Iceland Review Street Edition

The Essentials List

Things not to miss when in Iceland /14 street edition

Camping near the Bird Cliffs

Or on the Arctic Circle / 34

vol.

01 2012

Travel · Nature · news · People · Culture

Your complimentary copy

p.16

This land is my land‚ this land is your land.

airiCelanD.is

hear an airplane? look up — it’s probalby us

Volcanic History

from the editor

celand Review Street Edition is a new paper built on an oldfoundation. It’s an offspring of a quarterly subscription magazine, Iceland Review, established by Haraldur J. Hamar, almost half a century ago.

The first issue of Iceland Review was Jón Kaldal published in the late summer of1963 with the goal of kaldal@irstreet edition.com introducing Iceland and Icelanders to an international audience. The magazine was the first attempt at such a task, and the reaction of Iceland’s public was part surprise, but overall, very positive.

However, as one prominent figure quipped: “You’ve already written about the herring, the hot springs, and literature in the first issue. Could you possibly find anything else to write about in a second one?”

Forty nine years and almost 200 issues later, Iceland Review has endless material to feature. There have, however, been immense changes to Iceland’s place in the world and its relation to the international community over the last decades.

As founder and editor for 37 years, Haraldur J. Hamar, put it when the magazine celebrated a milestone in its history: “When we started out, Iceland was at the edge of the inhabitable world. We were still pretty isolated out here in the North Atlantic. Since then, the world has shrunk a great deal. Nowadays, we’re part of the global community. We live in a new world.”

Iceland Review's debut Yes, indeed. The shift that has occurred in cover from 1963 tourism in Iceland is almost like a trip to another solar system. In 1962, one year before Iceland Review’s first issue was published, 17,249 foreign citizens visited Iceland, according to the records of the immigration authorities. Last year, tourists to Iceland numbered almost 600,000. In 2012, Iceland expects even more. If predictions are correct, in 2020 Iceland will see one million visitors to its shores.

For almost half a century, the bulk of Iceland Review’s readers have received the magazine in their respective countries. It’s an exciting task to bring its concept of stories on Icelandic nature, people, culture, history, and urban living, to travelers to Iceland with this Street Edition of Iceland Review. street edition Iceland Review VOL. #01 2012 Published by Forsíða ehf. Editor Jón Kaldal, kaldal@irstreetedition.com Photo Editor Páll Stefánsson ps@icelandreview.com Design Kristín Agnarsdóttir Copy Editors Ann Sass and Zoë Robert Advertising Sales Auður Magnúsdóttir, audur@irstreetedition.com Contributing Writers Ásta Andrésdóttir, Bjarni Brynjólfsson, Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir, Dr.Gunni, Júlíana Björnsdóttir, Sólmundur Hólm Sólmundarson, Sölvi Tryggvason and Zoë Robert.

Printed by Landsprent. Distribution by Árvakur. Distributed free around Iceland and the capital area.

Volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson, a few hundred meters from the Eyjafjallajökull crater, at the 2010 eruption.

Capital Lava It's not a question of if, but rather when, lava will flow around or into Reykjavík

H

araldur Sigurðsson is a world-renowned volcanologist, who has published over 160 articles in scientific journals and numerous books on volcanology. He owns and runs the Volcano Museum (Eldfjallasafnið) in the town of Stykkishólmur. Here he explains the imminent volcanic activity on the capital doorstep.

“In Iceland, just about everyone becomes an amateur geologist, because the rock formations are so obvious that you cannot miss noticing their different features. When you

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which are separating at a rate of about 2 cm per year.

But the activity is episodic and not continuous. About one thousand years ago, around the year 1000, an episode of volcanic activity began on the Reykjanes peninsula, which lasted, with some breaks, for about 350 years. How soon will we have to face a new episode? It is not a question of if, but rather when, it will start that worries geologists who have studied the volcanic history here, including the region around the metropolis of Reykjavík.”

You can read the full article, in Iceland Review magazine, out August 1st.

On the Cover Sara Harðardóttir and Höskuldur Eiríksson . Photographed by Páll Stefánsson at Bláfjöll mountains, twenty minutes east of Reykjavík.

WELCOME CARD

arrive in Iceland, and drive to the capital city of Reykjavík, you only need to look out the window to see that this is a very volcanic country.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge cuts right through Iceland and it accounts for much of the volcanism. Just south of Keflavík airport, at the end of the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge extends from the ocean depths onto dry land. This feature marks the boundary between the North American plate to the west, and the Eurasian plate to the east,

Photo/ir/Páll Stefánsson

A Half Century of History

Photo/ir/Páll Stefánsson.

In Iceland, just about everyone becomes an amateur geologist.

2 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Kúkú Campers are definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. Or as Kúkú’s Steinarr Lár (aka Big Boss) puts it: “If you are looking for a motorhome rental for a traditional tourist kind of trip in Iceland, don’t bother to stop by.”

No Kúkú Camper car looks the same. Each has its own name and a graffiti-painted exterior by Icelandic artist 7berg. And all have been fitted out with a sleeping area for two adults.

Included in the KúKú Campers are cutlery, dishes, cups, a dishwashing brush, a small stove, pots, and a frisbee.

Pictured is the Kim Jong Il camper, but in Kúkú's fleet are also the Chuck Norris, Lindsay Lohan, Steven Segal, and Paris Hilton, to name a few. jk

Tel +354 590 1550 info@visitreykjavik.is

See kukucampers.is

Kim Jong Il One of KúKú Camper's stylish travel cars.

Photo/ir/Pรกll Stefรกnsson

And after midnight everyone was in their Speedos.

4 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

nightlife

The Only Gay Bar in Town Siggi Einars runs the only strightly gay bar in Reykjavík; Gay 46.

W

e have regulars, both gay and straight, during the day, but at night we have a gay majority,” says Siggi Einars, the manager of Gay 46 bar at Hverfisgata 46, the only gay bar in Reykjavik. “The gay scene is so small that there is only room for one gay club at a time,” says Siggi, who has been involved in running almost every gay club in Iceland over the past two decades.

Siggi estimates that there is a group of 400 to 700 individuals active in the Reykjavík gay nightlife scene. He says almost every bar or club in Iceland is gayfriendly, although Gay 46 is the only one that focuses on gay men. “Actually, the club is divided in two sections, Bar 46 and Gay 46. In front there is an area where both lesbians and gay men get together. Then there is an area with pool tables and a 150 square meter dance floor, that’s all Bar 46. Inside, there is an exclusive club strictly for gay men, that’s Gay 46.”

Siggi says that gay people from all around the world visit the bar. “In May there was an international gay swim contest in Reykjavík and then about 400 gay swimmers visited the bar. And after midnight everyone was in their Speedos. One of my best nights in the business,” says Siggi laughing.

But, what is it that makes a bar a good gay bar, apart from the gay visitors? “The DJ and the staff. Definitely,” Siggi concludes. -shs

Siggi Einars A veteran in the gay clubbing scene in Iceland.

Photo/

On top of Sandheiði Mountain pass.

The view over fog covered Dýrafjörður fjord. Photo /

páll stefánsson

Páll Stefánsson

Large & Small The largest of Iceland's 76 municipalities is Fljótdalshérað, east Iceland, population 89, but covering ten percent of the republic, or around the same size as Jamaica, or Lebanon.

The municipality with the fewest inhabitants is Árneshreppur, in the West Fjords, population: 50 people, 6,650 sheep, and a couple of dogs, at least one of which is called Snati.

outnumbered.

Inhabitants of many of Iceland's 76 municipalities are outnumbered by sheep.

ps

Illustration: IR/ Kristin Agnarsdottir

I

viewpoint

The Drive

The road to watching seals up close and buying farm made blueberry and rhubarb jam.

t is only 500 km / 310 miles to the point seen in the photo from downtown Reykjavík. First it´s 10 km (6 mi) on road 49 (Nesbraut) towards Ring Road 1 N, then 103 km (64 mi) until you turn left on road 60, Vestfjarðarvegur. But first take a break in the town of Borgarnes to get a sandwich and a soda.

After 90 km (55 mi), you turn onto road 61, to Djúpvegur for the next 250 km (155 mi). This is a beautiful road, which ends in the town of Ísafjörður.

But there are two stops on the way. The first is at Reykjanes, halfway along this stretch. Take a dip, in the big warm swimming pool. The hotel next door is the perfect place to have something good to eat before you continue.

Next stop is the farm, Hvítanes, at the mouth of

Skötufjörður fjord, the best place to see seals.

They seem to enjoy the attention they get from the few tourists passing by. The farmers at Hvítanes farm have even placed free to use binoculars in a box on top of the bench by their driveway so people can watch the seals up close.

In the same box, there are jars of homemade blueberry and rhubarb jams from the farm. Buyers are expected to leave, ISK 1,000 (USD 7.9, EUR 6.3) per jar in the box, and more than 90 percent of the people who take jars pay. Then, after arriving in the town of Ísafjörður, turn left on road 60, Vestfjarðarvegur, for the next 26 km (16 mi). When you arrive in the Dýrafjörður fjord, turn left on road 624, continue for the next 18 km (11 mi), and you are HERE on top of Sandheiði mountain pass. Bon Voyage. ps@icelandreview.com

Your element • Steam rooms • Thermal baths • Sauna

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The ideal stop between Thingvellir and Geysir – daily tours by Reykjavik Excursions

Laugarvatn Fontana is composed of a series of interconnected outdoor mineral baths and steam rooms, built over natural hot spring that Icelanders have used for bathing since year 1929.

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One fabulously clad step at a time.

6 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Sweet Spots Quality food and snacks for reasonable prices.

1

Hamraborg The best “sjoppa”

(corner store) in the Republic. Located in the center of the town of Ísafjörður in the West Fjords, it has been run by the same family since September, 1968. They have the best sandwiches in Iceland, always fresh from the kitchen in the back. Recommended is the shrimp sandwich, with shrimp coming straight from the fjord, Ísafjarðardjúp, that surrounds the town. The hamburgers are fine, the pizza, thin and crunchy, with extra cheese. Local artists hang their art in the small restaurant.

