WOW magazine issue 6 2015

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WOW magazine – The entrepreneurs of low-cost flying

Issue six 2015

70 years in the air The entrepreneurs of low-cost flying

Power to the people Issue six 2015

How do Icelanders survive the darkest months?

y o u r f r e e c o p y -ta k e m e w i t h y o u

15-1627 - HVÍTA HÚSIÐ / SÍA

Make sure you give yourself time to visit and explore. Share the experience #wheninKEF because good times are to be shared.

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WOW Power to the people

The airport has been going through radical renovations. We can now offer more space, better facilities, diverse restaurants and more products at better prices. Arrive early and start your journey with us.

Enjoy your stay at KEF airport

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Welcome,

hotel geysir 4

WOW Power to the people

W E LC O M E TO G EYSIR the geysir ceNter is directly opposite of the geothermal area of the great geysir aNd strokkur e

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WOW Power to the people

We look forward to seeing you Please book in advance at bluelagoon.is

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In this issue

Power to the people – Issue six 2015

10 A letter from the CEO 12 WOW Cyclothon The biggest ultra-cycling race in Iceland (and probably the world) is held in June each year. The winning team of the A-category 2015 was Fast as Fire with Ergo.

T

he darkest months are upon us here in Iceland, but that’s ok. First of all, we’re used to it and secondly, we have plenty of reasons to be merry in December and January. The biggest reason of all is, of course, the festivities around Christmas and New Year’s, but we’ve got more than fairy lights and fireworks to light up our days.

Our darkness is lit up by Northern Lights and snow and made bearable by our abundant geothermal energy, keeping our houses warm and cozy even during the coldest of days. From December 21st we celebrate that the days are getting longer again—it might just be by a few minutes each day, but we feel it almost instantly.

You’d think that January would be long, dark and boring—and it can be, but Icelanders, masters of finding a reason to party, have a cure for that. It’s called Thorri, the festival where we eat all that rotten food you’ve heard stories about and it stretches into February.

You see, there’s no reason to let the darkness get you down. Iceland is also a wonder to behold all covered in snow and frozen to the core. Getting caught in an Icelandic blizzard is an adventure on its own (please be careful though) and if all else fails, find an Icelander with a reason to party.

Happy holidays!

Guðrún Vaka Helgadóttir, editor in chief magazine@wow.is

WOW magazine staff Editor in chief: Guðrún Vaka Helgadóttir

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PRENTGRIPUR

Oddi environmentally certified printing company All rights reserved. Reprinting, direct quoting or recapitulation prohibited except with a written permit from publisher.

36 Shoot the Northern Lights Whether you are a professional photo­ grapher or a layman you probably want to catch that epic Northern Lights photo while you’re in Iceland.

40 70 years in the air Captain Dagfinnur Stefánsson is one of Iceland’s most experienced pilots and has been at the forefront of Iceland’s aviation history almost from the beginning. Among his numerous adventures is his role in what is now known as the Loftleidir Adventure.

64 Holiday season and high winter Now’s a good time to disappear into warm cozy places with friends and loved ones. Try these recommended restaurants by eatsandsleeps.is.

66 Realm of Vatnajokull Filled with contrasts, the Vatnajökull region is a great destination all year round.

68 Take a hike Do some city hiking and absorb stories and the charm of Reykjavik spiced with love, passion and other good things.

74 The Icelandic sweater Icelanders wear their lopapeysa on all occasions and you should too.

Attention advertisers!

Will your company be in our next issue?

Contact our advertising representative and he’ll make it happen.

He’s just that good!

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WOW Power to the people

WOW Destinations 80 Montréal on the roll Biking through Montreal is definitely one of the best ways to explore the city.

98 The cream of Bristol Yup! We’re heading to Bristol, England in spring 2016 and here’s a few things you might want to know before you go.

100 You want more?

See more of WOW air’s destinations.

82 12 reasons to visit Toronto There are more than 12 reasons but we were out of pages!

102 This and that …mainly this.

84 Stockholm— nature and nightlife Often called “Venice of the North,” Stockholm is filled with great spots to enjoy.

110 WOW horoscope What’s in your future? WOW air’s famed astrologist has the answer.

86 Christmas in Berlin Berlin is famous for its Christmas markets and it’s due time we revealed the best ones.

88 Dublin—go to the dogs “Going to the dogs” takes on a brand new meaning and is actually a great thing to do in Dublin.

90 California— The Golden State No need for winter clothes. Come spring 2016 WOW air will take you all the way to California via Iceland with our two new and warm destinations in the Golden State—San Francisco and Los Angeles.

92 Free in D.C. While the Lincoln Memorial might be the most popular site to remember the great emancipator there are numerous places around Washington, D.C. where you can learn about Honest Abe. 94 A French road trip After exploring Paris, the city of art and romance it’s a great idea to take a road trip and see more of France’s elegant and graceful beauty.

106 What’s going on? …quite a lot, actually.

112 Bored on board?

Solve these sudokus.

114 The Traveling Inquisition Gísli Johann quit his job to become a full time stand-up comedian. He and his friends now have a weekly stand-up in English every Monday and Wednesday night at Gaukurinn.

On the cover

Dagfinnur Stefánsson is one of the heroes of Icelandic aviation history. He’s been a pilot for 70 years and played a part in one of the most exciting entrepreneur adventures of the 21st ­century.

Read about ­Dagfinnur’s story and the Loftleidir Adventure on pages 40-45.

Dagfinnur was photographed, by world renowned photographer and fellow pilot Ragnar Axelsson aka RAX.

three 2015 Issue six 2015

Tel: 00 354 590 3020 E-mail: magazine@wow.is

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34 Breaking bread Find out more about the leaf bread, Iceland’s uniquely cut and fried Christmas bread.

96 Sweet Boston Every Bostonite swears loyalty to one shop or another. Here’s where you’ll find Boston’s best cannoli.

Issue six 2015

wowair.com

30 Traditional holidays Because of Iceland’s relative isolation we seem to have held on to some special Christmas traditions that go all the way back to heathen times.

76 The future of banking is now From the chaos that ensued after the financial crash of 2008, one of the most interesting startup and now leading innovative company came into existence.

Power to the PeoPle

umhverfisvottuð prentsmiðja

ERFISME HV R M

KI

© WOW air Katrínartún 12 105 Reykjavík Iceland

26 A journey in time At Iceland’s National Museum you can take a literal stroll down memory lane and learn a thing or two about the Iceland’s culture and history.

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Issue sIx 2015

70 years In the aIr The enTrepreneurs of low-cosT flying

Power to the PeoPle

Contributing writers: Marvin Lee Dupree, Svava Jónsdóttir, Gerður Harðardóttir, Einar Skúlason, Kári Gunnlaugsson, Fjóla Helgadóttir, Guðrún Baldvina Sævarsdóttir, Paul Michael Herman, Cindy-Lou Dale, Judy Colbert, Katherine LaGrave, Halldóra Anna Hagalín, berlinur.de and www. festivals.is

22 A night on the town Wondering how to get acquainted with the Reykjavik bar scene? Take a guided tour and meet some fun people on the way.

The FOOdinissue WOW magazine – 70 years The air

Proofreading: Paul Michael Herman

20 Sharing is caring Take a look at all the ways you can engage with WOW air through social media.

Where’s the Like-button for this article?

WOW magazine – The enTrepreneurs OF lOW-cOsT Flying

Design and layout: Ivan Burkni / ivanburkni@gmail.com

18 The top 10 of 2015 It’s time to review the most newsworthy stories of Iceland 2015.

azine

‘Tis the season

16 Surviving the dark Check out our WOW tips to survive even the darkest of days in Iceland.

mag

A letter from the editor

How dO Icelanders survive tHe darkest mOnThs?

y o u r f r e e c o p y -ta k e m e w i t h y o u

P.S. Would you like your very own copy of WOW magazine?

Take this one with you or contact us through magazine@wow.is and we’ll send you a printed copy.

You can also check out WOW magazine online at wowair.com.

Keeping Iceland warm since 1926

Shop at 66north.com Issue six 9

A letter from the CEO

WOW, what a year!

What an amazing year this has been for our “little” WOW air. Before starting our new routes to North America, we acquired two brand new Airbus A321 aircraft and introduced our $99 transatlantic fares. Our team grew by 40%, our annual number of guests increased by 47%, our revenues by 62% and our load so far this year has been around 90%. In short we’ve exceeded all our goals, many of which we’d been told were impossible to reach. None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the incredible WOW team that has done a fantastic job on all fronts. I am extremely proud of our team and I’m also grateful for the trust that you, our dear guests, have bestowed in us. We could not do this without you.

Inspired by history Many people have asked what inspired me to start an airline and while the airline industry is full of great entrepreneurs and interesting characters, the ones who have truly inspired me are some of the early aviation pioneers in Iceland. Like the Wright brothers, they were true adventurers that overcame any and all challenges in order to pursue their dreams.

It’s with great pride and pleasure that we have Captain Dagfinnur Stefánsson on our cover this month as one of those pioneers. His story and the early years of Loftleidir are nothing short of spectacular. The men behind Loftleidir were incredibly entrepreneurial and resourceful in how they started and grew their company to become a market leader in transatlantic flights back in the 1960s. Loftleidir pioneered the low-cost model and by using Iceland as a hub were able to go up against much larger players successfully. This is exactly what the WOW spirit is all about.

Back to the future After such a great year, some might sit back and enjoy it for a moment but here at WOW air we’re just getting started! We have already announced multiple new routes such as Montreal, Toronto, Stockholm, Bristol, Nice and not the least Los Angeles and San Francisco. With these new routes and increased frequency to many of our existing destinations, we will more than double our capacity in 2016 and expect to fly with over 1.5 million guests to over 25 destinations. Our fleet will grow to 10 aircraft and we are especially excited about adding three new Airbus A330s to our fleet. The Airbus A330 has great range and will serve Los Angeles and San Francisco as year-round destinations starting in June 2016.

WOW air is committed to lowering fares wherever we go and we look forward to continuing our mission to make air travel affordable for everyone as we enter 2016. Thank you for choosing WOW air and making the WOW dream a reality.

We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Sincerely, Skúli Mogensen Founder and CEO of WOW air

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WOW Power to the people

Make a toast with Iceland’s no. 1 beer Pour a glass of the number one beer in the country, raise your glass to a friend and say “scowl fyrewr thyer!” You should fit right in.

Skál fyrir þér!

Enjoy responsibly Issue six 11

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WOW Power to the people

Fast as Fire

The A category winners of WOW Cyclothon The winning team of WOW Cyclothon’s A category did not win by chance. The team’s members: Kári Brynjólfsson (b. 1988), Davíð Þór Sigurðsson (b. 1989), Rúnar Karl Elfarsson (b. 1991) and his brother Anton Örn Elfars­son (b. 1989), have all competed in multiple races in Iceland and Denmark with great results. All of them have received Icelandic Cycling Championship titles in various categories and two of them, Kári and Davíð, were on the Icelandic National Team. They’ve been cycl­ing from a young age with HFR (Reykjavik Cycling Club) when cycling was considered a sport for the ­eccentric, and that’s where their friendship and love for the sport began.

Photos: Kristinn Magnússon

Named “Fast as Fire with Ergo” after Ergo, their main sponsor, the team reached the finish line in just 38 hours 43 minutes setting a new record for the A category. Rúnar Karl participated in 2014 with Team Hleðsla and came in third. After that you could say that he tasted blood and he began plotting his return to the race the following year.

Getting the team together Rúnar Karl started by running the idea by his brother Anton Örn who thought it over for a long time before deciding to get onboard. He then went and convinced Kári to join their team as Kári had won the first WOW Cyclothon race in 2012 with his team Piltarnir (The Lads) so he had a lot of experience. “Davíð was last to join the team as he was playing “hard to get.” He’s a very strong cyclist so he knew he was worth his weight in gold for the team,” they agree.

“Even though we‘ve all been into competitive cycling on and off for the last 12 years, as well as keeping up with school and work, we haven’t all been in top form at the same time for at least 10 years,” they add with a laugh.

Training As all of the team’s members lead busy lives they did not train together for the Cyclothon. “We’re all competitive cyclists so our training was not especially directed toward WOW Cyclothon but you could say that the race was a good extra motivation for us to keep to our strict training programs last winter and spring,” they explain. The team only got together once to train specifically for WOW Cyclothon.

“It was the Sunday before the race. We cycled the new final leg of the race from Sudurstrandavegur Road. This part of the course is quite hilly and it was important for us to experience it. Also we wanted to see if our bikes were fit for the gravel part of the road,” they say.

Getting a head start Even if they did not train together they obviously had their race strategy well planned out. “We wanted to drive up the speed before the first changeover in Hvalfjörður to weed out the strongest cyclists.

The tempo during this first part of the race is usually very high. It is the part of the race that most resembles traditional street racing and so all teams normally start with their strongest cyclists. We are all pretty equal in strength as cyclists and we weren’t really sure which one of us was the best cyclist so we just agreed that Anton and Davíð would take the first leg of the race. As soon as the flying start began below Mt. Esja they started taking turns attacking the other teams and allowing the competition to reel them in. Shortly before we turned into Hvalfjörður the group had gotten a lot smaller and we were cycling with Team CUBE, SS Gólf and 18 Bláir. This was a very good group and we started working together at good tempo throughout Hvalfjörður because we knew that we’d left behind some strong teams that would want nothing more than to catch up to us.”

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Alliances on the road Teamwork is certainly the name of the game when it comes to WOW Cyclothon as cyclists help each other break the wind, save their strength and gain more speed on the road. “Working with other teams also helps you stay sane,” the four teammates agree. “We wanted to keep this collaboration going for as long as possible but we did test our friends a few times though.”

Once Team Ergo was cycling along the south coast, working with Team CUBE and SS Gólf, they started to think up ways to ensure their victory. “At the hill before Almannaskarð Anton Our pace during the final leg tested the competition to of the race was incredible get a sense of how tired and the favorable wind on they’d become. He opened Suðurstrandavegur Road a small gap between us really helped us along. and SS Gólf but we didn’t leave them there as they had some good cyclists that were essential to keep up the speed of our group. We decided that Davíð should break up the group while climbing the steep hill after Vík and our dream scenario was to break away with one of the teams and leave the other behind.

Davíð really drove up the tempo but neither of the teams would join him. It wasn’t until later that we managed to break up the three team alliance.

And then there were two…

“We kept up a great average speed throughout the south coast but the form of the other teams’ members varied greatly and it came as somewhat of a surprise when we left SS Gólf behind because their cyclist couldn’t keep up.

Their car was the last in line so they couldn’t respond with a new cyclist until it was too late. After that we were able to maintain great tempo with the CUBE team. Anton attacked and Davíð took the sprint through Selfoss and we managed to create a gap between us and Team CUBE. It was imperative to keep the gap and widen it further so we decided to change tactics and started doing changeovers at ever shorter

intervals, 8-12 minutes max, where each cyclist really gave it his all. We managed to keep this fast pace all the way to the finish line. Our pace during the final leg of the race was incredible and the favorable wind on Suðurstrandavegur Road really helped us along. Working with other teams had really paid off as we needed all the energy we could muster during the final kilometers.

In retrospect we think that one of our strengths was how equal all of us are when it comes to cycling. Each one of us was able

part. The biggest incident of our journey happened near the end of the race, while we were doing the fast changeovers. Elfar, our team leader, was asking our next cyclist if he was ready to go out and race but he said ‘No, I really need a bathroom break and I need it now!” We were in quite a dilemma and despite having just finished a really fast sprint, one of us had to go out again and cycle while that bathroom break took place.

Fortunately our guy came back even stronger after doing his thing,” the guys say laughing.

to keep up the pace until we reached the finish line,” the guys say.

Fast as Fire with Ergo seems to have kept their cool on the road. “We all knew each other before the race which makes maintaining a good atmosphere in the RV that much easier. We also had a lot of good food to eat and in our opinion that’s a key factor to keeping your sanity on the road.

Our team leader and driver Elfar (Rúnar and Anton’s father) helped motivate us. He strategized with us, helped us keep up our pace and encouraged us. It was a really good feeling to receive his applause each time we came back into the RV,” they say.

Through the rough spots When asked if the team hit any rough spots on the road they agree that the whole circle was pretty much smooth sailing. “The road construction near Laugar in North Iceland was a bit of a surprise but fortunately Kári was out with his cyclocross to tackle that

At the finish line What stands out after WOW Cyclothon for the Fast as Fire with Ergo team was, of course, winning the race. “It was also an added bonus to set a new record for the A category which wasn’t our goal. The camaraderie of the team and the good teamwork we had with other teams is also what we’ll take home with us,” they say.

Again? “We haven’t discussed it yet. There’s a lot of time that goes into setting up a team and participating in a race like this and there are a lot of pieces that have to come together such as sponsorship, finding a team manager, training etc. But this was a great experience and if we see strong teams sign­­ ing up for next year’s race who knows… It’s tempting to go again and defend our title. v

Team Fast as Fire with Ergo at the finish line in Hafnarfjörður.

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WOW Power to the people

Join us for WOW Cyclothon 2016, June 21-23. Registration has already begun at www.wowcyclothon.com. See you on the Ring Road!

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WOW tips

Surviving the dark

by Guðrún Baldvina Sævarsdóttir Photos: Thinkstockphotos.com

So you’ve decided to brave the darkness of the Icelandic winter?

In a land of extremes, this is admittedly a magnificent time of year but as you succumb to the awe-inspiring forces that rule these parts you might want a list of activities to lighten the heart should you find yourself writing existential poetry or showing an unnatural interest in throat singing. Take a page from our book and follow these directions should it all become a bit too dark.

Lighten up!

After a summer of almost continuous daylight most Icelanders embrace the sun finally setting properly in September and as it gets colder there’s nothing better than lighting some candles, putting on your favorite somber music and catching up on your reading. This is the time of year to buy some delightful fairy lights, lamps and candlesticks to add a gentle touch to that comfy darkness. The same applies outdoors and when you catch your first glimpse of the northern lights you realize how wonderful the dark is. There is nothing quite like it, and if anything can pluck an Icelander away from binge watching the latest Netflix series and get him outdoors it’s the Aurora Borealis.

Despite the tiny population of this very large island the urban areas here are as light polluted as they come so it’s best to get out of the city to view them properly. Don’t worry, you’ll see them from downtown Reykjavík alright but if it looks like they might make a real show of it while you’re in the city a good idea would be to head down to a place along the shore (Grótta/Örfirisey/Ægissíða) where you’re a little removed from the street lamps to better view the marvel.

Turn up the heat!

The most frequent question Icelanders are asked when abroad is: “Isn’t it really, really cold there?” No, not really. Even though the windchill will sometimes feel quite scary, the cold is easily manageable with all the geothermal activity. Make the most out of this luxury and enjoy the abundant hot water, warm houses and heated garages.

Besides this Icelanders relish their eider duck feather duvets and superb winter

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WOW Power to the people

cloth­­ing. And then there’s the temperature regulated outdoor swimming pools and the truly hot hot-tubs. A dip in an outdoor swimming pool may sound preposterous if you’re already cold but trust us on this one and head to your nearest pool in the next snow storm. You won’t regret it.

Discover new friends!

There’s nothing like a nice crowd of people to warm you up from the inside out and this is where Icelanders truly excel. One of many contradictions that define this country is that this spacious capital with its tiny population hosts an impressive variety of cultural events. Check out Rósenberg Café on Klapparstígur for

Even though the windchill will some­­ times feel quite scary, the cold is easily manageable with all the geo­­thermal activity.

live music every night of the week. Tiny artist-run gallery and performance venue Mengi on Óðinsgata is the perfect destination for an intimate experience of something new and experimental and then there’s the crispy new concert hall Harpa for something on a larger scale. Harpa houses an ambitious program ranging from the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra (highly recommended) to music festivals Dark Music Days (contemporary) to Sónar (dance and electronic). Should you not be in the mood for music check out art gallery Kling&Bang, the Museum of Design and Applied Art or the Writer’s Union events at Gunnarshús. It might get dark but you definitely won’t be lonely. v

AQUARACER CALIBRE 5

Cristiano Ronaldo is born to break all the records. His motivation is to win at every occasion to challenge the human statistics. Like TAG Heuer, Ronaldo surpasses the limits of his ďŹ eld and never cracks under pressure.

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Laugavegi 15 & Kringlunni - 511 1900 - www.michelsen.is

Newsworthy

The top 10 of 2015 Now that the year 2015 is rapidly fading and the year 2016 will be encroaching into our collective minds a short retrospective of this island nation’s most newsworthy events during 2015 is in order.

by Marvin Lee Dupree

To most sports journalists, Iceland’s football association claims this is all the culmination of player development, exce­­llent facilities and excellent coaching; whereas most Icelanders know this is only the first step toward complete global domination in all fields.

Number SEVEN Speaking of global domination or rather intergalactic domination, Star Wars: Rogue One was apparently filmed near Hjörleifshöfði and Hafursey in South Iceland. This can only mean one thing: with Mads Mikkelsen in a starring role, some Icelandic men will be able to convince their wives and girlfriends to come see at least one Star Wars film.

Number ONE Topping the list is the music world’s favor­­ite man/boy Justin Bieber. Bieber made headlines around the globe, or per­­­haps more in Iceland, when he made an impromptu visit to the island this past September, only to return recently in his Calvin Klein undies in the glacial river at Fjarðárgljúfur Canyon in his music video “I’ll Show You.” Number TWO One thing that has been a constant since we settled Iceland is our dependence on “skyr.” When we Icelanders are abroad we try to explain how fantastic it is—and we draw parallels to the Dutch-German “kwark” or Greek yogurt, but neither are entirely close to the Icelandic delicacy.

So it is no small wonder that MS Iceland Dairies released a video mocking Arla Skyr for pretending to be Icelandic, when it is in fact a Swedish brand, produced in Germany. In the video MS has an anth­­­ro­ po­­­morphized skyr speak to an Arla “skyr” product in Icelandic—and hilarity ensued.

1-0 for Iceland in the “Skyr Wars.”

