Winter is hardly the time that Vancouverites start fantasizing about darker and colder climes, but last year, with a weeks worth of vacation days remaining on the books, I found myself playing the 20 Travel Questions game.
And the one question I couldnt seem to satisfactorily answer was, What is Iceland like in December?
Surprisingly, however, booking the impromptu trip would be the easy part. It was telling family and friends my plans that would prove unexpectedly contentious, with people having more opinions about the sanity of going to Iceland than they do about names for newborns.
I soldiered on, the scant literature confirming that the lead up to Christmas is when most Icelanders feel tourists should visit. But am I a girl who has a space heater going even in the summer the tourist they picture blustering about on the wintery tundra in the dark?
There was only one way to find out. I managed to convince my boyfriend and father to come with me, and we returned home not with reasons why doubting snowbirds should go, but with reasons why we would rush back:
Firstly, if you dont believe the radio ads, believe me. You can fly to Iceland for around the cost of a trip to Calgary. Think about it. In seven hours you can find yourself straddling (or snorkeling) the fault line of the North American and Eurasian continental plates. Or you could be in line at Cowboys.
The seats on Icelandair arent known for advancing comfort technology; however, the airline more than makes up for it by lobbing cultural whiz bangers into your in-flight experience. Ive never felt so welcomed into a country before getting there. You will disembark at the space station-esque airport absolutely pumped to go hang out at all the cool places you learned about on the plane.
Which leads me to point number two (otherwise known as point number awesome): Iceland looks like the moon, but with weather akin to the seawall in October. Which is almost disappointing, until you realize that the capital city has a walkability score of do NOT rent a car; then youre loving leaving the Canada Goose Chilliwack bomber in the room in favour of locally made lopapeysa sweaters and ankle boots.
Oh right, the moon. Iceland, the geologically 
youngest country in the world, is so sparsely populated and removed from outside influence that Old Norse can still be read by most, and genetically modified food is just the boogeyman. So, naturally, winter is the best time to feel the powerful loneliness of the treeless lunar landscape, broken only by volcanic sentries in the distance.
One of the best ways to get your Viking blood pumping is to get out of Reykjavík and onto the lava fields. We headed to the Ishestar Riding Centre to explore the terrain on Icelands most precious treasure the Icelandic horse. The horses are so special to the people of Iceland that, not only is the ratio of horses to humans a world record, but they are the only horses allowed on the island. Be sure to get yours into a tölt a three-legged gliding gait unique to the breed.
As for darkness, due to its location at the confluence of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, the December sun stretches along the horizon like a lazy supermodel for about four hours each day, dusting every black volcanic lump, patch of frost and sprig of moss with a pinkish grey light. And Reykjavík is not a city that requires a good nights sleep, so there is something to do at almost every hour, dark or not.
When you first arrive, you might find yourself, like us, turning the phonetically challenging language into a game of Telephone. Poor pronunciation would compound until we had narrowed street names down to common denominators like Busty, Erik and Frankenburger. Ill give you a helpful hint: ð is pronounced th. As soon as we learned that, we were giving and getting directions with the best of them, and our cultural explorations could begin in earnest.
As we toured the colourful corrugated iron-clad town, we were guided not by throngs of tourists, but by warm light in windows, melodic chords of laughter, rows of houses and billowing blue steam.
One of my trip goals was to spot the Huldufólk (hidden people that more than half the population believe in) but I found something even better: Christmas.
Instead of one Santa, Icelandic children believe in 13. These yuletide lads are, perhaps reflecting the harshness of winter, all slightly perverse little criminals some lick spoons, others slam doors or peep in windows. A map leading us to giant animations projected on buildings around Reykjavik introduced us to each of their 13 quirks.
And rather than stringing lights along exterior eaves, locals place white, menorah-like votives in their windows. Conversely, Christmas trees are affixed to the outside of buildings, high above the sidewalks.
The award-winning 12 Tónar, one of the 27 best record stores in the world, gets into the Christmas spirit by hanging trees on the exterior of the building.
It wasnt just the festive atmosphere that made our visit magical, though. Every visitor should be so lucky as to meet the people we did.
For example, the day after we landed was by far the roughest weather of the trip. As we headed out on our Glaciers, Volcanoes, & Waterfalls tour with Arctic Adventures, our plans got waylaid due to the possibility of the van being blown off a cliff.
So, admittedly, there were some outrageous storms, but inside our cozy supervan, our guide kept us entertained with a selection of songs he had just discovered during the Iceland Airwaves music festival (one of which ended up being the song I walked down the aisle to), while he planned amazing alternate activities.
And the trophy-winning tour guides continued the next day with Trausti, our trusty day-tripper from Kensingston Tours. He runs private Golden Circle day tours (Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir geothermal area), and knows more about Iceland than I could keep track of without getting car sick. You have to spend a few hours hitting the highlights with him to understand the amazement-per-minute ratio he delivers.
Snow makes its first appearance of the trip on the Mosfellsheiði heath, 20 minutes northeast of Reykjavík.
