Catch up on the island of sagas aurora Bashny.Net

Now go to Iceland - a pleasure: the price of a bottle of vodka is dropped below a hundred dollars
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It is good that you have suffered the financial crisis! Now, even a normal Canadian proletarian, as I was able to scrape together the money to come to this lovely island where you previously fought to hell money for regular beer mug unhappy! -
So begins a reader's letter published in a English-language newspapers in Reykjavik.
Indeed, before the collapse of the Icelandic banking system to visit the Island sagas could afford only very wealthy tourists: krona against foreign currencies was extremely high, and the prices in Iceland were so "biting", which most travelers of the middle class willing dispatched in less exotic, but more cheap seats.
Today, Iceland may go even normal backpackers. Prices are now completely Russian - krona fell against the dollar in two, and the euro - more than three times. Locals celebrate an unprecedented influx of tourists in hotels and on farms is best to book in advance - at least, at the end of the 2010 season they have already left.
I must say that the tourist season in Iceland is short and coincides with the period of the polar day - from May to September. Since October, the sun begins inexorably tend to the horizon, and in the winter, Iceland has to offer tourists only the northern lights and polar extreme entertainment - most tourist businesses are closed as well, however, as the road inland.
For centuries, water-polished boulders Icelandic lakes similar to roasted chestnuts or reflected in the peat water clouds floating in the sky. Photos by





The first circle
Road number 1, she's Ring Road - the main attraction of Iceland. She even went into the famous book "1000 places worth to see before you die" (as in Scandinavia in this edition devoted quite a few pages). Ride along this road - the best way to see the country: Excellent asphalt road (if you can call the highway road with one lane in each direction, but believe me, this is enough) goes around the entire island in a circle: leaving from Reykjavik, you are in it is and will be taken, but on the other hand. The length of the highway - about two thousand kilometers, having passed through it, you can see almost all the natural areas and interesting places of the island, in addition to its central regions.
Deep into Iceland is prepared to go only to fans of extreme sports. A car is necessary to take all-wheel drive only, which significantly affects the cost of rent and insurance. In addition, the coupe requires a lot of fuel, which in Iceland is two times more expensive than ours: the average - 50 rubles per liter. So be prepared for any unexpected road: as the saying goes, the steeper the jeep, the longer it takes to go behind the tractor. A tractors in the central Iceland napryazhenka - is virtually uninhabited mountainous wasteland.
So for most tourists first highway to be the best route: to all the key places can be reached by taking the rent usual urban runabout. Icelandic travel companies offer ready-made tour packages - you will be met at the airport, give the car a detailed map and tell you how and where to go. In general, nothing to worry: look yourself in the guide, which marked all the attractions that are worth a visit, but is wound kilometers on the road is almost empty, enjoying the magnificent views. When all daily "points" inspected, fatigue behind the wheel makes itself felt - not far and the farm. Average daily route - 250-300 km. The circle is traversed in six full days. However, the kaleidoscope of impressions is so variegated that more and is not required
Guide warns: Stocks of food and fuel, ahead of 150 km uninhabited places! However, in the heathland highway First flew for two hours. Photos by



Breakfast overlooking the cows
Do not think that you will be accommodated on the farms in the hayloft next to the cows: Icelandic farmers offer charming guest houses with all amenities. Around - lakes, fields, mountains, horses, sheep and silence. For special lovers of rural landscapes offer "breakfast with a view of the milking cows».
Interestingly, the initiator of rural tourism was originally performed the national airline of Iceland Airlines (Icelandair): in 1970 she decided to increase ridership by attracting tourists, but it turned out that in a sparsely populated Iceland is almost nowhere to place those wishing to see the country. Then the company began to look for farmers who are interested in receiving tourists wishing villagers were learning the basics of hospitality. Gradually the farms participating in the program was so much that they even formed an association. Its executive director Oddni Børge Halldórsdóttir notes:
Today, the rural population (2-3% of all the inhabitants of the island. - PJ) - one of the most burdened by debt and economic problems of the social strata of the Icelandic society. For many farmers reception - the only way to stay alive "on the ground" and save the farm owned by generations of their ancestors.
Agriculture Iceland, like most European countries, suffers greatly from the globalization of the food industry: expensive products Icelandic farms can not compete in foreign markets with cheap producers in other countries.
Vik (Vik) - Icelandic ordinary village - cleanliness, both in the operating order, tidy houses zapravochka, shop, souvenirs. Photos by



On the island, local products are represented in abundance: fresh fish, veal, mutton (sheep - the main livestock in Iceland), dairy products - here you can come to a gastronomic tour. Special mention deserves Skira - those made on special technology of a dairy product, a cross between yogurt and cottage cheese. The usual and with different fruit additives it is sold at every gas station - very tasty "battery" for the long route around the island. Another great source of energy - hardfiskur (traditional dried cod).

The ban on Cap and Jack
Peter Jackson (Peter Jackson) - a New Zealander. That is why the "Lord of the Rings" was filmed there. If the director was Icelander, and then called him Peter Johansson, famous movie would be filmed here. Here you are going on a blossoming Shiru: meadows, grazing sheep, groves of trees, the sun floods the idyllic landscape. Some fifty kilometers, and the traveler is in a dark Mordor - the land of lava, vast black sand volcanic fumaroles smoking. A hundred kilometers - and an icy wind just knocked down, and from the hills offers a fantastic view of the lagoon with drifting icebergs. It seems everything is, then only the cold and darkness of the Arctic wastelands - but there appears an idyllic lake, making a din flocks of ducks and swans ... The natural landscape of Iceland is incredibly diverse. Do not forget a large memory card to the camera - it is useful!
National Park "Þingvellir» («Þingvellir»). Just in the area of ​​the Grand Canyon runs the seam of two lithospheric plates - the North American and Eurasian. Photos by



