Alexander Armstrong in the Land of the Midnight Sun

Episode 2 (1x2)

Air date: Oct 21, 2015

In episode two, Alexander continues his journey through Iceland. He heads to Thingvellir National Park to explore a vast 40,000 mile crack in the Earth’s surface. Alexander says: “This is the meeting point between two enormous slabs of earth. Over to that side, the Eurasian slab that contains Europe, most of Russia, most of mainland China, right the way down to southeast Asia, and on this side, the north American slab.” Archaeologist Kevin Martin convinces him to get an even better view by immersing himself in near freezing water, five miles down the road. As they snorkel together, the visibility underwater is incredible and they are able to see 50 metres down into the gorge, into some of the clearest water in the world. No-one lived in Iceland until the Vikings arrived 1000 years ago and the country is so remote that their culture has been uniquely preserved. Alexander heads to Reykjavik, the capital, and learns that the Vikings were famous for a good fight. He agrees to take on a world champion female Glima, or Viking wrestler - Eva Dogg Johannsdottir, and changes into an official Glima costume: “OK, I’m gonna be quite honest with you. It feels like a sort of fetishist morris dancer costume.” Alexander hopes that Eva will go easy on him but soon finds himself being repeatedly flung to the floor. Eva explains that Iceland is so isolated that it has enabled it to be carefully preserved and documents that are a thousand years old are still accessible, making it possible to trace Viking roots using the Islendingabok. She explains its benefits: “Well, for example, I can trace my ancestor to the first person who has been confirmed to come in Iceland and settle, Ingolfur Arnarson….When you think, ‘OK, I have this guy here and I’m gonna have a long-term relationship, I’d better check he’s not like my third cousin.” Alexander heads west to somewhere even more isolated, Greenland, to Constable Point, which is so r