In pursuit of an ultimate pleasure.

Icelanders love water and books. Little wonder that I am impressed. Amazed. If you are a high school graduate in Iceland, you can swim. That's a requirement. You not only have to read. You have to swim. You have to adapt to water. Municipal swimming pools abound. But better yet, there are natural hot springs. Where one can go bathing. I went. And just soaked. Literally. For hours. In water in the range of 98 to 102 degrees fahrenheit. Even on a cool day, it's wonderful. And the water often contains mineral elements that are supposed to be good for the body. The most famous of the hot springs is called the Blue Lagoon. Superbly run. And open 'til midnight in the summertime. Because Iceland is a land of midnight sun. Of some semblance of light for the whole day and night. Anyway, when Icelanders aren't swimming or bathing, they often are reading books. Virtually every little town and village has a library. With books well-stocked in Icelandic and English. Virtually all Icelanders are bilingual. When I next return to Iceland, I have a goal. I'm gonna float on my back in the Blue Lagoon and read a book at the same time. Sounds to me like an ultimate pleasure. --Jim Broede