Speaking of Peters Johannson. Icelanders are very jealous of their culture. Until recently, there was a law, according to which a foreigner permanently residing in the country, had to take an Icelandic name! Now parents Icelanders can not give your child a foreign name: A special commission sees to it that children are not called Sarami and Jack. Only Sigyurdyur, Haraldyur, Margret (Margarita) Paudl (Paul), Peter ... In general, as in the sagas.
Financial leverage Eyjafjallajökull
The weather on the island is changing as fast as the landscape outside the window. Heavy clouds, drizzling rain, cold wind - it seems the sky clouded forever, and your trip is doomed to boring drinking beer in the evening on the farm. After half an hour from the cloud - not a trace, the sun is shining and you can sunbathe. You can not just swim: in the hottest summer months, the water temperature in the ocean does not exceed ten degrees, and in the turbulent glacial rivers - five. However, the services of the many fans of water procedures geothermal pools and baths: the most famous - at Reykjavik (Blue Lagoon) and Lake Myvatn (Myvatn Natural Bath) in the north of the country.
Geothermal activity and the Gulf Stream - two rescuer Iceland. It is through these heat sources islanders for more than a thousand years to live safely and sixty-six degrees north latitude. At least one of these "heat factor" for Russia - and the climate of our country would have been more suitable for life. But as always, everything gets better Europe ...
However, the Icelanders have to pay for comfort: hot tubs - a consequence of constant volcanic activity. Over the past 200 years, the country has seen thirty major volcanic eruptions. The result - the loss of human life, destroyed roads, villages, farms, fields lost ... However, recent volcanoes also rise on tourism service: Eyjafjallajökull ash packed in jars from Ikea and well sold.
Well go nevygovarivaemym shirts with the name of the volcano, and to the very culprit commotion organized numerous excursions to suit every pocket, until the helicopter (minimum price - about € 200). Wanting a lot: they all want to see the organizer of the two-week global airline collapse. However, the road number 1 volcano is not seen: it is tightly closed by mountain ridges and glaciers. Very near - Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe, under which is hidden a few more craters.
Hot springs near Lake Myvatn. Half an hour in a hot blue water is very relaxing: feeling like after a good bath. The water - + 37 ° C, air - about 15 ° C. Photos by



$ 100 for "pallitru»
The Russians Icelandic vacation is not in great demand - so Russian on the menu in restaurants can not count on. The majority of tourists - Germans, Americans, Englishmen meet, at least - the French and the Italians. "You - the second Russian on my farm for the thirty years that I accept travelers - told Arinbern Johannson, owner of horse-breeding farm Brekkulekur. - In general, tourists come from Germany. As a rule, they spend on the farm is not less than a week: ride horses, hike, breathe air ».
This holiday - the best way to forget about the problems of the big city: the nearest village ten kilometers away, you can take a room without TV, in general - complete peace and quiet. However, it should be noted that almost all farms have wireless Internet access, free for guests.
In fairness it should be noted that the Russians every year come to the island more and more. There are also immigrants. "I've been here six years", - says Galina, who came to Iceland to Ukraine, and continues:
She married Icelanders. He is a sailor, worked as chief engineer on a big trawler. A month into the sea, a month rest. Salary is just awesome. I also earn additionally contains the parents in the Ukraine. Here, of course, boring. But life is very measured, well-established, well thought out, all for the people. Icelanders are very calm, even a little bit inhibited - remember, we had jokes about Estonians? Here they are the same. Rest companies on Fridays necessarily roasting meat, and then the night can drink in pubs
Until the XIX century, Iceland is, in fact, a colony of Denmark. The town was small, and the villagers until the XVII century lived here in these mud huts covered with peat. Photos by



In the country, according to Galina from booze big problems - however, like all the northern peoples. The shops sold only very slight (2, 25%) beer, alcohol present can be found either in bars or in specialty stores, and at exorbitant prices - to fall crown bottle of vodka cost about a hundred dollars. So somewhere in the five or six o'clock in the evening the main street Laugavegur in Reykjavik, where the most popular drinking establishments of the city starts to come to life: locals and tourists enthusiastically rest "in the north».
Were the Vikings began - gangsters
The main topic of discussion for the Icelanders over a glass of spirits - Banksters (banksters). So here is a group of bankers who brought down the financial system. Before the crisis, they were national heroes, and were called differently - baykings (buykings), ie, the "kings of purchases" in tune with the vikings («the Vikings"). Leaders of the three largest banks in the country are actively buying up assets around the world, taking advantage of cheap credit of their own banks, in the hope that any asset over time, increasing in price.
Reykjavik. It is home to two hundred and three hundred thousand of the population of the island. The city center is quite small, and the whole life clustered around just a few streets. Photos by



However, in crisis, these hopes were not realized and the Icelandic banking bubble might burst, and with it - the savings of many Icelanders. Moreover, many citizens found themselves in a difficult financial situation due to their existing foreign currency loans - the decline of the crown painful blow to such borrowers. Although the peak of the crisis has long passed, there is still a huge amount of press coverage devoted to financial issues - for stable Icelandic society events of 2008-2009 was a real shock.
However, in Iceland, apparently, everything is quite well as shops and cafes are working, the windows and doors are not boarded up. Tolerant Reykjavik preparing for the gay parade, which will be held in late August. A local museum brought an inflatable tank T-72 - among other things, will have something to entertain gay after the parade ...
Paul Zhitnyuk. HERE
Yokul Sarlon - a lagoon of icebergs. Temperature "overboard" - 10 ° C, the wind so that just hard to open the car door. But for the sake of such beauty - it's nothing. Photos by



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