Number THREE Although we Icelanders are descended from Vikings we do love being cosmo­­ politan. Our foreign minister Gunnar Bragi Sveins­son committed a colossal blunder by sending the EU a curt and terse letter announcing the withdrawal of Iceland’s membership application, despite the rul­ ing coalition’s promises of a referendum on the matter. This seemingly furtive action sparked massive protests.

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WOW Power to the people

Number FOUR As a result of these actions some com­­­ mentators argue that, along with other political blunders on both sides of the political spectrum, this has enabled the Icelandic Pirate Party to reach un­­ prec­edented heights of more than 30% in polls. In many polls they have more sup­port among young voters than the Left Green, Progressive Party and Social De­­mocrats combined. Their message regarding eschewing the left-right binary, while also focusing on direct democracy, government transparency and free speech has really struck a chord with the younger generations.

Number FIVE Outrage among Icelanders was not limit­ed to politicians though, in April the Chilean artist Marco Evaristti poured crim­­son dye into the geyser Strokkur, thus giving its eruptions a pinkish hue and causing chagrin to locals. However, some applauded his efforts and pointed out that many governments and corporations are doing far worse to nature than his “canvas work.”

Number SIX A far less controversial event occurred in Iceland that has the whole football community shaking its head. How did a nation that is quite shy of half a million people manage to quality for Euro 2016?

Number FOUR The Icelandic Pirate Party has reached un­­prec­edented heights of more than 30% in polls.

Number EIGHT Regardless of the fairer sex’s interest in Star Wars or lack thereof, Icelandic women made headlines across the globe with the initiative Free the Nipple. Numerous females from all walks of life and of all ages took part in the viral #FreeTheNipple campaign. This digital feminist action emphasized gender equality while raising general awareness—and simultaneously showing the world how badass Viking women can be.

Number NINE True to our Viking nature, Iceland has been culturally exporting various products with skyr becoming ever more popular but the highlight of this year’s export is the runaway success of the Icelandic film Rams. Currently it will be opening the Zagreb Film Festival and has managed to garner accolades such as Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, once again proving that Icelandic lamb is the best in the world.

Number SEVEN Star Wars: Rogue One was apparently filmed near Hjö­­r­­leifs­­höfði and Hafursey in South Iceland.

Number TEN Finally, some meta-news to finish off the year since, you dear reader, probably helped Iceland in its financial recovery.

Not only have you done that by visiting Iceland—but tourism is now the sector that garners the most revenue for the country, outpacing the fishing industry which has dominated Iceland’s economy since its modernization. Not bad at all! We are glad to have you! v

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Sharing is caring

WOW! We’re so social Active on social media? So are we and we love sharing great photos, travel tips, good deals and other fun things on our many social media outlets as well as to our WOW Club members.

Face to face Find WOW air on Facebook – facebook.com/wowiceland – hit that “like” button and add us to your favorites. Then help us share the WOW. We promise not to fill up your newsfeed with boring stuff or click-tag games. Perhaps just a cute kitten video once a year.

Instant karma We’re on Instagram too but we only use it to share good photos and we never Instagram our coffee; that’s a promise … unless it’s really, really good coffee. Follow @wowair on Instagram for great travel inspiration or just to see beautiful places.

Tweet it We love tweeting @wowair. It’s so much more of a challenge to have to put out the message in 140 characters or less, right?

WOW air also has a special twitter page for queries, comments and complaints @wowairsupport where our social media team is ready to give feedback during local business hours.

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We recently snapped on to the Snapchat trend and it’s gotten great reviews. Add wow-air to your list of snappy friends and watch videos and photos from our destinations, created for your eyes only.

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WOW Power to the people

Issue six 21

Wake Up Reykjavik

A night on the town Another Saturday night and you ain’t got nobody? Don’t worry, the guys at Wake Up Reykjavik will take you out and make sure you have a great time.

Photos: Julien Ratel and Eva Björk Ægisdóttir, courtesy of Wake Up Reykjavik

Founded by two friends, Egill Fannar Halldórsson and Daníel Andri Pétursson, Wake Up Reykjavik is a high end event planning company, specializing in the vibrant Reykjavik nightlife. They are known for plann­ing the best bachelor and bachelorette parties in Iceland and their Reykjavik Bar Crawl has gotten outstanding reviews from all over. WOW magazine sat down with these nightlife aficionados and got to know all about it.

Getting into the groove Having been friends since high-school, Egill and Daníel have definitely experienced their share of party­­ing but they soon found themselves creating and organizing large events for high schools in Reykja­­­vik which was how their business relationship started.

But from high school events to the Wake Up Reykjavik are known for plann­ Reykjavik nightlife, how did that ing the best bachelor happen? “We were and bachelorette constantly meeting new travelers that parties in Iceland all had the same and their Reykjavik question: “We want Bar Crawl has gotten to experience the outstanding reviews nightlife. Where from all over. should we go?” So, two years ago we realized that with our knowledge of the Reykjavik nightlife and our love for meeting new people we had just what we needed to create something special. We wanted to give all those trave­lers the chance to experience the awe­­some Reykja­­vik nightlife like us, the locals. We want­­ed them to stay away from the tourist-trap bars and get to know the true Reykjavik, through the most inter­­esting venues, the most unique drinks and first

and fore­­most, the Icelandic people. The result, the soon to be the most popular nightlife tour in Iceland, the Reykjavik Bar Crawl was born.”

The Bar Crawl Most people have had their share of bar crawls on their own so what’s the difference between going out and hopping between bars in downtown Reykjavik by themselves and springing for the Reykjavik Bar Crawl experience with Wake Up Reykjavik? “Ours is a ‘see it all, do it all’ tour if you want to have fun and experience the Reykjavik nightlife in one memorable night! For 3 hours we experience all the best of what the Reykjavik nightlife has to offer through premium Icelandic beer, unique cocktails, Black Death snaps and some traditional Viking cuisine. We visit three of our favorite bars and end the night at Reykjavik’s larg­­ est nightclub for those who want to drink and dance ‘till the break of dawn,’” Egill and Daníel tell us and they might be on to something as the reviews on travel sites such as TripAdvisor are praising their services.

Could you show up alone to the Bar Crawl? “YES! Even though we host a number of private Bar Crawls and other events we host a so called ‘OPEN’ Reykjavik Bar Crawl every Friday where anyone can join the fun. We limit these tours to 15 people and usually we have a fun mix of people from all over the world, both smaller groups and solo travelers. For the private events we take out everything from two people up to a hundred in one group.”

Staying current As in other cities the nightlife scene of Reykjavik is subject to changes. What was hot yesterday might not be so hot today so the two friends have to keep on their toes. “At this moment we are extremely happy with our tours as we have been running them for a long time but we are always working on im­­ prov­­ing or modifying the agenda when we see the chance to do something better. This is a game that is constantly changing. What are the hottest venues today? What drinks are considered the best and what does today’s crowd actually like? So, we definitely keep our eyes open for changes and new opportunities and don’t hesitate to change our schedule if we think it would make the night even better.”

Rotten shark tales When people get together and drink, something is bound to happen. So what have Egill and Daníel seen on their tours around town? “Although our Reykjavik Bar Crawl is a nightlife tour, we very rarely see any­ one in our group get ‘hammered’. Five drinks are included in our price and that is usually just the right amount to keep everyone buzzed and excited. BUT, since we do a lot more than just the Reykjavik Bar Crawl then yes, we have definitely had our share of some crazy experiences! A very harmless but classic story is a moment from when we were at a Viking

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Issue six 23

bar and among other things, we try the Icelandic fermented shark! Most people don’t know this but the shark can be really variable and you can have a piece that is actually pretty good while the next one can be absolutely terrible … To make a long story short, we once had a guest try the shark who got a really good piece. He laughed at his friends who thought it was terrible and then ate 3-4 more pieces at once … and it wasn’t long before he RAN to the bathroom!”

The famous Reykjavik nightlife A lot has been said about the Reykjavik nightlife that for the most part happens in just a thin slice of downtown Reykjavik. We asked Daníel and Egill to share the highlights with us. “In recent years, Reykjavik has become famous worldwide for its wild and vibrant nightlife and is even considered by international travel Although we get a magazines as one of the world’s best lot of bachelor/stag groups and company cities to party in.

The reason for this retreats where men is a combination are the majority, we of many things, actually get a higher the Icelandic cocktail culture number of female is on a rapid rise, participants in our we have got lots Reykjavik Bar Crawl. of brand new The most common microbreweries guests in the Bar that have been a big hit among Crawls are couples, groups of friends and locals and visitors alike and it seems female solo travelers. like new and

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exciting bars and restaurants are opening up every weekend. So there is definitely a reason for all the hype. But in our experience, all of this wouldn’t matter if it wasn’t for the friendly Icelandic people.

There are of course huge nightlife scenes all over the world in big cities like New York and London but what makes Reykjavik special is that all the venues are literally on one street and everyone knows everyone and that’s what creates the awesome vibe that is the Reykjavik nightlife.

There are some that say that nightlife tours and event planning is often catered to groups of guys.

What about the girls? “After a short thought, we wouldn’t agree with that statement. Although we get a lot of bachelor/stag groups and company retreats where men are the majority, we actually get a higher number of female participants in our Reykjavik Bar Crawl. The most common guests in the Bar Crawls are couples, groups of friends and female solo travelers. We think the reason for this might be that exploring the nightlife scene in a foreign country by yourself can be both scary and lonely but the tours are safe, fun and a great way to meet like-minded travelers.”

Get out of downtown!

All of Wake Up Reykjavik’s nightlife tours are located in the heart of Reykja­­vik, on or around the main shopping street, Laugavegur. But Egill and Daníel also organize all kinds of activities outside the city for their guests, such as ATV tours, snowmobile experiences, heli­­copter tours and of course their famous yacht parties. “We wanted to create something extraordinary, something that

didn’t already exist in Reykjavik. We also wanted to offer our guests a VIP experience that no one else is offering. So, today we’re able to throw our guests a private yacht party with every­­thing that a good party needs which is defini­tely a once in a lifetime experience for groups of friends or bachelor/ bachelorette groups visiting Iceland.”

Speaking of bachelor and bachelorette parties— Wake Up Reykjavik organizes a great number of such parties in Reykjavik and it’s hard not to notice that Iceland is quickly becoming one of the hottest locations for this in the world. “We aren’t surprised,” Egill and Daníel tell us. “With extraordinary nature, an endless list of adrenaline fuelled daytime activities and most importantly, a WILD nightlife, this also makes Reykjavík the perfect destination for unforgettable stag or hen parties.”

The TripAdvisor revelations Having hosted numerous nightlife events, parties and of course the Bar Crawl the TripAdvisor’s re­­views for Wake Up Reykjavik are through the roof and it’s quite amazing to see that there appears to be no decline in the quality of their service as the company gains momentum. To what do Egill and Daníel owe this success? “We are ridiculously proud of our TripAdvisor account and even though we haven’t been on TripAdvisor for a long time, we would advise everyone that is not convinced about joining a nightlife tour to give it a look. But what to thank … It’s obviously a mix of tons of different things. If I had to pick out one thing, then I would say that every night we have one really clear goal, and that is to have fun. And so far that has been working out great for us.” v

Join Egill and Daníel for a night out on the town and experience the awesome Reykjavik nightlife first hand in great company. You’ll find more information on Wake Up Reykjavik at wakeupreykjavik.com.

Iceland’s National Museum

A journey in time Each year a regular flow of tourists, students and seniors citizens visit the National Museum of Iceland for educational tours and lectures.

Museum specialist Helga Vollertsen, makes a journey in time through the museum’s permanent exhibition, a chronological history of Iceland beginning from the time of settlement to recent times.

by Paul Michael Herman Photos: Courtesy of the National Museum of Iceland

The first settlers Our journey begins safe within the outline of a Viking ship shaped by lights on the museum floor, a subtle reminder of the well-crafted ships that once carried Nor­­­wegians, Swedes and Danes, during Iceland’s time of settlement.

From a record written in 1200, the date given for the arrival of the first settlers was 874. Evidence of this has been unearthed through the discovery of heathen graves on display at the museum dated to be from this time. Found in Sílastaðir, north of Akureyri, one grave contains a weapon, tools, jewelry, a horse and a dog; all objects considered desirable for the afterlife.

Another grave, this one found on the Snae­­fellsnes Peninsula is of a woman and baby. An item in it with Celtic markings indicate that some people came from the British Isles. The woman in the grave is about 40, considered too old for that time to have been the baby‘s mother but as in other such findings, a child was often buried, with a woman to care for it when they reached their destination. These types of burials were not uncommon because during this time the mortality rate of childr­en was high.

Men, on the other hand, had an attractive option. Those that died in battle would go to Valhalla where they would feast all night, enjoying the pleasure afforded to all brave warriors... In the morning it was back into battle.

These findings are considered a re­­pre­­ sen­­tations of people’s concerns and their dis­­­position in those days. Work, self-de­­ fense or perhaps the taste of blood and the spoils of war as well as the milk of hu­­man kindness were all a part of their lives. Also a belief in the afterlife was firmly entrenched in the minds of people living then as it has been since ancient times.

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Christianity arrives In the year 1000 Iceland became a Christ­­ian nation, a decision prompted by a priest in the heathen religion, Þorgeir Ljós­­­­­­vetn­­ingagoði, the most powerful man in the country, and agreed on by the chief­tains who were officers of the Althingi (Parliament).

From the middle of the 10th century until the 1550s religion was a big part of the daily life in Iceland, the church was rich and strong and there were a lot of Christian artifacts produced. A fair number of these are on display.

Keeping up with the Continentals Between the years 1000 and 1200 most of the people in Iceland were farmers.

The ability to produce woven (homespun) woolen cloth was shared by many Ice­­­ landers who worked in their homes. This

From a record written in 1200, the date given for the arrival of the first settlers was 874.

cloth became Iceland’s biggest ex­port from around the 12th to the 14th century and there are some good examples on exhibit at the National Museum. Although Icelanders were living in a harsh environ­ ment and overall had little by way of mater­ial comforts they did like to dress up.

In an attempt to copy the high fashion of Continental Europe, wool was woven and then the threads were pulled to make a woolen coat look more like a fur coat which was considered very fashionable during that period.

A hint of the old religion Since faith was an important part of peo­ ple’s lives small churches were often built in the little communities dotted around the countryside. The oldest church in Iceland that still remains to this day was built

around 1650 and thanks to the Danish National Museum, the Valþjófsstaður Door, the front door of a church from ca.

1200 was sent to the National Museum of Iceland in 1930 to celebrate the Althingi’s 1000th anniversary. This door remains on display in Iceland’s National Museum to this day. The unusual thing is that rather than a Christian motif, carvings of dragons biting each other’s tail are carved into this national treasure. Although Christianity had been the official religion of Iceland the old religion never really died out and these dragons just might be a sign of that.

It just so happens that this old church of Valþjófsstaður stood in in the Fljótsdalur Valley where Helga, the museum specia­ list‘s grandfather served as priest.

Art and literature While the Renaissance flourished on the Continent from the 1300s, it wasn‘t until

around 1600 during the period of the Reformation that we can find a painting made that gives an accurate impression of what an Icelander looked like. Displayed in the museum is one such painting of Guðbrandur Þórláksson, Icelandic mathematician, cartographer and clergyman and it was the same man that had the first Lutheran Bible in Icelandic printed in Iceland. Guðbrandur also brought the printing press to Iceland and had two books printed each year during his 50 year tenure (The presses were roll­ing in Iceland. It was just a long process). The Bible on display at the National Museum is an original dated 1530.

The creative arts in bloom Beautifully carved wooden chests for clothing and other items are on display from the period from 1600 to 1800. The chests were real attention-getters with rhymes and riddles on them and secret compartments.

Tapestry of great diversity including religious themes, stories from the sagas and tales of knights woven into them were skillfully craft­ed during this time.

Today Icelander‘s are known for their creativity and innovation in the arts, evidentially a fruit born from these earlier times.

Mother‘s nature—Icelandic style The period between 1800 and 1900 was the Romantic Period in Iceland. During this time Sigurður Guðmundsson, the first curator of the National Museum designed a woman‘s costume representing the Icelandic nation Issue six 27

with symbolism depicting the glaciers, the Northern Lights and Icelandic flora using just colors that you can produce here. It also represents the ideal women, beheld as virtuous, a woman with an indomitable spirit and in the role of a mother. The strength of the modern Icelandic woman definitely has its roots.

A farmhouse from the 19th century If you really want to see what farm life in Iceland was like during 19th century you can visit a farmer‘s home from that time period set up in the National Museum of Iceland. Laid out on the floor of the museum is a life-size fully furnished upp­­­ er part of a farmhouse—a single room with four beds and everything else you‘d expect to see. From this you can begin to fathom the lives of people living in these circumstances. Below this room was the kitchen and the stables.

Icelandic tradition —for better or worse As can be seen in the room, all homes in the 1800s had a spinning wheel and on Christmas everyone was expected to wear some newly spun piece of apparel.

Those who thought they were exempt from honoring this national tradition would be tracked by the Christmas cat and unceremoniously eaten—a natural

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consequence to what then was taken as a sign of laziness. This tradition is alive today.

Besides wearing something new, once a year, specifically the 23rd of December was the chosen day each year for washing one‘s clothes. This was also the big day for bathing. It is a somber fact that hygiene was not high on the list of “things to do“ back in those days. This custom of infrequent bathing was not exclusive to Iceland.

Iceland emerges Because of internal struggles during the 13th century Iceland became weakened and in 1262 lost its independence to Norway. Norway eventually unit­­ed with Sweden and Demark but after the disso­­­ lution of this alliance, Iceland fell under Danish rule. The blue and white flag on display symbolizes Iceland‘s hard fought struggle for independence. In 1904 home rule was granted and in 1918 Iceland became a sovereign state in union with Denmark where the king of Denmark was simultaneously the king of Iceland. In 1944 Iceland finally gained its independence.

Christmas at the National Museum In spite of the influence other Nordic nations had or tried to have on Iceland, Iceland is an island way out in the North Atlantic and

therefore had the freedom to develop its creativity with little or no interference not only in the arts but in their customs and traditions. For example, the Icelandic folklore and religious traditions observed during Christmas in Iceland are unique in many ways. The National Museum of Iceland will be presenting a Christmas Program where the public is invited to learn about them.

December 6th at 2PM the Yule Lads‘­par­­­ ents, Grýla and Leppalúði visit the museum along with musicians. It is a well-known and appreciated event for Icelandic fami­­ lies but more tourists take part every year.

The program is in English.

Every day from December 12-24 at 11 a.m. one Yule Lad at a time (there are 13 in all) visit the Museum and entertain children with stories and traditional Ice­­ landic carol singing. This is very popular among school classes and up to 500 kids visit the event each day.

On December 19, Terry Gunnell, Professor of Folkloristics at the University of Iceland, will give a lecture on Icelandic Christmas traditions, the lecture is free of charge (like the Yule Lad-events) and in English.

The museum is open on December 25th from 10-2 PM as well as December 31st and January 1st. On other days the museum is open from 10-5 except on Mondays. v

Issue six 29

Traditional holidays

Iceland and Christmas —an obvious match

In Western countries Christmas has now become associated with cultural touchstones such as Gremlins, Home Alone and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Contemporary celebrations of Christmas in Iceland focus on immense family gatherings and massive consumption of electricity to combat the midwinter darkness.

by Marvin Lee Dupree Photos: Thinkstockphotos.com

For most Icelanders the mere mention of the word Christmas brings up a myriad of connotations. Some think of all the Christmas books published and gifted, as well as the necessary Christ­­mas pajamas which one wears all Christmas to read and have epic sessions in front of the TV with their loved ones.

It is also a time for traveling across the country to be with loved ones amidst a steady stream of loud family gatherings all throughout December, reaching its apex between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. However, there are also many more customs that often baffle foreigners, especially because Christmas in Iceland is more of a religious holiday than in the Anglo-Saxon countries, yet it is a hybrid curiosity with Christmas ogres, loads of Yule Lads instead of just one Santa Claus, not to mention the murderous Yule Cat. On top of that, Christmas in Iceland does not really end until the 6th of January or on “þrettándinn” (the Twelfth Night) when

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the end of Christmas is celebrated with bonfires and supposedly elf dancing.

So without further ado, let us delve into the winter solstice psyche of this island nation.

The Vikings are subdued Despite the Christian repackaging of Christmas, Icelandic Christmas festivities have always been deeply rooted in a predictably peculiar Icelandic paganism of old and the more recent transposed Christian tradition. Yet, in the Germanic and Nordic tradition the mid-winter associations have held more sway than with more southern nations.

Celebrations during the winter solstice have always been a part of the Icelandic heritage, regardless of Christianity. In stories such as Eyrbyggja Saga it is apparent that “jól” had a different mean­­ ing since the festivities included copious amounts of alcohol and homicidal ten­­ dencies, while both in Grettis saga and

Víga glúms saga “jól” is a time of festivities.

Consequently, it was a bit later in Ice­­­­ land’s history that the social and cult­ural institutions that later became en­trenc­­ hed in Iceland, and the paradigm shift from Yule to Christmas began; with the building of churches and Christianity becoming more organized here based on the establishment of a diocese, Icelanders stopped toasting the old gods and began to celebrate the more recognizable form of Christmas.

Still, as always, because Iceland was so isolated it managed to keep many curious aspects. One notable social pheno­­men­ o­n was that many Icelanders instead of attending Christmas evening mass de­­cided they’d rather visit friends, drink and be merry. Apparently this infuriated the Danish clergy who tried to uproot this tradition but it became popular again in the 20th century, especially with the in­­­ troduction of the radio.

Nowadays, shortly before 6 o’clock on Christmas Eve, Icelandic families turn on the National Radio and wait for the bells of Hallgrímskirkja Church to peal for Christ­­mas through a live broadcast.

This is, for many, when the holy days truly begin and everyone wishes each other a happy Christmas before they sit down for a lavish Christmas dinner while listening to a Christmas Mass.

Christmas dinner in the turf house For Icelanders born in the 19th century Christmas was a rather humble affair.