2

4

Bæjarins bestu pylsur

Literally means “the town’s best hot dogs,” and it’s no exaggeration. This small downtown Reykjavík hot dog stand is a giant on the Icelandic fast food scene. The menu could not be simpler: a hot dog on a bun. The only existential question is choosing between different garnishes. President Bill Clinton is still fondly remembered for his choice on a visit to Reykjavík: one with mustard only. Expect a long line. It's worth the wait. e Bæjarins bestu pylsur, On the corner of Pósthússtræti and Tryggvagata, Reykjavík.

3

Serrano An all-Icelandic Mexican food chain franchise. Yes, slightly confusing, we know. However the food is all straightforward. No-frills enchiladas, burritos, and tacos, made with fresh fillings, served over the counter. One of the best bargains in town. It will make both your stomach and your wallet happy. e Serrano has six branches in the capital area, see: serrano.is

e Hamraborg, Hafnarstræti 7, Ísafjörður

Söluskáli Stefáns Jónssonar Gourmet burgers

are the last thing you would think of, parking at the Shell gas station in the small town of Fáskrúðsfjörður, in the East Fjords. But Söluskáli Stefáns Jónssonar has burgers that taste so good, the reputation has even reached all the way to the capital area, 670 kilometers, or 416 miles, away.

The favorite burger, with cheese and egg, is the “Sunny Side Up.” e Söluskáli Stefáns Jónssonar, Búðavegi 60, 750 Fáskrúðsfjörður.

making it

The heart

Technicolor Kron Kron pump from the Fall Winter 2012 Collection.

Photo/Héðinn Eiríksson

R

enowned for their bold bursts of color and quirky details such as bows, pleats and ruches, the KRON by KRONKRON shoes are the perfect way to stand out from the crowd. Made in Spain from top-quality materials such as leather, suede and velvet, about forty experts contribute to each pair with care and outstanding craftsmanship. The KRON shoes are the vision of Reykjavík’s coolest couple: fashion designer Hugrún and hairstylist Magni, who have retailed high-end clothing and shoes for ten years. “These shoes come straight from the heart,” says Hugrún. “We are not trying to capture the present; we want them to be feminine, neutral and timeless. They demonstrate that everyone can wear color, and also disprove the rule that an outfit mustn’t include more than three colors. Some of our pairs have as many as eight! Yet, they never look clownish or gaudy.

They harmonize well and please the eye.”

Available all over Europe and Asia, the KRON shoes have been on the fast track to success since their launch in 2008.

A hosiery collection was launched two years later, and more exciting things are on the horizon. However, the key to success, according to the designer duo, is to proceed cautiously. One fabulously clad step at a time. -ÁA

Photo/Saga Sigurðardóttir

The Kron by KronKron shoes are the perfect way to stand out from the crowd.

sole of 101

kronbykronkron.com Laugavegur 48 / Laugavegur 63b

weather

The wettest place in Iceland is Reyðarfjörd fjord, in the East Fjords. In November 2002, the precipitation there measured 971.5 mm.

The Icelandic record rainfall for one day happened The record for one on January 10, 2002, ten years month in Reykjavík ago, at the farm Kvísker, in southeast was 259.7 mm, in Iceland. On that single day, 293.2 November 1993. millimeters of rain fell, that is 293 liters of water on every square meter of land. ps

Wet, wet wet

the golden circle We’ll take you there! our most popular tour has just got better!

We take you to three of iceland’s bestloved sites: the geysir geothermal area, the spectacular gullfoss waterfall, and the geological and historical wonder that is Þingvellir national Park. in addition to the geysir multimedia show we are proud to include two brand-new stops on this tour: the eldhestar horse riding centre, where we have a date with the icelandic horse, and the idyllic Friðheimar greenhouse cultivation centre, where we see and learn how icelanders are using geothermal energy to grow vegetables in hothouses.

on this Added value tour: r la u p o p r e v e g show - Horse ridin visit - Greenhouse imedia show - Geysir mult

re-04

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included Bus fare, guided tour, admission to the Geysir multimedia show, to Eldhestar horse show & Friðheimar cultivation centre. Pick up is at hotels & guesthouses 30 minutes before departure. adults (16+):

Prices

PriceS

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And could you imagine, it’s only one and a half years since we operated from my garage and held a sales party in my garden!

8 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

fashion

Clothes that Compliment the Female Body ELLA is an Icelandic fashion company; a fashion house that takes pride being in Slow Fashion.

S

Photos/silja magg

ELLA operates within the Icelandic economic zone and uses only highquality fabrics.

ellabyel.com

Ingólfstræti 5

low fashion means less quantity audience—educated working women.”

ELLA has a core team of eight people, six and more quality. We operate in our own economic zone and use of whom have been with the company from only very good fabrics,” says the beginning, including Katrin María Elínrós Líndal, or Ella, CEO and the founder Káradóttir, ELLA’s designer. “My team is of the fashion company ELLA. “A part of Ella’s core—none of us have a company like being in slow fashion is to create something ELLA on our resume, but what we have in new. We are very proud of our mood boards, common is being very hard workers, and if something is in fashion we don’t do it,” organized, creative and courageous.”

Ella explains.

What about establishing ELLA abroad?

Ella started her company roughly a year “We are focusing on New York right now and ago. “I wanted to work on my own company. had our eyes set on a show room that we I’m an entrepreneur by heart, and thought liked a lot. People said it would take years to it could be of value to start a manufacturing get in there, but it took us one e-mail and a company in Iceland to support the Icelandic phone call. So we have had a successful economy and bring something of value to beginning.” the world of fashion.”

Ella says that since the company is young What makes ELLA different from other they have all the time in the world to grow fashion houses? “I think that our differentiators and become experts in their field. “And could are tailoring and very good Italian fabrics. We you imagine, it’s only one and a half years try to take the woman’s body and compliment since we operated from my garage and held it with clothes that are of value for our target a sales party in my garden!” -sh

Iceland Pavilion

Úthlíð - Travel Service is located about 100 km from Reykjavík,10 km from the great Geysir.

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Bed and Brekfast on the Golden Circle

Comfortable staying in luxury house. Nice rooms with beds, double or separate. Bathroom with shower in every room and a covered hot tub.

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Uthlid Iceland Cottages Booking information: +354 6995500 / +354 4868770 www.uthlid.is | uthlid@uthlid.is | facebook.com/uthlid

Experience Iceland in Fifteen Minutes Almost three million people have seen the Expo Pavilion designed for the World’s Fair in Shanghai 2010.

“This is probably the fastest way to experience Iceland, and it’s actually an amazing experience,” says Helga Thors, marketing manager of the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre. She is talking about the Iceland Expo Pavilion, which will be on view in Harpa for the next month. It was designed for the World’s Fair in Shanghai in 2010 and was also set up in the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2011, where Iceland was the Guest of Honour for 2011.

The pavilion features a unique 360-degree film, produced by Sagafilm where the walls and ceiling form a visual unity. ”The reason we decided to bring the Expo Pavilion to Iceland is the enormous acclaim it received in both Shanghai and Frankfurt. Almost 3 million people saw the film in Shanghai and the media coverage it received in Frankfurt was phenomenal,” says Helga. “Then people started wondering if it would be possible to bring the pavilion to Iceland. Halldór Guðmundsson, Harpa's managing director, dreamt of bringing it home and shared that dream with Sagafilm.”

Iceland in all its diversity. Footage from both city and nature is projected onto the four walls and the ceiling of the pavilion, together forming a cube that surrounds its guests. Helga says it gives you the chance to experience Iceland to the core. ”You fly through waterfalls, a marathon, and who knows, a volcano might erupt.” -sh The Expo Pavilion is on show every day at Harpa between 10-18, every half hour. Price is 10 euros per person.

Expo pavilion The film, which is fifteen minutes long, presents Iceland in all its diversity.

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We fly from the heart of Reykjavik to several exciting destinations around Iceland.

Greenland and Faroe Islands too!

How about indulging in the beauty of the west fjords, climbing a mountain in the east or cuddling up in an icy bay? With us you can make it in a day.

Whoosh!

The songs are sung in Icelandic but annotated in English.

10 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

22

calendar

21

Saturday Rock in Seyðisfjörður The LungA arts festival in the town of Seyðisfjörður, East Iceland , closes this weekend with a

big outdoor concert. Up-andcoming bands, as well as more established artists, will perform.

Acts include Sudden Weather Change, Retro Stefson, and Samaris. Off-venue party with DJ Kitty Von-Sometime at Herðubreið cultural center.

31

Sunday

July

Tuesday

Beloved Icelandic Classical Music

Viðey Island Art Walk Heiðar Kári Rannversson leads a guided tour around the island, focusing on the art works the Imagine Peace Tower by Yoko Ono and Standing Stone-Nine Locations-Two Elevations by Richard Serra. The boat leaves from Skarfabakki, Sundahöfn harbor, at 18:15 and 19:15 and returns around 22:00.

At Harpa concert hall in Reykjavík , classical Icelandic music is presented in a program consisting of some of the country’s most beloved folk songs, hymns, and national-songs. The songs are sung in Icelandic but annotated in English. For more dates, see: harpa.is

26

Thursday Bræðslan Off-Venue Concerts

24 21

Tuesday

The National Gallery Guided tours in English every Tuesday and Friday, 12:10 to 12:40.

Saturday

Friday

Guided tours at Kjarvalsstaðir Reykjavik Art Museum now offers free guided tours in English at Kjarvalsstaðir every Friday at 11:00.

The entrance ticket is valid for three museums on the same day.

Kjarvalsstaðir houses the works of one of Iceland’s most influential and recognized artists, Jóhannes S.

