Iceland was the only place during this tour that Paul and I hadn't been to before. It didn't disappoint. While there we saw an intimate, open culture. It's urban and cultural landscapes were vibrant. It's countryside powerful and beautiful.... and oh ya, it's tap water was so pure it became addictive :)

The first thing you see upon arriving from Keflavik Airport is how expansive and
abrasive the land can be. Here I stand in one of Iceland's many lava fields.

Reykjavik has a "smalltown" feel which you can see from the scale of the built fabric in this photo -- not unlike many coastal fishing towns (generally no more than 3 storeys). However, certain unmistakeable qualities prove that it is very rich in the depth of what it can offer. A most obvious beginning point is the striking architecture of Hallgrim's Church which dominates the city's skyline.

Hallgrim's Church was built to mimick the flow of the lava that has shaped the landscape and lives of Icelanders over the ages. Leif Ericsson's statue faces west from the church front.