Most homes were centered around the “baðstofa” which functioned both as a sleeping room and as the hub of communal living. If one reads personal accounts of Icelanders and the Christmas tra­­di­­tions, there is a noticeable com­­ monality between all of them that is crystalized in one of the most iconic Ice­­landic Christmas songs “Bráðum koma blessuð jólin” (“Soon the Christmastide will be here”); in it Icelanders sing that everybody receives a gift—at least some playing cards and a candle.

To many youths today these lyrics come off as enigmatic but to Icelanders back then, the highlight of Christmas was when one received a candle and the “baðstofa” was lit up all night on Christmas Eve. For the extremely lucky, an apple was a rare delicacy that they were able to taste once a year and only six or seven decades ago many Icelanders’ most common association with Christmas was the aroma of apples. However, in some regions, not all, it was common to make leaf bread (see page 34) during Christmas Day along with an assortment of delicacies such as Icelandic pancakes and waffles. Other treats included “pottabrauð” which is a variant of the Icelandic straight rye bread or “rúgbrauð.” As for the main meal it was most commonly smoked lamb meat which was made to last until the New Year in many homes, while in others “lundabaggar” or rolled-up slices of gela­­ tinous meat or Icelandic sausages were eaten. In some cases it was the economic

choice of fish. For dessert people would eat skyr with cream or “sætsúpa” which is basically fruit soup made of dried fruits that have been boiled in water along with some grains, either oats or rice.

Icelandic Christmas food during the 20th century Christmas culinary traditions of Iceland began to evolve with more affluence and with the migration of people to Reykjavík and its surrounding municipalities. Meat became more affordable for all and gastronomical hedonism became the norm; in recent years Icelandic Christmas dinners have led numerous Icelanders to seek out medical assistance due to overconsumption on Christmas Eve. However, the most noxious and in­­fa­­mous Christmas dish is served on Þorláks­­ messa (Mass of St. Thorlac), or the 23rd of December. This tradition from the West Fjords to eat fermented skate on this day ceased to be a regional affair and became, regrettably, a nationwide custom. Why regrettable? Well, because the sweet aroma of ammonia from the skate is omnipresent. Further changes to the Christmas culinary traditions here happened due to the increasing influx of Danish products; one such introduction was the “hamborgarahryggur” or pork rib steak as well as the “London lamb” which was less smoked than its older counterpart the “hangikjöt.” As for side dishes most Icelanders become teary eyed if the compulsory green peas and red cabbage from the Icelandic Ora canned goods factory are missing from the main dish—although in many families this is slowly being phased out.

It’s not Christmas without fruit, here near the edge of the world Besides all these gastronomic hedonistic dishes that popped up during post bellum years, Icelanders began to enjoy other novel foods—like fruit. In fact, this year’s Christmas will hopefully be the last where Icelanders experience capital controls but they’ve been a common practice from the 20th century, thus making apples, oranges and other foreign delicacies an extravagant luxury as some years no apples were imported at all. However, during this period fishermen were able to circumvent the capital controls by selling cod roe to obtain foreign currency that in turn enabled them to purchase apples and grapes to give to their kin and friends. This phenomena was known as “gotupeningar” (roe money) and allowed many Icelandic homes to celebrate Christmas with the sought after luxury goods they considered essential during the holidays.

For the extremely lucky, an apple was a rare delicacy that they were able to taste once a year and only six or seven decades ago many Icelanders’ most common association with Christmas was the aroma of apples.

only due to the popularity of Jón Árnason’s Icelandic Folktales and Legends that the number became fixed to 13 along with their current names, not to mention the radio broadcasting of Árnason’s stories during the 1930s.

In the old days the Yuletide lads were the monstrous offspring of Grýla and Leppalúði, and were considered evil just as the Yule Cat was, being more canni­­ balistic trolls than jolly tricksters. In the famous Icelandic poem Grýlukvæði, Stéfan Ólafsson wrote about their mother who was a three-headed beast akin to the mythological Cerberus, with chin fuzz and a ram’s nose to boot. Like with the Coca-Cola Santa Claus and the Scandinavian Nisse, the Icelandic Yule Lads have evolved from their original disposition into more

The evil Santas are coming to town!

During the twentieth century the con­­ temporary version of Christmas that most Icelanders have come to love began to be formalized. For example there were various alterations of the Yule Lads and no exact fixed number, with accounts of nine, thirteen or even eighteen of them. It was Issue six 31

not have at least one new item of clothing

by Christ­­mas Eve you would land in its claws. The simple explanation behind this questionable parenting is that it was tied to the Protestant disdain for idleness.

Within the Scandinavian and German culture areas the terror-inducing creature of choice for parents to scare wicked or lazy children was the Christmas goat or Krampus. Goats were not common in Ice­­land so the devil’s other favorite animal became the alternative choice, thus making the Yule Cat a very logical myth.

Some things never really change Over time and due to increased affluence many of these memories have faded somewhat in Iceland, but the cultural memory for some traditions is still vibrant, including such traditions as bak­­ing copious assortments of cookies.

Another Christmas tradition is the vast amount of Christmas cards sent every Christmas to kin and friends around the country and globe, thus straining the capacity of the Icelandic postal service every Christmas season. Despite the immense demographic and social changes in Iceland, Christmas is first and fore­­ most a festival to celebrate family and lift one’s mood in the midwinter as has been customary in Iceland throughout the generations—except now we give our children iPads, not tall tales about canni­­ balistic cats and trolls. Instead of playing cards it is now board games so, despite some cosmetic alterations, Christmas is always the highlight of the year in Iceland and is ushered in with the beautiful Advent lights that adorn the nation’s homes.

Happy Holidays!

modern capitalistic friendly gift-giving figures. Many historians and folklorists say it was amended because the Danish bourge­­oisie were shocked by the grue­­ some tales told to frighten children; that and the fact the Danish merchants wanted to make a few more krónur.

From evil ogres to friendly Yule Lads The modern version of the Yule Lads, how­­ ever, has them giving Icelandic child­r­en

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gifts when the children place their shoe in the window before going to bed, that is to say if they’ve been good. Naughty kids tend to receive a potato. Their evolution to more amicable characters can be seen in an Icelandic children’s magazine in 1901 where the Yule Lads are by then more tricksters than trolls.

As for the Yule Cat, most children were filled with existential fear of the dre­ ad­­ed black cat. Parents would scare ­childr­en with stories of it and if you did

However, the most noxious and in­­fa­­ mous Christmas dish is served on Þorláks­­messa (Mass of St. Thorlac), or the 23rd of December.

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If you desire to make your Christmas a bit more Icelandic, you can find recipes for leaf bread all around the Internet and to make it authentic you can pick up a leaf bread iron before leaving the country.

Breaking bread

Fancy cutting snowflakes?

The title of this article might sound like an oxymoron of sorts but the festive staple “laufabrauð” is often known as snowflake cake or under the idiomatically correct term “leaf bread,” while others have usually called it lace bread. Basically, it is a thin round cake fried in oil, but previously it was cooked in mutton fat. Nowadays, it is often served with butter, sweet béchamel sauce and smoked lamb.

by Marvin Lee Dupree Photos: The Cultural Museum of Leafbread

For those of you who are still wondering why it is such an im­­­ portant tradition to Icelandic people during Christmas it might help to get a short primer on this wonderful tradition.

Eking out an existence in Iceland was always a challenging task; simple products such as flour were rationed and not available to all, and when the Danish government did import it, Icelanders could sometimes expect it to be maggot-infested. To overcome shortages, Icelanders started rolling out flour, rye and barley to make leaf bread. In a yuletide folk song about Grýla the terrible troll that eats naughty children, the lyrics go “the children shall receive bread to feast on at Christmas.”

So obviously for many folklorists the

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WOW Power to the people

connection between flour shortages and leaf bread is evident. With increased imports of flour to Iceland this custom seems to have faded out except in the north of Iceland, but with increased migration to the south it seems to have flourished once again due to the familial and cultural aspect as making leaf bread is an activity done with the entire family.

Tools of the trade In the old days just before the Christmas fast, or advent, during the midwinter, families and extended family members would meet just as they do now to carve out very delicate and intricate designs in the leaf bread. Another factor was that both genders took part in this ritual, thus a pocket-knife was often used to reveal

one’s inner artist. Later the leaf bread iron became the tool of choice and is now found in homes across the nation.

Artisan Christmas The leaf bread iron was originally a heavy copper roller but now it is produced in a wide variety of shapes and designs, while some have utilized more specialized designs made from bullhorns or even whale teeth. Researching the history of this unique Icelandic item, I spoke to Hugrún Ívarsdóttir, a talented designer who is also the caretaker of the Laufabrauðssetur in Akureyri (a cultural museum for leaf bread). During our talk, I discovered the rich heritage of leaf bread as well as the longevity and stench from years old leaf bread, although they had a lovely design. However, not everybody has accepted the leaf bread iron enthusiastically since many also consider carving each piece of leaf bread as a distinct piece of art; in fact Hugrún informed me that in the old days, some people were so talented they would travel between Icelandic households to display their craft. In modern times though, leaf bread irons have now become an iconic symbol of Christmas, just like the Advent lights.

If you desire to make your Christmas a bit more Icelandic, you can find recipes for leaf bread all around the Internet and to make it authentic you can pick up a leaf bread iron before leaving the country. It is available for purchase from Handverk Haraldar and at the Icelandic design store Kraum. Additionally, you can view information about the leaf bread and Hugrúns’ designs at islensk.is. v

Issue six 35

Gotta catch’em all

Shoot the northern lights Tis the season. Forget about the electric lights of the city and head into the Icelandic wilderness to see the real show: the elusive northern lights.

Photos: Ao Thor

I

Iceland is truly a dream destination for photo­­ graphers and many travelers come here exclusively to photograph the country. Visiting Iceland to see and photograph the northern lights is becoming increasingly popular but it’s not always easy. For optimal northern lights gazing and photographing you have to get away from the illuminated city and the most photogenic spots are often far from the beaten tracks and can’t be reached except by 4WD vehicles driven by experienced drivers.

For this reason many tour operators offer a great variety of northern lights tours and one of them, Arctic Advanced, even offers a speci­aliz­ed photography tour. Led by professional photo­graph­ er Eyjólfur Már Thoroddsen aka Ao, the Northern

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WOW Power to the people

Lights Photography Tour is definitely something to try whether you’re a pro­fessional photographer or a photo­graphy enthusiast. “Finding the northern lights might be fairly easy, but to shoot them perfectly you need a bit more know-how. We are very selective in the locations we choose for the northern lights tours and they usually involve places where we have our privacy and can take our time to shoot,” says Ao about his northern lights tours.

Visiting Iceland to see and photo­­ graph the north­ern lights is be­ com­ing in­ creas­ingly popu­lar but it’s not always easy.

For those interested in knowing more about the Arctic Advanced photography tours we recommend checking out arcticadvanced.com, aothor.com and photographyguide.is. Happy snapping!

Issue six 37

Tips and tricks for shooting the northern lights:

For best results, go to places without light pollution.

1.

Check the northern lights forecast on en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/ before you set off.

2.

When shooting the northern lights, a tripod and a cable release are a must.

3.

If possible, set the camera on timer, 10 sec. of the northern lights is plenty.

4.

Don’t use filters.

5.

The wider the lens, the better the results. A 14 mm lens would be ideal. It’s a plus if the lens is f/2.8, but not necessary.

6.

Great lenses for shooting the northern lights would be Samyang 14, f/2.8, Nikon 14-28, f/2.8 and Canon 16-35, f/2.8.

7.

The new Sony cameras are giving brilliant results with green colors and producing some amazing images of the northern lights.

8.

Canon cameras are doing wonders with the red hues.

9.

For best results, go to places without light pollution.

10. Spare batteries in your coat pocket; freezing temperatures and long exposures drain camera batteries. v

38

WOW Power to the people

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure Inside the Glacier 3 departures weekly

Feel the Power

South Coast & Waterfalls Departures daily

Experience a Natural Phenomenon

Northern Lights Tours Up to 4 departures daily

A Must see!

The Golden Circle 4 departures daily

Airport transfer to Reykjavík

Tickets: Arrival Hall

Book your ticket in the Arrival Hall!

Contact Information - 24 hour booking service Book now at www.grayline.is or call +354 540 1313 Sales Office, Hafnarstræti 20, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Bus Terminal at Holtagarðar shopping centre

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Issue six 39

grayline.is

70years intheair Have you ever heard of the low-cost model when it comes to flying?

If you’re reading WOW magazine you probably have, but did you know that the idea of offering cheap, no-frills transatlantic flights is actually an Icelandic idea and not a very recent one?

Photos: RAX – rax.is

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WOW Power to the people

The entrepreneurs of low-cost flying

r

Issue six 41

There was a whole group of us Icelanders training to be pilots and this one time some of us got into a spot of trouble at a dance and were all thrown in jail. It was a very big jail, many stories high and the acoustics were magnificent, so naturally we started singing.

M

eet Captain Dagfinnur Stef­­ ánsson, one of the most experienced pilots in Iceland who has been flying for 70 years and holds Icelandic pilot license no.

26. He was at the forefront of Icelandic aviation history and played a role in what is now known as the Loftleidir Adventure.

The Loftleidir Adventure begins What is Loftleidir you might ask? Loftleidir was an Icelandic airline also known as Icelandic Airlines and the first to offer low fares between North America and Europe using Iceland as a hub. The company was founded on March 10, 1944, and Dagfinnur, who had not yet become a pilot at that time, put forward some money to help found the company.

Loftleidir got started, Dagfinnur tells us, when three men, Alfred Eliasson, Sig­­urdur Olafsson and Kristinn Olsen, came back from Canada after finishing their pilot training, bringing with them a four-seat Stinson Reliant airplane. “They offered their airplane to Flugfélag Íslands (Iceland Airways) asking for a job as well.

The executives at Iceland Airways held a board meeting discussing this offer and decided that yes, they’d be willing to buy the airplane and yes, they’d be willing to hire two of them but that they thought one of them was too heavy,” says Dagfinnur.

Presented with this counter-offer, the three friends declined and decided to found their own airline. “They were pushed into it really. Me and Alfred are related as our fathers were brothers and Kristjan Johann Kristjansson was married to our aunt. Kristjan ran a packaging factory, Kassagerdin. Alfred got in touch with him about financing the new airline and Kristjan got together a few other men who had some money. With their help Loftleidir got started. Alfred asked if I would like to join them. I didn’t have a lot of money at the time, I was working as a sailor then, but he knew that I was interested in aviation.

So I put in 5,000 krona but being at sea I couldn’t attend the inaugural meeting, so Kristjan Johann took care of that for me by being my representative. That’s how it all began and Loftleidir began flying to Isafjordur in the West Fjords. There was one passenger in the inaugural flight, the

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WOW Power to the people

airplane could take three,” says Dagfinnur.

Soon Loftleidir needed more planes and Sigurdur went back to the States and bought another Stinson and then later a Grumman Goose seaplane. “The Grumman seaplane worked really well for the West Fjords,” says Dagfinnur. “They had no airports there but in those seaplanes they could go all the way up to the shore, put the wheels down and drive up to land. We had to be careful not to go too far so we wouldn’t stop the traffic on Isafjordur’s main street,” Dagfinnur reminisces and smiles.

The advantages of having a US army base Dagfinnur decided to become a pilot at an early age and to quit his job as a sailor.

He started working for Loftleidir in the fall of 1944. “My job was to service the planes, fuel them and that sort of things.

Then in the spring of 1945 I went to Tulsa, Oklahoma to train as a pilot. I flew out the with the US army’s ATC – Air Transport Command. They often went between Ice­­­land and the US carrying soldiers, diplo­­ mats and others. Their aircraft only had benches – no seats.”

The war in Europe had just ended and the US was still at war with Japan, but Dagfinnur says he had no trouble getting a visa from the US Embassy. “No, they were very accommodating and also in the States. There was a whole group of us Icelanders training to be pilots and this one time some of us got into a spot of trouble at a dance and were all thrown in jail. It was a very big jail, many stories high and the acoustics were magnificent, so naturally we started singing. The black guys joined in immediately, but all the others started cursing us, telling us to shut up. Then came the wardens, opened our cell and told us to get the hell out of there, we weren’t fit for jail, but we’d have to appear before a judge the following day. We did and the judge asked: ‘So, you’re from Iceland? We have an army base in Iceland, right?’ We said yes and then he asked, ‘What happens when our guys get into trouble in Iceland?’

‘They’re taken care of by their own officials,’ we answered. Then he banged down his gavel and said ‘Same here’ and let us go.”

Having a US army base had yet to prove even more useful for Icelandic aviation.

The Herring Adventure There was a job waiting for Dagfinnur at Loftleidir when he got back. At the time the “Icelandic Herring Adventure” was in full force and both Loftleidir and Iceland Airlines were hired to search for the herring. “I think I enjoyed these herring flights most of all. I was only about 20 years old, and I was so excited to fly these planes and to be able to report to the ships where the herring was located. The herring was in such great shoals at the time that the sea appeared to be black.

We had a secret code name for every area and zone so the foreign boats that were listening in couldn‘t get the locations. Sometimes there was no herring to be found, then the boats would go and wait for the herring to come in from the east.

We could hear the captains chattering between boats on the radio, badmouthing us pilots: ‘These flying monkeys never see a damn thing!’ they said. They might lie there, wobbling and not even see that a shoal of herring was right next to them. When that happened we tried to fly low over them in the direction of the herring, alerting them on the radio. They sounded different then: ‘Thank you my dear friend’ they’d say.”

“We could hear the captains chattering between boats on the radio, badmouthing us pilots: ‘These flying monkeys never see a damn thing!’ they said.”

Scaring the competition Loftleidir competed with Iceland Airways on the domestic market for almost a decade but according to Dagfinnur, Loftleidir’s slice of the pie, decided by the Icelandic government, was less than favorable. Loftleidir was allowed to fly to the West Fjords but not to the places east of Saudarkrokur in North Iceland such as Akureyri and Husavik, or to places on the east coast such as Egilsstaðir.

Iceland Airways got the lion’s share of the island. “They had the Eimskipafélag (Icelandic Steamship Company Ltd) behind them, as it was their biggest shareholder,” he says, and at that time the Icelandic market was pretty much ruled by companies related to the Steamship Company, which also had ties in the Icelandic government. These ruling companies were often nicknamed “The Octopus” because of their many and far reaching arms.

Loftleidir started flying to Europe’s mainland in 1947 using Douglas DC-4 Skymaster aircraft, the first real international aircraft owned by an Icelandic airline. A year later, Loftleidir got permission to fly to the United States and added a second DC-4 to their fleet.

Dagfinnur tells us not everyone believed in Loftleidir’s venture into international aviation. “When we were buying the Skymaster aircraft the CEO of the Icelandic Steamship Company called Alfred for a meeting and asked him: ‘Is it true that you’re planning to buy a Skymaster aircraft?’ Alfred confirmed and then the CEO asked: ‘Oh, but where are you going to get the money to do that?’ to which Alfred replied: ‘That’s none of your business. But you can rest assured that we won’t be stealing it out of the Icelandic Steamship Company!’ and then he walked out of there.”

“All the specialists here in Iceland, those learned men and the money specialists, they all said: ‘Are you going to fly to America, competing with PanAm, American Airlines, British Airways,

Lufthansa, Air France and all those great big airlines? We’re sorry, but this won’t work. This plan is nonsense.’ And those were the specialists!” says Dagfinnur and admits that Loftleidir really didn’t feel the international competition all that much.

“Well, IATA did try to have us banned in the US. They brought charges against us in Washington, D.C., but they didn’t succeed as the officials said our flights were in the public’s interest. I think perhaps a part of that good will from the US officials had something to do with the fact that they had an army base here in Iceland at the time.”

“It went pretty well but, of course, there were hard times too. Sometimes we couldn’t even be paid our salaries so we were asked if we would be willing to take our salaries in shares. Those who did never lost any money. The overall atmosphere within the airline was really good; morals were high,” says Dagfinnur adding that he can’t really explain how the working atmosphere got so good but that to a large extent it was thanks to Alfred Eliasson. “He was so resourceful in everything that he did. For instance in how he decided that our base of operations during the herring flights should be located at Miklavatn Lake in North Iceland. Iceland Airways always flew out of Akureyri but Miklavatn Lake was close to the fishing zones and being based at the middle of its eastern shore gave us greater options for take offs and landings in all wind directions. And the fact that it is a freshwater lake was also good because there was less corrosion on our seaplanes than from seawater,” Dagfinnur explains.

“Loftleidir did have low fares, but I think we also offered quite good service. When we had our stopovers in Reykjavik our guests were offered a complimentary dinner in a barrack at the airport while we fueled up the aircraft.”

Going international In 1952 Loftleidir discontinued all domestic routes deciding to focus solely on international routes and two years later they started offering prices that had never been seen before, and people loved it.

“Loftleidir did have low fares, but I think we also offered quite good service. When we had our stop-overs in Reykjavik our guests were offered a complimentary dinner in a barrack at the airport while we

fueled up the aircraft. They really liked it,” says Dagfinnur. Note that in those days a flight between Reykjavik and New York could take up to 18 hours depending on the weather. The DC-4 airplanes were unpressurized and had to fly quite low often resulting in icing that slowed the aircraft down.

situation and even advertised under the slogan “We are the slowest but the lowest.”

But they did more than charge less, as expressed in the slogan “Lowest fare – most care.”

Jet-setters without jets Following the massive success of Loftleidir, their airplanes filled up fast and it Hippie Airlines often happened that the bigger airlines Being a young airline, long before the delayed their departures in order to see age of the internet, Loftleidir sought new if anyone got left behind. “Yes, they came low-cost ways to introduce themselves in to our office at Kennedy Airport, KLM and the market and they found ways to target Lufthansa for example, shortly before young people in the states by teaming up our departures, asking if we had more with colleges to create essay competitions passengers than we could carry. They paid where the author of the best essay on great attention to us and were always Iceland won a trip with the airline. “It ready to pick up our scraps,” Dagfinnur was pretty clever on our publicist’s part. says with a laugh.

