Thursday: Geothermal Plant, Museums, Shopping in Old Town, and Weather

Today, something unbelievable happened. After dinner, Rikako, Yeva, Ms. McClure and I went to the shopping mall. On our way back to the hotel, we tried to take a bus instead of walking for half an hour. We were waiting at the bus stop in the cold for nearly 30 minutes because the lady in the information desk gave us a wrong time and we were a little bit early. Finally, the bus came but it didn't stop!! The driver didn't even slow down to see if anybody was waiting and he just went by. We couldn't believe it. There were at least 10 other people waiting there. The next bus wouldn't come for another 30 minutes and we were already late for check in, so we decided to take a taxi. We found a taxi in front of the mall. The driver said he had an appointment, but there wasn't anyone else, so he let us take it. He drove really fast and it took under 2 minutes to get to the hotel. Probably, he went back to the mall for the appointment. The taxi cost 1450 kr. We should have taken the taxi in the first place because if we took the bus, each of us had to pay 400 kr, so it's more expensive in total.

-Hotaru

The most interesting part on Thursday was the visit to the geothermal plant where the Icelanders get most of their energy. Because the American plate and the Eurasian plate drift 2cm apart per year, there is a lot of thermal energy in Iceland. Some other effects of that are the earthquakes and the volcanic activities. Iceland uses the geothermal conditions for space heating, energy production, industrial use, tourism, health care/welfare, fish farming, greenhouses, and snow melting. The Icelanders experience numerous benefits of geothermal utilization, such as better air-quality, better homes and better health. Today in Reykjavik 99.9% of all houses are geothermally heated and the geothermal energy is a landmark for Iceland.
-Leo

We went to a geothermal plant and learned about how Iceland is on two tectonic plates that are moving apart. Because of these tectonic plates in Iceland they make a lot of thermal springs. Thermal springs are made by ground water heating up because of the magma underneath it. There are many thermal springs in Iceland. the Icelandic people are clever enough to harness this energy to make electricity and hot water. First they use steam to go through big turbines to make electricity then they pump the hot water throughout Iceland. I think that this was very interesting because the process is very well planned out to help the community with hot water, heat, and electricity.
-Jonathan

Today in Iceland we went to three places. First we went to the country's museum in Reykjavik, which had a lot of interesting Viking history, Viking weapons, and every-day tools that they used. Then we went to a very important place in Iceland. This was their geothermal plant. This one place provides 97% of Iceland's hot water and also uses steam from the hot water as an energy source. This is good for Iceland because it also doesn't produce air pollution. Lastly, we went to a horse stable where we got to see and pet the horses that they have there, which are different from the ones in New Hampshire.
- Branton

Wednesday: Glacier Walk, Waterfalls, and Volcano (Missed the Beach Due to Weather)

Today was an absolutely amazing day here for the Fire and Ice crew. First, after getting to hike on a glacier, which in itself was AMAZING, we were able to see the geology of the land up close on the southern side of the island. This includes the volcano which erupted in 2010. We went to a small museum which is run by a family that owns a farm directly next to this volcano and glacier. It was incredible to see how the eruption had completely changed their lives in a matter of a few days. Their farm was covered in ash and parts of it were destroyed by flooding. But it was inspiring to see how the people fought through it and now run a successful farm again.

-Matt

Today, we could not stop saying WOW. Everything was wonderful. At 10:30, I was standing 300 m above ground. Glacier stretched under my feet. It moves every day and every moment. I couldn't feel it moving but I could see it. The glacier had kept its trace from before human appearance. It contains two main elements: the black ashes from the volcanic eruption and the white snow from the sky. Lava removes life; water gives life. Two opposite powers exist at the same place. The power of earth was pumping my heart. We are living in such a great world. Human power will never be greater than it. Yet, Icelandic people know how to survive with such strong powers. This third day of project week added color to my world more than anything, just as the amazing scene we saw at the waterfall.
-Rikako

Waking up on a snowy and windy morning, we started our third day of exploration in Iceland. As we stepped on the glacier, however, to everyone's surprise and excitement, the sun came out brightly. The pure blue color of the glacier under sunshine amazed us. On the top of the mountains, snow drifted down again with the sun still shining. Well, I guess the weather is indeed unique in Iceland due to its geography. We also observed the volcano ashes on the glacier, a spectacular experience of fire and ice. Afternoon was busy. We went to waterfalls where we could see beautiful rainbows and a museum with historical items in Iceland. We also had an opportunity to watch a video about the volcano eruption in 2010 and how Icelandic people recovered after the natural disaster. And of course, the unpredictable Icelandic weather was another interesting part of our journey. It amazed me when I found it suddenly started to snow heavily right after the sunny and gentle weather. In a word, today, a wonderful day in Iceland, has been one of the best days of my life.
-Yeva

Today I experienced the most exciting part of the trip: the glacier walk. We went to the top of the finger of the glacier and the view was stunning! At first the weather was not that pleasant in the morning and we were not certain if we could go or not, but then the sun just came out and it totally made our day:) The trip was tiring but fulfilling! Each of us was amazed by the beauty of the nature. Then we also went to a local museum where we could discover the history of Icelandic life. The collections in the museum showed how people in Iceland lived hundreds of years ago. And those huts outside of the museum reproduced the scenes of how the Icelandic people lived. This trip is amazing!
-Joyce

Pictures from Iceland!

