Relative Something

It is not lost on me that we paid for seats on planes that spewed jet fuel exhaust and then rented a vehicle that burned diesel to witness a glacier melting in person.

May all the little changes toward expanding clean energy options continue to gain momentum toward reversing the runaway trend of carbon in the atmosphere.

On the subject of ethical dilemmas, I feel for the people of Iceland in the conflict of benefits vs. costs of the tourism industry. A comment from my friend, “You may have a hard time finding a local!” proved prophetic. Other than sharing parking and walking space with tourists from across the world, our interactions were with the two guides and a multitude of food and drink servers, some of whom shared that they hailed from France, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, and Greece.

In all, we probably held conversations with maybe five locals throughout our visit. Each one became more precious as a result of the scarcity of opportunity.

The island country of Iceland is smaller in area than the state of Minnesota, USA, and has a resident population close to that of the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. Adding a couple of million foreign tourists annually demonstrates why it might seem like everyone around you is from somewhere other than “here.”

From the masses at the airport and car rental companies coming and going without pause to the busy car parks and pay stations, it quickly becomes obvious that the tourists are swamping the number of residents.

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The first local we spoke with was several days in when we were at the bar of a quaint hotel that seemed like a local pub. The other three in my group were trying to educate the bartender/hotel receptionist about their drink requests when Barb noticed this guy politely waiting. She offered him a chance to place his simple order for “2 pints” so he wouldn’t have to wait.

He seemed proud when we reacted like lottery winners upon hearing he was born and raised in the area.

I found it difficult to process the obvious pounding the ground suffers from unrelenting foot traffic at each location of incredible beauty. Add to that the human tendency to violate marked boundaries intended to preserve fragile foliage or maintain safe viewing distances and locations. Those who can afford to travel flock to locations of outstanding scenery and, in so doing, trample the surroundings to dust.

It was humbling to find myself participating, which made it easier for me to simply wait for a turn at a photo vantage point or pause in a hike to avoid widening the path by walking around other people.

Indulge me in posting a few more views of the glacier ice that Cyndie captured.

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When we returned from the glacier and dropped off our ice axes and crampons, the fish & chips being served from the food trailer nearby caught my attention.

As is usual for me, I was halfway through devouring the treat before it occurred to me to take a photo.

I had no idea that it would turn out to be the very best version of fish & chips (my favorite menu item!) I would find during our visit. For those who know of the fish fry at Lost Land Lake Lodge in northern Wisconsin, this fried cod was almost equal, except for the fact it was even better.

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