How to describe today: the shortest drive and the most insightful.
The route was not long, not arduous. The sea never really left our view, and the cliffs, covered in soft downy green, seemed to come alive in the brilliant sunshine.
Our host in Budardalur, whose name we never knew, but I'll call Bjarni, proved to be the most open Icelander we have encountered on the trip. He engaged us ( or, more correctly, WE engaged HIM ) in a long conversation about his country at breakfast. The summary:
- the economic downturn was BAD... the banks, very small, failed in 2007 and all investment and retirement plans were badly managed... people lost everything and began to take to the streets to protest... anger directed at the banks and government.... government nationalized the banks in an effort to stabilize the situation.... not over yet
- foreigners from Poland, Estonia and other places have come in to take jobs from Icelanders... they don't try to fit into Iceland and don't even speak Icelandic.... locals are angry at the foreigners
- Iceland is at a crossroads... foreign youth form "gangs" and crime is on the rise... break ins and beatings, but no weapons yet... police are not effective and may have to carry guns in the future
- EU... will Iceland join? if so, how will it effect its fishery, which is Iceland's biggest industry... Iceland doesn't want foreigners to control quotas and prices and come into the territorial waters to fish, ruining fish stocks... will Iceland have to abandon the krona and use euros?
Clearly, opinions expressed were those of a 64 year old man in a small village, a village, where, it must be said, not much progressive seems to happen. There's no prosperity here, and the guesthouse was the quietest and least satisfying we've encountered.
But there's no denying that Iceland, as a small, peaceful, insular, predictable, and prosperous little society, is disappearing. The country is perhaps losing its innocense. Canada and other larger countries have already gone through the rapid social and economic changes. Iceland, small and insular, may be just starting and, to quote Bjarni, will go through " a tough winter."
We'll have to monitor what happens from our home far away. Strange to say, but, for two northern nations, Canada and Iceland seem to have little in common. We are not on each other's radar. Shame, really. Maybe instead of joining Europe, Iceland should consider joining us. Hmmm.... just a thought.
We checked into our guest house in Reykjavik that is run by Willie Nelson.... really !! A dead ringer for him. We went souvenir hunting and had a Brazillian dinner... Reykjavik is so cosmopolitan. The dinner and beer were good.
No comments:
Post a Comment