Kjarval (1885-1972).

31

Tuesday Folk Songs British music from the early 20th

century, influenced by folk songs.

Performed by Júlía Traustadóttir, soprano, and Sólrún Gunnarsdóttir, violin. Three Irish Country Songs by Rebecca Clarke, Four Songs op. 35 by Gustav Holst and more. Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum, Laugarnestangi 70, Reykjavík. Starts 20:30.

25

The Baron of Techno DJ Dave Clarke performs at Þýski barinn (The German Bar).

Known as “the Baron of Techno,” He plays regular gigs at different locations around the globe. Þýski barinn, Tryggvagata 22 , downtown Reykjavík.

22

One of Iceland’s most popular music festivals, Bræðslan , is held in Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland.

It sold out instantly but there are two off-venue concerts, held on Thursday and Friday, before the festival kicks off. Among the artists to play are Jónas Sigurðsson, Tilbury, and Kiriyma Family.

27

Wednesday Football and Fun Up to 1,500 young (12-16 years old) footballers will attend the 2012 Vodafone Rey Cup in Laugardalur valley, Reykjavík. Most of the teams

are from Iceland, but visitors from the US, Finland, and Norway will also participate. July 25 to 29.

Sunday

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Thursday Reykjavík Criminally Reykjavík City Library hosts free

literary walking tours in downtown Reykjavík every Thursday at 17:00.

The walks start from the library’s main branch on Tryggvagata 15.

Icelandic crime fiction, old and new, is introduced at various stops by two or three guides from the library. The walk takes about an hour, is at an easy pace, and suits everyone. Free.

Haymaking Between 13:00 and 17:00 visitors to Árbæjarsafn open-air folk museum can experience old-fashioned haymaking as it was in rural Iceland in earlier centuries. Located in Elliðarárdalur in Reykjavík .

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An international music festival held in the birth place of Snorri Sturluson in Borgarfjörður west Iceland. Its repertoire includes classical music featuring both Icelandic musicians and well-known foreign artists.

Performances at the opening concert include: duets for Friday two violins by Bartók, performed by the Finnish violinist Réka Szilvay and Auður Hafsteinsdóttir; Brahms Reykholt Festival rhapsodies for piano by Vovka Ashkenazy; brand new arrangements for piano trio of well-known Icelandic songs. For full line-up visit: reykholtshatid.is/

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NO NEED TO GO HUNGRY AROUND ICELAND

Akureyri Blönduós Bolungarvík Dalvík Grundarfjörður Hafnarfjördur Húsavík Ísafjörður Neskaupstaður Ólafsfjörður Selfoss Siglufjörður Skagaströnd

Akranes Akureyri Bifröst Borgarfjörður eystri Búðardalur Djúpivogur Eskifjörður Fáskrúðsfjörður Flúðir Garður Kópavogur Laugarvatn Mývatnssveit Reykjanesbær Reykjavík Sandgerði Seyðisfjörður Þórshöfn

Akureyri Borgarnes Egilsstaðir Grafarvogur Grindavík Höfn Kópavogur Reykjanesbær Reykjavík Selfoss

Húsavík Reykjanesbær

Borgarnes

The debate is still raging.

12 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

news from iceland “Poop Balls” About to Disappear The rare phenomenon marimo (a.k.a. lake ball or moss ball), known as kúluskítur in Icelandic (literally: “poop ball”) is about to disappear from Lake Mývatn according to research by Japanese plant physiologist Isamu Wakana. The cause isn’t clear. Mývatn is believed to be one of only two locations where it exists in the world. The other is Lake Akan in Japan.

Whale Carcass Causes a Stink

Seawater Damages Archaeological Site Archaeologists say an excavation site at Kolkuós in Skagafjörður has been damaged after a bad winter and seawater intrusion.

Attempts are being made to recover artifacts and prevent important historical data on the area from being lost as it is washed out to sea.

25.8%

Bobby Fischer Museum to Open in Selfoss A museum in honor of chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer will open in the town of Selfoss, South Iceland. The museum will feature a permanent exhibition on the so-called Duel of the Century, which took place in Reykjavík in 1972 between Fischer and Boris Spassky.

Tourists to Vestmannaeyjar Islands Triple The number of foreign tourists visiting the Vestmanneyjar (Westman) Islands has tripled (45-60,000 tourists a year) with the arrival of a new mainland harbor. Heimaey is the only inhabited island in the archipelago, and was the site of a major volcanic eruption in 1973.

National Icon Made in China

This is a question posed by German journalist and photographer Tina Bauer in her upcoming photo book Iceland – Lovely Home for German Women, featuring German women who fulfilled their dream of making Iceland their home.

The text that accompanies the photographs, which is both in German and English, tells the story of these creative, nature-loving women, who explain why they want to live in Iceland and share their experiences with readers.

“The women are role models to me,” reveals the author.

“These strong […] personalities who followed their hearts.” Bauer has also lived in Iceland for some time. “I was often asked why I was in Iceland and why so many German women live here.” To publish her book, Bauer has launched a crowd fundraising project on startnext.de where readers can become a part of the project in helping to fund it.

Every sponsor will be named in the book.

The total increase in value of the catch of Icelandic fishing vessels in the first three months of 2012 compared to the same period last year. The total value amounted to ISK 47.3 billion (USD 378 million, EUR 300 million)

$2,700

O What Attracts German Women to Iceland?

is the unemployment ratio in Iceland according to a brand new survey. It has not been lower since 2008.

Photos/Páll Stefánsson

The rotting carcass of a whale which washed up at Fljótavík in Hornstrandir in the West Fjords last year has been causing quite a stink in the area. The dead whale has been drifting up the river mouth. According to a report by the environmental officer at Ísafjörður, the animal’s remains will have mostly disappeared by next summer.

4.8%

ne of the most fiercely debated news stories of this summer features an Icelandic icon: the typical Icelandic wool sweater (or lopapeysa in Icelandic). It was uncovered in June that some local stores sell sweaters made in China or Taiwan—and not in Iceland. The Icelandic wool sweater is considered by many to be a trademark of Icelandic culture and is one of the most popular souvenirs bought by tourists.

Hermann Sigursteinsson, the production manager of outdoor clothing company 66°N, which have its sweaters made in China, explained to newspaper Fréttablaðið:“That’s been the production process in many places. This is an Icelandic product, made with Icelandic wool, and this is Icelandic design, just done elsewhere.”

Bryndís Eiríksdóttir, from the Handknitting Association Amanda Carrick. of Iceland, does not buy into the argument and calls for Wearing a traditionally a different labeling system introducing a certification of hand-knitted sweater. origin. That way, the consumer can be sure where the Photo/Ingólfur Júlíusson product was made. The debate is still raging.

Or ISK 350,000, EUR 2,240 is the minimum fine for offenders who cause serious damage to the environment, or imprisonment of up to four years, according to new amendments to the laws relating to off-road driving and nature conservation. In severe cases, the offender’s vehicle may be confiscated.

ISK 60 Sigur Rós Invites Fans to Join Project Icelandic band Sigur Rós is inviting fans to take part in a film contest in connection with their new album Valtari. The winning film-maker will be awarded USD 5,000 (ISK 634,000, EUR 4,000) in prize money. Sigur Rós earlier announced the launch of a ‘mystery film experiment,’ inviting a number of directors to create a music video for a track on the new album. The results so far can be viewed at www.sigur-ros.co.uk

Economic Crisis Over As Icelandic professor in economics, Gylfi Zoëga, stated that economic growth is higher in Iceland than in many other western countries. Gylfi pointed out that since the banking collapse in October 2008, Iceland’s gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by 3.7 percent, which is a higher rate than the average among EU member states. Gylfi stated that during daily bickering, most Icelanders have failed to notice the

upswing of the national economy which began in mid-2010. Last year it measured three percent, which is higher than in many other western countries. “It is caused by increased investment, private consumption, and export, that is, tourism and the fishing industry.” Gylfi said. “The employment level is improving, the purchasing power of salaries is improving,” he pointed out. “The purchasing power is similar as in 2005, the GPD comparable to 2006

Was the price of one US dollar on July 20, 2007. Five years later, the price has doubled, to ISK 129. The Icelandic króna crashed spectacularly in the autumn of 2008 and has not recovered. The cost of one Euro in July 2007 was ISK 82. Today it’s ISK 158. Capital controls are still imposed in Iceland.

200 Is the estimated number of volunteers from abroad who will spend this summer in Iceland to assist with the maintenance and development of protected areas in the country.

Photos/Páll Stefánsson

this year you can do something unique. this is a photograph not a painting. imagine how it looks in real life. you can go there today.

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Anika / Iceland 1 My favorite is ice climbing at Vatnajökull glacier. And you can do it all year. Fun for everyone.

2 I like the Ring Road 1—on every bend, there is different landscape. My favorite place along the road is the town of Akureyri. Always good weather.

3 After the trip out to the country, the crazy nightlife of the capital is a must.

travel

The BucKet List Iceland Review Street Edition asked five people about three things not

to miss when visiting Iceland.

Colin / California

Juan / Colombia

1 The Reykjavík pub crawl—nothing in the world beats that.

2 Laugavegur trail, the 50-kilometer-long trail in the highlands, starting at Landmannalaugar. Super.

3 The local women—stunning, as is the landscape. Crazy as a volcano.

1 Nothing is better in Iceland, than to lie down on the green green moss in the lava fields around Reykjavík. Soft and pure.

2 Snæfellsnes peninsula, with the volcano glacier of the same name, is also fantastic.

3 Nauthólsvík, the warm water public beach in Reykjavík. And if you dare (I have), it’s crazy to swim in the cold North Atlantic Ocean.

Kristján / Iceland 1 My favorite destination in Iceland is Ásbyrgi, in Vatnajökull national park, northeast Iceland. Totally unique, and always good weather.

