My impression of Iceland
After almost every trip abroad, it usually took us a week or two to adjust back home. Getting over the jet lag is usually not an issue, but getting used to life back home could sometimes be a struggle. The reverse cultural shock often had us wondering why things couldn’t be slightly different in the United States. As is often the case in Scandinavia, we were in awe of Iceland’s efficiencies and social cohesion. From the country’s response to COVID-19 to the impeccable public infrastructure, it is difficult not to be in awe of what Icelanders have achieved, given their limited resources and geographic isolation.
Hofskirkja Turf Church in Öræfi.
There are so many amazing things and places in Iceland. If I were to guess, I would suspect that most visitors would rank the unspoiled nature and hot springs at the top of most visitors’ lists. Oddly, so many other things about Iceland made a deep impression on me. Here are just some of our favorite things about Iceland that we missed.
A Cashless Society
One of the first things we often do is to withdraw some local currency at an airport ATM. However, our Rick Steves guidebook has recommended only a limited withdrawal of about $20 USD for emergency use. But because of the pandemic restriction, gaining access to a working ATM at Keflavík Airport proves trickier than imagined. As a result, we decided to see how far we could go without cash. Luckily, credit cards and mobile payments are the preferred form of transactions all across Iceland. Credit card payment is the norm, from minor roadside attractions to public bathrooms. I could only think of one or two instances where we wished we had a few hundred kroner in hand: both for the unmanned restrooms in rural areas where you must put 150 ISK into the collection box.
Paying public bathroom at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.
Paid parking by mobile at the parking lot for the Geldingardalur eruption site.
Ultimately, we spent twelve days in Iceland without ever taking out cash, and it was great! Of course, Iceland is neither the only nor first country where the cashless way of life has taken root. Famously, China led the world in mobile payment, such as WeChat Pay or Alipay. But unlike China, almost every Icelandic business still accepts cash payment gladly. Based on our observation, only foreign tourists ever use cash. Because Iceland also has no tipping culture, so there is little need for cash.
All The Corrugated Steel Buildings
Growing up in Taiwan, I always associated corrugated steel structures with illegal structures that often pop up along the side of roads. As the cheapest cladding materials available on the market, the material is never respected by architects and the general public. Due to Iceland’s extreme climate, steel siding is the perfect durable material. And unlike its Scandinavian cousins, timber is a relatively scarce resource in the history of Iceland. There have been accounts from the past that an Icelander’s most valuable possession is often the timber posts that hold up their houses.
The colorful corrugated houses in Seyðisfjörður.
Following a massive fire that destroyed a swatch of Reykjavik in 1915, the city mandated that all houses be constructed of fireproof materials. Naturally, corrugated steel siding is cost-effective and strong. Though initially only used for roofing, steel siding did not take long to take over much of Iceland’s architecture. The application of corrugated steel siding is not limited to warehouses or office blocks but extends to significant structures like churches or museums. Because there is no stigma attached to this material, Islanders do not discriminate, and the results are fantastic. And like the rest of Scandinavia, bright colors are applied literally in residential architecture to brighten up the otherwise dreary winter.
The traditional architecture in central Reykjavik.
The traditional architecture in central Reykjavik.
The traditional architecture in central Reykjavik.
Besides the brand-new Harpan Opera House and Hallgrímskirkja, Icelandic architecture receives little praise internationally. But around central Reykjavik, traditional architecture, clad in corrugated metal and wood, coexisted seamlessly. Although I have heard of the widespread use of corrugated metal in Iceland, I was unprepared for how well it integrates with traditional elements like window casing and cornices. Indeed, I was so excited to share it with my father since Iceland revolutionized how I think of this utilitarian material. Icelanders managed to make something beautiful out of the ordinary, and I think that exemplifies their can-do attitude toward life.
Icelandic Hot Dog
Hot dog stands are somewhat of a lifesaver for first-time visitors to Iceland. It is not a secret the high price of food in Iceland is legendary. No matter how much you want to splurge on dining out, chances are that you will have plenty of hot dogs during your Icelandic trip. What makes Icelandic hot dogs, or pylsur, unique is the ingredients. In addition to pork and beef, the primary ingredient is mutton. It is unsurprising in a country where sheep outnumber people would include mutton in their hot dogs. And because it is Iceland, all meat is grass-fed and free-range, and quality is unparalleled. Finally, using natural casing gives pulsar a unique snap and crispness that may or may not suit your liking.
