Dear Ducky (and Charles Boo, too!),
Iceland is not made out of ice at all! It is dirt and ground just like Washington.
Adventure Katie and I landed in Iceland last night while it was
very dark. We flew on an airplane for hours
and just when I didn’t think I could stand it anymore, we arrived. The people
here speak English, but they also speak their own language called Icelandic. It
sounds very different and is nothing like quacking. I am glad that Katie
can speak so well because I think I would have a very difficult time being
understood here.
Today, Adventure Katie went running with lots of people. It was
so strange. Everyone went outside even though it was cold and raining and they
don’t have feathers like us to keep them warm and dry. They lined up,
shivering, and waited until a man up front called out to everyone. He yelled
through something that made his voice very loud and said, “Get ready, Get set,
GO!” Then, the whole crowd of people started running in the same direction.
Faster and faster they ran until they turned a corner and I couldn’t see them
anymore.
Adventure Katie was in the middle of the group and she smiled and
waved before running with them around the corner. I asked some local seagulls
what the group was doing and when Katie would be back. Can you guess what
they said? The seagulls said that the whole group runs a circle called a half
marathon and would be back after 13 miles! It is called a race and some people
win prizes, but other people just run because they are not very smart. I guess
this is what you have to do when you don’t have wings and can’t fly. Poor group
of flightless people stuck running all that distance.
As I was talking with my new friends, the Icelandic seagulls,
Adventure Katie suddenly appeared around another corner with all her crazy running
friends. Their cheeks were red and they were all huffing and puffing, but Katie was smiling and she looked like she was having fun. I flapped and quacked
and the seagulls joined me by yelling, “Eeyee, eeyee, eeyee!” for Katie.
She smiled and waved, giving us thumbs up before continuing to run along the
water.
What a silly group of people who cannot fly.
Adventure Katie finished the race and met me by a place where they
were giving out bagels and bananas. She ate the banana and gave me her bagel.
She had a very shiny new medal that she won for running the circle race, and
she let me wear it for the rest of the day! The seagulls were so jealous and
wanted their own medals, but they just ended up eating bagels from the garbage
cans. I can’t wait to see how the shiny medal will look on you and Charles Boo! We
can dress up as runners and race back and forth in the hallway. Tell Boo we promise not to cheat by flying
if he will not run so very fast.
The race is over now and everyone seems to be leaving. Adventure Katie really wants to shower and eat some lunch, but then she said we could
walk and explore the city Reykjavik. It is the capitol of Iceland, which seems
to mean that they have funny looking buildings, lots of people, and stores with
interesting things. I saw a large polar bear that I would like to meet and a
there is one store that is just for candy!
I miss our adventures, Ducky and Charles Boo, but I can’t wait to tell you all about the adventures we will have here in this new country. Keep being one cool Ducky and Boo.
With plenty of quacks,
Marvin the Mallard
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