2 Second, is Mossárdalur, close to Skaftafell, southeast Iceland.

Unique nature sheltered by the gigantic Vatnajökull glacier.

3 My third favorite is to take the short hike between the small villages of Hellnar and Arnarstapi on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

Best coastline in Iceland.

Nina / Germany 1 Kerlingafjöll mountains in the central highlands. One of a kind.

The ultimate destination for raw Iceland.

2 The West Fjords region as a whole—remote, and so different from the rest of the country.

3 Landmannalaugar area—sitting down in the warm brook after a day of hard hiking is absolutely the best thing you could and should do, when visiting planet Iceland.

Photos by Páll Stefánsson

Nothing is better in Iceland, than to lie down on the green green moss in the lava fields around Reykjavík.

14 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

The land is as far from the capital as you can get.

16 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Debatable Foreign Attraction One of the most heated debates in Iceland at the moment is the proposed rental of a huge desolate farmland, Grímsstaðir á fjöllum, on the northeast highland plateau by Chinese businessman Huang Nubo. Foreign ownership of land in Iceland is, however, nothing new. Some of the country’s largest horse breeding farms, for example, are owned by individuals who are not born in Iceland.

Text: Sölvi Tryggvason Photos: Páll Stefánsson

The land is as far from the capital as you can get.

vol. #01 2012 / Iceland Review Street Edition / 17

Farmland Grímstaðir á fjöllum. Located in Iceland’s northeastern highlands. The land is as far from the capital as you can get. It's size is 300 square kilometers (five times the size of Manhattan).

ast year, a heated discussion on foreign ownership of Icelandic farmland erupted both in the media and in parliament. The debate was sparked over the plans of Chinese billionaire Huang Nubo, founder of Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group Company, to buy Grímsstaðir á fjöllum, a huge farmland on the highland plateau in northeast Iceland.

After a drawn out debate, the Ministry of the Interior rejected Huang’s proposal, despite polls showing strong support among the local community for plans to boost the area.

Witnessing the discussion, one might have thought that Huang would have been the first foreigner to own a property in Iceland. This is, however, not the case.

An Italian Baron and a Swedish Businessman There was a lot of misleading information and hypocrisy on the part of those that cited nationalistic views, that Iceland should only be owned by Icelanders. Here are a few examples. Ármót one of the most exclusive horse breeding farms in Iceland, located in the south, near the town of Hella, is owned by a Swedish businessman, even though Icelanders run the property from day to day. Almost 5 square kilometers it is a big property on an Icelandic scale. Ármót

Equestrian Centre has been developed into one of the best horse breeding and travel service centers in the country.

The farm offers exclusive training, raising, and breeding of young stallions. Ármót also organizes hunting, fishing, and special adventure events and tours.

Another horse breeding farm in the south, Kastalabrekka, also near Hella, is owned by an Italian baron named Felix Von Longo Liebenstein. Kastalabrekka is 4.4 square kilometers, and like Ármót, is an exclusive and expensive horse breeding farm.

So, at least two of the biggest horse breeding farms in Iceland are already owned by individuals not born in Iceland. A third, Kvistir, is also owned by a foreigner, a German businessman.

A source who has worked in the property and hotel industry in Iceland for decades goes as far as to say that much of the horse breeding land in Iceland is owned by foreigners, often with Icelanders responsible for the daily running of the farms.

Legal Exemption According to the Ministry of the Interior, since 2007, 24 exemptions to the laws on the purchase of land in Iceland, which state that non-EEA companies and citizens cannot acquire land, have been granted. These include for residential and vacation homes, as well as for land. The majority of the buyers have been from the US. Continues on page 18 l

Laws from the 13th Century Secure the Rights of Travelers According to Icelandic law, the right of a person traveling on foot or by horse, to cross through privately owned land has precedence. According to Járnsíða, a law book from the 13th century, landowners may not hinder passage of walkers or those on horseback. The right to travel is superior to the right of the owner of the land. Mostly, this happens without argument between traveler and landowner. Laws and codes on the environment from 1999 are mostly built on the old laws of Járnsíða, and guarantee the rights of travelers.

The land is as far from the capital as you can get.

18 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

The case of Huang Nubo Last year, Chinese businessman Huang Nubo, founder of Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group Company, tried to buy 70% of the farmland Grímstaðir á fjöllum, in Iceland’s northeastern highlands. The land is as far from the capital as you can get, is 300 square kilometers (five times the size of Manhattan), and the amount he was willing to pay, around ISK 1 billion (around USD 9 million, EUR 6.5 million).

Since Huang comes from a country outside of the European Economic Area (the EU, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway), he needs legal exemption. The case sparked controversy in Iceland.

Huang’s plans are to build a luxury resort and golf course on the approximately 1%, or 3 square kilometers of the approximately piece of land, ultimately, investing around USD 200 million (ISK 25 billion, EUR 163 million) in Iceland.

After heated debates among politicians in Iceland, the Minister of the Interior, Ögmundur Jónasson, ultimately denied Huang permission to purchase the land, citing that Icelandic law does not permit those outside the EEA to purchase land in Iceland. This did not go down well with some of his colleagues in the government, and several parliamentarians from The attraction of the Icelandic horse is apparently strong. People born outside of Iceland own several of the country’s most exclusive and expensive horse breeding farms.

Grímsstaðir á Fjöllum

northeast Iceland were especially riled.

The purchase would have been the largest by a foreigner in Iceland, had it gone through.

“The question is not how can we turn down direct foreign investment of this magnitude, but rather, how can one nation do anything else but comply with the laws it has passed for itself?” Ögmundur said in a November 26 interview, after blocking Huang’s purchase. “It would have been easy to circumvent these laws, by establishing an Icelandic limited liability company. That reminds us of the necessity to reconsider these laws from top to bottom.”

Therein lies the bottom line. Huang could easily have bypassed Icelandic law by doing the purchase through a, let’s say, Swedish or Danish shareholding company.

After the rebuttal by the Ministry of the Interior earlier this year, employment development groups advised municipalities of northern and eastern Iceland to create a shareholding company, buy a 70% share in the property at Grímsstaðir á Fjöllum, and then lease it to Huang Nubo over the next 40 years.

In mid-July, Huang confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg that he has secured a deal to lease Grímsstaðir. Speaking from Beijing, Huang said a formal investment agreement would be signed “no later than October.” The leasing price is thought to be around USD 7.8 million (ISK 1 billion, EUR 6.3 million), and will be paid upfront.

l Continued from page 16 Such interest is not new. For the last three decades, there has been a steady interest from foreigners in buying a part of Iceland.

In 2003, the municipality of Mýrdalshreppur, in the south of Iceland, granted Rudolf Lamprecht, a businessman from Switzerland, special permission to buy the deserted land Engigarður in Heiðardalur. Lamprecht,

When foreigners have bought land in Iceland in the past, it has usually been of a small area, used for vacations and such. A lot of foreigners such as Liebenstein with interest in horses have bought land in the south of Iceland as well.

Usually, the land has been freee of agricultural activity for some time when it is bought.

2011 is not the first time that there is discussion and fear of foreigners buying up land in Iceland. Magnús Leópoldsson says it has happened regularly for the 26 years he has been in the business.

In mid-July, Huang confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg that he has secured a deal to lease Grímsstaðir. who is a fish farmer, arranged a contract with fishing clubs in the surrounding areas to rent the land for a period of ten years. Lamprecht also owns properties in the east of the country.

Magnús Leópoldsson has worked in the real estate business in Iceland for decades and has sold properties and land in Iceland to foreigners. Magnús says most of foreign buyers come from countries within the EEA, particularly from the other Nordic countries. There are a few examples of buyers from countries outside of Europe though. In such cases, special permission from the Ministry of the Interior has usually been granted.

There has been a lot of hypocrisy in these discussions. A lot of Icelanders own properties in a variety of countries on most continents. And the view is that nothing could be more normal, for those that can afford it, than buying property overseas. The case of Huang Nubo showed, however, that foreign ownership of land is a sensitive issue.

Among some groups, nationalistic tendencies flare up.

It might have something to do with the relatively short period of independence (only 68 years this summer). If Icelanders want to keep on buying properties abroad, they might have to be a bit more lenient in their approach towards foreigners buying in Iceland.

Watchmaker Frank Michelsen, founder of Michelsen Watchmakers, at his desk in Sauðárkrókur, N-Iceland, in 1920.

Watchmakers since 1909 Four generations of Michelsen watchmakers have provided Icelanders with the skill and expertise that comes from experience and which has been passed on in the family, from one generation to another. On the occasion of the centenary of Michelsen watchmakers in 2009, the Michelsen watches were reintroduced after a 70-year break.

Reykjavík 64°N/22°W. A fine mechanical self-winding movement, a 316L Stainless steel case with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, a black, lava-grey or silver dial and a choice of 15 different handmade leather straps.

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65°38´29,83"N - 16°48´38,32"W

20 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Hot Spot Photo by: Páll Stefánsson

Counting colors at Hverarönd, the geothermal area close to Lake Mývatn, northeast Iceland. Located 100 kilometers, or 60 miles, east of Akureyri, and 75 kilometers, or 45 miles, southwest of the mighty Dettifoss waterfall, the most powerful in Europe.

65°38´29,83"N - 16°48´38,32"W

vol. #01 2012 / Iceland Review Street Edition / 21

Why write a book about a letter that is extinct or non-existent in the majority of modern languages?

22 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

The funny little letter

On a beautiful summer´S day in Reykjavík, Júlíana Björnsdóttir visited author and historian Stefán Pálsson at his new home in the suburb of Hlíðar, to learn more about his curious new book in the works.

