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In late June in Iceland, the sun shines for about 21 hours a day. It sets (and I use that word loosely—it never really goes all the way down) at midnight and rises at 3 a.m. Corey Hart must have been north of the 66th parallel when he wrote his hit, because almost any time of day is the right time for shades! Lucky for us, we viewed Iceland through our Saint Rita Parlor shades.

Thorisstadavatn. This is what the sky looks like right around midnight.

The effect of all that sunshine is that you tend to lose all track of time. Is it lunchtime? Is it bedtime? It all depends on how hungry or sleepy you are.

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You end up lingering beside little waterfalls. Or big ones.

You stay up late and wake up early because there’s so much to see and no time to waste. We were in constant awe of the stunning architecture of Reykjavik and the serene landscapes built by mother nature.  

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But it didn’t feel like a whirlwind trip with no time for thought or rest. It’s such a peaceful, quiet country where everything you do feeds energy back into your body. On a three-mile hike along the coast of Snaefellsnes, the sound of the ocean punctuated by the calls of thousands of seabirds has such a calming effect.

Arnarstapi. Is that rock giving us the finger? 

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Iceland is unlike any other place we’d ever been. The landscape is equal parts lush and harsh, tranquil and vibrant. It’s a mild climate in the summertime, but look out for equal measures of chilly winds and steaming hot springs. The creatures of the land are magnificent, ewes run wild and horses are abundant. You owe it to yourself to visit—but don’t forget your sunglasses!  

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