We made it to the quaint little town of Vik, Iceland! They have black sand beaches and traditional wool sweaters.  These sweaters are everywhere and worn by locals and tourists alike!  If I didn’t absolutely hate the feel of wool, I would have bought one.  😉

Here’s a lovely article about the history of the traditional Icelandic wool sweater!

The traditional, historical, authentic Icelandic sweater dates back to… wait for it…

The 1950s.

Not, as I had imagined, from centuries ago, and not even really traditionally Icelandic… rumor has it that Auður Laxness, the wife of Nobel prize-winner, Halldór Laxness, brought a version of the sweater back from Greenland and replicated it in the late 1940s. Designs for the sweater were inspired by old Icelandic patterns, but also from imported embroidery manuals.

In the ’60s and ’70s, the sweater gained widespread popularity and made a lasting impression in Icelandic imagery.

The sweater received a resurgence in popularity, becoming something of a national symbol in the movement to restore national identity and boost morale after the economic crisis in 2008.

Well that was unexpected! 😉

One of my favorite aspects of the beaches in the South of Iceland is the black sand. I suppose after visiting the white sandy beaches of Florida so often, the contrast in color is even more striking.  Although anyone who has seen my wardrobe might also argue that black is just one of my favorite colors and I can’t wear anything white for more than 5 minutes.. but I digress.

Also a lovely example of a lifted Sprinter van camper on ungodly huge tires. I want one!!

We also found a precious little white church.

I’m sure there’s way more to Vik than we explored in the few hours we were there.  Just going to have to come back!