Group at a waterfall today

Rikako in a tunnel under the glacier

Walking up to the glacier today

Groups on top of the glacier ridge today

Enjoying tomatos at the greenhouse yesterday

Lensing just before the geyser blows yesterday

Walking along the tectonic plates yesterday

Reflections From The Land of Fire and Ice - Day 2

We are still having trouble uploading pictures and videos because of the slow connection.  Please stay tuned for more media. Check Twitter and Instagram.

It was a great day with the group. We saw lots of sights in some pretty nasty weather and then clear blue skies 30 minutes later. We started by departing the hotel in Reykjavik. Many of the students were surprised by the sparse accommodations but later began to understand the Icelandic way is a minimal one, and that was reflected in their hotels.

Our first stop was the tectonic plates. A great space to get some perspective on how big our world is.  We also learned a good lesson regarding the nature of Icelandic culture when we had to slide down the steps which were full of snow. Icelandic people just deal with any condition with the support of others. They do not change their ways for tourist sake; no one was coming by to shovel the steps even though it is a very popular tourist site.

We then went to the Gulfoss waterfall, the geysers, and then the green house. All so amazing in their own way. Look closely and you can see the geyser breathing before it blows. 

We visited a very interesting Green House! This Green House was capable of producing 320 tons of tomatoes annually. This is very important to Icelandic people because due to their harsh climate and harsh terrain, it is difficult to grow tomatoes outside. In order to heat the Green House, they use Geo-Thermal energy (hot water from under the Earth's crust).
-Oliver S.

Today at the greenhouse we learned that the tomatoes are 18% of Iceland's economy. The reason that Iceland is so good for growing tomatoes is because it is separated from other countries, which makes it harder for diseases to infect the plants. Also, Iceland has many earthquakes but the area where the greenhouses are located do not have as many. We also visited tectonic plates and we saw where the parliament happens to run. Historically, this area was used because it made a good place for them to corral their horses. Horses were their only way of travel. This house was also right on the lake, so during the witch trials they dumped the witches in the water.
-Jess C.

Today we went to the continental drift. The drift was a very interesting piece of land because it was interesting to see the land itself being split apart. The area where the continental drift is located was actually a very significant meeting place for meetings for the people that rode on horses. We also visited a very interesting greenhouse as well. The greenhouse itself used the springs and rivers near by to run everything that happened inside, such as the heating and the lights. In conclusion the people of Iceland have great ways of using their geothermal energy in their everyday live.
-Aurdric S.

After all the places we went through today, I found out that the lifestyle of Iceland's people is very different from my country and America. In Iceland, people do not often have fresh vegetables and fruits for their daily food sources. Because there is not a lot of farming land, they instead build greenhouses in order to get fresh vegetables and fruits. Also, building greenhouses is not easy to do, because of the weather and the way the land is constructed. In conclusion, people in Iceland are smart and grateful, they appreciate what they have, and they get the most out of it.
-Mingyu Y.

This photo was taken at the tectonic drift site. In the background is the traditional site for the Icelandic parliament sitting on the Eurasian Plate, while our group is on the North American tectonic plate. This is the site where these two plates are moving away from each other creating new land at the rate of 2 cm per year. 

Snowy and Busy Arrival To Iceland

It was fascinating to see how the ocean and the mountains exist right next to each other.
-Matt C

Beautiful and beautiful, the snow is soft and warm.
-Rikako I

I was surprised that snow does not accumulate very much because of the warm water underground.
-Hotaru M

I feel like the Icelandic people have a different relationship with their country. For instance, everyone seems to be fulfilled with their social status and lifestyle.
-David F

The sky seemed so close that I feared it was going to fall on us. BUT I LOVED IT!
-Yeva Y

The barren landscape of Iceland was a huge surprise.
-Alec W

This was a big surprise and so nice that it cleared up.
-Teddy S

I never realized how different the culture was between us and the Scandinavians.
-Jess C

Overall I feel this country is very nice and beautiful.
-Aurdric S

Iceland has a really different culture compared to America. The metric system is meters and celsius. Weather is changeable and snowflakes are bigger than those in New Hampton!
-Joyce M

The weather in Iceland is hard to take a picture of because you never know when it is going to snow or when the sun will come out.
-George O

It was amazing how the pool water got naturally heated.
-Leo B

The culture is very different from our culture, and it is very hard to get used to the routine.
-Mingyu Y

After exiting the bathing area, a feeling of overall wellness overcame our senses.
-Oliver S

I felt awkward when the guard in the locker room of the hot spring made us wash ourselves nude in an open area.
-Max Z

The traditions are different in this country. You are asked to take off all your clothes in front of the locker room guard and wash yourself. Really awkward!
-Johnson J

The mountains that were formed by volcanos keep growing in size, which I thought was really cool.
-Branton B

It was really cool to learn that Iceland grows two centimeters every year because of the tectonic plates shifting apart.
-Jonathan S

Note: We are trying to upload pictures. The internet is slow here.

Departing for Iceland Tomorrow

First Stop: Reykjavik for some sight seeing and the National Museum. The weather forecast is 35F with light snow.

Next: Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir, and views of the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano!

Preparing for Iceland!

A group of Huskies, 18 students and 3 faculty, are preparing to head off to the 40,000 square mile island country of Iceland, population 325,000. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe.

We will be investigating the relationship between Iceland's unique geology and the local way of life through our Essential Question:

How does Iceland’s unique geology contribute to their overall sustainable lifestyle?

The Icelandic people are unique in the way they live due to a landscape full of volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, snowy mountains, and hot springs, all of which are surrounded by North Atlantic waters. We would like to gain some awareness and appreciation for our amazing earth and for the amazing people who populate the different corners of it. Please continue to follow our blog as we embark on our journey next week.