S

téfán Pálsson is a Europe. As Stefán revival of England’s multi-tasking academic pointed out, the letter Anglo-Saxon glory days. whose expertise spans from “ð” was not only a The discovery of the printing technique temping as a morning radio significant symbol that host, editing, lecturing at the separated the Angloenabled him to bring the University of Iceland and Saxon alphabet from letter “ð” back into writing books. His latest work is in its final stages the domination of Latin existence. and the intriguing new topic is the letter “ð”. in the Middle Ages, but A man of cultural, The letter “ð” is a rare sight in modern languages also played a role in the rather than theological, and is primarily used in Icelandic and Faroese. In spreading of early upbringing, he insisted The ð team. Stefán Pálsson, Steinar Ingi phonology it has been labeled an “interdental Christianity. on recreating the letter Farestveit, Gunnar Vilhjálmsson, and Anton Kaldal. fricative” and is pronounced as the “th” sound in “ð” in print and had a The Journey the plural pronoun them. form made especially for But what inspires a historian to write a book to Iceland this drawn-like symbol. His ambition was to print about a letter that is extinct or non-existent in a The influences of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom spread old scripts and history books in Old English, majority of modern languages? across the shores of the British Isles to Iceland. Anglo- including the “ð” and “þ”. However, the foreword An encounter with Gunnar Vilhjálmsson, Saxon bishops came to Iceland to preach and brought was written in Modern English, the English spoken Anton Kaldal, and Steinar Ingi Farestveit, three the letter “ð” to the language as an added bonus. after the Great Vowel Shift completed in 1550. graphic designers with an enthusiasm for the Icelanders realized the letter “ð” was commonly The pre-existing forms came into good use when long history of a seemingly insignificant letter, used in several languages, such as Norwegian and Njála, one of the Icelandic sagas, was first released Swedish, and during the thirteenth and the in print in 1770. Like Bishop Parker’s print fourteenth centuries, the letter “ð” was quickly editions, the introduction was written without jÚlíana Björnsdóttir julianabjornsdottir@gmail. com

and a phonecall from publisher Kristján B. Jónasson at Crymogea publishing house, was all it took to arouse his interest.

“The topic was simply too strange to ignore,” Stefán told Iceland Review Street Edition.

“This book about the letter “ð” is not just for typographers and linguists. To me, the topic is much like an extraordinary dish on a restaurant menu, so extraordinarily peculiar in fact, that it simply must be sampled,” he added.

Early History The letter’s existence dates back to the days of King Alfred the Great of the Anglo-Saxons and his attempts to establish a language to unify dispersed Anglo-Saxon tribes under one king.

Scholars under his rule initially adapted the Latin alphabet. The language, known as Old English to modern scholars, required additional sounds and so the “th” sound was added, both the interdental fricative “ð” and the voiceless dental fricative “þ”.

Anglo-Saxons later became quite the missionaries and spread Christianity to northern and eastern

in brief

ð of the North Atlantic The letter “ð” is a rare sight in modern languages and is primarily used in Icelandic and Faroese. The great Danish grammatician Rasmus Christian Rask is the man to whom Icelanders owe the existence of the letter “ð” in their present day language. Almost 200 years ago he standardized Icelandic spelling and brought back the “ð”. Icelanders now use this letter as if it never ceased to exist.

adapted into the Icelandic language. But, as the the “ð” and “þ,” while the original text included Anglo-Saxon reign is defeated by the Latin- the language of its time. influenced Normans, so is the letter “ð”. After only 200 years in use, the letter “ð” became but a The Icelandic Hero and the memory of an extinct letter in the British Isles, Disappointing Grammatician Sweden, Norway, and Iceland.

“Rasmus Christian Rask is the man to whom we owe the existence of the letter “ð” in our present The English Reformation and the day language,” Stefán Pálsson tells us.

Renaissance The great Danish grammatician took a special Then came King Henry VIII. The pope’s refusal interest in the Icelandic language and learned to grant him a divorce and the sequential secession to read and speak Icelandic in several months from the Catholic Church led to an unexpected when he was in his teens. He was given an twist of fate for the little letter “ð”. original copy of Heimskringa and a Danish Under Queen Elizabeth I, the English Bishop translation and studied the two scripts. He of Canterbury, Matthew Parker, encouraged the figured out the unwritten grammatical rules

without the assistance of a dictionary. The first Icelanders he met at university were blown away by his fluency and deep understanding of the language.

He became an advocate for the Icelandic language. He was one of the founding fathers of the Icelandic Literary Society in 1816, and through his work with them standardized Icelandic spelling and brought back the “ð” in a matter of years.

To him, Icelandic was a perfect language and he was convinced it was the mother of all Scandinavian languages. His theory, albeit not entirely accurate, gave Icelanders a new sense of pride.

In the past, Icelandic history teachers referred to him as the “only good Dane”.

But why would a gifted Danish grammatician care so much about Icelandic?

The real reason probably has its roots in his strong sense of nationalism. He wanted to put Denmark and the Danish language back on the map. Unlike Icelandic, he believed it necessary to adjust the spelling to spoken Danish.

“It seems his reasons for reviving Old Icelandic were partly nationalistic. For as long as Iceland was under Denmark, the Icelandic language was just as much Danish heritage as Icelandic,” Stefán explains.

The letter “ð” in modern Icelandic Almost 200 years later, Icelanders continue to use “ð” as if it never ceased to exist, and to many the letter is free to personal interpretation.

“My graphic designers have studied the different ways Icelanders write “ð” and it is astounding to see the many individual styles.

In the book we hope to show the many variations throughout the history of the letter,” Stefán told Iceland Review Street Edition.

The Crymogea publishing house is not only ambitious in choice of content but also in terms of presentation. At the moment, Gunnar, Anton, and Steinar Ingi are working hard on the layout.

The book is expected to be released well in time for Christmas. Publishers in Germany and the UK have already shown interest in local releases

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Why not shoot it in the distant wastelands?

24 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Movieland Text: Sólmundur Hólm Sólmundarson

After the Icelandic government promised a twenty percent refund of production costs, there has been a Hollywood explosion in the Icelandic film industry. In the one-year period from mid-2011 to mid-2012, four major productions were at least partially filmed in Iceland.

Apart from getting Icelandic natives all wired up about movie stars visiting the country, it is estimated that these four films will have brought up to two billion Icelandic króna into the country’s economy, and will have created up to 600 jobs. We like to think that the refund is not the only thing that makes Iceland an attractive filming location, and hope that nature also helps to lure big stars to the country.

?

Noah

Oblivion

Prometheus

Partially filmed in Iceland in the summer of 2012

Partially filmed in Iceland in the summer of 2012

Partially filmed in Iceland in July 2011

Director: Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) Starring: Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, and Jennifer Connelly Budget: USD 100 million

Director: Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) Starring Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman Budget: USD 130 million

Director: Ridley Scott Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Guy Pearce Budget: USD 130 million

This film has unfortunately been in the shadow of its star’s divorce the past few weeks. They say all good things come to an end, and this movie is indeed about the end of days.

Oblivion is a science fiction feature film about a veteran soldier who is sent to a distant planet to destroy the remains of a savage alien race.

If you are going to make a movie about a distant planet, why not shoot it in the distant wastelands and nature of Iceland?

About 1/7 of Oblivion was filmed in three different locations in the northern part of the country. All three areas probably resemble this distant planet, and who knows, maybe some farmers in the north might resemble aliens.

Nobody knows more about aliens than Ridley Scott, and he knows where they live—in Iceland.

Prometheus is about a team of explorers who discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth. This clue leads them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe where they must fight to save the future of the human race.

Christian Bale was actually Aronofsky’s first choice for the role of Noah, but Bale had to pass on the part due to other projects. It wouldn't have been Bale’s first time in Iceland; the movie Batman Begins was partially filmed here.

Eventually, Russell Crowe accepted the part of Noah and arrived in Iceland in mid-July.

John Logan has written a screenplay along with director Aronofsky. The screenplay is based on an award-winning short story that Aronofsky wrote as a teenager. Noah will also be filmed in New York, Washington, and Hollywood.

In the past weeks, the casting director has been looking for skinny Icelanders and infants to play in the movie. So who knows—maybe a skinny Icelandic star will shine when the movie premieres in March 2014.

Filming locations in Iceland: Producers are keeping tight-lipped about the filming locations for Noah in Iceland.

Partially filmed in Iceland in September 2012 Director: Ben Stiller Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, and Adam Scott Budget: USD 80-100 million The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is based on James Thurber’s 1939 short story. This story was originally filmed in 1947 and has already been a Broadway show. The movie tells the tale of a timid magazine photo manager who lives life through daydreams. He embarks on a true-life adventure when a negative goes missing.

The remake has been through a decadelong path of attached and unattached stars, but finally something is happening, and the movie is set to premiere in December 2013.

ben stiller Noomi Rapace

tom cruise

Russel Crowe

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Filming locations in Iceland: Hrossaborg, a tephra crater, one of two “tuff rings” in the northeastern part of Iceland considered to be about 10,000 years old. Jökulheimaleið, an area with very barren surroundings that was formerly used for weather observations. The third location is Veiðivötn, among the youngest and wildest pearls of the central highlands, which includes about 50 lakes of various sizes, many of which are crater lakes.

Filming locations in Iceland: The black sand at the roots of Mt. Hekla, south Iceland. One of the country's most active volcanoes. Over 20 eruptions have occurred in and around the volcano since 874. During the Middle Ages, Europeans called Hekla, in the central highlands, the “Gateway to Hell.” Dettifoss, northeast Iceland, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. It is situated on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and collects water from a large area in northeast Iceland. The falls are 100 meters (330 ft) wide and have a drop of 45 meters (150 ft) down to the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon.

Filming locations in Iceland: Höfn á Hornafirði, a small harbor town on the southeast coast of Iceland known for its lobster. Stykkishólmur, another small harbor town situated in the western part of Iceland, is a very favorable location near Snæfellsjökull. From Stykkishólmur you can sail to the beautiful islands of the Breiðafjörður Bay, Flatey for example.

