Back in the US, but I’ll be posting Iceland stuff now and again for a while.  Seriously wonderful.

First stop: Thingvellir ("assembly field"), the inland stretch of land where the Althing, the world’s oldest parliament, began convening outdoors over 1000 years ago.  The air was so clear that the horizon was almost limitless.  Except for the few small buildings, this is probably much as it looked in A.D. 930.

Stunning place.  UNESCO World Heritage Site as of 2004.  (There are 851 on earth; they’re the real 1000 Places To See Before You Die.  Well, 851, anyway.  For me, this was 41 down, 810 to go.  Ulp.)

The traditional meeting spot was near the end of this huge ravine with 120-foot walls.  Scientists later realized that this is actually where the edges of the North American and European plates are slowly separating.  Cool, huh?  On the left, football is called "soccer," tectonically speaking. 

Next stop: what appears briefly to be a possible human sacrifice.

More shortly.

In case you missed the earlier post of the greatest beauty pageant answer ever, here it is again…

Now with a handy series-of-tubes diagram, so you can follow along at home.

Spotted at boingboing,net.

And that future is pretty darn grim. From the Miss Teen USA contest, possibly the greatest beauty pageant answer ever given:

That’s South Carolina’s winner.

Iceland!

The first thing you get with your rental car is a map of all the places in Iceland you’re not allowed to drive because it would be too dangerous you, the vehicle, the environment, or all three:

Even so, the places you are allowed to drive are pretty damned wonderful, I have to say.

More soon.

Duuuude… you’re, like, tripping me out.