Michael Powell's Blog, page 109
August 1, 2013
A Concise History of Iceland
Geologically speaking, Iceland is one of the Earth’s newborns. The island didn’t even exist until after the age of dinosaurs had passed, and it was the last European territory to be settled. Iceland is growing, still firmly in its adolescence, and its short history has thus far beens a volatile one — whether they’ve been dealing with abusive Danes, glaciers, the plague or volcanic ash, Icelanders have had it rough. Here’s a rundown of the biggest events in the country’s history.
This incredibl...
July 31, 2013
Jökulsárlón: The Glacial Lagoon
Our first excursion out of Reykjavík was a day trip to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, on the country’s southeast coast. With its powder blue icebergs floating, bobbing and flipping atop the water’s surface, Jökulsárlón has become one of Iceland’s most famous sights. Justifiably so.
Our trip to Jökulsárlón was organized by Iceland Guided Tours, a company based in the heart of Reykjavík which concentrates on the southern coast and the capital area. The drive out to the lagoon was long, about fi...
The Floating Icebergs of Jökulsárlón
Our first excursion out of Reykjavík was a day trip to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, on the country’s southeast coast. With its powder blue icebergs floating, bobbing and flipping atop the water’s surface, Jökulsárlón has become one of Iceland’s most famous sights. Justifiably so.
Our trip to Jökulsárlón was organized by Iceland Guided Tours, a company based in the heart of Reykjavík which concentrates on the southern coast and the capital area. The drive out to the lagoon was long, about fi...
July 25, 2013
A View of Reykjavík from the Hallgrímskirkja
A light-gray concrete space shuttle pointed to the stars, the Hallgrímskirkja is Reykjavík’s most instantly recognizable landmark. Set atop a hill, the Lutheran church is visible from around the city, and its tower offers one of the best aerial views of Iceland’s capital.
Construction began on the “Church of Hallgrímur” in 1945, just after Iceland won its independence. But the fledgling country had to wait a long time; their grand new church wasn’t finished for another 41 years. The architect,...
July 17, 2013
Reykjavík: Iceland’s… City
Reykjavík is more than just Iceland’s biggest city. It’s Iceland’s only city. And really, even calling it a “city” is more a nod to its status than its spirit. Despite claiming two-thirds of the country’s total population, Reykjavík is closer to an overgrown village than a major European capital.
Found in the southwest corner of the island, the city became Iceland’s first permanent settlement in 874 when Viking chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson landed on its shores. According to legend, Ingólfur cam...
July 16, 2013
Halló Iceland!
Iceland, a small island stranded in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, will be our home for the next 91 days. Only 300,000 people live in this country just below the Arctic Circle, but they lay claim to some of Europe’s most remote and beautiful terrain. Massive glaciers, simmering volcanoes, geothermal pools, puffin colonies, viking sagas, whales and nerve-wracking road trips will conspire to make this an exhilarating summer.
We spent the previous three months in Istanbul, which altho...
Hállo Iceland!
Iceland, a small island stranded in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, will be our home for the next 91 days. Only 300,000 people live in this country just below the Arctic Circle, but they lay claim to some of Europe’s most remote and beautiful terrain. Massive glaciers, simmering volcanoes, geothermal pools, puffin colonies, viking sagas, whales and nerve-wracking road trips will conspire to make this an exhilarating summer.
We spent the previous three months in Istanbul, which altho...
July 13, 2013
Allahaısmarladık, Istanbul
It didn’t seem possible. Had our 91 days in Istanbul really come to an end? I couldn’t believe it, and so opened my journal and counted the days. Although it felt as though we’d just arrived… although we were still in the process of settling into the city’s rhythm… that was it. Our time in Istanbul had reached its conclusion.
Having taken a couple months off after an action-packed 91 days in Idaho, we were unusually well-prepared for our time in Istanbul. We’d read books about the city and wat...
Istanbul By Night
After the sun goes down, the usually lively neighborhoods of Istanbul undergo a transformation. Gone are the simit sellers, the shouting schoolkids and the turbulent traffic, leaving behind empty streets, silhouetted minarets and decrepit houses which look all the more haunting by moonlight. Striding down the cobblestone alleys in search of a stiff drink, with your collar up against the wind, you’ll wish you wearing a fedora: Istanbul at night would be the perfect backdrop for a classic film...
A Final Batch of Photos from Istanbul
Istanbul is a photographer’s paradise. Both colorful and gritty, beautiful but deteriorated, and filled with people who always seem happy to have caught the camera’s eye. We’ve had a fun time browsing through the tens of thousands of photographs we’ve collected during our 91 days here, and have selected some which show off the many facets of Istanbul. It’s probably impossible to define a city with a few images, but this is our best shot.
-Buy Framed Istanbul Photos We Took Here
