandpa Lou' whenever she used it, despite never having met the man.
And as for relinquishing anonymity, C, I've proposed it before. I invited Jessicool up for dinner not too far outside of Boston last time I was in the neighborhood. She didn't seem receptive. Maybe fairly last minute and not 100% convenient for her, but still. Would've been a lovely evening.
DeleteOh....I didn't know you were serious...my bad...
DeleteAnd I think there was a time when we only slightly missed each other in the Bay Area (not sure if it was this blog or a previous one), and we barely missed one another in Ithaca a few years back.,,
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ReplyDelete!!
ReplyDelete...
DeleteGrandpa Lou... apparently your friend owns a different pump. Anon -- more clues, please.
ReplyDeleteHey C - Not sure if you'll see this, but this link is for you! (was having trouble trying to comment on your blog - Jessicool - please pass this link along, thanks!)
DeleteClues to what? My secret identity (or what kind of breast pump my friend is using?? There've been a fair number dropped here in the last few years. I've always been a bit curious whether Jessicool has been compiling a list...
ReplyDeleteShe should know what I do for a living. She should know where I nominally live. Lots of other stuff too.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Delete(slightly edited)
ReplyDeleteBut I'm definitely not convinced this line of inquiry is going anywhere, C, and I don't think it should be a goal of Jessicool's to try and connect what dots she may have. I think this unique internet interaction more or less works as is, and the status quo should be respected. I appreciate your curiosity. In her own very very unique way, she really has been an important person in my life. But I don't think that comes as a surprise.
If Jessicool makes it to Colorado in 2015, she should drop me a line and we can meet up. I may be home more than usual this next year.
DeleteAs it happens, I may be in Denver at the end of May...
DeleteHmmm. I may need more details at some point. I just got back from Calgary where I was visiting my twin friends and in May they're all going to Austria, where C is from, and I think I want to tag along for part of the trip and then likely see other friends in Europe, etc. I think they're staying about three weeks and there'll be a conference for C to go to and some country time, etc. We haven't worked out which dates would be best for me to join but I think it sounds like it would likely be more at the beginning of the trip, which seems like wouldn't be the end of May, so maybe we're safe...
DeleteMy friend just picked me up from Seattle airport at 1.30 am during this ridiculous layover I have. We went out for dessert. He had apple pie a la mode. He made me get a hot fudge sundae.
ReplyDeleteThe plan had been milkshakes but they weren't on offer at the place he took me to.
Then I let him go home to sleep.
Good friend, though. A bit ridiculous all around.
I have this on my shelf. Haven't read it yet.
ReplyDeleteFrom your Goodreads feed, I audiobooked Arcadia. Enjoyed it.
DeleteHappy birthday, Jessicool!
ReplyDelete