Yes, the post says Gelato. I had never had it before and since I had understood it as originating in Europe (could be wrong) I figured I should try it while I was here. The server gave me like three scoops of the stuff and a lady that passed by when I first got it and when I was almost finished remarked on how long it took me to eat it all. But it was delicious! Better than ice cream, no, I'm Southern and partial to fattening foods that are absolutely horrible for me, but it was wonderful.
I got it while waiting for the Saga Museum to open up at the Perlan, or "The Pearl". It was a beautiful dome shaped museum that sat on the top of the hill in Reykjavik so you had an excellent view of the city from outside and up top. The museum was made by the owner and a lot of the life-like models were molded from people in the town. You were given a head set that told the story of Iceland as you walked through the museum. I love history as long as its a subject I am interested in, and the more I am here, the more I want to know everything. Maybe thats why I bought three more books in the bookstore...
After the museum, it was time for my tattoo appointment. I had stopped in the shop called "Reykjavik Ink" and although at first I was disappointed that the owner and artist were not Icelandic, it was nice to speak with a fellow Southern about our experiences here. He was from Alabama and is lucky enough to get to come here once or twice a year to stay and tattoo a bit. Now, I know there are a lot of people who do not agree with permanently inking your skin, most of my family included, but I would like to stress that just because something is not what you would do yourself, does not make it bad. The main difference between inked people and those that are not, we will never (most of us anyways) judge you for not being tattooed. You haven't found anything you're willing to commit to memory through pain and self-expression? That doesn't bother me one bit. Thats your choice and I respect that. So please extend me the same courtesy because I love my tattoos. They are a story of important events in my life, and since I am the only one who sat through the pain to get them, I am THE only one who's opinion matters on them. Most people follow the flow of what their society deems as beautiful, but I've always had way too much fun challenging things, and the ink in my skin is beautiful to me.
Okay, enough ranting. You get the picture. The tat session took maybe 30 or 40 minutes.. I didn't really keep track because 1. The sound of a tattoo gun drives me nuts and I always talk or find some other way to tune it out, and 2. It was an interesting conversation so I was pleasantly distracted. But it wasn't so long that the shops were closed after I was done. The shops here in town all start closing down around 6, which is kind of early when you think about it. But the more I paid attention to the people and the way they work, I realized that interaction with one another was important. Iceland has become a popular tourist spot after their economic downfall, but it wasn't always that way. It used to be pretty expensive to visit here and its clear that although they see the benefits of the tourism, most Icelanders can't help but feel slightly invaded. The number of tourists visiting the country annually is well over the number of actual citizens. It's a fine line between being proud of your country and all it has to offer, but also protecting it and the way of life you are used to. So although it may sometimes be a hassle for me, I respect that they value their own culture enough not to change for the benefit of tourists. They close shop and go home to their families.
So after dinner, I had enough time to grab a quick nap before the bus picked me up for the Northern Lights tour. When the bus picked me up, the guide said I could sit up front, and oh I am so thanful for that. We drove back out to the National Park and the wind picked up considerably in that time. We were well away from the light pollution of the city and parked of the road a bit in the snow with a good view of the horizon. The stars were so bright and our guide was telling us so many things about the Lights. It was wonderful to hear how excited he was about them although he has seen them more times than he can remember. He said they are something you just don't get tired of, especially because they are never the same. We had been sitting there staring at the sky for about an hour and a half, getting a little discouraged because although the stars were breathtaking, it wasn't the sights we were braving the cold for. Then they started. It was just a faint green hue off in the distance in the form of three green streaks, almost like someone had taken a paint brush and just made three quick stripes to check and make sure that was the color they wanted. For the next two hours we watched them brighten and fade, dance in ribbons and columns, burst out from a ball and spread out, change from green to purple to pink. The guide said sometimes red can be seen, but its super rare, and he has only ever seen it twice in his life. Now, I thought they always did the ribbon-like movement, because it seems like thats the only example I have ever seen in movies or pictures. But no, those lights have no set script of how they dance. I had tears in my eyes.. Not gonna lie. When you've dreamed about seeing something for so long, and then you do, well.. The word overwhelmed come to mind. The guide and I sat in the front of the bus discussing the lights and colors while everyone else watched from outside. I could see the lights without risking frostbite.. I had the best seat in the house. If you have never looked at something and been struck speechless with the awe and beauty of it, I sincerely hope your path leads you there and soon. That feeling reminds you you are alive and capable of experiencing this world and that in and of itself is beautiful.
No comments:
Post a Comment