Discovering Vikings in Europe

History Channel's picture in "Vikings" Season 5, episode 1.

I became fascinated with Viking history before taking our first trip to Europe. While preparing for our trip to Ireland, I learned that this country, along with many other European countries, is full of incredible and crazy Viking past. The information I learned sparked my interest enough to urge me to explore as much of this history as I could while visiting. So I did just that. In Ireland, I visited the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. Here, I took my sweet time viewing the priceless artifacts and reading the endless information about the Viking culture. The museum itself made me hungry to learn more about these fascinating people.

On our next trip six months later, we visited Denmark. I had learned previously that Denmark has even more Viking history in which I would be dying to engorge my mind. Here, I visited the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde. This museum has actual viking ships that had been preserved in the fjords (waterways/inlets from the sea) for over 1,000 years!  We also visited the National History Museum in Copenhagen, which had full intact viking bodies and countless other artifacts made my fascination grow even more for Viking history.

My picture. Vik Beach, Iceland.

Fast forward another six months and I take a trip to the gorgeous country of Iceland. This island has an immense amount of Viking history as well. Knowing this, I naturally had to visit the National History Museum of Reykjavik. Though I didn't have a lot of time to explore this amazing museum due to our limited time-frame, it didn't fail that I would again learn and see even more incredible artifacts and history that would add to my Viking knowledge and interest.

It wasn't until Iceland, though, that it hit me that the land I was stepping on was once Viking stepping ground. I remember getting a sensational feeling throughout my body and in my stomach when I realized that Viking past was all around me. Vikings were here thousands of years ago cultivating soil, hunting for food, fighting for land, and simply living life on the grounds in which I was standing. It was mind-blowing to think that Vikings once looked at the same waterfalls, rolling green hills, endless moss, glaciers, black sand beaches, craters, geysers, and everything in my sight thousands of years ago...Looking at all of these beautiful sights, I felt as though nothing and no one had touched the island since the Vikings. It seemed as though it looked exactly as it did that thousands of years ago. 

My picture. Vik Beach, Iceland.

Fascinated by Viking history, I naturally became a hard-core fan of the TV show "Vikings" on the History Channel. When watching the season 5 opener this past week, a smile lit up my face when I saw familiar images that I would have bet money on to state the EXACT (Literally! Check out my pictures below) spot where it was filmed.

History Channel's picture in "Vikings" Season 5, episode 1.

Watching this episode was like déjà vu "seeing" a "Viking" in the land I had literally visualized a Viking in a few months ago.  With all of my thoughts and feelings that I encountered in Iceland, I with out a doubt believe that it is the "Land of the gods." When you visit Iceland, you will see why it really can be the "Land of the gods."

Floki in "Vikings" Season 5, episode 1.

                                                   
Globetrotting Tip... 
Don't forget to visit these National History Museums for free or a discounted price with each city's "City Card". Read about the perks of these "City Cards" in my last blog post!                                                       
Museum Prices:
National Museum of Ireland: Free with the Dublin Card
Denmark's National Museum in Copenhagen: Free with Copenhagen Card
Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark: Discounted price with Copenhagen Card (about $10 US per person)
National Museum of Iceland and other Viking-related Museums: Free or discounted with Reykjavik City Card

Floki in "Vikings" Season 5, episode 1.

Me. Skogafoss waterfall, Iceland.

History Channel's picture in "Vikings" Season 5, episode 1.

Me. Vik Beach, Iceland.