Only a few days left, and I've done everything except diving in Silfra, at the Þingvellir National Park, which is actually a crack in the face of the earth between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates. (Which ain't gonna happen!). So, I decide to see the cultural and historical sights of Iceland. As Reykjavik is the capital, they have everything I would want to see, (except the Iceland Phallogical Museum! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Phallological_Museum ) Oh well--if I have another opportunity to go to Iceland, I will go to the Northern part (where the museum is).
I decided to go to Perlan ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perlan ), Hallgrímskirkja ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallgr%C3%ADmskirkja ) and Jón Gunnar Árnason's Sólfar (Sunship or The Sun Voyager) sculpture.
Perlan, or The Pearl, is a restaurant and cafeteria set on top of hot water storage tanks, on top of a hill over looking Reykjavik. One of the tanks has been emptied out to house a Museum that shows the Icelandic sagas through silicon figures (which really stink, by the way--I still can't get the smell out of my nose). The figures are very lifelike, and a few are move ever-so-slightly. (At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, as one of the figures appeared to be breathing). The Icelandic Sagas are far too detailed, intense, lengthy and important for me to attempt to share them here, but long-story short, Icelanders have a rich history of survival, strength, determination, pagan beliefs and practices, poetry, art, politics, adventure and world discoveries. In addition to the spectacularly lifelike figures and action scenes, the tour was descibed by very concise and interesting plaques at each of the 17 stations, and a neat digital recording (I wore on a string around my neck and listened to with headphones) explaining the exhibits. It was pretty cool.
It smart of me (coincidentally ) ; ) to see Hallgrímskirkja (the church of Hallgrímur, constructed between 1945 -1986) immediately after the Saga Museum. It was a gorgeous Lutheran church (who's organ I would love to hear) that had several displays illustrating the introduction of Christianity to Iceland. Basically, the Church's view of history and the Sagas point of view tend to be from very divergent perceptions, each showing their own story in a better light. They also contradicted each other's history somewhat, but between the two I found a balance which was quite interesting.
Scientifically, it has (recently) been proven that about 80% of Iceland's male population is Nordic, and about 80% of the female population is Celtic. This furthers the theory that much of Iceland was propogated by female slaves brought over from the Celtic regions, starting in the 900's. These studies shed a new light on the Icelandic Christianity vs. Paganism historical discussion.
After the church, I walked down to the waterfront of Reykjavik, and tried my hand at some artistic photos of the Sun Voyager. I think they turned out great, and I am hoping to have some time during tomorrow's sunset to take some more.
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