So I know I’m normally a tropical beach type of person but I had the rare opportunity to photograph my friends vow renewal in Iceland last year. Have you ever heard the story behind how Iceland got its name? Apparently, in the second half of the 9th century, there was a civil war amongst the Norwegian Vikings. A group of vikings decided to leave their home-country and embark on a journey to find a new place to settle. These vikings migrated across the North Atlantic and came upon the greenest island they had ever seen. In fear that they would be followed, the vikings sent word back home that the first island they came in contact with was a desolate, icy wasteland- but that the second island, further on, was green and habitable. This is the story of how Iceland got its ironic name. Whether this story is true or not is unconfirmed, but one thing that is indisputable is the beauty of Iceland. This is what I was most excited to see:

Blue lagoon
While it may sound like a relaxing lake, a la Lake Como in Italy, Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is far from it. Located on a lava field in southwestern Iceland, the Blue Lagoon is a natural hot spring that reaches temperatures of 98-102 degrees fahrenheit. Not only is bathing in the blue lagoon a unique experience, but it’s therapeutic as well. My skin felt amazing afterwards! The waters of the blue lagoon are a vibrant baby blue and the contrast between the feeling of the warm water and the views of the mountains surrounding the lagoon takes your breath away. Plus, the average temperature in Iceland in April, when I was there, was 55 degrees fahrenheit, so a warm dip in the blue lagoon was enough to keep you warm for hours!

Wildlife
Iceland has a very diverse wildlife. Two of my favorite Icelandic animals are the puffins and horses. There are several species of puffins and all of them migrate throughout the year. However, 60% of Atlantic puffins consider Iceland home, especially during breeding season. Puffins are also one of the cutest animals on the island; their chubby cheeks and perfectly shaped beaks make them look like little cartoon animals! Unfortunately, we didn’t come across ay of those (so sad!) but we did spend some time with the horses of Iceland. The Icelandic horses are equally adorable. Their hair rivals Beyonce’s….seriously. Native to the island, they are the size of ponies. They also have unique personalities, gaits, mannerisms compared to horses in other countries because they have essentially been bread in isolation for the past 100 years.

Kvernufoss
The jaws of all nature-lovers (myself included!) drop when they get their first glimpse of Kvernufoss waterfall. Standing 98 feet tall and pouring out over lush green hills, Kvernufoss is absolutely stunning. Most people tend to visit the popular nearby Skogafoss waterfall. But we skipped that one altogether to have privacy and tranquility at this hidden waterfall. It’s often overlooked by travelers. If you’re lucky enough to find it, you can hike up and around the waterfall and even venture behind the beautiful monstrosity. But you will get wet! I had camera equipment so I didn’t dare venture that way.

Contrary to what its name would have you believe, Iceland is filled with breathtaking green landscapes, crystal clear lagoons and stunning wildlife. Regardless of how well-traveled you may be, the scenery on the island is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. I’m very serious about this. We even drove all night to see the glacial lake with floating icebergs. Luckily for us, there was only 3 hours of darkness during that month. Everyone who has the opportunity should visit for themselves; but please go for at least 7 days. We only stayed 3 nights, which was no where near enough time to explore the way we needed to. We stayed in Reykjavic the entire time, which was a HUGE mistake. Everything is so spread out, it’s really best to stay at hotels as you drive around the island. Renting a car was key but some people rent RV’s. If I had to do it again, that’s the route I would go. While my pictures are nice, they honestly couldn’t accurately capture the endless wonders of the place.