"The Land of Fire and Ice" Iceland by aussie79

I have visited Iceland twice: the first time in December 1996 and then again in June 1997. I spent 3-4 weeks there each time visiting my family. Iceland is an amazing and beautiful place. Iceland is actually very green and is engulfed in geothermic activity. The original "geyser" from which all other geysers are named is in Iceland. It erupts with hot water frequently. In the winter you can participate in the "Polar Bear Club" annual swim......a little too cold for me. The summer reaches about 60F on a hot day. There are volcanoes, glaciers, rivers, and ocean landscapes to see. I hope you enjoy your trip to Iceland as much as I did.
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<b><font color="green"size="4">Please visit my Travelogue</font></b><a href="http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.111080/article/165/1/?s=z"><font color="red"size="5">[Click Here]</font></a>
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Most Icelandic place-names, both of towns, villages, and natural features in the landscape, mean something. This can help visitors to Iceland identify and understand them. For instance, word containing the compounds hver, laug, and reyk(ja) indicate the proximity of hot springs. It should be noted that words or compounds in declension sometimes appear rather different from the nominative. The last part of a place name is usually the name of the geographical feature, e.g. Þingvellir (vellir is the plural of völlur = plain), Þjórsá (á = river), Akrafjall (fjall = mountain), Selfoss (foss = falls).

alda = hilly ridge (plural: öldur)

á = river

ás = small hill, ridge

bær = farm, township

bakki = river bank

bjarg = cliff, rock

borg = city, crag

botn = bottom, head of valley or fjord

brekka = slope

brú = bridge

bunga = rounded peak

dalur = valley

djúp = long inlet, deep

drag = watercourse (plural: drög)

drangur = isolated column of rock

dyngja = dome

eiði = isthmus

ey = island (plural: eyjar)

eyri = sandspit, delta

fell = mountain, hill

fjall = mountain (plural: fjöll)

fjörður = fjord, broad inlet, valley (plural: firðir)

fljót = large river

foss = waterfall

gata / götu = path, road, street

gígur = crater

gil = gorge, ravine

gjá = chasm, fissure

grunn = shoal, shallow

háls = ridge, isthmus

hamar = crag

heiði = heath, moor

hlíð = mountain side

hnjúkur / hnúkur = peak

höfði = promontory

höfn = harbour

hóll = rounded hill (plural: hólar)

hólmur = islet

holt = stony hill

hraun = lava field, lava

hryggur = ridge

hver = hot spring

hvoll = hill

jökull = glacier

jökulsá = glacial river

kirkja = church

klettur = rock, cliff

kot = small farm

kvísl = river, branch of river

lækur = brook

laug = warm spring, bath

lón = lagoon

melur = gravel, barren plain

múli = headland, spur

mynni = mouth

mýri = swamp

mörk = forest, woods

nes = headland, spur

núpur = spur, peak

oddi = point, tounge of land

öræfi = desert

ós = estuary

reykur = smoke, steam

rif = reef

sandur = sand(s)

skagi = peninsula

skarð = mountain pass

sker = skerry

skógur = wood, shrubland

slétta = plain

staður = place, parsonage (plural: staðir)

stapi = bluff, crag

stræti = street, road

strönd = beach, seashore, coast

súlur = (mountain) peaks

tangi = narrow peninsula

tindur = summit

tjörn = small lake, pond

tunga = tounge (of land)

vað = ford (plural: vöð)

varða = cairn (plural: vörður)

vatn = lake, water (plural: vötn)

vegur = road, track

ver = grassy spot

vík = inlet, small bay

vogur = inlet, creek

völlur = plain (plural: vellir)

Öræfi = wilderness, upland

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