The kids started competing for the prize Yes, the 1960s were booming years for and meanwhile they learned a lot about Loftleidir and they were operating five Iceland,” says Dagfinnur. Loftleidir became Douglas DC-6B Cloudmaster airplanes popular among young Americans as it which they bought from PanAm. “The DC-6s enabled them to travel cheaply to Europe changed a lot for us. They were pressurized earning it the nickname “Hippie Airlines” so they could fly higher,” says Dagfinnur. or “Hippie Express” in the late 1960s.

Loftleidir’s fleet started getting both bigger Traveling with Loftleidir became somewhat and faster, first with Canadair CL 44D-4 in of a rite of passage, even Bill and Hillary 1964 and two years later the first of four Clinton traveled with them to Europe.

CL44Js. Loftleidir did not join IATA (International In 1970, Loftleidir became the founders of Air Transport Association), which defined Cargolux, in partnership with Luxair, Selina the fares for its member airlines on shipping company and investors. Dagfinnur transatlantic routes at the time, so they was captain of the first ever Cargolux flight, were able to offer considerably lower ticket along with Kari Jonsson, Jon Ottar and Karl prices than the big IATA airlines. Loftleidir’s Oskarsson. This flight was for the Red Cross, passengers had to be more interested in flying relief goods from Zurich to Sao Tome. getting to their destination cheaply than Cargolux is still a thriving company and comfortably or exactly on time. Loftleidir amongst leading cargo airlines, operating to took advantage of its somewhat underdog the main continents of the world.

Issue six 43

“

I celebrated my 70 years of flying on June 14th this year. I’ve flown 31,400 hours. When we were flying the DC-4s, one could get ca. 1,000 hours every year because they were so slow.”

44 WOW Power to the people

“The economic situation was difficult in those years. I was always against this merger and I believe that it would have never happened if Alfred’s health had not deteriorated at the time and if those who were meant to steer the company had been up to the task.”

Loftleidir entered the jet age with its first two DC-8-63 in 1970 and also a DC-10 in 1979. As well as building up their fleet, Loftleidir realized their jet age visions and ideology by building the modern style Loftleidir Hotel and offices at Reykjavik Airport. It was both the biggest and grandest hotel in Iceland, with a conference center, swimming pool and restaurant. It was also ambitious with great artworks both on the exterior and interior of the building.

The end of Loftleidir Due to unfavorable conditions Loftleidir was forced to merge under government pressure with the politically tied Iceland Airways in 1973. The merged airline was named Flugleidir, which, some years later, became Icelandair. According to Dagfinnur, this merger didn’t have to happen. “The economic situation was difficult in those years. I was always against this merger and I believe that it would have never happened if Alfred’s health had not deteriorated at the time and if those who were meant to steer the company had been up to the task. After the merger, there was even talk of discontinuing flights to America, which was started by cutting out Chicago and then Luxembourg, which had been Loftleidir’s main destination center in Europe for many years. The government in Luxembourg had always worked with us, even forgoing the landing fees and such things when we were going through hard times. After the merger, the new board of Flugleidir also wrote off Cargolux; they didn’t want to have anything to do with it,” Dagfinnur says, adding that he believes that Loftleidir on its own would at least be of similar size as Icelandair is today had the merger not happened. Dagfinnur still upholds the history of Loftleidir and raises the company’s flag on its birthday on March 10th every year. Along with one of Loftleidir’s former chief mechanics, he’s rebuilt the old base at Lake Miklavatn which now holds all sorts of memorabilia and articles from the herring flights and Loftleidir’s golden age. “Alfred always said that Lake Miklavatn is where the Loftleidir Adventure got started,” Dagfinnur says.

Doing good Dagfinnur was captain with Flugleidir and then Icelandair until 1988 when he retired as a commercial pilot. “When I retired, a lady

at the office, Birna Thorisdottir, asked me if would like to fly the Orbis plane now that I was retiring. Orbis is a non-profit non-governmental organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide. The Flying Eye Hospital is operated in a specially equipped aircraft with volunteer pilots flying the plane and its medical team to various developing countries in order to perform eye operations aboard the plane, free of charge. I flew that plane occasionally for three years, we flew to countries in Southeast Asia and South America—the plane would stop for ca. three weeks at each destination and the pilots were usually sent home on other flights during that time, but sometimes we decided to stay. Once there, the doctors performed various eye operations, people would come in blind and leave the plane seeing. It was quite amazing. There, under the Orbis insignia, we could travel through areas that were under siege or wrought by civil wars because the Orbis plane and cars with the Orbis insignia were sacrosanct by all parties,” Dagfinnur says, obviously fond of his time spent with the Orbis project.

From Jennys to jets With 70 years of flying Dagfinnur has had his fair share of adventures, from crashing on Vatnajokull Glacier during a cargo flight from Luxembourg (the whole crew survived), to getting his plane shot at during a refueling stop in Dubai, when terrorists attacked passengers on a British Airways plane, shooting them as they left the plane. “Many lost their lives, amongst them one local serviceman who was under our plane during the shooting,” says Dagfinnur. “Then there was this one time when we were flying in darkness from New York to Iceland and were hit by unfavorable headwind and icing, we

couldn’t maintain our altitude and had to send out an emergency call to go lower. We saw that we wouldn’t make it to Keflavik and were thinking of turning around and heading to Goose Bay, but even that was a stretch. The wind at the airport was strong ca. 86 knots, and we were going to try to land at a US army base at Narsarsuaq Airport in Greenland, but it had no runway lights. So the Americans parked cars along the runway to light it up. We were able to land there despite the weather conditions and all ended well. Our passengers were invited to a cocktail party thrown by the army after we landed and then they got an opportunity to shop various goods at the army’s special store. They were quite happy about it.” In spite of his various experiences such as the ones mentioned, Dagfinnur adds: “Still, nothing has scared me enough to keep me from flying.”

Dagfinnur still has his pilot’s license and likes to fly his Super Cruiser plane every now and then. “I celebrated my 70 years of flying on June 14th this year. I’ve flown 31,400 hours. When we were flying the DC-4s, one could get ca. 1,000 hours every year because they were so slow,” Dagfinnur says. Just two weeks ago he fulfilled his dream of flying a Curtiss Jenny biplane in Kentucky. “Now I can say that I have flown everything from Jennys to jets.”

When asked what stands out from his long career he is quick to answer: “All of it.

It’s been a varied experience; I can’t put it any other way.” v

And there it is, low-cost transatlantic flying was invented by the entre­­pre­­ neurs at Loftleidir. We here at WOW air are proud to follow in their footsteps and can only hope to find pilots like Dagfinnur along the way.

Flying a Jenny. Dagfinnur sittting at the front ,with his friend Dorian Walker. Photo: Courtesy of BG Daily News

Issue six 45

Promotion

The Lebowski Bar Laugavegur 20 a 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 552 2300 email: info@lebowskibar.is www.lebowskibar.is

Lebowski Bar

The Reykjavik venue that rocks!

From the entrepreneurs that brought you Café Oliver and Vega­mot, comes Lebowski Bar. You can take a quick guess where the name and inspiration comes from and even if you didn’t like the infamous 1998 movie we are cert­ain you will love this bar.

J

ust walking into this retro American bar puts a smile on your face and the mood is very 1960’s. You can hang out at the old fashioned porch and imagine you are in a real action movie. They don’t make bars like that anymore … oh wait they do, this one! Four big screens adorn the walls, so it’s also a great place to hang out when there are big events and sporting high­lights to be seen. And there’s also an “outside” area deco­­rated in a zappy Miami­-sunshine yellow that will cheer even the dullest of days.

Dine and jive Lebowski Bar really captures the diner style with cosy booths and a fabulous jukebox containing over 1,600 songs guaranteed to get those hips

swaying. If that’s not enough there’s a DJ on every night of the week so you won’t feel the pressure of select­ing all the music by yourself. The menus are the biggest in Iceland … no literally! Their phy­­sical dimensions are huge! Doesn’t everyone say that size really does matter?

Try their amazing burgers, there’s cheese, bacon, a béarn­aise sauce option and succulent beef ten­ der­loin. If that’s not enough, choose from one of the 12 kinds of milkshakes to go with it.

to a new level, offering an astounding 18 varieties of White Russian, along with an extensive bar list.

Bowling at the bar

“Careful man, there’s a beverage here!”

The real icing on the Le­bowski cake, however, is the bar’s gen­u­­ine bowling lane – it’s a classic. How many bars have a bowling lane? In Iceland, not many, unless you count the bars at actual bowling alleys that certainly don’t have the cool vibe of Le­ bowski Bar. DJs and a bass player add to the music mix at weekends and there’s room to dance. Check it out dudes, you’re guaranteed a good time.

Jeffrey ‘the Dude’ Lebowski, the protagonist of the Coen brot­­her’s comedy, is renowned for his penchant for ‘White Russ­ians’ – vodka based cock­­ tails featuring coffee liqueurs and cream or milk.

The Lebowski Bar has taken this now-iconic drink

“Try their amazing burgers, there’s cheese, bacon, a béarn­aise sauce option and succulent beef ten­der­loin.”

Lebowski Bar is my favorite place to hang out at. I love grabbing a good beer, a burger & topping it with a delicious milkshake.

Lebowski Bar plays oldies music which mak­­es the vibe like none other in Reykjavik.

They also have happy hour from 4-7pm and who doesn’t love that!

Bottom line, Lebowski Bar is a great main­stream bar where you can meet fellow travel­ers and have a drink with locals. Practice the word ‘SKÁL’ (Cheers) ~ Inga,@TinyIceland (www.tinyiceland.com)

FIND IT ON FACEBOOK and Twitter Twitter: @LebowskiBar - Instagram: #LebowskiBar - Open 11:00 – 01:00 Sun-Thurs and 11:00 – 04:00 Fri/Sat

46

WOW Power to the people

Promotion

Lavabarinn Lækjargata 6 a 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 845 88 68 email: kolla@hresso.is

Lavabarinn

At the center of the scene Lavabarinn represents what Reykjavik is famous for … nightlife! Admit it, you’re not here to collect stamps. You’re here to travel, take photos and brag about it all while sitting at a fantastic lounge drinking delicious cocktails. That’s exactly what the Lavabarinn is all about and the architecture and design is beautiful.

L

avabarinn focuses on high quality cock­­­ tails, mixed by highly skilled bar­­­tenders.

The age limit is 25 so leave the kids with the babysitter and dress up. This is no place for sneakers and hoodies.

If you require VIP services, then this is your place. Lavabarinn has a secret room with a secret door that leads up to the top floor; very 007.

The VIP service doesn’t stop there as you’ll have your own private drink elevator, private bathroom and security to hold off all your fans.

After drinking magical cocktails that taste like paradise, why not move down to the lower floor and shake it to some high class music by hot DJ’s from all over the world. It doesn’t hurt that Lavabarinn also has a Funktion-One sound system, the most respected sound system in the world.

Downstairs also has a large make-up room for everyone that chooses to freshen up while in there and seats to cool down after a great dance session.

There’s even an excluded outdoor smoking area for those who are absolutely smokin’ and they can

bring their drinks along for the break. You won’t be disappointed by either the cocktails or the music at Lava­­­barinn. You might want to get in early before the line starts and secure your spot. If it’s nightlife you seek, it’s nightlife you’ll find at Lavabarinn.

“After drinking magical cocktails that taste like paradise, why not move down to the lower floor and shake it to some high class music by hot DJ’s from all over the world.”

Lavabarinn Open: Thursdays from 5pm-1am—Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm-4:30 am. Happy hour Thursdays-Saturdays from 5-10pm. That’s perfect.

Issue six 47

Promotion

The English Pub Austurstræti 12 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 578 0400 Mobile: +354 697 9003 www.enskibarinn.is

Save water, drink beer!

For years, Iceland has enjoyed a diverse selection of restaurants and often sophisticated bars. However, one tiny grumble occasionally surfaced from the country’s Anglophiles – simply that there was no proper “pub”.

A

nd so the English Pub was born.

From modest beginnings it has built a hearty reputation, seeking out, with the advice and guidance of its de­­­di­­­cat­­ed cust­omers, the finest ale available to mankind. Today it offers its enthusiastic cli­­­entele the chance to sample 50 beers from around the world, as well as a stagg­­­er­­ ing 15 Icelandic brands.

Whisky galore Not content to rest on its laurels, the English Pub has ventured north of its virtual border and also offers the finest selection of whiskies anywhere in the country. The choice of some 60 malts include many of Scotland’s finest, ensuring that

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WOW Power to the people

numerous Ice­­landers and worldly travelers make the pil­­­grim­­age to the pub’s humble door. Located at the very heart of down­­town Reykjavik, the walls of the English Pub are adorned with hundreds of photographs – like an album of the city’s history just waiting to be explored over a quiet beer.

at­­mos­­­­phere and for anyone feeling lucky, there is the Wheel of Fortune. Regulars like nothing more than to spin the wheel and chance a “Sorry” or pre­­­fer­­ably win what used to be call­­ed a Yard of Ale. These days, it’s ine­vitably known as a meter of beer, but the winners don’t seem to min

A sporting chance Live sporting coverage is amply catered for, with a choice of three big screens and TVs. In­­side the pub there is room for up to 150 people, and an out­­­door terrace can accommodate plenty more on those balmy Ice­­landic evenings! Whether it is foot­­ball (Premier and Champions League), rugby or golf, there are always special offers when live events are being broadcast. Live music every night adds to the

“Located at the very heart of down­­town Reykjavik, the walls of the English Pub are adorned with hundreds of photo­­­ graphs – like an album of the city’s hist­­ory just waiting to be explored over a quiet beer.”

Promotion

Vegamót Vegamótastíg 4 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 511 3040 email: vegamot@vegamot .is www.vegamot .is

Very nice Vegamót

The all-in-one restaurant This elegant but casual two floor restaurant is located in the heart of Reykja­vík on Vega­­mótastígur, close to Lauga­­­­vegur.

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he restaurant has been popular for many years, perhaps because of its wonder­ful quality of being an all-in-one, rest­aurant, café and bar. You‘ll never want to leave!

Here the decor is rich on the Medi­­­terr­­ anean side and yet elegant with a jazzy ambiance.

In the summertime tables are moved outside to the shelt­er­ed terrace, probably one of the hottest

places in Iceland during those short summer months. This place is famous for their ‘fresh fish of the day’, served all day from lunch hours. It has very rea­­sonable prices for quality, portions and presenta­ tion and guests can choose from a wide variety of decadent dess­erts – if they make it that far.

Try their excellent selection of good beers. Every day there is a special offer on bottled beers worth a taste.

“The restaurant has been popular for many years, perhaps because of its wonder­ful quality of being an all-in-one, rest­aurant, café and bar. You‘ll never want to leave!”

Issue six 49

Promotion

Hressingarskálinn Austurstræti 20 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 561 2240 facebook.com/hressingarskalinn

Coffee house, restaurant & night club Hressingarskálinn is a warm place with plenty of seating and a great loca­­tion in down­ town Reykjavik. It’s one of the few places that open at 9 AM to serve breakfast for hungry travelers or locals. Hressingarskálinn is a big part of Reykja­vík’s history; the house was built in 1802 and the restaurant was established in 1932. The house has hosted Hress­ingarskálinn since 1932.

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itting down for a coffee has a magnetic effect on Iceland’s most talented art­­­ ists and writers. Smokers can have a seat on a heated patio with service all day. Over the summer, this place really comes alive. The yard is completely sheltered from the wind, allowing you to enjoy food and beverages in the bright sunlight. Thursday to Sunday is usually packed with people from all over

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the world. It’s a great place to meet strangers for some interesting story sharing. Live bands play on Fridays and Sat­urdays, guaranteeing a crowd before all the popular DJ’s hit the floor with party tunes from 01:00-04:30 AM. The menu consists of great selections and offers everything from breakfast to a fantastic dinner. Hressingarskálinn offers Icelandic food for curious visitors. You can always try the traditional Icelandic meat soup. If

not, there’s lamb or the fish stew – You won’t be disappointed. Hress­­­ingar­­­skálinn is stylish and old at the same time, a history well preserved.

Check out Hress­­­ingar­skálinn for great prices and awesome fun!

“The menu consists of great sel­­ect­­ions and offers every­thing from breakfast to a fantastic dinner.”

Promotion

Sakebarinn Laugavegur 2 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 777 3311 www.facebook.com/Sakebarinn

The one and only choice for Sushi & Sticks …so you can check it off your bucket list Located in a loft on Laugavegur, the main shopping street, in one of Iceland’s old­est buildings (1886) is a great new restaurant with a great view and an amazing at­mosphere called Sakebarinn. In its beautiful location, surrounded by windows that look down on Austurstræti, (an extension of Laugavegur leading to the Old Town) and up Skólavörðustígur (known for its cafés, local boutiques and art shops with native works), Sakebarinn lies in the very heart of downtown Reykjavík. In the winter you can see the Northern Lights from the balcony and in the summer, the amazing summer sunsets over the harbor.

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he owners of Sakebarinn have a keen interest for the arts and crafts and a wealth of creative assets to play with.

Although Sake­­barinn has a strong foundation in pure Japanese cuisine the current style of the restaurant proves that the owners are not afraid to break some of the rules. To them sushi is meant to be an art form.

Along with its handcrafted sushi, Sakebarinn also offers a sel­­ection of sticks and other meat cours­­es, featuring whale and horse and anything that’s fresh and interesting that day. Why live on an island in the middle of the Atlantic if you’re not going take advantage of the natural fauna? Along with the local seafood, Sakebarinn also carries some more exotic things like octopus, just to keep it interesting, and with a little some­­thing for

everyone. There’s love on every plate – You will feel it with each taste.

It’s no accident that the place is named Sake­­bar­­ inn. It does feature the country’s largest sel­­ection of sake and a shot before a meal can truly enhance the feel of real Japanese dining. It comes in a sur­­prising range of flavors too, everything from really girly fruit sake to the fire spewing alcohol con­­tent of some of the more butch types; potato sake, warm and cold sake and Japanese plum wine. And then of course are the bottles that didn’t make it on to the menu because no one could read the labels and therefore no one knows what they are. Mystery sake! Sakebarinn is a place born to show­­case the talents the staff have collected over the years work­­ing at their first Sushi restau­­rant call­­ed Sushibarinn, which is located on the first

floor in the same house. A year and a wild ride later, this sushi family has in­­corporated a bunch of new and talented people with some great new recipes and skills they didn’t know they had and didn’t even know existed. The walls are hand painted by them, the wine selected by them, the menu is designed by them and the place is loved by them. They also love to present food so their clients become part of their love for sushi.

The look on your face is what they are aiming for, the look of enjoyment.

“Along with the local seafood, Sakebarinn also carries some more exotic things like octopus, just to keep it interesting, and a little some­­thing for everyone.”

Sakebarinn Opening hours: Mon-Sun 5:00 PM – 00:00 Issue six 51

Promotion

Tíu dropar Le Chateaux des Dix Gouttes Laugavegur 27 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 551 9380

Tíu dropar / Le Chateaux des Dix Gouttes Tíu dropar (Ten Drops) is a café located in the cellar of Lauga­veg­ur 27. This is one of the oldest cafés in Iceland and for the last 30 years to this very day they serve freshly baked pancakes and waffles á la the grandmothers of Iceland, with lots of whipped cream and Icelandic jam.

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en Drops is also known for its home­­ made cakes, baked from scratch ac­­cord­ing to old re­­­cip­­­es, and of course, their hot cocoa, known by many of their guests as ‘The Only Real Hot Cocoa on Earth’. If you’re not in the mood for old fashioned Icelandic good­ies you can choose from an assortment of light dishes, tea, wines and beer.

We recommend the French meat soup, a pop­­ular dish and another old favorite.

Where did the café go?

Don’t be surprised if you can’t find the café after 18:00. Some­­thing happens around that time that trans­­­­forms this little cellar into a French wine room known as Le Chateaux des Dix Gouttes or the Castle of the Ten Drops. This is a lovely place to sit and enjoy good win­­es along with cheese, ham or

other light dishes for as little as 500 ISK a plate, and don’t worry, the coffee, co­coa and pancakes are still there! Lovely French music sets the mood and the ambiance is perfect for a deep conversation.

Guests want­­­ing to break out in song can have their turn after 22:00 on the weekends, as long as they can find some­­one to play the antique piano given to the café’s owner, David Bensow, by a regular.

Choose your wine Guests can have their say on the wine list of Le Cha­te­aux des Dix Gouttes and David will make special orders to fulfill their wish­es. In fact, he wel­­comes any sug­gestions making the wine list one of the more, well-endowed in Reykjavík. He’s especially interested in serving good Port to his clientele.

Check out the ten drops twitt­er feed and find both café and wine room on Facebook.

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Intimate climate The little wine room and café seat only 40 guests and the mood is set in the early evening. It’s safe to say this is just the kind of place that was missing from the brimm­­­ing Icelandic bar and café scene - a perfect sett­ing for a small group of friends to reminisce over the good old days or for a first date.

Be sure to taste David’s “wine of the week” or let his fair beer prices amaze you.

“Don’t be surprised if you can’t find the café after 18:00. Some­­thing happens around that time that trans­­forms this little cellar into a French wine room known as Le Chateaux Des dix Gouttes or the Castle of the Ten Drops.”

Promotion

Kol Restaurant Skólavörðustígur 40 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 517 7474 www. kolrestaurant .is

Cocktails and feel good food at Kol Restaurant Be prepared for a memorable night out at Kol Restaurant.

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ituated at Skólavörðustígur 40 in Reykja­­­­­­vík, Kol Restaurant’s design con­­­­­cept is a mixture of warm modern Icelandic feel with international touc­­ h­­es and the furniture of designer Tom Dixon playing the central role. The rest­­­­­­­­aur­­ant is on two floors with an open kitchen and a mighty bar. Both floors are divided into spac­­ es with cozy leather couches and a variety of diff­­­er­­ ent table settings. Kol Restaurant centers on the bar where the country’s best cocktail bar­­tenders

serve craft cocktails from the best ingredients available and offer an ambitious cocktail list to begin and complete the dining experience.

The selection is feel good comfort food with a twist on classic cuisine. The menu offers a variety of finger food, salads, fish, steaks and dess­­ erts. The head chefs, Einar Hjaltason and Kári Þor­­­­­steinsson, have over 20 years of ex­­­perience at Reykjavik’s best restaurants as well as work ex­­­perience in several known restaurants in London, for example Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, Dabbous,

Noma, 28/50 and Texture. Don’t miss out on this brand new gem on the Reykjavik restaurant scene.

