Last night’s meeting covered the this year’s country theme of ‘Iceland. Four members had visited the land of fire and ice so it was quite a lively discussion.
Things we discussed
Size – it’s as big as Scotland and Wales put together but only has a similar population as Middlesborough (400,000)
Transport….. buses designed to drive through rivers, exploring glaciers on Superjeeps
Waterfalls, geysers, lagoons, rock formations and the Mid Atlantic Ridge where the N American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart at a rate of an inch per year.
Volcanoes – both extinct and active and the effect on air travel when one erupts.
The financial crash of 2008
Wildlife life – the Arctic Fox, non-biting mosquitoes, seals, puffins, wild horses, reindeer, rabbits and more sheep than people!
Green energy – nearly all heating and electricity comes from renewable géothermie and hydroelectric sources (those who had visited remembered the sulphurous smell of the tap water)
One of the oldest Parliaments in the world established in 930
There is no army, airforce or navy
The naming system – eg a child of Jon would be Jonsson or Jonsdottir, a child of Magnus would be Magnusson or Magnusdittir etc
Reykjavik – the capital city with its heated roads, magnificent Opera House, Cultural Centre, iconic church of Hallgrimskirkja and Museum of the Penis.
To end the meeting a member recommended Burial Rites, a book based on a true story about the last woman to be executed in Iceland in 1829.
