The Perks of Living on Top of a Volcanic Hotspot.

Have you ever considered moving Iceland? Or maybe just travel there? This tiny Nordic nation sits on top of a huge Volcanic Hotspot in the middle of the Atlantic. Don’t let that deter you! Here are just a few perks of living dangerously:

The Hot Springs

Reykjadalur, which translates to Steam Valley, is only a 45-minute drive from Iceland’s capitol, Reykjavik. The further up the natural hot spring you go the hotter it gets. 

Geothermal energy beneath the Earth heats dozens of natural hot-springs scattered across the island.

The Geothermal Bakery

The ground gets so hot in some places that Icelanders use it to cook food. The guy in this picture dug out a pot of freshly baked bread off the coast of Lake Laugarvatn. You can check out Go the Travel Podcast’s latest episode on Geothermal Baking andVolcanic Hotspots.

...it gets so hot that the water constantly boils.

You only need to dig a few inches to reach the Geothermal Bakery. Water boils immediately beneath the ground. The small mounds of dirt with a rock resting on top, indicates that there is something cooking underneath.

The Geysirs

Did you know that, “Geyser,” is an Icelandic word? The OG, or Original Geyser in Iceland is named Geysir after the Old Norse word, geysa, “to gush.” This natural phenomenon occurs when the geyser’s water contacts the magma-heated bedrock. The water becomes Super Heated, which means it remains a liquid even though its temperature is above boiling point. This causes it to expand rapidly and upward creating a jet-like stream of water.

The Long Hot Showers

Pipes like these transport hot water to Iceland’s cities. Almost all the homes there don’t need a water-heater. Geothermal heat warms the water keeping the energy costs really low. So you’ll never have to worry about the hot water running out and you can leave the heat on all day!

Snow-free Sidewalks

In Reykjavik they run hot water pipes beneath some of their sidewalks and roadways to keep them ice-free in the winter.

Cheap Renewable Energy

The Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Station generates cheap energy for Icelanders. This energy source runs 24/7, it’s sustainable and better for the environment than other sources of energy.

Would you live on a Volcanic Hotspot? Reach out to us and check out our latest episode. If you're considering moving to Iceland or doing some Iceland Travel, then listen to our other podcast episodes for more information.

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