This is a great place to begin a fun evening.

“Kol Restaurant cent­­ers on the bar where the coun­try’s best cock­­tail bar­­tend­­ers serve craft cocktails from the best in­­ gredi­ents available and offer an ambi­­ tious cocktail list to begin and com­­plete the dining exper­­ience.”

Kol Restaurant Open: Monday-Friday 11:30-23:00 / Saturday-Sunday 17:30-23:00 Issue six 53

Promotion

Den Danske Kro Ingólfsstræti 3 101 Reykjavík Tel: +354 552 0070 www.dendanske.is

When in Iceland, go Danish!

You know that Iceland used to be a Danish colony, right? Even though inde­­pend­ence from the Danish Crown was necessary, Icelanders still celebrate every­thing Danish, so don’t expect to meet a big Danish crowd at The Danish Pub, they are all Icelanders just act­ing like they’re Danish. Really!

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his bar has made a name for itself in the Reykjavik social scene and is known locally as Den Danske Kro (we all just want a reason to speak Danish in public). This popular downtown venue serves a remarkable selection of beers in­cluding the famous Danish white beers, the darker more malt brews and of course the tra­­ditional and almost obligatory Tuborg and Carls­­ berg. If you come during the Christmas sea­­son you can taste some of the renowned Christ­­­mas brews, very popular in demand. Just ask for Julebryg (“you-le-bree”).

within the pub – an off-the­-wall design in its most literal sense!

Get carefree or “ligeglad” (lee-glaath), shoot some darts, try the custom­ary Gammel Dansk bitt­ers or catch some live football. Watch the world go by on the outside terrace and have a taste of the tra­­ ditional smørre­brød (fantastic open sand­­­wiches).

You can pre-order these delicious snacks for larger groups.

Does this sound too tranquil?

Do as the Danes do

The Danish Pub is nothing if not a place to party.

The at­­mos­­phere is easy going and you can choose from a variety of shots and even cocktails if you’re not in the mood for a beer (Does that ever happen?).

The owners of the Danish Pub strive to create the true Danish atmos­phere known among the Danes (and Danish-prone Ice­­landers) as “hyggeligt”. If you truly are Danish this can be your “home away from home”. And in this spirit, check out the “house”

Reminder: If you thought you were in for a quiet night guess again, The Danish Pub features live music every night with special appearances and unad­­vertised happenings on Wednesdays, Fridays

Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 14:00 – 01:00 and Fri-Sat 14:00 – 05:00 54

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and Saturdays. Put your musical knowledge to the test at the Wednesday night pop-quiz; the prizes will surprise you.

Best local pub in Reykjavík Wherever you‘re from you’ll want to have a great time while vis­iting Reykjavík. The people of Reykja­ vík do anyway, so they flock to The Danish Pub for a beer “en øl” dur­­ing the Happy Hour every day from 16-19. The place is crowded and you’re guaran­­teed to meet some fun, “lee glaath” people.

“Get carefree or “ligeglad” (lee-glaath), shoot some darts, try the custom­ary Gammel Dansk bitt­ers or catch some live football. Watch the world go by on the outside terrace and have a taste of the traditional smørre­brød (fantastic open sandwiches).”

Promotion

Kaldi Bar Laugavegur 20 b 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 581 2200 www.facebook.com/KaldiBarCafe

A breath of fresh air

Cool as Kaldi Kaldi Bar is one of Iceland’s most unique bars.

An oasis in central Reykjavík.

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t might not be spacious but it makes up for it with great relaxing atmos­­­phere in a rustic setting. Besides the congenial atmosphere, there’s a great outside seating area in a cozy backyard. Known for its wide collection of local micro brews both on draft and in bottl­es, Kaldi Bar is very popular among locals who check in at happy hour to get their fill of the unfiltered Kaldi brew.

Drop by and get to know everybody, they might even give you some good tips on how to become a local.

“Kaldi Bar is one of Iceland’s most unique bars. An oasis in central Reykjavík. It might not be spacious but it makes up for it with great relaxing atmos­­­phere in a rustic setting.”

Opening Hours Sunday-Thursday: 12:00 noon - 01:00 am Friday & Saturday: 12:00 noon - very late / Price list Beer on draft 0.5 – 1,100 IKR Glass of vine – 1,200 IKR / Happy hour 16:00-19:00 / Beer on draft 0.5 – 650 IKR / Glass of vine – 650 IKR Issue six 55

Promotion

Kopar Restaurant Geirsgata 3 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 567 2700 www.koparrestaurant .is / info@koparrestaurant .is

Kopar Restaurant by the old harbor Kopar Restaurant is situated by Reykjavik‘s romantic harbor, in one of the old green fisherman‘s huts.

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he fishing industry still thrives in Reykja­­­ vik, so the old harbor is full of life. In the morning, fishermen go out to sea and return later with their catch of the day.

As you stand on the pier you can feel the history of Reykjavik and watch the harbor life: fishing boats, fishermen, the catch, and young kids with their rods trying their luck off the pier. Meanwhile passersby are walking about and enjoying life. This fresh and energetic atmosphere of the old harbor is all part of the experience when

you dine at Kopar. Kopar is a seafood restaurant featuring locally caught seafood and crustaceans.

They are especially proud of their crab soup, made with Icelandic rock crab from Hvalfjordur. Kopar offers a variety of Icelandic produce, including wild game, although the main emphasis is seafood, the fruit of the ocean.

Kopar‘s head chef, Ylfa, is a member of the gold medal winning national culinary team. She pre­­­ pares the seafood in a unique and delicate manner, in­­tent on giving you an unforgetable experience.

Delight yourself with great service and atmosphere, delicious food and the best view in town. When visiting Reykjavik, enjoying a night out at Kopar is a must.

“Kopar‘s head chef, Ylfa, is a member of the gold medal winning national culinary team. She prepares the seafood in a unique and delicate manner, intent on giving you an unforgetable experience.”

Kopar Restaurant

Opening hours - Mondays to Thursday from 11:30-22:30 - Fridays from 11:30-23:30 - Saturdays from 12:00-23:30 - Sundays from 18:00-22:30 56

WOW Power to the people

Amazing 7 course menu

A unique Icelandic Feast Starts with a shot of the Icelandic national spirit “Brennivín“ Puffin – Smoked puffin with blueberries, croutons, goat cheese, beetroot Minke whale – Minke whale with tataki Arctic charr – “Torched“ arctic charr with parsnip purée, fennel, dill mayo Lobster – Lobster cigar with chorizo, dates, chili jam Reindeer – Reindeer slider with blue cheese, portobello, steamed bun Free range icelandic lamb – Lamb with coriander, pickled red cabbage, fennel, butternut squash purée, chimichurri And to end on a high note ...

Icelandic Skyr – Skyr panna cotta with raspberry sorbet, white chocolate crumble, passion foam, dulche de leche

Our kitchen is open 17.00–23.00 sun.–thu.

17.00–24.00 fri.–sat.

7.590 kr.

Sushi Samba Þingholtsstræti 5 • 101 Reykjavík Tel 568 6600 • sushisamba.is

taste the best of iceland... ... in one amazing meal icelandic gourmet feast Starts with a shot of the infamous Icelandic spirit Brennívín Followed by seven delicious tapas

late night dining Our kitchen is open until 23:30 on weekdays and 01:00 on weekends

Smoked puffin with blueberry “brennivín” sauce Icelandic sea-trout with peppers-salsa Lobster tails baked in garlic Pan-fried line caught blue ling with lobster-sauce Grilled Icelandic lamb Samfaina Minke Whale with cranberry & malt-sauce White chocolate "Skyr" mousse with passion fruit coulis

7.590 kr.

RESTAURANT- BAR Vesturgötu 3B | 101 Reykjavík | Tel. 551 2344 | www.tapas.is

Promotion

American Bar Austurstræti 8-10 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 571 9999 Mobile: +354 697 9003 Find us on Facebook/AmericanBarIceland

American Bar American Bar captures the American spirit; land of the free, home of the brave with a unique selection of beer and a simple yet delicious menu. American Bar is a must-visit when in Reykjavik.

Beer selection second to none With more than 50 different kinds of beer you are sure to find the beer that suits your taste. There’s beer made in the Hawaiian Islands as well as beer made from the famous Icelandic water.

Location and experience Located at the heart of Reykjavik, American Bar is easy to find. Once inside you’ll feel at home right away, especially if you’re an American; with decorations like football helmets (find your favorite team) and the American flag.

Live music, live sport and the Wheel of Fortune Live music every night brings the right atmosphere and if you want to shake it up a bit you can hit the

dance floor on weekends and dance into the crazy Reykjavik night. If you are feeling lucky you can always spin the Wheel of Fortune.

Must see that game in the English PL or the Champions League? You will be well taken care of at the American Bar. HD-screens and TVs in every corner make sure that you won’t miss one second of your favorite sport.

is simple, yet delicious. The hamburgers, ribs and chicken wings are well-known to the locals for being unique and tasty.

Lunch or dinner, live music or dancing, beer or cocktails; the American Bar has it all and is truly worth the visit!

Life is short—Drink early!

Inside and out—all day long With more than 100 seats inside and a great outdoor area on the sunny side (for those wonderful sunny Icelandic summer days) you will always find a seat at a good table. The outside area is truly remarkable, overlooking Dómkirkjan Cathedral and Alþingi (Parliament House). When you think of central Reykjavik this is it! The menu

Located at the heart of Reykjavik, American Bar is easy to find. Once inside you’ll feel at home right away, especially if you’re an American; with decorations like football helmets (find your favorite team) and the American flag.

American Bar Open: Mondays to Thursday from 11:00 am - 1:00 am - Fri - Sat: 11:00 am - 4:30 am - Sun: 11:00 am - 1:00 am

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LOFTIÐ // Austurstræti 9 // Second floor facebook.com/loftidbar Issue six 59

Promotion

Reykjavik Fish Trygg vagata 8 101 Reykjavik Tel: +354 578 5656 Email: info@reykjavikfish.is www.reykjavikfish.is

Reykjavik Fish In the heart of Reykjavík, right next to the old harbor, you can find Reykjavík Fish, a new restaurant offering ultra-fresh seafood. Ultra-fresh means that the fish you order today was swimming last night.

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he menu at Reykjavik Fish is structured to provide hearty portions of quality sea food at very reasonable prices. The crown jewel of the menu is the spelt battered fish and chips; crispy and healthy at the same time, a perfect meal with a nice Icelandic beer.

If you’re up for something a little more traditional Icelandic try the “Plokkari” (plucked fish). Their

Reykjavik Fish Open from 11 AM to 10:30 PM

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recipe is the same as used in the old days except with fresh fish of course.

Perfect location and Icelandic seafood at its finest. Reykjavik Fish has plenty of seats and wel­comes everyone, solo travelers and big groups alike. When you come to Reykjavík and would like to try a nice fish and chips just look for the big red door.

Perfect location and Icelandic seafood at its finest. Reykjavik Fish has plenty of seats and wel­comes everyone, solo travelers and big groups alike. When you come to Reykjavík and would like to try a nice fish and chips just look for the big red door.

Issue six 61

Reykjavik Anchorage

Seattle Toronto San Fransisco

London Paris

Montreal Washington, D.C.

Los Angeles Canary Islands Miami

IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL Following the successful launch of our transatlantic routes to Boston and Washington, D.C. / Baltimore WOW air will start flying to California starting the summer of 2016.

To fly our guests safely and efficiently across the Atlantic Ocean and all the way across the United States of America, WOW air will operate three new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which are economical mid-size wide-body ts w ith state of the art technology.

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A330-300 FACT SHEET The A330 is the most cost efficient aircraft in its class.

The A330 has a smaller environmental footprint than similar sized aircraft.

The A330 has low noise and emission levels for a cleaner and quieter flight.

With up to 11,750 km range that covers the entire northern hemisphere when flown from Iceland, the A330 can get us all the way to North America and Asia, North Africa and a part of South America.

The A330-300 will be the biggest jets ever used in commercial flights from Iceland.

Amsterdam

Beijing Tokyo Dubai

Delhi

WOW air’s A330-300 jets will have seats for 342-350 guests in a single class configuration.

WOW air’s A330-300 were manufactured in 2015 and 2010 and have a state of the art technology when it comes to navigation.

The A330 aircraft are among the most popular aircraft for many of the aviation industry’s leaders around the world.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU ON BOARD Issue six 63

Warm and cozy

Tryggvaskáli

Holiday season and high winter Winter is a time to disappear into warm cozy places with friends and loved ones. Dream of Aurora Borealis and hope to avoid the polar bears and the crazy Vikings. Kári Gunnlaugsson at eatsandsleeps.is has some recommendations for you.

Tryggvaskáli is a restaurant in Selfoss, South Iceland perfectly situated at about 45 minutes’ drive from Reykjavik with great spots for Aurora viewing in all directions. Great chefs along with their friendly staff are sure to give you a real gourmet experience in this truly wonderful place.

Make this your outside-of-the-city-stop for a fine dining experience before hunting for the Northern Lights.

Austurvegi 2 800 Selfoss, Iceland

by Kári Gunnlaugsson Photos: Courtesy of respective restaurants

www.tryggvaskali.is

Kjallarinn

Tucked away in a basement in the heart of the city is this quality restaurant. If langoustine laced with foi gras followed by a great steak and a collection of gin impressive enough to take down an empire within original stone walls sounds good then this is your place. A great place to wine and dine the evening away with good friends or a special someone.

Aðalstræti 2 101 Reykjavík

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www.kjallarinn.is

Matur og drykkur Probably the most original place in town and in a good way too. A menu based on a classic Icelandic cookbook “Matur og drykkur” (Food and drink), with some very cool chefs bringing it all back home and at the same time making both their teachers and grannies proud. Here’s the only place in the world where the menu just isn’t supposed to sound as good as the food actually is; a real Icelandic experience.

Grandagarður 2 101 Reykjavík

www.maturogdrykkur.is

Skólavörðustíg 14 101 Reykjavík

Sjávargrillið

A cozy little place situated under a bridge. A fun menu takes you around Iceland or around the world; as you like.

You might start feeling that you are in a novel or a movie here but rest assured this is real and you’re in good hands.

These are warm dark surroundings set up for a romantic evening.

A sweet place halfway down the road from the big church. Seafood is really good and their combinations will hit spot. Take your group here and ask for the downstairs which should do the trick for a good night out. You are also on top of the Reykjavik bar trail so get your bellyful and then plan that crossing of the Rubicon.

www.fishcompany.is

www.sjavargrillid.is

Fish Company

Vesturgötu 2a Grófartorg - 101 Reykjavík

Issue six 65

The Vatnajökull region

Land of Ice and Fire In the realm of Vatnajökull you find the real reason why Iceland got its name. The area is dominated

by Vatnajökull Glacier which is the largest glacier in the world outside the arctic regions. There you also find some of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions such as the spectacular Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Skaftafell, which is the jewel in Vatnajökull National Park and Hvannadalshnúkur, the highest peak in Iceland and a popular hike.

Photos: Þorvarður Árnason

The Vatnajökull region is filled with con­­ trast in the nature with its black beaches, white glaciers, red volcanoes, green birch forest and blue Atlantic Ocean. Serenity, energy and forces of na­­ture combine to make a visit to the realm of Vatna­­jökull a never-to-be-forgotten experience.

Wild at heart Wildlife is rich in the Vatnajökull region with thousands of migrating birds such as puffins and the arctic tern passing through, especially in the spring and summer. Herds of reindeers are also a common sight in the region and if you’re lucky you’ll spot a seal at Jökulsárlón Lagoon or an arctic fox running through the land. You will also find dozens of companies that offer all sorts of activities year round, diverse accommodation and great restaurants with local food.

Winter paradise The Vatnajökull region is in the southeast of Iceland spanning over 200 km of the Ring Road from Lómagnúpur in the west to Hvalnes in the east. It covers the accessible southern side of the Vatnajökull glaciers and photography en­­thusiasts should find the Vatnajökull region particularly delightful as it provides countless magnificent views of the glaciers and mountains in daylight and also after dusk settles especially when the Aurora Borealis light up the sky.

Have you ever imagined looking inside a glacier? Winter in the Vatnajökull region offers the opportunity of such unique and memora­­­ble experience! A trip into the ice caves of Vatna­­ jökull’s southern crawling glaciers is an adventure that no one should miss. The col­ors and refracted light in the ice reveal a world of true wonders, providing a thrill for any photo­­graphy enthusiast.

Local guides who know every crevice of the glacier seek out caves formed duri­­ng the winter months and offer tours. Travel­­ers should only go on such trips under their guidance.

Höfn – culture and cuisine!

There is one town in the area—Höfn, a lively fishing town with a population of 1800. Höfn is known for being the lobster capital of Iceland where you can find lovely restaurants offering

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this precious product as well as other local spe­­ cialties year round. Höfn is also a great base for exploring the magnificent Vatnajökull National Park... and be sure to drop by at the park’s Visitor Center in the beautiful historical building, Gamlabúð, by the harbor.

Activity, accommodation and restaurants Much of the activity in the realm of Vatnajökull revolves around the glacier and the nature around it. You can choose between glacier walks and ice climbing, a thrilling snowmobile ride on Vatnajökull or a Have you ever comfortable tour imagined looking of Europe’s largest inside a glacier? Winter ice cap in a super in the Vatnajökull jeep. The area also region offers the offers ATV tours and opportunity of such geothermal baths unique and memorable at Hoffell, reindeer experience! excursions, a visit to the Thorbergssetur Cultural Museum, a local mineral stone collection, the local hand­­ icraft store, the petting zoo at Hólmur and much more.

There are various possibilities in accom­­mo­­ dations to suit different needs and you’ll be sure to find a warm welcome by knowledgeable hosts. Several restaurants are in the area and most of them offer local food made in the Vatnajökull region. Be sure to ask for the local beer Vatnajökull, which is brewed from icebergs in Jökulsárlón and the local herb arctic thyme.

Accessible year round The Vatnajökull region is well accessible the whole year round due to good weather conditions and frequent transportation. Eagle Air has a daily flight from Reykjavík to Höfn Airport during the summer and five days a week during other seasons. Buses between Reykjavík and Höfn (Strætó) are scheduled daily throughout the year. There are also three car rental companies in Höfn. v

For more information check out www.visitvatnajokull.is.

Issue six 67

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WOW Power to the people

Take a hike

Love, passion and more in Reykjavík When you take a walk you have a choice. You can empty your mind and think about nothing; you can also let your mind dwell on the past. A third option is to take a walk and absorb stories and places of Reykjavík spiced with love and passion and other good things, and that‘s what we are about to do.

Text and photos by Einar Skulason

The Hljómskálagarður Park We start in the women’s corner in the sculpture world of Reykjavík in the Hljómskálagarður Park. It was decided to dedicate this part of the park to the memory of six female sculpture pioneers in Iceland. Let’s take a better look at two of them: Gunnfríður Jónsdóttir was from Blönduós in the north of Iceland. She was educated as a seamstress but had a dream to become a sculptress and at the age of 41 she finally made her first statue. After that she never looked back, making 35 statues in her career. One of the statues, Homeward Bound (Á heimleið) is from 1947. Many years earlier Gunnfríður had witnessed a very homesick girl whose image had stayed with her and was the inspiration behind the statue.

Nína Sæmundsson was the youngest of 15 siblings in a poor family who got to visit her aunt in Copenhagen and was coincidentally given a lump of clay to work with; from then her future was set. She lived and worked in Rome, Florence, Paris, New York and Los Angeles and sculpted the Mermaid in 1948 in her Hollywood studio. In 1959, an earlier version of the Mermaid was purchased by the city of Reykjavík and put into the Reykjavík pond near the bank. Not everyone agreed with the location and many voiced their anger in the media. A few months later the

sta­tue was blown up in the middle of the night and until this day it is not known who was responsible for the vandalism. Let’s hope that this one will be left in peace.

Hólavallagarður Cemetery at Suðurgata When you walk around the cemetery and read the descriptions on the tombstones you find signs of memories, loss and, most importantly, love. Hólavallagarður was inaugurated in 1838 and served the citizens of Reykjavík, but became full around 1932. Since then two other ceme­­­teries have been built. The number of known graves in Hólavallagarður is close to eleven thousand. The author Þórbergur Þórðarson (1889-1974) named the current Suðurgata “Kærlig­­heds­­ stígur” (Love Street) in one of his books and described how couples took their rom­antic walks past the cemetery. Let’s walk Love Street and visit a tree.

The sycamore maple tree in Suðurgata Have you ever asked yourself if it’s possi­­­ ble to love a tree? When the merchant Nicolaj Bjarnason planted this sycamore maple tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) in 1917 it was probably just a simple attempt to make his garden look better. Little

Have you ever asked yourself if it’s possi­­­ble to love a tree? When the merchant Nicolaj Bjarnason planted this sycamore maple tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) in 1917 it was probably just a simple attempt to make his garden look better.

did he know … As the tree grew bigger it started earning admiration, and in 1994 it was no surprise to tree lovers when it was selected Tree of the Year in Iceland by the Icelandic Forestry Association.

Nicolaj’s garden is long gone but the tree stays in the corner of the parking lot. A few years earlier in 1989 the owner of the site wanted to build a house in the parking lot and of course the architects designed a rounded shape of the corner of the building next to the lovely tree to make space for it. Nothing has been built though, at least not yet.

Next, we walk past the parliament where daily demonstrations took place in January 2009 and head up Skólavörðustígur to visit the past.

Issue six 69

Café Mokka Some love the old times and complain when things change. If you are one of those, Café Mokka will welcome you with open arms and protect you from the ever changing times. The interior hasn’t changed in Café Mokka since 1958. Go there and write that poem you should have written ages ago. Have a hot chocolate and a waffle and put whipped cream on both.

Live a little.

offers the best atmosphere. When you go in the lavatory on the first floor you are in for an appreciated surprise, at least if you are a Star Wars fan.

