Street Art – Reykjavik

April 2, 2015

Thanks to Samatha at fictionwriterwithablog  for nominating me to do the Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge. This is Day 4.

 

We visited Iceland in search of the Northern Lights during the New Year’s Holiday ringing in 2013. Unfortunately, a storm arrived just as we did. (Imagine trying to enjoy a spa day at the famous Blue Lagoon with white caps on the water.) Losing the gamble that our mid-weight winter clothes would suffice, we wandered the streets of Reykjavik popping into thrift stores searching for cheap boots and sweaters.

The real estate crash had left empty buildings scattered throughout the downtown making canvasses for street artists. The mushroom mural above didn’t seem to have an overt political message but some pieces did if you took the time to read them.

Iceland has a small population with a strong culture of community. The country’s people voted to take short term, difficult measures to deal with the financial crisis of 2008 by not bailing out the banks that brought it on. As the currency plummeted, many locals suffered hardships.  By 2013, the economy was recovering but some lingering anger was evident in the street art.

 

A skate park built within a courtyard

Thought this was just a building logo at first.

Detail commenting on the banking crisis

 

Where are all the people? Huddled around the outlets of the geothermal hot water.

 

Iceland is a beautiful country with an abundance of natural and cultural sites to enjoy. Cloudy skies kept the Northern Lights from view but we hope to return for them soon.

 

The Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge rules require you to post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or simply a short paragraph – it’s entirely up to you. (I am choosing to add extra photos on some of the posts…)

Then each day, nominate another blogger to carry on this challenge. Today I am nominating Jen at Adventurous Travel Tales who just solved her own banking crisis and is celebrating her freedom from debt.

Accepting the challenge is entirely up to the person nominated, it is not a command.

 

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