Icelandic hot dog at an anonymous gas station in Skaftafell.
Among the country's most celebrated hot dog stands is Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, which translates to "The Town's Best Hot Dogs.” This venerated stand boasts many famous celebrity customers throughout the decades, but I am happy to report it is still popular with the locals. During my several visits, the locals outnumbered tourists by about 2 to 1, and its simple menu made it the quickest meal or the best late-night snack available in the city. Though excellent in its all right, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur does not necessarily have the best dogs. Just about every hot dog you consume is produced by Sláturfélag Suðurlands (SS) and is readily available at supermarkets nationwide. Brian’s favorite hot dog was from a Nesti snack bar at Húsavík’s N1 gas station.
Packages of Sláturfélag Suðurlands (SS) hot dogs.
Varieties of hot dog condiment at Bonus Supermarket.
To replicate the winning recipe from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, the hot dog is cushioned with a bed of ketchup, fried and raw onion, and then topped with Icelandic mustard sauce and remoulade. As with any other famous hot dogs or sausages, the order of condiments and toppings is a hotly debated matter, and it was fun to travel around Iceland to see how hot dogs are constructed at different locations. While the United States Customs does not allow us to bring a pack of Iceland’s mutton to your home, we did manage to source the next best things: a jar of fried onion bits and a couple of bottles of Icelandic mustard: SS Pylsusinnep.
Icelandic Water
Among the most valuable resources that Iceland possesses is the abundance of water. With thousands of waterfalls and the most massive glacier in Europe, water is one thing Iceland never has to worry about. Industrial and household use aside, water is also critical in delivering another of Iceland’s treasures: geothermal heat. We drove around the country and saw massive water pipes dotted around the landscape. For the most part, they were carrying super-heated geothermal water from one region to another. Water is truly the island’s most indispensable resource.
A free pitcher of Icelandic water is always offered.
With abundant water and relatively few industrial activities, Iceland’s tap water is often praised as the cleanest in the world. No matter where you go, tap water tastes delicious. And because water is potable throughout the country, one thing that you might have trouble finding is bottled water. After all, no Icelanders would ever pay 300 ISK for a bottle when they could get the same water for free. Besides tourist-oriented shops or visitor centers, you will be hard-pressed to find bottled water.
One of my biggest pet peeves in Europe is the need to purchase bottled water. While this is less of an issue in Scandivania, it could be quite a drag in places like France or Italy. While it may be permissible to ask for tap water, it is not the norm. The compulsory purchase of bottled water has always bothered me, so I was delighted to learn that complimentary tap water is legally mandated in all Icelandic restaurants and eateries. Whether up-market restaurants or anonymous pit stops in the middle of nowhere, a water pitcher will be offered to all customers.
The complimentary car wash at the N1 gas station in Mývatn.
One little-known benefit of the abundance of water is the free car wash. As someone who drove the Ring Road, we can attest that your cars are destined to get dirty. Pretty much every single gas station has an attached car wash area. While basic, the hose and an attached brush are a godsend, and it was surprisingly satisfying to clean off all the muck. As Americans, we could only dream that our local Shell or Exon Statio could be this generous.
Icelandic Place Name
One of the biggest challenges with planning our Icelandic road trip is keeping track of where we are heading. When I first booked our ticket to Iceland, I struggled to spell “Reykjavík.” I could think of four or five different ways of spelling similarly-sounding names. If not for the repeated autocorrect in Google, I would have never learned how to spell it. After our trip, I struggled to spell a quarter of the town we visited. Aside from Vik, Hólar, and Höfn, almost every other place has more than three syllables. While I may be able to recognize many place names, I did not attempt to figure out how to pronounce any of them correctly. Among some of the trickest-pronouncing towns we visited were Sauðárkrókur, Seyðisfjörður, Vestmannaeyjabær, and Kirkjubæjarklaustur. See why I didn’t learn the pronunciation?
I seriously still could not pronounce any of these towns.
The Icelandic language is notoriously difficult to learn for foreigners. People often say that Hungarian and Finnish are the most difficult European languages for language learners, but I would suggest Icelandic is somewhere up there. Aside from conjugating words, Icelandic also has many unique alphabets, such as Þ, Á, Æ, Ð, and Ó. And just like the Cyrillic alphabet, they could easily trick you up. Fortunately, Icelanders know the challenge and are very relaxed with foreigners mispronouncing their town.
