Winter is a spellbinding time of year in Iceland.
It's the time when the forces of nature strike a blow at one another, leaving the local population and visitors bound to the comforts of their home.
This past January was dim and dreadful. Streets and grassy fields were clad in nature's very ice rink and human paws fell prey to its slippery ways.
Waking up in the pitch black morning was a torturous exercise with the light of day only appearing as noon approached. Then, as professionals and students finished their day of dutiful diligence, they walked into the dimly lit afternoon that is already blackened well before the early evening settles in its place.
We lived in the shadow of daylight, treading carefully across the ice rink as the cold wind blew us in all direction.
But then, all of a sudden, the enchanting month of February came and swept away the shivering creeps of January blues with its orange companion by its side, sending rays of sunlight to our pale faces and giving us hope for a brighter and better season after our time in the darkness.
In February, the world is truly veiled with magical and wondrous beauty.
The grim navy blue skies transform to an exquisite shade of animated royal blue. The air is still in the crisp night, and the stars spark like glitter drifted in no particular order across the already animated canvas.
When the moon is out in all its glory, the night is a wonderland where nature's magic thrive and just about anything can happen. A slow walk in the night is a journey through an enchanted highland and a mysterious city where the hopeful fall in love and aspirations for a beautiful life are born.
The hard cemented city rues are nearly deserted of life, and the crisp air of the distant highlands gives reason to indulge in an intimate cuddle to make this magical moment in time last a little longer, or until the cold has finally settled in our very bones and the inevitable escape to the warm comfort of bed is upon us.
February is truly the time to take late night walks, travel to Iceland's secret destinations that are beautiful beyond belief in the company of seasoned guides whose knowledge and enthusiasm for the land they inhabit give a deeper understanding of this strange terrain.
The Northern Lights seem never more alive than on those exquisite nights when all the elements come together and a rare moment in time is temporarily upon us. The Aurora bathes in the glory of this real-life animation and dances from joy across the canvas far above the sleepy sea, a sea that is already gleaming with joy on this perfect night.
It is the parisian spring, a glorious African dawn to a flawless summer day and the kaleidoscopic New England autumn. No time of year brings out Iceland's true magic as the month of February.
It is the month of hope and glory for locals, and an adventure to an animated world on the very edge of the inhabitable world for the visitors who come for an out-of-this-world experience.
It is the time of year when the magic of animation comes to life and life is simply beautiful.
February is truly fabulous.