Seyðisfjörður, another harbor town in the eastern part of Iceland, is well known for its old wooden buildings. Seyðisfjörður is often referred to as one of the hippest harbor towns in Iceland because of its fantastic location. Other locations might also be used

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There’s your monster! Then the seal is gone—with a splash.

26 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Filmmaker and museum curator Kári Schram standing at the white sand beach at Hvesta by the deep Arnarfjörður fjord which, according to him and others, is the home of sea monsters. Sea monster sightings and encounters in Arnarfjördur are numerous.

See The Sea Monsters Text: Bjarni Brynjólfsson Photos: Páll Stefánsson

The history of sea monsters in Iceland is conveyed in an eerie manner in the Sea Monster Museum, located in an old factory building above the harbor of Arnarfjörður fjord in the West Fjords.

P

Picture this tale of horror. A foreign trawler is fishing illegally in Arnarfjörður fjord in the West Fjords in the early 20th century. In comes the trawl net with something big and squirmingly alive.

When the fishermen try to open the trawl, the creature viciously fights back and sprays something slimy over them. When they finally manage to cut the net and drive the creature overboard a few of the crew are seriously burned and have to be treated. No one aboard knows what this terrifying beast was.

This is one of the many stories film maker Kári Schram tells me when I meet him in Bíldudalur, the fishing village in Arnarfjörður.

In 1997 he made a documentary film about eerie sightings in the fjord and local encounters with sea monsters through the ages. The film was done in collaboration with Iceland’s only monster expert, radio newsman Þorvaldur Friðriksson, who has collected tales extraordinaire all over the country, specializing in monster legends.

There is something supernatural about Arnarfjörður fjord. It looks prehistoric on the map, resembling an eagle claw. In fact, it is named after an eagle; Arnar means eagle’s, fjörður is fjord. In reality the fjord is deep and wide with an abundance of shellfish, shrimp and reportedly other murkier life organisms.

Stories of encounters and sightings of sea monsters which have come ashore to terrify, sometimes attack, and even kill the remote farmers in this fjord are abundant. This spurred Kári to make a film where he interviewed people who had seen the supernatural beings with their own eyes. Some had been chased by weird and wicked looking “things” coming from the sea, and some had heard legendary stories about monsters trying to break down farmhouses in order to reach the humans inside.

High Tech but eerie This inspired Kári to form the Icelandic Monster Research Center in 1997, and in 2007, Kári and four other local men from Bíldudalur established the Sea Monster Museum located in an old factory building above the harbor. The museum opened in summer 2009 after a year and a half of hard work done mostly by volunteers Multimedia screens and quirky, dark lit rooms create a unique atmosphere where the history of sea monsters in Iceland and Arnarfjörður is conveyed in an eerie manner. When the museum is complete, visitors will also be able Continues on page 28 l

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There’s your monster! Then the seal is gone—with a splash.

28 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

2 1 The Sea Monster Museum in Bíldudalur is a must when you visit Arnarfjörður. A visit to the museum will change your perception of the beautiful fjord, your attention focused on the sea and the shore.

2 KÁri hopes to make Bíldudalur the monster center of the world. “We have scarier stories than Loch Ness,” he says.

1

IN BRIEF

l Continued from page 26 Bíldudalur

to take a high tech Jules Verne submarine tour of the fjord to see what people in these parts think dwells in the sea. The museum is well worth a visit when you travel to these parts because afterwards you will look differently at what you see in the fjord. It will add a new dimension to your imagination—one which points towards the shore and the sea.

Scary stories Kári’s ultimate goal is to make Bíldudalur the monster center of the world with more visitors than Loch Ness. “Why not?” he asks. “We have scarier stories.”

“There are four main monster types identified and recorded in Arnarfjörður and most reported sightings of sea monsters in the fjord are near and around Krosseyri farm,” says Kári. “And as it happens, there are kettles in the fjord near that farm which are more than 100 meters deep. Who knows what is hiding in those crevices and caves? Scientists discover new life forms on earth every year.

The shallow seas and the deep seas of the north are among those places on the planet we know least about. We are convinced that the monsters do exist—shy creatures which lurk in the depths, hiding in underwater caves and in the seaweed forests around Iceland most of the time, and which have the urge to come ashore once in awhile. In fact we have proof that they exist because people here have seen and encountered them over the centuries.”

Sea Monster Museum The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum is located in an old factory building in the village of Bíldudalur in Arnarfjörður fjord in the West Fjords. The fjord is named after an eagle, Arnar means eagle´s, fjörður, fjord and it is said to be one of the most prolific centres of monster activity in the country. Visitors to the museum watch the creatures brought to life through a mix of words, images and videos, an action-packed multimedia display.

The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum is open daily from 11.00-18.00, June 1 – September 10.

Guests aged 11 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

According to Kári, the creatures that have been spotted most often are the so-called fjörulalli, or ‘shore crawler’, and ‘shell monsters’ which leave huge hoof-like tracks and droppings consisting of crushed shell. No specimen has ever been captured alive or found dead on the shore, let alone filmed with any accuracy. Kári is notably not the first to attempt to get footage of the Arnarfjörður creatures. In the 50s an eager photographer, Valdimar Ottósson, and the farmer at Krosseyri, Thorleifur Jónsson, placed a photo trap on the shore near Krosseyri. Jónsson and his son had encountered a large sea monster and had seen tracks several times. After a few failed attempts ‘something’ very strange was caught on film—an image that cannot be explained and is one of the museum’s prized possessions. Previous attempts had triggered the camera to shoot the neighboring farmer from Steinanes and then a sheep.

unknow species Kári does not let that shake his firm belief. He suspects the ‘monsters’ come into the fjord to feast on the rich shell and fauna life and to reproduce in late summer into the fall, and that is exactly the period when most of the sightings have occurred.

In recent years there have been fewer sightings but Kári has a logical explanation: “Most of the farms here have now been abandoned.

Lifestyles have changed so people do not walk along the shore as much as they needed to do in the old times when the sea was their livelihood, so to speak. So there are fewer

sightings and encounters. We should also bear in mind that these are shy unknown species, and an increase in industrial traffic can also make a difference. Arnarfjörður is off the beaten track and this could account for the high rating of sightings.”

Fewer encounters in recent times do not mean people should not watch out for those wicked creatures. Kári says that there are 25 recorded deaths blamed on so called ‘mermen,’ which are said to have attacked locals traveling near the shore and at sea.

“People are still seeing monsters here. When I was making the documentary I found out that people were quite reluctant to speak to me on camera about their experiences because they were afraid they would be ridiculed or made fun of. These are not lies but tales of ordinary people like you and me.

Why should they make something up like this over and over again, generation after generation? All these people saw something which cannot be explained.”

We drive along the gravel road to the white sand beach of Hvesta farm after visiting the museum.

It is a sunny day and the fjord is perfectly still.

Sunlight is probably the worst enemy of reclusive sea monsters so I go down to the water to test how cold it is. No fear of being dragged in by a merman. The sea is rather cold. Then a big seal comes up from a dive, just 20 meters away. I shout to Kári. “There is your monster!” Then the seal is gone—with a splash. Kári looks at me with a convincing smile. I can detect that he sees me as a hesitant believer and one who needs to be convinced.

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The entrepreneurs are planning to construct a road to the volcano

30 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

A diamond in the rough

The volcanic crater Þríhnúkagígur, a 4,000-year-old volcano by the mountain range Bláfjöll where the capital region’s ski resort lies, is listed number 13 on CNN’s 27 “must-sees on this incredible planet.”

1 The Inside the Volcano tour.

Takes visitors 120 meters into the heart of a volcano that erupted 4.000, years ago.

Photo/hans strand

2 Limited access. People can only access the crater by lowering themselves into it, which was first done in 1974. Everyone wear helmets when they go down with the lift.

T

he company Inside the Volcano started lowering travelers into Þríhnúkagígur crater earlier this summer. Managing director Björn Ólafsson calls the crater a “diamond in the rough”. Björn believes Þríhnúkagígur has the potential to become as big an attraction as the Blue Lagoon. Þríhnúkagígur's presence on CNN's must-see list will not dampen those future prospects.

Currently, only a limited number of people can enter the crater at the one time. However, there are ideas of drilling a tunnel into the crater for tourism purposes.

A Tunnel into the Crater If all necessary permits are obtained, the operations could be completed as early as 2014. Cave expeditioner Árni B. Stefánsson says that nowhere else in the world can a volcano be entered this way.

To reach Þríhnúkagígur, people have to walk from the Bláfjöll cabin for about a half an hour. The cabin lies at a 25-minute driving distance from Reykjavík. The tourism entrepreneurs are planning to construct a road to the volcano where a parking lot will be made, along with a tourist reception built into a lava wall so that it wouldn’t stand out in the landscape. The tunnel into the crater would lead through the reception. The project is estimated to cost ISK 1.5-2.0 billion (USD 13-17 million, EUR 9-13 million). Árni believes 200,000-300,000 tourists might be interested in visiting the crater-cave each year; given that it is a unique natural phenomenon. Árni has fought for the preservation

Photo/PIPAR

1

2

CNN's must-see list

of caves and opening Þríhnúkagígur to travelers would help protect it, he reasoned. “Preservation isn’t about not doing anything. Preservation lies in doing something strategically.”

1. Borobudur at sunrise – Java, Indonesia.

A Tiny Hole

2. Starling murmuration – Brighton Pier, England.

3. Northern Lights – Scandinavia.

4. The great migration – East Africa.

5. Star-filled sky – Mackenzie Basin, New Zealand.

6. Torres del Paine – Chile.

7. Djemaa el Fna – Marrakech, Morocco.

8. Yosemite peaks – California, United States.

9. Santa Maria della Salute –Venice, Italy.

10. Jungle pyramids – Palenque, Mexico.

11. Electrical storm –Tornado Alley, United States.

12. Sydney Harbour – Australia.

13. Inside the Thrihnukagigur volcano – Iceland.

14. Monument Valley – United States.

15. Taj Mahal – India.

Making Þríhnúkagígur accessible would ease the strain on other lava caves in the area, he stated; on the way to the volcano he pointed out damages and garbage on the floor of the cave Djúpihellir in the Strompahraun lava field, which is open to all.

