In 1973, Vestmannaeyjar was evacuated when a volcano, located essentially inside the village, erupted. Fishing boats brought over 4,000 people to the mainland in a matter of hours. More than 400 homes were destroyed by the floating lava. It is miraculous that only one person died. The event has been seared into the soul of the nation ever since. Now, 44 years later, it is amazing to see how the people who came back have adjusted. You have to visit Vestmannaeyjar to fully understand the history, culture and the hardness of life in Iceland.