Iceland is not dead. It’s just been hibernating. Due to its financial woes this past year, travel to Iceland has taken on a few curve balls. It has suffered a devaluation of currency - which has attracted the thrifty traveler, but it’s also weathered its fair share of political unrest - which has deterred many others. Yet slowly, Iceland is getting back on its feet and the rumble of Reykjavik as a thriving cultural center can be heard once more.

In case you forgot just how rocking Reykjavik is, the Nordic Company is here to jog your memory. Think: music and nightlife meets geysers and thermal springs all within the same small radius. As the northern most capital on Earth, Reykjavik never misses the mark in what it has to offer. Even back in 874, Ingolfur Aranson, the first to settle in what would later be known as Reykjavik, could see the potential of the area. He called the place “Smoky Bay” due to the ghostly vapors that rose up from the ground - a product of the geysers - but rather than fear, these smoke signals created an interesting ambiance.

Iceland remained a Danish sovereignty until their independence in 1944 which was largely brought about by their skyrocketing prosperity of during the World War II period. American and Brit troops were stationed in Reykjavik and significantly bolstered the community.

Iceland’s economy was largely supported by wool manufacturing, shipbuilding, and fishing until they took on the financial services sector with much gusto - the unfortunate cause of their most recent failure. However, Icelanders are not shy about returning to their roots and their roots run deep.

You take a walk through their famed Old City sector in Reykjavik where wooden houses with corrugated iron roofs line the streets. You can stop in and enjoy a traditional Icelandic meal at the oldest building in Reykjavik, the Fogetinn, built in 1751. Or you can catch a bus out to the bubbling Laugardalur hot springs, just 3 kilometers outside of the city. There are camp sites, hostels, open-air baths, botanical gardens, a zoo, and a sculpture garden for your amusement. This city is not going anywhere - it has too much to offer. So I guess the real question isn’t “Remember Reykjavik?” but rather, “How could we forget?”

There are lots of ways to get yourself psyched up for your upcoming Nordic Company vacation, but one of my favorites, is stalking Scandinavia on Youtube.  There’s something about picturesque scenery set to the heartfelt piano of Edvard Grieg or a chorus of Norwegian school children that brings me to tears every time. This video in particular is quite cheesy, but incredibly beautiful. It is interesting that the creator of this post hasn’t even been to Norway and he still loves it so much. That says something about the enigma of Norway and the rugged, versatile landscape that it has to offer.

If you like bustling cities and vibrant nightlife, Oslo and Bergen boast some of the best scenes. If you’re in search of peaks to climb and glaciers to conquer, head north and Norway will not disappoint. If you prefer the coastline, you can take an express boat and weave in and out of the majestic fjords. If you’re looking for something extended, you can take a ride on the Hurtigruten cruise that snakes all the way up Norway’s western coast, ending in Trondheim. The people are charming, the food delicious, and each season presents a unique array of entertainment, opportunity, and scenery. No matter what time you choose to go or by what mode of travel, your memories are sure to be unforgettable. Here’s one more - a humorous one - for the road…(warning: some adult content).