Fifteen

Despite three intimidating midterms looming for first years, on Columbus Day weekend, 32 Sloanies, SOs and an alumnus made the trip out to the Arctic Circle. Even hundreds of miles away, we couldn’t escape the effects of the global credit crunch. As our tour guide pointed out closed bank headquarters and half-constructed buildings which will likely not be continued for years, the financial crisis took on a new perspective. Although our job prospects here in the US are diminished, at least we have prospects.

The silver lining of the financial doom and gloom was that it made for an excellent exchange rate in a formerly unaffordable country. We sampled culinary oddities that no one anywhere else in the Western world would think of sticking near an oven: Who would have guessed that whale would taste like smoky filet mignon? Unfortunately, the smoked puffin and carpaccio-style lamb heart didn’t prove as scrumptious.

Fueled from these atypical meals, we toured through a land of geologic extremes which looks like the Moon in some places, and like Middle Earth in others. From off-roading for an hour to reach a glacier, walking over the spot where the North American and European tectonic plates meet, to exploring geysers and waterfalls, Iceland overcame us with its natural beauty as well as the ubiquitous smell of sulfur (read, rotten egg) that permeates the island. The locals refer to this odor as “Icelandic Perfume”. Yet, the Northern Lights stole the show: Shimmering, changing colors, appearing and then disappearing unexpectedly, this is a spectacle that defies expectations.

Fighting off the fatigue from days full of touring, we reenergized with some Brennevin, the local spirit better known as the “Black Death”. Icelandic bar culture is a spectacle in and of itself. Within seconds of walking into a bar in Reykjavík, tall, picturesque Icelanders will likely shove you out of the way as they make their way across the room. Icelanders aren’t afraid to pull out the elbows to get to where they need to go, or to body-check you as they start to feel the music and want to dance in their space and yours. The best way to get over the culture-shock is to do as they do. Before long, you’re not sure if you’ll be able to stop being so pushy when you make it back to the Bean.

The bars and clubs in Iceland shake on their foundations until the lights come on at 6AM. Then, the streets turn into a carnival of revelers who want to keep on partying until the sun comes up, except for those who had a bit too much and are “resting” on the pavement.

To relax from the hectic nights; we headed to the Blue Lagoon spa where we bathed in water from geothermal springs. This water is so healthy that it can apparently heal psoriasis and other skin disorders with repeated bathing. Sadly, before we knew it, we were back on an airplane to Boston, refreshed from our brief but jam-packed time in this land of extremes.