In the following days, Trausti not only gave us a midnight wake-up call to apprise us of Northern Light activity, but initiated us to the local tradition of swimming in the ice-cold ocean then plunging into thermal hot pools. And he patiently confirmed that yes, sheeps head is something locals eat, not some trick they play on tourists at the bus station. He even more patiently explained that my home-cooked pasta wouldnt taste like sulphur if I filled the pot with cold water, instead of hot water thats heated by the earth.
Then there was Ellert, proprietor of the spectacularly central Luna Apartments, where said cooking was taking place. Among other tidbits, he tipped me off that you could tag a trip to the Blue Lagoon onto your return bus ride to the airport. So instead of traveling 45 minutes out of town and back, you could parlay some soothing spa silica into a deep sleep on your flight home.
The Blue Lagoon was accidentally formed in 1976 by a nearby geothermal power plant. In the years that followed, people began bathing in the water and applying the silica mud to their skin. Today, it is recognized as one of the wonders of the world.
Speaking of... Near the end of the trip, my boyfriend had plans to propose to me, so while we wandered around Reykjavik (he, looking for the perfect spot; me, hunting for Sægreifinn restaurant and the worlds best lobster bisque), my dad made scarce and went snorkeling in the pristine 2C waters of the Silfra fissure part of the ever widening gap between the continental plates.
Just down this view corridor lies Sægreifinn, home of the best lobster soup in the city.
A wintery week in Iceland puts a few things in perspective. We are blessed in Vancouver by natural beauty, but its almost superficial compared to the elements harnessed by these Atlantic islanders into energy, architecture and design.
I will go back again and again to relive the magic, and Im not the only one: Tourism is up 30 per cent over 2012 its previous best-ever year which, I can wholeheartedly confirm, was the best year ever.
Sold at every convenience store, gas station and eatery, an Icelandic hot dog ein með öllu (one with everything) consists of a sweet mustard, fried and raw onions, and remolaði, a mayonnaise-based sweet relish.
Iceland has arguably the best hot dogs in the world. Follow in President Bill Clinton's footsteps by eating one from Baejarins Beztu Pylsur.
Skyr (a cheesy yogurt) can be eaten in every way imaginable, and theyre all delicious. Check out the Skyr pizza at Tapashouse if you're looking for a late night snack.
If you're game, the best sheep's head can be found at the bus station.
Pack waterproof shells for day tours outside of Reykjavík and wear warm under-layers. Weather can change quickly and any trips involving waterfalls will be moist.
More than half of the countrys 315,000 residents live in or near Reykjavík
The average temperature in December is a crisp 3C; the shortest day is Dec. 23 with 4:08 hours of daylight
The national currency is the Icelandic króna
Accommodation: Luna Apartments; Luna.is
A luxurious fully equippedapartment hotel perfectly situated in the heart of Reykjavík, Luna is in a quiet, charming residential area, free from downtown traffic and noise. It is a short walk from the city center and Laugavegur, the main shopping street. It is also within walking distance from all major restaurants, bars, cafés, clubs, public transportation and cultural attractions.
Tours: Kensington Tours; Golden Circle Day Tour; KensingtonTours.com
Explore Reykjavík with private vehicle and driver, and then head out over the Mosfellsheidi heath to beautiful Thingvellir National Park a home of Icelands geological and historical heritage. Accompanied by a local English-speaking guide well versed in the nation's history, economy and traditions you will walk through the geological fault known as Almannagja. The tour then continues over the Lyngdalsheidi heath into the fertile farmlands of the south, past horses and geothermal hot spots, to visit the most beautiful waterfall in the country, Gullfoss. Other stops include: Geysir geothermal area with its multitude of hot springs (once a royal attraction); a two-course luncheon; Kerid crater; and the Pearl back in Reykjavik.
Arctic Adventures; Glaciers, Volcanoes & Waterfalls tour
Travel through pristine farm lands to the black sand beaches, thundering waterfalls, powerful volcanoes and majestic glaciers of Iceland's south coast. Walk behind the magnificent wall of water of Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Take a easy hike on the ancient ice of Sólheimajökull glacier with a knowledgeable and certified glacier guide. Then take a leisurely stroll along the black sand beach of Reynisfjara with its famous basalt columns and caves. On clear days you will have an excellent view of Eyjafjallajökull and Hekla volcanoes during the drive. * Our tour was rerouted, so we explored Seljalandsfoss, Thorvaldseyri Farm at the base of Eyjafjallajökull (which was almost destroyed by the 2010 eruption), and a fascinating tour of the Skogar Folk Museum.
Black & Blue snorkeling and lava cave tour; Adventures.is
Explore the dark, hidden world of the lava field under the Thingvellir national park by walking through a cave and discovering the marvel that volcanic activity has created. After lunch, you head into the the crystal clear waters of the Silfra fissure one of Icelands best-kept secrets, an otherworldly scene that is world famous for its heavenly shades of blue.
Ishestar Riding Centre; horseback Lava Tour; Ishestar.is
Riding an Icelandic horse is something everyone should experience. Meet the friendly horses then head off with them through lava fields and along beautiful green hillsides.
Flights: Icelandair.ca
