I admit, the only Icelanders I got to talking in-depth with were AirBnB hosts. Second to that, some chats with restaurant owners/employees. Topics ranged a bit but I never did come right out and ask "so what's the deal with this whole Viking thing?"

I think you nailed it with the brief summary though: The common traits I found were "realistic" and "introspective", along with a refreshing enjoyment of more long-form conversation that is sometimes hard for me to find back home. People back home are usually in too much of a hurry to linger in a conversation with someone they just met.

I would love to visit again, but it's the same conundrum as I had last time: There are a lot of other places on my bucket list, and time and money are limited. :/

Oh, also, I gotta mention, there's a custom there that I only indulged in a few times, but that I absolutely love, even though it seems silly because it's so minor: If you're at a table in a public place and it's a bit crowded, you can wave over anyone, to sit down next to you and share the table, even if they're complete strangers. And often, they will talk with you a bit as well. It is so incredibly companionable, coming from a place like I do where you'd only share a table as an absolute last resort.