“Why not make it accessible to the public with a tiny hole up there, […] which is just one thousandth of the wall space?” he said of Þríhnúkagígur. “Make a little balcony and then welcome visitors with a reception building and establish paths so that the land could withstand the strain.

It would be a very exciting visit,” Árni promised

80 percent of the country’s landmass is defined as highlands.

32 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Ask The Expert Get answers to your questions about Iceland or anything Iceland-related, with the help of Iceland Review's experts.

Q: I am coming to your country in August. Is there lava flowing from any of the volcanoes at this time?

Wendy, Vancouver, Canada A: There are no volcanic eruptions in Iceland at the moment and no eruptions expected to take place in the immediate future. There are some volcanoes that scientists are monitoring closely as they are considered likely to erupt next, including Hekla and Katla in south Iceland. However, whether or when exactly that will happen is unclear. Besides, not all volcanoes produce so-called tourist eruptions, where lava flows can be observed from a safe distance, as in the case of Fimmvörðuháls in 2010.

If Katla were to erupt, for example, it might prove to be a massive phreatic eruption, accompanied by extensive ash fall and flooding, as Katla lies underneath the icecap of Mýrdalsjökull. Hekla, on the other hand, is not ice-covered and has in the past decades produced small-scale eruptions with impressive lava flows that can be observed from a safe distance on land or from air. However, in the past centuries, Hekla has also been the source of disastrous eruptions, suffocating surrounding areas in lava and ash, so one can never be sure when and how these whimsical volcanoes will burst.

1 The Icelandic highlandS are mostly uninhabited. Crossroads to Askja, not far from where legend and outlaw Fjalla Eyvindur (1714-1783) and his wife Halla lived for twenty years.

1

2 There are some volcanoes that scientists are monitoring closely as they are considered likely to erupt next, including Hekla and Katla in south Iceland. However, whether or when exactly that will happen is unclear.

Photos/páll stefánsson

Flowing lava in August?

2

-esa

Year-round living in the highlands?

Q: Are there any remote towns, villages, or hamlets in the highlands? Anthony Houston, Texas, USA A: No, the highlands, characterized by glaciers, mountains, lava fields and sand plains, are largely uninhabitable. Towns and villages in Iceland are mostly located by the seaside with only a few exceptions, such as Egilsstaðir in the east. However, there are farms that are located on the highland plateau, including Grímsstaðir á Fjöllum, which has made the headlines lately because of a Chinese investor’s interest in the piece of land surrounding the farm. It lies at an altitude of 384 meters. According to the University of Iceland Science Web, there is no clear definition as to where the highlands take over from the lowlands. Some speak of a certain altitude, 200, 300, or 400 meters above sea level, others of the border between inhabited and uninhabited areas. If the first guideline limit is used, 80 percent of the country’s landmass is defined as highlands.

From the early part of the 19th century and until the mid-20th century there were a number of remote so called heiðarbýli (“mountain farms”), scattered across northeast Iceland, located at altitudes as high as 550 meters. Möðrudalur á Fjöllum (near Grímsstaðir) is currently the country’s highest-located farm at an altitude of 469 meters above sea level. Goats and sheep are bred at the farm, which is known for its smoked meat, and it also runs a guesthouse and café.

Huts are located widely across the highlands, accommodating hikers and other travelers, but no one lives there year-round.

In past centuries, the highlands have served as a sanctuary for outlaws, who took shelter in caves and managed to survive under incredibly harsh circumstances.

One such famous hideout is that of Fjalla-

Eyvindur at Herðubreiðalindir, a green oasis in the northeastern highlands, included in Vatnajökull National Park. -esa

Say hello to my little friend Q: How do I become friends with the hidden people? William Hope, Seattle, WA, USA A: I hope you realize that elves, gnomes, huldufólk, etc. don't really exist. They are a figment of somebody's imagination. Sometimes people tell stories about them for fun, sometimes to scare children, once in a while to entertain.

One interesting theory about the so-called hidden people or huldufólk stems from the fact that on Christmas Eve someone was always left behind to look after the farmhouses while the rest of the people went to church at midnight. They were told that if some visitors, presumably “hidden people,” came they should not talk to them, and definitely

not touch any food or drink they might offer.

Those who did, got mad. Árni Björnsson, who has written much about folklore in Iceland, including the work History of the Days (Saga Daganna), suggests that beggars and other people who drifted from one place to another might have been making the rounds on Christmas Eve (or New Year’s Eve), presumably with homemade alcohol. Those who did invite them in and had some of the alcohol, would have looked mad to the guests when they came back. It is a clever idea.

One person who probably believes in elves, trolls, and hidden people is Erla Stefánsdóttir in Hafnarfjörður. You can write to her c/o the City of Hafnarfjörður, 220 Hafarfjörður. She has made a map of the location of elves and other hidden creatures in the town, a great tourist success.-bj P.S. Santa Claus does exist. At least, the 13 Icelandic Christmas, or Yule, Lads.

Photos/páll stefánsson

vol. #01 2012 / Iceland Review Street Edition / 33

Travel Iceland

How much of Iceland is covered by lava?

Q: I have read in a few sources that 11 percent of Iceland is covered by glaciers. How much of the island is covered by lava? I have read different percentages in different sources.

Some say 11-12 percent others say close to 30 percent. Which figure is closest?

Linda De L’Etoile, Hollywood, Florida, USA A: The following answer was received by Kristján Jónasson, project manager of geology and curator of mineralogy and petrology at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History: Postglacial lavas cover 11.4 percent of Iceland. This is based on the geological map of Iceland 1:600.000 published by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. It includes all lavas that have formed after the Ice Age, or within the last 11,000 years or so. Lavas that have formed in historic time (the last 1,100 years) cover 2.5 percent of Iceland.

Older bedrock in Iceland is largely made up of layers of lava-flows, so you could argue that most of Iceland is covered by of lava.

However, these have been heavily eroded by glaciers during the Ice Age, so they are generally not included Do you have a question related to Iceland?

Go to icelandreview.com where you can ask the expert (Eygló) and see more questions and answers about Iceland.

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Don't let the noise disturb you when Þróttur scores the winning goal.

34 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Camping Out Next to the world’s greatest bird cliffs or right on the Arctic Circle.

O

n www.tjalda.is you will find all the campsites around this rock called Iceland. You will be surprised how many there are. The biggest ones are in Akureyri, north Iceland, and in the Laugardalur valley, in the capital. Both campsites are conveniently located by big public swimming pools.

The northernmost campsite is in Raufarhöfn, where you can actually touch the Arctic Circle. The southernmost campsite is in the Westman Islands, and the easternmost one is in Neskaupsstaður, in the East Fjords. If you want to camp on the westernmost point in Europe, you should go to Breiðavík, close to Látrabjarg, one of the world’s largest bird cliffs, home to millions of birds, including puffins and up to 40 percent of the world’s razorbills. ps

Landmannalaugar in the central higHlands.

Landmannalaugar in Fjallabak is the gateway to Behind the Mountains. A great place to start the hiking trip to nowhere.

Photos/ir/páll stefánsson

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in the southeast is one of the top spots in Iceland. And the owners of this tent have the best view. But they came late, did not know that this is a protected area, and camping is not allowed. Respect the environment: only camp in designated areas, please.

www.tjalda.is

Mývatn in the NorthEast.

Lake Mývatn is one of these places, you can fall in love with; the nature, and your travel companion.

Reykjavík, the capital.

The campsite in Laugardalur valley in Reykjavík is nextdoor to football club Þróttur, home ground.

Don’t let the noise disturb you when Þróttur scores the winning goal.

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I guess it always will have a special place in my heart.

36 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

Akureyri Awaits No summer vacation is complete for Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir without a trip to her hometown, Akureyri, in north Iceland.

I

Photos: Páll Stefánsson

haven’t lived in Akureyri for more than a decade yet the town still feels like home. And I guess it always will have a special place in my heart.

But what is so great about Akureyri?

In essence, it’s a small town with a big city atmosphere. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, and pubs, a professional theater, two cinemas and quite a few museums and galleries. The new culture center Hof by the harbor is home to the North Iceland Symphony Orchestra and hosts a variety of cultural events.

Akureyri has a range of other concert venues, most notably the cozy Græni hatturinn, right in the heart of town.

For shopping, a number of stores line Hafnarstræti which runs through the town center, some of which specialize in Icelandic design, and Akureyri even has a shopping mall, Glerártorg. That’s not too bad for a town of 18,000 inhabitants.

1

1 The center of town Blá kannan, in the beautifully restored house with two towers and dark blue corrugated iron, serves rich hot chocolate with whipped cream. Not to be missed, even on a warm sunny day.

EYGló Svala arnarsdóttir

eyglo@icelandreview.com And now Akureyri—and all of north Iceland—has become more accessible than ever with Iceland Express offering direct flights from Copenhagen and Icelandair connecting flights via Keflavík from destinations in Europe and North America.

I was asked to list five things of what to do in Akureyri, and came up with the following:

2 Hof The new culture center by the harbor is home to the North Iceland Symphony Orchestra and hosts a variety of cultural events.

2

1. Get wet

3. LOVE OR HATE IT

The local swimming pool has great facilities both accommodating those looking for a relaxing soak in the hot tub after swimming a few laps and people with kids, who are sure to be excited about the huge waterslide. If you arrive early in the morning you might catch a group of senior citizens doing exercises by the poolside.

Locals will never agree whether the ice cream served at the unassuming convenience store Brynja in the oldest part of town is fresh and delicious, or watery and tasteless.

Serving soft scoops made from milk rather than cream, Brynja has certainly earned enough fans because the store is usually crowded in every season.

