A few thoughts on Iceland at night and getting used to its darkness in winter: Iceland seems like a place to lead a contemplative life given its short days in winter, the length of its winter season, its small population, and its general weather conditions. I could see myself reading a lot and spending hours upon hours looking up at the skies while soaking in a geothermal pool and considering the meaning of the universe. Solitude in Iceland can be a mind-altering experience without detriment of recreational drugs.
When I visit Iceland, every Icelander I meet seems easygoing and laid back. Of course, everyone I meet is involved in the hospitality industry, so they’re not doubt predisposed toward friendliness and calm as hyper tourists descend and try to navigate.
The films I watch about visitors to Iceland—The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller version) and Land Ho!—reinforce this notion of natural splendor and pleasant people, and that is what I get on my visit.
Some Icelandic films, however, portray the place’s darker side: the harshness of winter, the fondness of the nation’s inhabitants for drunken excess, a certain lack of motivation. This is more laid-back gone lazy, artificially hazy, hopeless. I’m glad for the contrast provided by 101 Reykjavik, The Seagull’s Laughter, and Of Horses and Men, but I favor the lighter side of Iceland over the dark.
—Lori Tripoli
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