Iceland, 4: Some Out-takes And Observations

We certainly knew of Icelandic horses, but we were amazed to

see them so often and in such numbers; it seemed like every farm

had a few, or a dozen, or sometimes scores; they're larger than

ponies, but still on the smallish side...bred by the Vikings for travel

aboard ships, yet strong enough for work

They're bred now partly for hobby and riding and partly for
export to horse fanciers abroad; The Althing banned importation
of horses in 982, and Iceland ponies have been pure bred since...
over a thousand years

One of the things that surprised us was the prevalence
of lupine, bluebonnets, to those of us who have done
time in Texas; they're everywhere that anything can
grow

They are the Alaskan lupine, introduced deliberately in 1945 to
stem erosion and to enrich the soil...they are "nitrogen factories";
global warming is helping them along, and the populace is
divided over whether they are useful and pretty or invasive and
alien

Small unpaved runways are sprinkled around the countryside;
we never saw a windsock hanging limp

The government must have printed millions of these signs;
apparently the island was over-run by wild camping several
years back, and "freedom camping," as the Kiwis call it, is
pretty much outlawed; rather few of the rental campers are 
self-contained

Another familiar sight...a hydro-thermal works, producing power
and heat; a spa, like the Blue Lagoon, is generally not far away

Much of the terrain we passed through, especially in the north
and east, is like this: lichen-covered volcanic wasteland

Don't know whether it's COVID-related contactless
pay or simply the northern-European trend, but
Iceland is definitely going cash-less; this is a
contactless pay point in a restroom; on Rickie Stevie's
advice, we got less than $100 from a cash machine
on arrival, but barely spent it all in 11 days

Another similarity with Scandinavia: apart from 2% beer at the
supermarkets and convenience stores, during limited hours, you
can buy alcohol only from the state liquor stores...at tremendously
inflated prices

Picnic tables...seemingly about every kilometer there's a picnic
table; here, with an unobstructed view across the volcanic
wasteland to the distant icefield; unshaded of course; not even
bluebonnets

Washing machines instructions at a campground