Give it a go and for a special Icelandic twist, ask for licorice dip.

2. EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS Jump on a bicycle and ride it through the new neighborhood Naustahverfi on the southern edge of town and continue until you reach the forest Kjarnaskógur.

A popular area for outdoor recreation, take a walk through the woods, wade in the little spring that runs through it, go for a run on the gravel path, have someone push you in the giant swing on the playground, grill some hotdogs on the on-site BBQ, or just sunbathe on a grassy plain.

5. BRING ON THE BEER

4 HOT CHOCOLATE HEAVEN A guaranteed pick-me-up when you’re feeling cold and miserable, the rich hot chocolate with whipped cream served at the café Bláa kannan, the beautifully restored house with two towers and dark blue corrugated iron in the center of town, is not to be missed during a trip to Akureyri, even on a warm sunny day.

The Eyjafjörður region boasts Iceland’s first microbrewery, Bruggsmiðjan in Árskógssandur, whose product Kaldi, modeled on a Czech recipe, became an instant hit.

The taste is exquisite when poured from a bottle, but nothing beats the freshness of Kaldi straight from the tap.

Unfortunately, Kaldi is only available on tap in select few locations apart from the brewery itself.

Brugghúsbarinn in Gilið, the steep street leading from the town center up to the church, is one such place. Order a pint of Kaldi to conclude a perfect day in Akureyri.

ENJOY ICEL A NDIC NAT UR E

FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS OF ICELAND Hörður Kristinsson This is a book for anyone interested in nature, specialist and nonspecialist alike. Organised by flower colour and other distinguishing characteristics, it’s very easy to use.

ICELANDIC BIRD GUIDE Jóhann Óli Hilmarsson A new book on the Icelandic bird fauna. This is a bird identification guide with photographs of all the birds that breed in Iceland, winter visitors, summer visitors, passage migrants and vagrants.

HOW TO ORDER: Phone: +354 575 5600 E-mail: forlagid@forlagid.is Website: www.forlagid.is

Forlagið publishing Bræðraborgarstígur 7 101 Reykjavik, Iceland

w w w . f o r l a g i d . i s

Why choose a quiet village on the east coast?

38 / Iceland Review Street Edition / vol. #01 2012

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MY town Seyðisfjörður

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Versu

The story of Iceland's two biggest bands Newcomers Of Monsters And Men´s debut album, My Head is an Animal, went to number sixth on the USA Billboard chart in April.

Sigur Rós hit number seven on the same chart in May with Valtari, the band's sixth album. Icelandic music expert Dr. Gunni measures the bands against each other.

SR: 1994 OMAM: 2010

OMAM: I-phone using indie-scouts singing around a campfire, a modern hoe-down, etc.

Major albums released:

Language used:

Active since:

SR: 6 OMAM: 1

Worldwide album sales: SR: 6,200,000 OMAM: 250,000

Facebook likes: SR: 1,170,000 OMAM: 216,300

Line-up: SR: Four semi-mysterious guys, including Jónsi, an introvert front-man that usually plays his guitar with a bow and sings in falsetto.

OMAM: Five sunshiny guys and a girl, Nanna. The front consists of Nanna and the indie-lumberjack co-frontperson Ragnar, strumming their acoustic guitars and singing joyfully together.

Known for: SR: Dream-like ethereal songs that can cause listeners to weep and long for unspoiled Icelandic nature.

OMAM: Uplifting and catchy pop songs in the indie-folk vein that can cause listeners to sing along cheerfully and shout “Hey!”

Music may conjure up images of: SR: God crying, whales having sex on top of a melting iceberg, etc.

SR: Icelandic, a little bit of English, and a nonsense babble that strangely got labeled

“Hopelandish”. Many thought it was a made up language, but in fact it was the results of Jónsi’s writers block.

OMAM: English.

Harpa making the lunch. Cod straight from a local fishing vessel, fresh vegetables from the garden, and eggs from free range Seyðisfjörður hens. Photo/Áslaug Snorradóttir

Where they‘re at: SR: Getting more light and poppy with their 2008 album–and with Jónsi’s 2010 solo album–all hopes of further experiments with catchy pop tunes were crushed with the extra moody and slow 2012 album Valtari. The band is currently on a world tour.

OMAM: Having won Músíktilraunir (the Icelandic Battle of the Bands thing) in 2010, OMAM’s rise has been phenomenally quick. OMAM’s first album, My Head is an Animal, sprung to #6 on the US Billboard chart and has continued to sell well. The band has been touring the US for most of 2012–usually in sold out halls–with forays into Europe and Australia.

The future: SR: More adventurous pop or more moody music for the devoted fans?

Only their next album will tell.

OMAM: One hit wonder or something that lasts? Only the quality of the next album will tell.

A Little Paris of Culture and Fine Cuisine

T

hirty-six-year-old painter and fashion designer, Harpa Einars-dóttir, is a busy woman.

This single mother of two is the creative mind behind the Icelandic fashion label Ziska, and has had a phenomenal year. She took first prize in the Reykjavík Runway 2011 show, and her designs, among them Moss by Harpa Einars, available in the fashion boutique Sautján (Seventeen), have put her on the map as one of Iceland’s most talented designers. This summer, Harpa and her two children chose to abandon the capital city for her 1

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julianabjornsdottir@gmail.com

Fjarðarheiði heath for the sole purpose of enjoying fine cuisine and good company. “The Old Bank,” as the house is known, boasts a spectacular view over the majestic mountain range and the fierce Atlantic Ocean, and like so many other buildings in the community, was built in a Norwegian 19th-century style. It casts a spell of timeless rural romance on the village.

Skaftfell Culture Center.

“I often go to Skaftfell Culture Center. There I am surrounded by wonderful people with whom I share this headquarter of the arts,” Harpa told Júlíana. Within walking distance from Skaftfell is a beautiful waterfall where artists and locals can enjoy the magnificent view over the entire Seyðisfjörður fjord.

street edition

Next issue will hit the streets

family roots in Seyðisfjörður, a charming port town deep inside the Seyðisfjörður fjord. But why choose a quiet village on the east coast? Harpa Einarsdóttir told Júlíana Björnsdóttir exactly why she loves the quaint little community.

The community chose her visual art exhibition Instant Reflections to feature in the annual LungA 2012 festival (lunga.is). To Harpa, it was the perfect opportunity to spend a summer in a pastoral paradise before taking her creation to the upcoming New York Fashion Week. And it’s no wonder. Creativity is encouraged in the community.

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Skálanes “In the vicinity of the village is also the farmhouse and heritage center Skálanes (skalanes.com), a place where one can enjoy the dramatic contrasts in Icelandic nature within a family nature reserve,” she added.

August

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Hotel Alda The most famous place in town, though, is no doubt Hotel Alda.

Travelers drive across the

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Bláa Verksmiðjan The villagers, all 750 of them, come together in the summer during the Bláa Verksmiðjan (Blue Factory) festival, and Harpa can be seen in the photo with her children, inviting locals to enjoy her homemade feast at the harbor.

Seyðisfjörður is not just the seafaring gateway to Iceland but a traditional fishing village with a big heart, enriched by culture and magnificent nature.

PIPAR\TBWA • SÍA • 122128

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Do get advice. You will find experts in each of our departments, ready and willing to be of any assistance. We offer professional consults and are happy to find the right product which serves your need. Our proven quality products suit Icelandic conditions.

REYKJAVÍK • Fiskislóð 1 • Tel. +354 580 8500 • mon.–fri. 10–18 • sat. 10–16 AKUREYRI • Tryggvabraut 1-3 • Tel. +354 460 3630 • mon.–fri. 8–18 • sat. 10–16 • ellingsen.is

YOUR FIRST STOP IN ICELAND

Climb to the top street edition

Mt. Esja, next door to the capital; an easy and rewarding hike to the fantastic view at the top. From Reykjavík city centre it takes 45 minutes with bus 15 or 57 to reach the root of Esja (914m, 2,999 ft).

Borgartúni 23, 105 Reykjavík | Tel: (+354) 512 7575 | ir@irstreetedition.com

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the last word

Road to Nowhere

D

id you know that there are 76 municipalities in Iceland? The population ranges from 52 in Árneshrepppur in Strandir, in the West Fjords, to close to 250,000 in the capital region. The largest municipality in terms of area is Fljótdalshérað in east Iceland, with 8,884 square kilometers, or 3,430 square miles, about the same size as the islands of Puerto Rico or Cyprus. The population is 3,400. The total length of the roads in Fljótsdalshérað is 887 kilometers, or 551 miles.

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Páll Stefánsson ps@iceland review.com

On the other hand, the Ring Road 1 is 1,332 kilometers, or 828 miles, but if you only travel the number one, you will miss out on some sweet spots, like Snæfellsnes peninsula, the West Fjords, the central highlands, and the northeast part of the Republic. In the northeast is Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, as well as the horseshoe-shaped canyon, Ásbyrgi.

There are two theories on how Ásbyrgi was created. The first says that there were two gigantic floods of the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum, the first one 9,000 years ago, and the latter in about 1,000 B.C. The second theory is that Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of the Norse god Óðinn, put a foot down, and Ásbyrgi is the print of Sleipnir’s horseshoe. I tend to believe the latter, because Ásbyrgi is perfectly horseshoe shaped, with its 100-meter-high cliffs surrounding a rock island.

For your upcoming trip on the road to Ásbyrgi, or exploring the country, here are recommendations of some of the most scenic strips of road in the Republic of Iceland. Ring Road 1, between Höfn and Djúpivogur, southeast Iceland. Road 624, from Núpur to Ingjaldssandur, in the West Fjords. Road 917, Hellisheiði mountain pass, between Egilsstaðir and Vopnafjörður, east Iceland. Road F 821, from Eyjafjörður valley to Laugafell, north central highlands.

Road F 210, from Laufafell to Álftavatn, south central highlands. The F roads are only for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Bon Voyage!

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