Despite volcanic activity and shaky economic conditions, the people of Iceland are celebrating today. Today is the first day of summer in Iceland, a national holiday held each year on the first Thursday after the 18th of April. Icelandic settlers in the second half of the 9th century used the Old Norse calendar, which divided the year into two seasons, summer and winter. If you have been to Iceland in the winter, you can easily understand why the first day of summer has become a national holiday here, where there is winter for more than 7 months each year.
Although we have given up the Old Norse religion a long time ago, we are still a very superstitious people. Not only do we believe in ghosts and elfs, we also believe that when temperature goes below zero centigrade on the first night of summer, that summer is going to be extra warm and sunny. That was the case in most of Iceland last night and in Husavik as well. So if you are preparing for your trip to Iceland this summer, be sure to pack your swimsuits, sunglasses, sandals and sunscreen, ’cause this summer is going to be a hot one!