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pollution.These things make the island stand out from otherplaces, as it is truly untouched by those
evils thathave spoilt much of the rest of the world. One ofthe reasons that Iceland is such an amazing
place isthat about half of the island is made up of volcanoesand a mountainous lava desert. Who
would imaginethat a place with a name like ‘Iceland’ would featurelandscape like that? Of course,
Iceland also hasseveral glaciers, or ‘frozen rivers’, and many fjords.Plus, it has more land covered
by glaciers thananywhere else in Europe. So, when you think of it,the name Iceland does make sense
after all!When I was told that my trip to Iceland had beenscheduled for the first week in January,
what Iexpected was extreme cold. However, I was in fora surprise. The climate of Iceland is milder
in winterthan most people think. As it turned out,the weather was no obstacle to my expeditions
tosome fascinating places.I have been travelling around the world for morethan a quarter of a
century, and I have been toseveral breathtaking natural wonders. Very fewof them can be compared
to the Great Geyser inHaukadalur in South Iceland. This geyser, or hotspouting spring, spouts hot
water to a height of 60metres, which is a truly remarkable and incrediblesight! Another
extraordinary sight I visited was thefamous volcano of Hekla, one of the 200 activevolcanoes in the
country. Its first recorded eruptionwas in 1104CE and since then there have been aseries of
eruptions, some of which were gentlewhile others caused significant damage to thenearby
countryside.In addition to volcanic activity, Iceland is richerin hot springs and high temperature
geothermalactivity than any other country in the world! Theinhabitants of Iceland have managed to
harness theenergy of their natural resources. They have built apower station which collects and uses
the naturalgeothermal heat produced under the ground tomeet the energy needs of the island. The
Icelandershave also used geothermal heat for open-airswimming pools and spas. Plus, these
thermalspas are famous for their numerous health benefits.So, who wouldn’t want to indulge in a
stay at one ofthem? Naturally, I had made a reservation at one ofthe most popular spas, and it was an
experience Iwill never forget!
When I got to Iceland, I was immediately struck bythe unique natural beauty and absence of
pollution.These things make the island stand out from otherplaces, as it is truly untouched by those
evils thathave spoilt much of the rest of the world. One ofthe reasons that Iceland is such an amazing
place isthat about half of the island is made up of volcanoesand a mountainous lava desert. Who
would imaginethat a place with a name like ‘Iceland’ would featurelandscape like that? Of course,
Iceland also hasseveral glaciers, or ‘frozen rivers’, and many fjords.Plus, it has more land covered
by glaciers thananywhere else in Europe. So, when you think of it,the name Iceland does make sense
after all!When I was told that my trip to Iceland had beenscheduled for the first week in January,
what Iexpected was extreme cold. However, I was in fora surprise. The climate of Iceland is milder
in winterthan most people think. As it turned out,the weather was no obstacle to my expeditions
tosome fascinating places.I have been travelling around the world for morethan a quarter of a
century, and I have been toseveral breathtaking natural wonders. Very fewof them can be compared
to the Great Geyser inHaukadalur in South Iceland. This geyser, or hotspouting spring, spouts hot
water to a height of 60metres, which is a truly remarkable and incrediblesight! Another
extraordinary sight I visited was thefamous volcano of Hekla, one of the 200 activevolcanoes in the
country. Its first recorded eruptionwas in 1104CE and since then there have been aseries of
eruptions, some of which were gentlewhile others caused significant damage to thenearby
countryside.In addition to volcanic activity, Iceland is richerin hot springs and high temperature
geothermalactivity than any other country in the world! Theinhabitants of Iceland have managed to
harness theenergy of their natural resources. They have built apower station which collects and uses
the naturalgeothermal heat produced under the ground tomeet the energy needs of the island. The
Icelandershave also used geothermal heat for open-airswimming pools and spas. Plus, these
thermalspas are famous for their numerous health benefits.So, who wouldn’t want to indulge in a
stay at one ofthem? Naturally, I had made a reservation at one ofthe most popular spas, and it was an
experience Iwill never forget!
Самым сложным для меня было привыкнуть к отсутствию дневного света. В Исландии два-
три месяца в году светло, но с ноября по январь наступает очень темный период, когда
дневной свет длится всего 2-3 часа в день. Однако захватывающее дух зрелище Aurora
Borealis, или Северного сияния, компенсирует это состояние почти полной темноты. Это
потрясающее зрелище, которым особенно хорошо можно полюбоваться в Исландии в
холодные ясные ночи с сентября по март. Небо озаряется множеством различных цветов,
вызванных взаимодействием частиц солнца с магнитным полем земли.■ Примерно четыре
пятых населения Исландии живут в столице, Рейкьявике, и прилегающих прибрежных
районах. Исландцев отличает не только высокий уровень жизни и высокий уровень
технологий и образования. Их культура очень богата с сильными традициями в музыке,
литературе и искусстве. Каждую третью неделю августа в Рейкьявике проходит ежегодное
культурное мероприятие, на которое съезжаются около 100 000 человек со всего мира.
Конечно, в течение всего года посетители могут принять участие во множестве
развлекательных мероприятий. Мне самому особенно понравилось катание на знаменитом
исландском пони, сплав по реке, наблюдение за китами и походы на ледники. Исландия -
страна контрастов и совершенно уникальное место не только с точки зрения географических
особенностей. Дикие исландские пейзажи приглашают отважных путешественников, а
исландский народ подает пример своей экологически чистой политики.