Fótógrafí Next door to Babalu is a small photo gallery. Ari, the gallery’s owner was a news reporter in his previous life but grew weary of that and decided to follow his passion and work on photographs. If you ask him he will probably say he doesn’t have a passion for photography but his photos of the daily life in Reykjavík are the best we’ve seen. The one with the old lady walking past the vulgar graffiti statement is classic.

Love Balls at Kaffibrennslan Café For those of you who are in the endless and sometimes agitating search for love, look no further! Go into the Kaffibrennslan Café and ask for an “ástarpungur” [au:sdarphYnga] (love ball).

They taste good and make you instantly happy. So go ahead, make your day, these little bundles of joy are yours for only 290 ISK a piece. This kind of lovemaking should be practic­­ed sparsely since an excess eating of love balls won’t do your heart any favors in the long run, but a walk up Klappar­­stígur will do you good now.

Babalu Café The owner of Babalu Café, Glenn, is from New York and moved to Iceland in 2004 to marry his Icelandic boyfriend, Þórhallur. Obviously he moved to Iceland for love, right? There is always an easy going and pleasant atmosphere at Babalu Café. Probably nothing in there comes from IKEA, it looks more like Glenn has been shopping at Góði hirðirinn (Good Shepherd), a second hand household store in town. Babalu may not be Reykjavik’s most posh café but it most definitely

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Hotel Holt If I you feel exceptionally full of yourself you I might dress up in black and white (sort of Dean Martin style) and head for Hotel Holt, one of Reykjavik’s most renowned hotel. Walk into the lobby, slowly because there are beautiful paintings gracing the walls. The hotel has the largest private collection of Icelandic paintings in Iceland (or in the world for that matter) and boasts of more than 600, many of them by the old masters. If you continue straight into the lounge you will see the gem-drawings of common people made by our beloved Kjarval (1885-1972). Look closer and compare the drawings and you will realize that he liked some of his models more than the others. However, his real passion was nature. He spent weeks and weeks every summer painting the landscape, not least, the lava. He loved everything about nature and preferred not having people around when he had these rendezvous.

If you love whisky, like Dean Martin did, the selection of the bar in Hotel Holt is one of the best in Iceland. v

When you take a walk you have a choice. You can empty your mind and think about nothing; you can also let your mind dwell on the past.

A third option is to take a walk and absorb stories and places of Reykjavík.

This Reykjavik walk is just one of the available walks and hikes in the Wapp - Walking app, available for free in Playstore and Appstore.

ICEWEAR offers an extensive collection of clothing for the outdoor

enthusiast,

ranging

from high-tech down jackets to unique wool products made in Iceland. We strive to offer colors and cuts in line with the latest trends, quality materials and competitive prices.

icelandic design since 1972 Issue six 71

W W W. I C E W E A R. I S

The Nordic House in Reykjavík

One of Alvar Aalto’s gems The Finnish modernist architect Alvar Aalto designed the Nordic House in Reykjavík. The building stands by a blue pond and under the blue sky that is a blue rooftop like the dot over the “i.” The ultramarine blue ceramic rooftop takes its shape from the mountain row in the background. It’s truly a work of art.

by Svava Jónsdóttir Photos: Kristinn Magnússon

The Nordic House is like a gem near the center of the capital of Iceland. From the windows you can enjoy a beautiful scene showing part of the residential area in old Reykjavik, Hall­­­ grímskirkja Church which stands like a guardian, protecting the city, the mountains in the background and of course, a wide open and largely unobstructured view of the sky. Sometimes you can see some geese near the house or white swans swimming in the little pond in front of it.

The world within The Nordic House in Reykjavík opened in 1968. It is one of Finnish modernist architect Alvar Aalto’s designs and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to harmonize carefully crafted constructions with the physical environment.

Inside, the house is bright and modern, yet stylistically classic. In the central space, daylight comes through a dome-shaped skylight that is spread over the ceiling. From the central space you can go to the concert/conference auditorium, the While the Nordic office wing, the house’s restaurant and House stands like a the library that’s like a world of its own.

Nordic fortress near the The goal has always been to foster University of Iceland and and support cultural connections the Reykjavik Domestic be­­tween Iceland and the other Nordic Airport, there’s a lot of countries and in the library there are open, undeveloped area only books in the Nordic languages around it including a

by Nordic authors as well as various pond nearby. magazines from the Nordic countries.

No, they don’t forget the children—in the library there is the Children’s Library Grotto where the young ones can find novels and technical books in all the seven Nordic languages: Icelandic, Faroese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Greenlandic.

Aalto who?

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976), who was one of the most noted architects of the 20th century didn’t just design the house. All installed furnishings and lamps in the Nordic House, as well as most of the furniture, are his designs. Even though the cultural institution was opened in 1968, 47 years ago, it is quite modern and this can be said about the furniture as well.

There’s a shop inside the Nordic House where you can buy Nordic design. And the restaurant, Aalto Bistro, that emphasizes unusual ingredients while “flirting with Scandinavian cuisine with a CentralEuropean influence.” Definitely worth a try.

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Inside and out You can enjoy this magnificent architectural showpiece both inside and out. While the Nordic House stands like a Nordic fortress near the University of Iceland and the Reykjavik Domestic Airport, there’s a lot of open, undeveloped area around it including a pond nearby. The pond and grounds adjacent to it are all part of a nature reserve, set in the midst of Reykjavik’s city center that serves as home to a variety of birds. Yes, the Nordic House, the beautiful nature and the vibrant city center; there’s lots to enjoy! v

Osushi is a unique rest­aurant in Iceland. The met­­hod of dining involves snatching small plates from a conveyor belt. Pricing is distinguished by the color and pattern of the plate – most range between 230 - 440 ISK. Everything off the con­vey­­or belt is tasty and if you don’t really fancy sushi, you can instead choose for ex­­ample teriyaki chicken, noodle salad, tempura and desserts.

The vibe in Osushi is friendly and relaxed. The restaurant is located almost next door to Althingi (the parliament) which is in the heart of the city.

osushi.is

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r Pósthússtræti 13 / Borgartúni 29 / Reykjavíkurvegur 60 HF. ða ar Nj Tel: 561 0562 / www.osushi.is

Issue six 73

WOW design

Lopapeysa - The Icelandic sweater

by Gerður Harðardóttir Photo: Courtesy of Farmers Market

The Icelandic sheep is one tough cookie, having, since the Viking settle­ment of Iceland in the second half of the 9th century, had to adjust to and survive the volatile and harsh climate that frequently ravages the North Atlantic.

The fleece of Iceland’s robust and stocky sheep is dual-coated and a key factor in its ability to survive the extreme weather conditions in Iceland. “Þel” (pronounced thel) are the soft warm insulating fibers next to the body of the sheep whereas “tog” are the water repel­ lent fibers on the surface. Processed together þel and tog make up “lopi,” a type of knitting wool that is unique to Iceland.

The wool from the Icelandic sheep is exceptionally warm (even when wet) and has kept us warm and comfy throughout the centuries.

And then came the sweaters The Icelandic sweater, “lopapeysa,” (lopi meaning wool and peysa meaning sweater) with its distinctive circular yoke pattern, has become quite iconic for Iceland. But if you thought that the Icelandic sweater as you know it has been worn by Icelandic farmers and fishermen through the centuries, with patterns being handed down from mothers to daughters like a treasured family heirloom, you are dead wrong, for it wasn’t until the 1950s that the Icelandic sweater was born.

The origins of the sweater is shrouded in mystery although it has been suggested that its design is based on the national costume of Greenland or Swedish textile patterns popular in mid-20th century’s women’s magazines. What is known for sure is that Icelandic women began knitting the distinctive wool sweaters around the time of the World War II when yarn was scarce in Iceland.

A nation’s symbol In the 1960s, the export of the Icelandic sweaters developed into a lucrative business and the Icelandic “lopapeysa” became symbolic for Iceland, its heritage and culture. In the last few years, the Icelandic sweater has become quite the fashion item especially after the economic meltdown in 2008 when it became a symbol of Iceland’s identity during this time when morale was at a low ebb. During these tough times, a strong urge to return to our roots, heritage and traditional values swept the country, which resulted in many Icelanders starting to handcraft products of local materials such as the Icelandic wool.

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Redesigning the Icelandic sweater The fact that the sweaters have become fashion items of late, even worn with dresses on special occasions, can largely be credited to designer Bergþóra Magnús­­ dóttir of Farmers Market who infuses in the hugely popular fashion brand natural materials, traditions and designs with fashionable and trendy designer items.

The origins of the sweater is shrouded in mystery although it has been suggested that its design is based on the national costume of Greenland or Swedish textile patterns popular in mid-20th century’s women’s magazines.

Today shops catering to tourists offer various versions of the Icelandic sweater in different shapes and sizes. You will be able to find sweaters of different colors although the traditional colors of the Icelandic sheep (black, brown, white and gray) probably remain the most popular.

The sweaters are available in a myriad of patterns, with or without zippers or buttons, with and without hoods and as vests or ponchos. In many shops you will be able to pick up a sweater accompanied with info on the woman who actually knitted it. Yes, to some, the Icelandic sweater is, and will only be, truly authentic Icelandic if it’s hand-knitted by an Ice­ landic woman in Iceland. v

H V Í TA H Ú S I Ð / S Í A

I LIKE TAKING MY TIME WITH SHOPPING, SO I ORDER ONLINE THEN ALL I HAVE TO DO IS PICK UP MY ORDER

Save both time and effort by using the Duty Free Express service.

Discounts are available regardless of what passport you may hold or which country you are flying to or from.

Order online and pick up at the Duty Free Store. www.dutyfree.is Issue six 75

WOW entrepreneurs

The future of banking is now Recession what? Like many other countries, Iceland felt the fallout from the economic crisis that sent shockwaves around the globe in 2008; however resilience seems to be encoded into the genes of most Icelanders. From the chaos that ensued, one of Iceland’s most interesting startups and now leading innovative companies came into existence.

by Marvin Lee Dupree Photos: Courtesy of Meniga

The company in question is Meniga, the brainchild of its CEO, Georg Lúð­ víksson. I had a brief chat with him about this innovative company and Meniga’s phenomenal growth.

Meet Meniga Meniga is one of the numerous companies that sprung forth out of the financial crisis and large swaths of its talented ranks came from the collapsed banking industry.

With its initial launch in Iceland back in 2009, Meniga was one of the first personal finance management solutions within Europe and attracted plenty of satisfied customers from the beginning. As of today its solutions can be found in 16 different countries. With a customer base of over 25 million, it has offices in Reykjavík, Stock­h­olm and London.

Today, Meniga’s software powers per­ sonal finance management solutions in online banks of many of Europe’s lead­­ing banks, such as Commerzbank, Skandia­­ banken, ING Direct in Spain, Santan­der, Standard Bank and many more. Ever since its foundation, Meniga has received num­­erous accolades, with its newest recognition being prestigious awards such as the Finovate Best of the Show 2015, where they beat a large pool of inter­­na­­ tional competitors, as well as receiving the award for the best technical solution in the category of business and commerce at the UN World Summit Award.

The company in question is Meniga, the brainchild of its CEO, Georg Lúðvíksson.

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Technology can improve lives As is customary one cannot help but be curious about the genesis and the philoso­­ phy of a trailblazing company such as Meniga, so I asked George to explain how it came into being. “From a young age I was the one advising friends and family on all sorts of money issues, such as what kind of mortgage to take and how to think about it. I also believed I could build much better money management software than what was available 10 or 15 years ago. I’m an entrepreneur at heart and Meniga is the 3rd company I’ve started. Of the three it is the one closest to my heart because I have always been passionate about helping people manage their money. To me this is

Today, Meniga’s software powers per­sonal finance management solutions in online banks of many of Europe’s lead­­ing banks.

one of the major issues of our time as way too many people in every country lower the quality of their lives needlessly by overspending or worrying about money— and this is almost independent of their income.

“Money worries are one of the major causes of divorce, depression and absenteeism from work.” Adding to this Georg says: “I was living in Boston for my MBA back in 2006-2008. At the time a new generation of money management solutions emerged in the USA with comp­­ anies such as Mint.com and Wesabe.com.

I immediately knew I wanted to be part of this revolution and when I moved back to Iceland for family reasons in the fall

of 2008 I came with the idea of starting a Europe-focused personal finance software company.”

Innovation is recession proof During our chat, Georg explained to me how the financial crisis helped pave the way for Meniga because the new banks, which had arisen from the ashes of the previous ones, were under pressure to give relief to Icelandic households that had seen a significant dip in purchasing power. One of them, Íslandsbanki, decided to trust Meniga, even though they were just a small startup, and as a result became one of the first banks in Europe to offer comprehensive personal finance management solutions as part of its online bank platform in 2009. George also explains how the atmosphere after the financial crisis was just right for Meniga: “Many of Iceland’s best software devel­ opers who had been working for the banks were now looking for new opportunities and most of our initial team came from the banks, including Meniga’s CTO and cofounder, who had been leading the devel­ opment of the online banking of Ice­land’s largest bank, Landsbankinn.”

Meniga’s software gives its users a better oversight of their spending and income.

A shift in financial habits in Iceland?

It is apparent that both personal finance and finance literacy are crucial for in­ creasing people’s quality of life—and it is something Georg is passionate about.

Naturally, I had to ask him if he thinks that there had been a paradigm shift in these matters within the country because of the financial crash: “Too many people live beyond their means and have effectively no rainy-day fund. If we can help only a small share of our users improve their financial

If you want to make your per­sonal fin­ ances easy and attractive and gain more oversight, look no further.

behavior we are making quite a difference.

Iceland is probably not very different from other countries but I believe financial behavior and literacy have improved in recent years and that Meniga has been a part of that improvement. When we survey our users in Iceland, almost half say they have improved their financial behavior since they started using our solutions. This is something we are very proud of.”

The nuts and bolts of it all Of course, these goals are all fine and dandy but to a layperson this might seem idea­listic, so I inquired from Georg how his company actually achieves these lofty aspirations: “Meniga’s way to market is to sell to and partner with banks to help them expand their online and mobile banking to include personal finance management

functions and various personalized in­ sights as well as to advise people on how they can improve their financial behavior and become smarter consumers. People’s data; spending history, financial behavior and economic situation, play a key role in being able to provide a personalized and compelling user experience. We pride ourselves on our core competence which is analyzing data and presenting it to users in an intuitive way. Furthermore, transparency in how data is being used and making sure people’s privacy is always respected are key priorities of Meniga.”

If you want to make your personal finances easy and attractive and gain more oversight, look no further. Meniga will guide you into the future of personalized banking and finance, check it out at www.meniga.com. v Issue six 77

Montreal Toronto Boston San Fransisco

Washington, D.C.

Los Angeles

CONNECTI N G TH E CO N T I N EN T S

WOW IS IN THE AIR! 78

WOW Power to the people

Reykjavik

Stockholm Copenhagen Vilnius Dublin

London

Bristol

Berlin Amsterdam

Warsaw

D端sseldorf Paris Salzburg Milan Lyon Barcelona Alicante

Nice Rome

Tenerife Gran Canaria

Issue six 79

Destination Canada

Montreal on a roll Come spring, bikers emerge from the cold Montreal winter like so many butterflies from cocoons. They’re commuters, leisure bikers, and tourists.

The appeal is obvious with the summer temperature generally in the 70s (21°C), although it can be humid and the occasional summer day can reach into the high 90s (32°C).

by Judy Colbert Photos: Thinkstockphotos.com

It’s easy to ride around Montreal, with more than 600 kilometers (almost 400 miles) of bike paths in and around the city. With fairly flat terrain that lets you go from straight to winding, parkland to city streets, and scenic to historic, courteous motor vehicle drivers and numerous bike rental facilities there’s also plenty to see and do along the way.

Look around and you’ll realize that Quebec’s Route Verte is the longest cycling path in North America and the Trans Canada Trail is the world’s longest recreational trail. Montreal is well-recognized as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

The Les Berge Cycle Path A favorite bike route is a waterfront look that starts at Atwater Market (a great indoor/outdoor market,

open at 7 am daily, with food stalls to stock up for your energy boosts) and offers a number of options depending on your stamina and available time. The 21-kilometer Les Berge Cycle Path parallels the St. Lawrence River with views of the Lachine Rapids and Saint-Pierre Lake. You’ll be joined by inline skaters and, in the winter, cross-country skiers. At the end of the path, you can detour to the ReneLevesque Park with picnic tables and resident birds, including great herons. Then hookup with the Lachine Canal path going north and head back into central Montreal.

The cycling scene Check the Velo Montreal website for suggested bike routes, whether you just want to find an easy way to get from Point A to Point B or do a lot of exploring. No need to worry about stopping for lunch or a snack because food trucks abound in

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WOW Power to the people

Montreal, particularly along the biking routes. Note that you can take the metro rapid transit system to your starting point because bikes are welcome in the last car of each train.

If you want something more organized, check the Montreal activities calendar for bicycle events.

They include a Go Bike Montreal Festival (from late May to early June) that has something for locals and visitors of all skill levels and ages, including short films about urban biking, a fashion show, and even a Ferris wheel. Bike-in parties are held along the Lachine Canal, a Bicycle

Montreal is well-re­ cognized as one of the most bikefriendly cities in the world.

Film Festival, and a Grand Prix des Cyclistes in September. The basic premise is promoting the idea of touring the city via bicycle.

Rent a bike As you may not be traveling with your bike, you have several rental options. The biggest is Bixi Montreal (a portmanteau of bike and taxi – montreal.bixi.com). The company started renting bikes in Montreal in 2009 and now has branches in 17 cities and universities including Boston and

London. With 5,360 three-speed bikes located at 452 docking stations around town, you’re almost always within a few blocks of a station.

Rates for 2015 were C$2.75 for a one-way pass, C$5 for a 24-hour pass, and C$12 for a 72-hour pass. Each one of these options is based on 30-minute use, with extra fees charged after that amount of time. In other words, schedule your trips to be under 30 minutes by places you want to see or visit or have a coffee/lunch break near where you can turn in your bike. After turning it in wait about two minutes until the system has reset and you can use your

bike (or another one) again; a little convoluted, but workable. The rental season runs from April through November, depending on the weather.

Other companies rent by the day or longer (or shorter) so you don’t have to worry about docking your bike every 30 minutes. Some also offer guided tours of various lengths and difficulty. Whether your tastes are pastoral or urban, when you want to combine sightseeing with enjoying nature and meeting new best friends forever, try biking through Montreal. v

Bring your bike to Montreal or rent one when you get there. WOW air starts flying to Canada in May 2016 offering four flights a week all year round.

Cool Canada awaits.

Find cheap flights to Montreal from Europe at wowair.com.

Issue six 81

Destination Canada

12 reasons to visit Toronto There is no place in the world like Toronto, a city chock-full of unexpected and unique experiences.

Sure, comparison to the world’s other great cities can be flattering, but there really are great things to do, see and eat here.

by Cindy-Lou Dale Photos: Thinkstockphotos.com and Cindy-Lou Dale

1. Toronto is home to Casa Loma, North America’s only real, fullsize castle, which spreads out over 98 rooms, complete with medieval turrets, gorgeous gardens and secret passageways.

2. Feel the heat at North America’s biggest Caribbean festival. The Scotia­­ bank Caribbean Carnival Toronto is a grand-scale shindig that first hit the

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WOW Power to the people

The puck stops here for hockey fans. The Hockey Hall of Fame features the world’s largest collection of hockey memorabilia, including the Stanley Cup.

For more infor­­ma­tion on Toronto check out www.seetorontonow.com.

streets in 1967 and combines wildly crea­tive and colorful costumes with soca, calypso, salsa, steel-pan and reggae artists along a 1½ km route.

3. The Fairmont Royal York was the first hotel in the world to make its own honey on its rooftop. Now its apiary is home to 300,000 bees that produce more than 363 kg of honey annually.

4. Bono, Madonna and George Clooney have attended TIFF (Toronto Inter­­national Film Festival). The annu­­ al celebration attracts more than 400,000 moviegoers to films from over 65 countries. It’s North Ameri­­­ca’s most important film festival.

5. Take yourself out to the ball game. The Blue Jays are Canada’s only Major League Baseball team.

Tour the Rogers Centre, home to the world’s first fully retractable roof. An awe-inspiring feat of engineering, it opens or closes in 20 minutes and is 31 floors high.

6. The puck stops here for hockey fans. The Hockey Hall of Fame features the world’s largest collection of hockey memorabilia, including the Stanley Cup. 7. Want your thrills on a large scale? Meet Leviathan, the country’s fastest (148 km/h), steepest (80-degree drop), tallest (93.3 m) roller coaster at Canada’s Wonderland.

8. Welcome to a Land Down Under. PATH is the world’s largest underground walkway, linking 28 km of shopping, restaurants, services and businesses, and encompassing approximately 1,200 stores.

9. The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art is the only museum in North America that focuses exclusively on ceramics.

10. Ride the red rocket, as streetcars are known in Toronto. Hop on board the 501 Queen streetcar, anytime day or night, and enjoy the 24.8 km ride— the longest route in North America.

11. Go fish. On Toronto’s doorstep you can relax with a pole in hand and hope for a great catch.

The salmon—especially Chinook and Atlantic varieties—are abundant in the Credit River with prime spots including Forks of the Credit Provincial Park near Brampton and the harbor in Port Credit in Mississauga, where the river empties into Lake Ontario. It’s urban fishing at its best.

12. Sole-searching begins here. The Bata Shoe Museum boasts the world’s most comprehensive collection of footwear and related artefacts.

Before you leave, be sure to take in Kensington Market—a story of immigrants and the best place to experience the city’s animated multiculturalism; a neighborhood alive with street art; scruffy alleys and independent stores, bars and food stalls with food from around the world.

There are of course many more great reasons to visit Toronto and here’s one: WOW air now offers cheap flights to Toronto and will start flying there in May 2016.

Find a cheap flight to Toronto from Europe at wowair.com.

