Guest Writer - Iceland - Kristen

From Kristen:

Iceland

Many people hear Iceland and think this:
Bjork: Iceland’s international superstar infamous for her fashion choices. But Iceland is oh so much more than just a woman who dresses up as a swan.

Iceland tends to fall under the radar. We know its an island and we know its somewhere north of us. I didn’t even know it was in Europe until now. But it is actually one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world. In 2007, the UN deemed it the most developed country. It is a free market economy with low taxes, universal healthcare and tertiary education open to all citizens.

Its coastline is basically a 4970 km fjord, where most of the 320,000 people who occupy the island, live. Two-thirds of the population call the capital city, Reykjavik, and its surrounding area, home. This is because the interior of the island is a mixture of sand and mountain terrain that is uninhabitable.

The land is beautiful, there is no doubt about it. Everywhere you look nature unfolds into a breathtaking landscape:
But let’s be honest. We, too, live in a rich and beautiful country with a gorgeous landscape and universal healthcare. So what really sets Iceland apart, makes the 7-hour flight worth it? The over 150 pickled penises they call their own, obviously

The Icelandic Phallological Musuem prides itself in having a penis for almost all mammals living on and around the island. This includes everything from whale wangs to seal schlongs to a hamster’s love machine. Not only are they preserved but penises and penile parts have also been transformed into scrotum-skin lampshades, walking sticks and toothpicks for the viewer’s pleasure. And in the future, the museum looks forward to having a human’s penis, as four men (still living) have chosen to cut off their member at their time of death and donate it to complete the musuem’s collection.

Now when you hear Iceland, I hope you picture more than just Bjork but also the lifelong work of the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Bon voyage.