> It's the first time I've really ever seen such a vegetatively sparse landscape The countryside of Iceland gave me the impression that instead of a "natural

> It's the first time I've really ever seen such a vegetatively sparse landscape The countryside of Iceland gave me the impression that instead of a "natural vegetated living world" there was two distinct things - an inorganic rock world, with a thin crust of life - lichen, moss and grass over it. I mean, technically this is true everywhere; but in Iceland the vegetation was so thin and recent and patchy as to be noticeable in an unfamiliar way.