Issue six 83

New destination

Stockholm – nature and nightlife WOW air is adding the beautiful city of Stockholm to its schedule in May 2016. Built on 14 islands, Stockholm is often called Venice of the North and the city is filled with great spots to enjoy whether you’re looking for culture, nature or nightlife.

by Halldora Hagalin Photos: Thinkstockphotos and Stockholm Mediabank

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WOW Power to the people

With over 750 years of history, 70 museums and rich cultural life, Stockholm will surely deliver in the cultural department but right now we want to tell you about the nature and nightlife of this great city.

The nature The green island of Djurgården is home to some of the city’s most popular attractions. It is set in the very heart of Stockholm and was once the royal hunting ground but now it is a protected nature reserve.

At 279 hectares (for only 800 inhabitants), Stock­­ holm’s green belt is larger than London’s Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens combined. The park is divided into two main sections. To the west, the area closest to the city, are the very well-tended public gardens, a number of restaurants, the Gröna Lund Amusement Park, the Vasa Museum (which holds the world’s only entirely preserved 17th century ship), the gigantic Skansen Open-Air Muse­­um and Zoo, and a naval shipyard. And let’s not forget the Junibacken which is a museum de­­ voted to Swedish children’s literature, but especi­

ally Astrid Lindgren—can you say Pippi Long­­­­stock­­ ing, anyone? Outside the building is a bronze statue of Lindgren. The art direction and images for the interior design were made by Swedish artist Marit Törnqvist, who had previously made illustrations for more recent versions of Lindgren’s books.

At the other end, stretching a long way into the Stockholm Bay, the eastern part of Djurgården is home to more traditional historic monuments. For example it is home to the art museum Walde­­ marsudde and the Rosendal Palace. Djur­­gården also features sunken lanes, forests and marsh­­ lands where birds thrive. A bucolic ambience at just ten minutes by bike from the center of the city.

Sooner or later, all visits to Stockholm must include the Island of Djurgården. Simply take the Djur­­gård­ en tram from wherever you are in Stockholm and enjoy.

The nightlife Of course Stockholm offers you a fun night on the town with blossoming nightlife full of laughter, joy and dance and the area of Södermalm in addition to the Stureplan Square is famed in Stockholm for its clubs and bars.

The local’s advice is to enter a club or bar early, before midnight, because after twelve o’clock the lines tend to be slow. Do not forget to bring your ID! Here are the top three nightclubs according to popular clubbing-website: Patricia is a party boat with five indoor bars in addition to two bars out on the deck during the

approach with classic architecture. The audience is an urban mix of people between 23 and 30 years.

Club Berns or Berns Salonger has been a Stock­­ holm landmark since 1863. Situated in the heart of the city, Berns Salonger features an elegant boutique hotel, conference and banqueting faci­ lities, a vibrant Asian restaurant and summer terrace, popular bars, the nightclub, Gallery 2.35:1, and probably the best concert venue in town—all under one roof! The name, 2.35:1, may at first seem strange, but it has a logical explanation. It is the name for a video format that is a recurring theme in the basement. The futuristic interior mixed with world class artist bookings week after week makes this one of Stockholm’s most prominent clubs.

Last but not least we would like to say that although there are three of Stockholm’s hot clubs listed above we have found out that the best way to enjoy nightlife in foreign cities is to ask the locals.

So we recommend that you knock on the shoulder of a smiling local on your journey and ask him or her where she or he would recommend, as the locals often have the best advice for the upcoming weekend.

All the info How people went traveling before Google and smartphones is beyond our comprehension. No, not really, but after the Internet came into our lives it has to be said that traveling and sightseeing has become much easier. You can search for the best places to see, and get in touch with locals who are

Stockholm Stortorget …

Stortorget in Stockholm’s Old Town.

Photo: Jeppe Wikström / mediabank. visitstockholm.com

summertime. The boat has been afloat since the ‘80s and has a great history from its war days.

You’ll find Patricia at Metro Slussen by Gamla Stan.

Sturecompagniet has long been one of Sweden’s most legendary nightclubs. The venue consists of four rooms on two floors around a beautiful atrium.

Some years ago, the nightclub went through a gentle but full renovation. It combined a modern

happy to help with all kind of things. But please don’t get lost on your smartphone and don’t forget to look up from your newest technology and enjoy what’s in front of you. Try to ask around by tapping on strangers shoulders instead of your hand-held device. If you do take a great photo in Sweden, remember to tag us in with #wowair so we can enjoy it with you. v

Come spring 2016 WOW air will offer cheap flights to scenic Stockholm all year round from USA and Canada via Iceland.

Stockholm has so much to offer and we can’t wait to take you there. Check out our flight schedule to and from Stockholm at wowair.com.

Issue six 85

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WOW destination

Christmas in Berlin Alle Jahre wieder—so begins a German Christmas song and it really says it all: Every year Christmas comes again and again, each time awakening those warm and wonderful sentiments. Some can hardly wait while others think November is simply too soon for all those ornaments and Christmas delicacies in the stores.

by Berlinur.de photos: Berlinur.de and thinkstockphotos.com

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is the Stollen cake that originates in Dresden, a city that lies south of Berlin. Stollen is a beautiful sweet loaf of yeast dough cake filled with dried fruit and marzipan that goes especially well with Glüwhein.

For more children friendly treats try the Leb­kuc­­hen and Spekulatius, two aromatic baked goods seasoned with the traditional holiday spices.

Speaking of being children friendly ... most Christ­­ mas markets in Berlin offer something for children.

At the Alexanderplatz Market the children can even enjoy a pony ride or go ice skating around Neptune, the god of the sea, that towers over the Neptune Fountain right across from Berlin’s Red City Hall.

The most daring take a ride on the Ferris wheel and enjoy the view of the city.

Our favorite Berliners have a favorite Christmas market in Berl­in and that’s the one at Gendarmenmarkt. Ad­ mission to the market is 1 Euro but you’ll get your money’s worth just watching the program on the stage where choirs sing carols and theater groups put up their Christmas pageants. In addi­tion to the spectacles on the stage there are all sort of strange creatures roaming about the market, spreading joy and having fun with the visitors.

Another great Christmas market is the one by the Charlottenburg Palace.

Christmas all year If unfortunately you’re not in Berlin during the Christmas holidays you can always quench your thirst for the yuletide atmosphere at Käthe Wohlfahrt’s Christmas Shop at Kurfürstendamm.

No matter what time of year you will hear Christ­ mas music and smell the No one should Chrismas incense when miss out on the walking by. Inside you’ll find glorious Christ­ handmade and traditional mas markets in Berlin and if you German ornaments made from wood, tin and glass. keep your eyes open you’ll also Almost every German home has a little pyramid shaped find an outlet ornament where candles are from Käthe placed underneath generating Wohlfahrt’s Christmas Shop heat that turn small propellers close by. above. The ornament also tells the story of Christmas with the help of small wooden figures. A nutcracker is also a staple in German homes; how else are you supposed to enjoy the deliciousness that hides within the hard shell of the walnut?

No one should miss out on the glorious Christ­ mas markets in Berlin and if you keep your eyes open you’ll also find an outlet from Käthe Wohlfahrt’s Christmas Shop close by. We, at least, are planning to enjoy the Advent in Germany with all its delicious treats. v

B A. Berlinur.de recom­ mends the Gendar­men­ markt Christmas market in Berlin.

B. German Christmas delicacies.

C. Delicious Stollen cake, jam-packed with dried fruits.

Christmas in Berlin officially begins at the end of November when the Christmas mark­­ ets open all around the city. Like with so many things in Berlin there’s not just one Christmas market but several that can be found even in the most unlikely of places; from the most popular streets and squares to shopping centers and the outskirts of the city. What might come as a surprise for many is that most of these markets close at precicely 11 PM on December 23rd.

The taste of Christmas For us at Berlinur.de the most exciting thing about all these Christmas markets is the food and if you know us, you know why. First and foremost there’s the mulled wine (Glühwein) but a close runner up

D. Katrin and Margret Ros at Berlinur.de are already enjoying the yuletide spirit.

C

D

Fly into the holiday spirit. You’ll find cheap flights to Berlin from USA, Canada and Iceland at wowair.com Written by Katrín Árnadóttir and Margrét Rós Harðardóttir at www.berlinur.de, the Icelandic hostesses of Berlin. Berlinur offers a variety of guided tours around Berlin in both Icelandic and English all year round. For more information and booking visit www.berlinur.de or email them at info@berlinur.de.

Issue six 87

Destination Dublin

Gone to the dogs During a press trip courtesy of Tourism Ireland, early last summer we explored Dublin and the surrounding countryside.

We visited many great places, like the historic Trinity College and the magnificent Glendalough Valley. What we didn’t expect was that a “night at the dogs” would be one of the highlights of our stay.

Photos: Courtesy of Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium

As Icelanders we have little experience of animal racing, horses, dogs or otherwise and the closest thing we have to any of the popular races around the world is the Icelandic rally and Formula Off Road. We’d never understood the at­tract­ion of animal racing and because of our inexperi­ence we were barely looking forward to our night out.

A great evening out After an informative tour of the Guinness Factory­—a must stop for all who visit Dublin, if not only for the view from the top floor bar and a taste of the famous Guinness stew—our hosts had reserved great seats for us by the window at the restaurant

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of the Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium that gave us a superb view of the track.

Looking around we soon realized that dog racing is not just for hard core fans but rather a fun night out for groups of friends or for the whole family.

While the youngsters feasted on French fries and pizza, bachelor groups had their beer and burgers in private group rooms and the older crowd had their (surprisingly good) fine dining and wine.

Once the betting had been explained to us novic­­ es, the attentive betting staff came to our tabl­es before and after each race to take our bets if we wanted to place them or to pay us our winnings; we never even had to stand up. We each got a voucher for five Euros to play with and were told that on

average people usually don’t bet more than 1-3 euros at a time as this is mostly for fun. For the rest of the night we had fun picking out cool names from the racing program and placing small bets.

Some we won and some we lost but it didn’t even seem to matter as we were having so much fun.

Beloved family pets The Irish have a long history of dog racing and they have their Irish Greyhound Board to make sure everything is up to par. A racing dog usually doesn’t race for more than two years and then be­­ comes a great pet for a lucky family. The manag­­er of Shelbourne Park told us he had two at home.

Having been assured that no animals were end­an­ g­er­ed we could carry on betting and having fun and even winning a small amount which would come in handy the following day.

A night at the dogs is definitely recommended for families and friends on vacation in Dublin, especially during the winter when having fun in­­ doors seems like the best idea. For reservations or group bookings go to www.gogreyhoundracing. ie. And if you do go, make sure to try out the fries, they‘re among the best you’ll get in Dublin! v

Unleash you inner animal in Dublin. WOW air offers cheap flights to Ireland from USA and Canada via Iceland all year round.

Check out our flight schedule and low fares to Dublin at wowair.com. See you on board!

ICELANDIC GOURMET MENU

Freshly caught seafood and free range lamb – with a modern twist

DINNER – 6 COURSE MENU STARTS WITH A “REFRESHING“ SHOT OF THE NATIONAL SNAPS BRENNIVÍN FOLLOWED BY A BITE-SIZED TASTE OF PUFFIN ICELANDIC OCEAN PERCH Slow cooked ocean perch, beetroot purée, spicy butter, serrano ham, beetroot ICELANDIC MINKE WHALE Shallot vinaigrette, crispy Jerusalem artichokes ICELANDIC SEA TROUT Yuzu mayo, truffle mayo, crispy quinoa, apple ICELANDIC PLAICE Samphire, green asparagus, blood orange, lime beurre blanc RACK OF FREE RANGE ICELANDIC LAMB Lamb fillet, leeks, pickled onions, browned celeriac, baked carrots, spinach and dill cream Dessert by pastry chef Axel Þ.

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CHOCOLATE ROSE Chocolate mousse, raspberry gel, Sacher layer

Issue six 89

New destination

The Golden State Stretching from the Mexican border along the Pacific, California is known for its dramatic terrain and cliff-lined beaches among other things. Two of the state’s most famous cities are San Francisco and Los Angeles and that’s where we’re taking the WOW next summer.

Photos: Thinkstockphotos.com

Yes, you heard right. WOW air is secur­­ing its name on the short list of ultra­-low-cost long-haul car­­riers by offering cheap flights to California’s biggest cities, con­­nect­­ing them via Iceland to our biggest desti­­­­nations in Europe. We hope you’re excit­­ ed because we sure are!

San Francisco The cultural, commercial and fin­­ancial center of Northern California, San Francisco is the second most densely populated city in the United States after New York City. The city is well known for its liberal atti­­tude and as the birthplace of the “hippie” coun­­terculture, the Sexual Revolution and the Peace Movement.

San Fran­­cisco is also home to one of the largest and oldest pride parades and the festivities are truly something to witness and be a part of.

Public transportation is well used in San Francisco but in addition to a great transit system, the city also runs a historic streetcar line and the famous cable cars that are now a National Historic Landmark and a major attraction. San Francisco has also been rank­ed the second-most walkable city in the United States.

From the infamous Alcatraz Prison (make sure to book your trip there well in ad­­vance) to the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, San Fran­cisco impresses its visitors with its stunn­­­ing land­­ marks. In addition, great food, magni­ficent wines, culture, history and nightlife will ensure that you’ll never get enough of this great city.

San Francisco’s climate is mild all year round thanks to the fact that the area is sur­­­­rounded by water on three sides. The cool currents of the Pacific Ocean regulate tempera­ture swings keeping everyone cool dur­ing the summer and warm during the winter.

Los Angeles The City of Angels, also known as L.A. is eclectic, progressive, trendy, laid-back and retro all at once. This is the place many of the most famous peo­ple in the world call home and should you find yourself in Hollywood chanc­­es are you’ll recognize a face or two.

Among the most popular things to do in Los Angeles is a visit to Venice Beach, a great spot for people watch­­­­ing or to join in with the surfers, skat­­ers or bodybuilders. Checking out the Hollywood Walk of Fame is for some a rite of passage and of course a trip up to Mulholland Drive to take in the view from the famous Holly­wood sign is a must. If growing up is something you forgot to do, or you’re traveling with kids, a trip to Disney­land is probably on the horizon and meeting Mickey and Donald will not disappoint.

A sprawling metropolis and a major center of the American entertainment industry, Los Angeles is surrounded on three sides by mountains and has a subtropical-Medi­terr­anean climate which means it’s pretty warm and cozy all year round. Temperatures rarely drop below 10°C (50°F) in the winter months and on average they are closer to 15°C (59°F) reaching as high as 40°C (104°F) during the summer.

Wine country California is wine country and there are many wine regions to be found, the most fam­ous of which are Napa and Sonoma, both about an hour’s drive north of San Francisco.

Both regions boast rolling hills lined with some of the world’s most coveted grapes but whereas Napa Valley is home to grand estat­­ es and elegance, Sonoma County has a more intimate feel.

Many tour operators focus on wine tours that are always popular; some even stretch for days. We recommend finding a good one and then tasting your way through the best wine regions of California. v

Stay tuned for cheap flights to California from Europe. Our hot tickets to Los Angeles and San Francisco go on sale in January 2016.

Want to be the first to know? Join WOW air’s club at wowair.com/wowairclub, hang out with the cool kids and get our great offers straight to your inbox.

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Issue six 91

Free in D.C.

An Abraham Lincoln tour of Washington, D.C. Abraham Lincoln is one of the most famous U.S. presidents, and rightfully so; he is credited with preserving the Union during the Civil War, and for bringing about the emancipation of slaves. And while the Lincoln Memorial is a popular site for tourists in D.C., there are numerous other places where you can learn more about Honest Abe. Here’s what else to check out.

by Katherine LaGrave Photos: Thinkstockphotos and Flickr

Lincoln’s Cottage Head to the cottage at the Soldi­­ers’ Home and see where Lincoln escap­­­­ed the heat of the White House during the summers of 1862, 1863 and 1864. Today a national monument, the cot­tage was originally built be­tween 1842 and 1843 as a private home for a reputable D.C. banker and business­man. On your visit, step into the wood-panel­ed library where Lincoln drafted early parts of his famous Emancipation Proclamation, and learn more about Lincoln as a Commander-in-Chief through a tour of the Robert H. Smith Visi­­tor Education Center.

The Willard InterContinental Known primarily as a lavish, landmark hotel, the Willard is a short two blocks

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Duck into the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church three blocks from the White House and see where Lincoln worshipped with his family.

from the National Mall. It is here that Lincoln came to stay after an assassination attempt before his inauguration as president in 1861, and where he conducted official business, completed cabi­n­­et appointments, and made adjust­­­

ments to the first inaugural address. On March 4, once the inaugural ceremonies were complete, Lincoln returned to the hotel to enjoy his celebra­ tory lunch as president. Reportedly on the menu?

Mock turtle soup, corned beef and cabbage, parsley potatoes and blackberry pie.

Lincoln assassination tour Journey back in time as you walk through the night of Lincoln’s assassination on a free tour with a guide from DC by Foot. Tours meet at 7 p.m. and begin by the Andrew Jackson statue in Lafayette Square, highlighting places along the way including the Willard Hotel and the Star Saloon before ending at Ford’s Theater (reservations required).

New York Avenue Presbyterian Church Duck into this church three blocks from the White House and see where Lincoln worshipped with his family. Here, hints of the former president remain:

see Lincoln’s hitching post which remains outside, and head indoors to observe the family pew and a stunning stained glass Lincoln window.

National Museum of Health and Medicine Located in nearby Silver Spring, Mary­­ land, this museum houses thous­­ands of specimens from the history of military medicine. Among them? An official sketch of Lincoln’s deathbed scene, the surgical kit from the autopsy of the president, locks of Lincoln’s hair, bone fragments from his skull and even the bullet from the assassination that led to his death on April 15, 1865.

And more…

Visit Virginia: If you have time, head to nearby Richmond, Virginia, to follow in the footsteps of Lincoln—and Steven Spielberg. Yes, it was primarily here that Spielberg filmed his 2012 historic

drama, Lincoln, over 53 days. Under fire at Fort Stevens: Erected to defend D.C. during the American Civil War, Fort Stevens was reputedly under fire when Lincoln rode out to observe the action. Accounts of Lincoln’s immi­­nent danger at the fort vary, but there is nonetheless a plaque memori­­alizing his visit on July 12, 1864.

FROM REYKJAVIK

See Abraham through the ages: Explore the Smithsonian’s National Port­­rait Gallery, where you can see cast­­ings of Lincoln’s hands and face, and what is thought to be one of the last photo­­graphs of the president. v

The handgun used by John Wilkes Booth Photo: Tim Evanson courtesy of Flickr.

WHALE WATCHING SEP

OCT

09:00 13:00

09:00 13:00

NOV 13:00

DES 13:00

JAN 13:00

Price: Adults: 8.700 ISK Children (7-15) 4.500 ISK Children (0-6) FREE

Inside the Willard Hotel.

FEB 13:00

MAR

APR

13:00

09:00 13:00

Buy your discounted tick on this fligh et t!

Photo: Roman Boed courtesy of Flickr.

NORTHERN LIGHTS BY BOAT* New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. Photo: Sack Winberg courtesy of Flickr.

SEP

OCT

NOV

DES

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR**

22:00

21:00* 21:00

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PRICE:Adults 8.700 ISK Children (7-15) 4.500 ISK Children (0-6) FREE We’ve all got the freedom to go and explore Washington, D.C. WOW air will take you there from Europe all year round.

*Departing at 21:00 from 16th Oct-14th Mar **Until 15 April

You’ll find cheap flights to Washington, D.C. from all around Europe with WOW air at wowair.com. Join our club at wowair.com/wowairclub and get all the best deals directly to your inbox.

Book online www.specialtours.is / info@specialtours.is Issue six 93 Call us +354 560 8800, or visit our ticket sale at the old harbour

Destination Paris

A French road trip We’ll never stop loving Paris. Explore the city of art and romance and unwind among accordion players while walking the cobblestoned roads.

by Guðrún Baldvina Sævarsdóttir Photos: Thinkstockphotos.com

Flying to Paris can be just the be­­ ginning if you fancy seeing a little more of the dreamlike country that is France. Why not rent a car and head out to see some of the breathtaking and unbelievable sights France has to offer?

Here are some highly recommended destinations just a few hours away from the city of love.

The city of Reims An hour and 50 minutes-drive to the east-north-east will take you to the city of Reims. Reims is the ideal destination for history buffs and champagne lovers.

Situated in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France this is where the drink was invented and where it is still made today. It’s only real champagne if it comes from these parts and for the authentic champagne experience visit some of the manufacturers in the area. Highly recommended is Pommery where you can learn about the process, explore the caves where the bottles are kept, and have a taste of course! Make sure to check out the Reims Cathedral so you can stand in the footsteps of Joan of Arc and marvel at Marc Chag­ all’s stained glass windows.

Directions: Take the E54 out of Paris and then get onto the A4.

Giverny Giverny is a commune just an hour and 20 minutes-drive northwest of Paris.

It is best known as home to Claude Monet’s house and garden where you can spend a lovely afternoon roam­ ing through the painter’s study and amazing living room and walking around his gardens and ponds; scenery very recognizable from many of his paintings.

Driving to Giverny takes you through one of France’s most scenic routes. The trip will take you through one beautiful village after another in an amazing setting of the Vexin region.

Directions: Head into the 8th arrondissement and get onto the A14 that later turns into A13. Follow A13 to Avenue Aristide/D113 and then get onto D201 to Rue du Grand Val in Giverny.

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Don’t be afraid of the French, they will spend a good 10 minutes mimicking rifles and pigs in a game of charades (looking for wild pigs at the local butchers) if you don’t speak a word of French and it will make their day if you appreciate their local produce.

Just make sure whatever you say ends in “madame” or “monsieur” and you’ll be alright.

Périgord Limousin Natural Park Four hours south of Paris is Périgord Limousin Natural Park where you’ll find Camping de L’étang, our most favorite campsite in the world. Situated in a forest next to a small lake, it’s run by a Dutch couple who built the place up from scratch.

They rent out cozy little huts, run a nice bar and restaurant with a pool table and dartboard, have good spacious pitches for tents and motor homes, a little beach on the lake with a boat you’re free to use anytime and their dogs and cat absolutely love your company. Charming villages surround the campsite and you can easily lose track of time walking in the woods or shopping from the local farmers.

