In Iceland men would have to to lift a 100 kg stone to hip height to qualify to work on a fishing boat. Some of the original stones still sit on the beach at Djúpalónssandur. This tradition became the inspiration for lifting the Ardblair Stones in Scotland, Iceland, and Wales.
Iceland
People who speak Icelandic can…
People who speak Icelandic can still understand the old Icelandic Sagas because of how little the language has changed over the past 1000 years.
Iceland has largest banana plantation …
Iceland has largest banana plantation in Europe. They use geothermal energy to heat greenhouses, allowing for the production of tropical fruits like banananas.
There’s a grocery chain in the UK…
There’s a grocery chain in the UK called Iceland Foods that once pursued legal action against Icelandic companies that use the name Iceland in their names. Iceland Foods was founded in 1970, while the country Iceland was established in 874.
90% of Icelandic women went on strike…
90% of Icelandic women went on strike both professionally and domestically in 1975. This led to the passage of equal pay legislation the following year.
The city of Reykjavík, Iceland, uses…
The city of Reykjavík, Iceland, uses hot water to maintain the temperature of a section of its downtown pond so the birds living there always have a corner in which to swim, even in winter.
Iceland has so much geothermal energy…
Iceland has so much geothermal energy that it has hot water distribution systems straight to houses.
Children in Iceland are not allowed…
Children in Iceland are not allowed to have names with the letter “C” in them. All names must conform to rules of Icelandic language, which does not have the letter “C”.
Due to its isolated location…
Due to its isolated location, the Icelandic language has changed very little from its original roots. Modern Icelandics can still read texts written in the 10th Century with relative ease.
The Icelandic forestry service…
The Icelandic forestry service is encouraging people to hug trees while social distancing measures prevent them from hugging other people.