I just returned from my second trip to Iceland.
Why Iceland, you ask? Good question.
Up until a few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought of traveling to a land whose name suggests an inhospitable, desolate, barren waste.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Here is the “slug” from the official website of Iceland: “Iceland is a unique destination that offers pristine nature, breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture.” It is all that, and more.
Often referred to as the “land of fire and ice,” Iceland is a small, north Atlantic island formed by volcanic activity. It sits on the “Mid-Atlantic Ridge,” which is a fancy way of saying that it straddles the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. As a result, there is a lot of tectonic activity that generates earthquakes, volcanoes and the superheated water below the surface of the crust that provides much of the country’s hot water and electricity. That’s the fire. The ice comes from its location on the globe (Reykjavik, the capital, is the world’s northernmost). Besides volcanoes, Iceland is a land of glaciers, which produce some of the purest water in the world.
Descended from the vikings, Icelanders are a hardy, tenacious people. They are inventive — they have to be, to deal with sometimes harsh conditions. They have a very down-to-earth view which imbues them with a wry sense of humor.
Iceland is becoming a haven for filmmakers! If you have seen Tom Cruise’s “Oblivion,” Ben Stiller’s “Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” or the Ridley Scoot Alien-prequel, “Prometheus,” you have seen scenes of Iceland. The upcoming (when this was written) Russell Crowe feature “Noah” also had filming done in Iceland.
American astronauts training for their first moon landing trained in Iceland, as NASA felt the lava-rich environment best approximated the moon’s surface.
And the food! I was not a fancier of lamb until I went to Iceland. Icelandic lamb sets the bar against which all others are measured! 
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as there are more lambs in Iceland then there are people (estimated population is 320,000 – in a land approximately the size of Virginia or Ohio). Sheep are loosed into the mountains in the spring and left to graze on grasses, herbs, flowers, etc. They are herded in the fall — no GMO here!
Seafood is, of course, the prime food, but they national snack is the hot dog! Their hot dogs have a crackling casing, a moist texture and flavor, and they serve them in a bun with onions, bacon bits, ketchup, mustard and mayo (all are optional. But why not?).
To access some of the more foreboding places, like the Dettifoss waterfall depicted above, one takes a ride in a “Superjeep.” The Icelanders know how to build rough-terrain vehicles, and arctic and antarctic explorers come to Iceland to learn how to make their own.
Truth be told, I don’t know how to answer the question, “why Iceland?” All I can say is that it’s a remarkable place, full of amazing sights, amazing people, and amazing food. This was my second trip. I hope it’s not my last.