In July 2023, I followed a parade of people to what felt like a carnival on the Reykjanes peninsula, where three eruptions have taken place in the past three years. On the hill overlooking the volcano there was a photoshoot for a skin product, on the other side someone was making a music video and next to them two Chinese women were posing in evening gowns. Another couple had set up a table with a white cloth and were enjoying a romantic dinner. The air was buzzing with drones and helicopters and a leading tourist operator hoped the eruption would last into the autumn so he could offer volcanic northern lights tours.
The eruptions were in an almost perfect spot, away from all infrastructure. It was a Disney volcano, but with hindsight this volcanic amusement park might have been a symbol for carefree days and attitudes; the high point of an era in which we seemed to have gained mastery over natural forces and turned them to our benefit, including marketing and tourism.
