Iceland has seen a major increase in tourism in the past few years, and the country is still trying to figure out how to deal with it effectively. This increase has led to much erosion, and we have seen many staircases and boardwalks put in to try to mitigate it.
Visiting Horður’s farm was the first time I had been to a dairy farm and got to interact closely with the animals there. It was a great experience being able to pet them and massage their heads and let their curious coarse tongues attack my hand. This interaction with the cows made my drinking of their delicious raw milk at dinnertime that much more satisfying knowing that I got to share in a part of these animals’ good Icelandic lives.
When visiting Vestmannaeyjar and the largest island of Heimaey it is clear that puffins are a huge part of the culture. It has become a community event that the kids, and adults too if they are feeling youthful, will catch young puffins that wander into town and record them and eventually release them back into the wild. This tradition is a better alternative to hunting them, although that still happens and is rooted in tradition, since the puffin population is threatened by climate change. We are glad so many people love these goofy adorable birds.
Galileo Zen and Julz Chesshir