King's Road

Kóngavegur is a tiny village (if you can even call it that) at what feels like the absolute end of Iceland, where the plains stretch as far as the eye can see. Perched on a hill, you’ll find a few rundown caravans, home to some of the biggest misfits the country has to offer. One guy spends his days standing by the only road into the village with a homemade stop sign. Another patrols his little plot of land on a golf cart, yelling at anyone who gets too close. Then there’s the couple drowning in debt, with the former Miss Iceland trying to make it work, and a guy who just spends his whole day sitting in his car, smoking. They’re all kind of broken in their own ways. And this all unfolds during the near-endless polar night, where daylight lasts just a few hours, and even then, the sun barely makes an appearance through the grey haze. Oddly enough, I really liked it. Sure, I complain about weather like this, but there’s something strangely captivating about it that pulls me in. (09/12/2011)