Directions: From the 13th arrondisment head on to the E15/ E50/A10/E5 and follow signs for Orléans/Chartres. By Orléans

follow signs for A71/Toulouse/A20/E9 and drive on until you get close to Limoges where you turn onto N520/Rocade Nord-Ouest. Follow signs for Angoulême until you get onto D13, turn left unto D27, then right onto D50 and finally another right onto D112.

Camping in France If camping is your thing, then France is your kind of country. Wherever you go you’ll find excellent campsites with hot showers, good accommodations for caravans and motor homes, swimming pools, game areas, horse rentals, etc.

Camping in France can be a wonderful experience and requires minimal research to be a great success. That said, you can also find charming and comfortable accommodations in B&Bs, gîtes (private holiday homes for short-term rent) and of course the little hotels in every tiny village. When traveling through the smaller villages of France, a good rule of thumb is to head for the usually very visible church tower and there you’ll find everything you need; shops, markets and cafés.

Don’t be afraid of the French, they will spend a good 10 minutes mimicking rifles and pigs in a game of charades (looking for wild pigs at the local butchers) if you don’t speak a word of French and it will make their day if you appreciate their local produce. Just make sure whatever you say ends in “madame” or “monsieur” and you’ll be alright.

While driving on the country roads keep an eye out for handmade signs pointing to a farm where you can buy produce straight from the farmer; fruits, vegetables, meats and best of all: the nut and olive oils! Always try the local produce from the region as it is the region’s specialty, made with a passion most other nations can only dream about. French cuisine is renowned for a reason and a big part of that reason is the quality of the products. Be aware that the French take their lunch breaks very seriously and almost everything shuts down between 12 and 14 (sometimes even 15 if they’re very relaxed). They’ll be enjoying their lunch at a nice restaurant with a nice glass of wine before heading back to work a couple of hours later.

Take a leaf out of their book; eat, drink and relax. v

Are you ready for a European road trip? Pack your GPS and book your flight to Paris at wowair.com.

We see Paris, we see France, we see you pack your traveling pants.

WOW air offers cheap flights to France from USA, Canada and Iceland all year round.

Issue six 95

Photo: Todd Van Hoosear, courtesy of Flickr.com

Sweet Boston

Where to find the best cannoli in Boston Every Bostonite swears loyalty to one shop or another. Here’s where to find some of the city’s best offerings.

Like any good town with strong Italian roots, Boston has no shor­­ tage of espresso bars, gelaterias and bakeries dedicated to the art of the Italian desserts. But there is one treat, above all, that continues to be subject to the most virulent of debates: the cannoli.

Sicilian pastry desserts, these “little tubes” are a staple in Boston’s Italian and historic North End. Walk the city’s oldest residential community, and you can find anything from the traditional (a plain shell with ricotta cheese) to the modern—think Oreo, mint chip, and espresso. Here’s how five of the city’s most popular shops stack up.

Maria’s Pastry Shop Not judging the book by its cover is important on a visit to Maria’s, where the aesthetics of the small, no-frills shop indicate nothing about the rich­­­­ ness of flavors found in its des­­­­­serts.

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Walk the city’s oldest residential community, and you can find anything from the traditional (a plain shell with ricotta cheese) to the modern—think Oreo, mint chip, and espresso.

Plain, chocolate and choco­­­­latedipped cannoli shells line the glass coun­ter but it’s more than likely you’ll get a fresh shell from the back of the bakery—if not, ask for one. Each shell is filled to order and given a hearty sprinkle of powdered sugar. Traditional, tasty and artfully made: there’s a reason Maria’s has previously been voted “Boston’s Best Cannoli” by the city’s residents.

You’ll find Maria’s Pastry Shop on 46 Cross Street in Boston’s North End.

Mike’s Pastry Shop Though the mass of people spilling out of Mike’s swinging doors might serve as a deterrent to passersby, have no fear: the line moves quickly. Once inside, you choose from 18 flavors at this North End

institution, with selections ranging from limoncello to pistachio. Shells at Mike’s are about as big as they come in this cannoli town, but are pre-filled to handle the high-turnover rate and, as a result, are not as crunchy. Add a cappuccino or cup of tea to your order, and settle in the shop’s designated café area. If you can’t handle the bustle of the crowd, ask for your cannoli to go, and your selections will be carefully placed in an emblematic Mike’s box: blue and white, tied with string, a souvenir all on its own.

You’ll find Mike’s Pastry Shop at 300 Hanover St. in Boston’s North End and now also on Harvard Square in Cambridge.

their famous round bread and for being open 24-hours a day, but they also boast a mean set of sweets—and there’s rarely a line. First opened in 1926, this family-owned and operated bakeshop prepares their pastries fresh each day, and it comes through in the taste: crispy, golden cannoli shells are filled with a homemade ricotta and served with a dusting of powdered sugar. Now that’s amore.

You’ll find Bova’s Bakery at 134 Salem Street in Boston’s North End.

You’ll find Caffè Paradiso at 255 Hanover Street in Boston’s North End.

Modern Pastry The lines at this North End staple are just shorter than those at Mike’s, but to Bostonites, the comparisons don’t stop there. Cannoli here, are smaller, and there is an evident mom-and-pop feel to the place cultivated by small tables and generational service—the family-owned shop was established more than 70 years ago, after all. Cannoli here are also fresher, and filled on the spot with your choice of vanilla custard, chocolate custard or ricotta. Prices increase incrementally by topping or shell, but rarely top $4.

You’ll find Modern Pastry at 257 Hanover Street in Boston’s North End and also in Medford.

Caffè Paradiso Paradiso’s sweets and espresso bar form the back of the traditional cafe, and a visit here is sure to include mingling with the many Italians who use this as their local spot. Ask what fillings you can get in your cannoli, and you’ll most likely be greeted with a scoff: ricotta, or original, is the only option. Points here for presentation (a sturdy box with a gold seal), originality and taste, all of which have undoubtedly stayed the same since the café opened in 1962. For the odd traveler who’s not interested in cannoli, Paradiso also has some of the city’s best gelato and Italian coffee.

Bova’s Bakery Instead of being a one-stop shop for cannoli, Bova’s seems to have it all: stromboli, arancini, black and white cookies, Whoopie Pies, calzones, tiramisu, meatball subs and pizza. They’re best known for

Bring your sweet tooth to Boston. WOW air offers cheap flights to Boston from around Europe several times a week all year round.

You’ll find cheap flights to Boston with WOW air at wowair.com.

Join our club at wowair.com/wowairclub and get all the best deals directly to your inbox.

At your service- Anywhere- Anytime

We´ll make you a Comfortable Price offer!

Special sightseeing taxi tours We specialize in personalized sightseeing day trips to the natural wonders of Iceland – for small groups of 4-8 persons.

All major credit cards accepted by the driver.

To book in advance: tel:+354 588 5522 or on www.hreyfill.is E-mail: tour@hreyfill.is Issue six 97

New destination

The cream of Bristol WOW air announces cheap flights to Bristol in May 2016 so here are a few things you might want to know before hopping aboard.

Photos: Shutterstock.com

Flying to Bristol Airport is the obvious choice for those who want to explore the beautiful countr­­yside of South West England.

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For those who didn’t ace geography you should know that Bristol is a city in located in South West England with little under 500,000 inhabitants and a history that stretches all the way back to the Iron Age. Whether you’re traveling with the family, on a romantic break, searching for historic sites or just up for some UK shopping, Bristol is a great destination.

Having a history is great but today Bristol is a modern city built on the creative media, electronics and aerospace industries. The city is one of UK’s most popular destinations not the least based on the fact that it is an excellent starting point for exploring South West England and Wales but also as this is one of the warmest and sunniest cities in the UK.

What to do in Bristol The first thing you’ll notice about Bristol is the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge and the amazing hilly landscape. Clifton Bridge is Bristol’s most famous landmark which is fitting since the city’s old English name, Brycgstow, means “the place at the bridge.” After checking out the famous bridge take a stroll around town and feast your eyes on some of the city’s street art, most notably the early works of world renowned artist Banksy who grew up in Bristol. A Bristol vacation would not be complete without a visit to Brunel’s ss Great Britain a.k.a. “The ship that changed the world,” a former passenger steamship that sailed between Bristol and New York and that for a time was the longest of its kind

to have been constructed 3000-2000 BC the monument was added to the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 along with its bigger, although seemingly lesser known cousin, the Avebury henge also in South West England (ca. 23 miles north of Stonehenge). If you like ancient mysteries the henges will surely keep you busy, at least for a day.

in the world (1845-1854). Built in Bristol the ship now serves as a museum in Bristol Harbour where you can learn about the ship’s history as well as witness the miracle of its restoration.

What to do in South West England Flying to Bristol Airport is the obvious choice for those who want to explore the beautiful countr­­y­ side of South West England. With historical cities Bath and Glaucester nearby you’ll be sure to get your fill of Roman history in the UK. The Cotswolds area, famous for its hundreds of honey-colored

limestone villages in a beautiful rural setting is also close by. Try renting a cottage and taking leisurely strolls around the pretty villages and the nearby hills or better yet—rent bikes for the whole family and see more of the area. Just across the Bristol Channel you’ll be entering South Wales known for its natural beauty – just perfect for a family road trip.

Last but not least flying to Bristol is ideal if you have always wanted to see Stonehenge. This prehistoric site shrouded in mystery is located in Wiltshire, ca. 50 miles southeast of Bristol. Believed

Good times in Bristol Visit Bristol in July and be a part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival, an event with a passion for bringing the freshest, most exciting productions of Shakespeare’s plays to beautiful and unusual spaces around Bristol.

At the end of July there’s also the Bristol Harbour Festival held on or near the waterfront of Bristol Harbour, celebrating the city’s maritime heritage.

Visit Bristol in August for the magnificent Bristol International Balloon Fiesta where teams from the UK and other parts of the world bring their colorful hot air balloons and participate in mass ascents. It is surely a sight to behold.

Visit Bristol in September and witness the Bristol International Kite Festival where hundreds of brilliant kites are airborne at the Ashton Court Estate. v

WOW air will fly to Bristol three times a week all year round from USA and Canada via Iceland.

You’ll find cheap flights to Bristol at wowair.com

All you need in one place • Skólavör›ustígur 19 tel.: (+354) 552 1890 SWEATERS AND SOUVENIERS, NO KNITTING MATERIAL:

• Radisson Blu, Hótel SAGA tel.: (+354) 562 4788 • Laugavegur 53b tel.: (+354) 562 1890 www.handknit.is

Issue six 99

ns WOW destinatio

You want more?

WOW! We’ve been announcing a lot of new destinations recently but that doesn’t mean that our established routes have been forgotten. We could never fit all of our destinations into just one issue but you should know that WOW air has well over 20 destinations and there’s still more to come. Stay tuned!

and 5-7 flights a week during the summer.

Connecting flights* to Amsterdam are available from Boston and Washington, D.C. in the USA and from Toronto and Montréal in Canada. Starting spring 2015 we will also offer cheap flights to Amsterdam from San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Barcelona Barcelona truly is the perfect destination; tasty tapas, seaside promenades and mind-blowing architecture.

Düsseldorf Getting there is the easy part. WOW air offers 2-4 flights a week to Barcelona from Iceland from the middle of May until October.

WOW air flies to Düsseldorf, Germany from Iceland twice a week during the summer months.

Alicante Warm up by the Mediterranean Sea and taste the best of Spain.

London

WOW air offers cheap flights to Alicante from Iceland four times a week during the summer months and 1-3 times a week from March to May and September to January.

Amsterdam A city of art, architecture, cool people and canals, and don’t forget windmills, weird wooden shoes and tulips. Amsterdam is a fairytale and a great place to visit.

WOW air offers cheap flights to Amsterdam from Iceland 2-4 times a week during the winter months

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WOW Power to the people

This great city on the Rhine is famous for its art and culture, luxury fashion and lifestyle.

Copenhagen The former capital of Iceland is still a favorite among Icelanders and now’s your chance to find out why.

WOW air offers several flights a week* to Copenhagen from USA and Canada all year round via Iceland.

London has been on our schedule from the beginning and for good reason. This sprawling metropolis is a popular destination all over the world. It’s sort of like a rite of passage for travelers; you have to visit at least once. And if you’ve already been there you can go the other way from Gatwick airport and visit the beautiful Brighton.

WOW air offers cheap flights to London from Iceland up to 9 times a week.

Connecting flights* to London are available from Boston and Washington, D.C. in the USA and from Toronto and Montréal in Canada. Starting spring 2015 we will also offer cheap flights to London from San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Lyon Experience the gastronomic capital of France with all its history and vibrant cultural scene.

WOW air flies to Lyon from Iceland twice a week during the summer months.

Milan Get ready for high fashion and high culture and don’t forget to feast your eyes on da Vinci’s Last Supper.

WOW air flies to Milan, Italy from Iceland 2-3 times a week from June to September.

Rome All roads lead to Rome but we’re going to fly to this most famous world capital.

Gran Canaria WOW air offers cheap flights to Rome, Italy once a week from July to September.

The city of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria is a new destination because we love getting our guests into the sun during the winter.

WOW air offers weekly flights to Gran Canaria from February to May 2016.

Tenerife Relaxing on a tropical island sounds like a dream and Tenerife is a dream come true.

Salzburg Looking for that perfect winter destination? Go skiing in the Austrian Alps’ best ski resorts, just a short drive from Salzburg Airport.

Pack your skis; WOW air flies to Salzburg from Iceland once a week in December, January and February.

WOW air offers weekly flights to Tenerife Sur from Iceland all year round and twice a week in January, February and March.

Warsaw The capital of Poland has some historic charisma and is a great destination if you’re on a budget.

Vilnius Are you hungry for something different? Visit the capital of Lithuania and see the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town.

WOW air offers flights between Vilnius and Iceland once a week during the summer.

WOW air offers flights to Warsaw from Iceland three times a week during the summer months and weekly from September to January and April and May. * Note that the availability of connecting flights between USA and Europe may vary depending on the flight frequency to each city. WOW air connects London, Bristol, Dublin, Berlin, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris and Stockholm to Boston, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco in the US and Toronto and Montréal in Canada

Issue six 101

This and that …

mostly this

by Fjóla Helgadóttir

QuizUp the TV show!

Let Bieber show you!

NBC has announced they will be turning the Icelandic megahit game app, QuizUp in to a TV show! The TV show will have a multiplayer format like the gaming app itself with in-studio contestants competing against at-home viewers playing in real time on their mobile phones. Winning all eight rounds gives the in-studio contestant the possibility of winning up to one million US dollars! At-home contestants can win too of course. They‘re able to win the money assigned to each round. To qualify for competing in-studio or at home, candidates must successfully pass a trivia quiz. Even those who don’t pass or do not have the mobile app can play while watching, with the questions and answers synchronized with the broadcast. Game on people!

Thanks to Justin Bieber every­ one on the planet now knows about Iceland. Bieber visited us in September, and in October we found out, along with the rest of

Walk around

the world, what he was actually doing here. Shooting a video! The video to his song “I’ll Show You” shows some of the most amazing landscapes this beautiful island of

ours has to offer. In fact, we won’t be surprised if teenage girls start flocking to Iceland to see some of Bieber’s shooting locations.

Whatever keeps the youth inter­ ested in Mother Nature, right? We see what you did there Bieber, good one!

Wapp is a brand new and innovative Icelandic walking app that will take you on a hiking tour and help you have your own Icelandic adventure outdoors using GPS-activated pop-up facts, stories and photos from the area. The trails are of great variety and the experience meaningful and joyful. It’s not just about the reaching a destination but also about enjoying the overall experience on the way.

Try the new variety of trails in Iceland equipped with the important safety measure of always knowing your location as the route progresses.

The Wapp’s main features entail: 1.

A display of varied trails in Iceland, using your phone as a personal travel guide.

2.

Storing trails on your phone for offline use.

3.

Collection of nearby trails easily visible and accessible on your phone.

4.

Opens up possibilities of diverse trips or exploring new areas.

5.

Simple search by length of trip, elevation, difficulty or territory.

The Wapp can be downloaded for free from Appstore and Playstore and offers a few free trails for you to test. Try the Reykjavik Walk (see page 68-70).

LazyTown to win an Emmy?

The Icelandic children’s program, LazyTown has been nominated for an International Emmy Award in the Kids: Preschool category. The ceremony will take place on 5 April 2016. The show’s creator, Magnús Scheving, who also plays the role of Sportacus, was nominated in 2007 for outstanding directing in a children’s series and the year before Julianna Rose Mauriello, who plays the role of Stephanie, was nominated as an outstanding performer in a children’s series. The show has gained massive popularity and is aired in 170 countries in more than 20 languages. Go LazyTown!

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Icelandic films are on a roll!

The Icelandic movie Þrestir (Sparrows) recently won the Golden Shell Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Þrestir tells the story of a sixteen year old boy who moves to a remote fishing town in the Westfjords in the hopes of reconnecting with his father.

Rúnar Rúnarsson, who wrote the script and directed the film, received an Oscar nomination for best short film in 2006 for his film Síðasti bærinn.

This and that …

mostly this

Another film award!

Fischer’s Pawn Sacrifice Back in 1972 the World Chess Championship was held in Iceland with Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer competing against each other for a shot at the title. Pawn Sacrifice, a biopic about Fischer’s life was released last September, portraying the events of the World Chess Championship, with Tobey Maguire as Fischer and Liev Schreiber as

Spassky. The film tells the story of Fischer’s childhood and offers some insight into the life of this peculiar genius, who, at the age of fourteen was the youngest person ever to win the U.S Chess Championship. A must see for all lovers of biographical films, chess and of course the lovers of Iceland.

The Icelandic film Fúsi (Virgin Mountain) won the Nordic Film Prize last October having previously won three of the main awards at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York last spring; Dagur Kári Pétursson, who wrote the script and directed the film, won for Best Screenplay, Gunnar Jónsson who plays the main character Fúsi, won for Best Actor and the film won Best Narrative Feature. The film tells the story of Fúsi who, in his forties, still lives with his mother and doesn’t have the courage to leave home.

“Great first meal in Reykjavik” “Amazing food, excellent staff” “Best restaurant in Iceland”

Scandinavian cuisine Hönnun: Marknet ehf.

Enjoy a four course Icelandic set menu in one of Reykjaviks oldest buildings

Lækjarbrekka restaurant - Bankastraeti 2, 101 Reykjavik - Tel: (+354) 551 4430 - www.laekjarbrekka.is - info@laekjarbrekka.is Issue six 103

This and that …

mostly this

Go float about Float is a water therapy product designed to give users a relaxing water experience.

Float is available as a cap and a pair of floating aid straps for legs offering a weightless and stress-free time in the swimming pool. Swimming pools all over the capital area have started offering float sessions and there is even a special Northern Lights floating tour available that takes you to a secret lagoon outside Reykjavik (www.floatingtours. com). The swimming pools at Garðabær and Álftanes now offer floating sessions once a month. In the swimming pool in Ásgarður in Garðabær there’s a session on Fridays at 7 pm to 8 pm with dates including 18 December, 15 January and 19 February. And at the swimming pool in Álftanes on Saturdays at 11 am to 11:45 am with dates including 5 December, 2 January, 6 February and 18 March. Float caps are available for loan on site and guests only pay the admission to the pools. This is probably the cheapest but most unique and relaxing spa session you’ll ever try.

For more information on Float visit www.float.is

--------------------------------------------

Laugavegur 130 við Hlemm TEL : 5522444, 692- 0564

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WOW Power to the people

many famous people are regulars here

RESTAURANT

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Free the nipple wins an award Adda Smáradóttir, a college student in Reykjavík, started a revolution on the morning of 26 March 2015 when, as a sign of protest, she posted a picture of her naked breasts on Twitter. A fellow male student publicly criticized her actions and soon hundreds of girls and women in Iceland showed their support to Adda by posting pictures of their breasts on Twitter and Facebook. At the same time these women protested the double standards set by society in which women need to cover their

nipple area while men don‘t. Adda, who was only sixteen at the time, recently won an award in Taiwan for her act of bravery and for starting the national #freethenipple revolution in Iceland.

“You don’t decide what makes your heart beat.

It just beats.”

Páll Óskar, Iceland’s biggest pop icon and former Eurovision contestant has always been untiring in his efforts to show the Icelandic people that love is love no matter what. Páll Óskar is the front man every year at the Reykjavik Pride Parade and the most famous gay person in Iceland who people look up to him and honor in his fight in LBGT matters. Páll Óskar recently appeared on “Stundin okkar,” The National Broadcasting Service of Iceland’s oldest children’s program, to talk about homosexuality to the next generation. It was pretty easy for him to explain: “I’m never going to have any girlfriends. Because I don’t get crushes on girls…I get crushes on guys, because I’m gay.” When asked more about what that meant he replied: “You don’t decide what makes your heart beat. It just beats.”

This and that …

mostly this

Daily tours

all year round

e golden circ h T le

a on nowmobilin ds g an

BBC Earth recently showed a TV pro­gram with journalist Melissa Hogenboom who came to Iceland in search for elves and trolls. Hogenboom did not find any elves or trolls but she did discover some interesting Icelandic folklore and myths. Hogenboom met Terry Gunnell, a professor in Folk­loristics at the University of Ice­land who told the journalist of the misfor­tunes of road builders in the seventies while working on the road Álfhólsvegur, which means Elf-hill-road, in Kópavogur. Gunnell says in the TV program that pipes burst, build­ing equipment broke down, bull­dozers stopped working and cars would break down in the middle of the road. Although you might not come across any elves or trolls during your stay in Iceland, it’s worth looking for Álfhólsvegur Road in Kópavogur, and see how the street itself swerves past a small hill of rocks. Building a road in the elves’ living room—now that’s just rude!

super truc k

Do you believe in elves?

Take a look at Hera

The super talented actress Hera Hilmars, most recently known for her role in the movie Vonarstræti (Life in a Fishbowl) is up for the role of Ben Kingsley’s lover in the movie An Ordinary Man. Kingsley plays the part of a war criminal in hiding who starts a love affair with his maid played by Hera. As searchers close in on him he realizes she is the only one he can trust. Sounds thrilling!

Tel. (+354) 580 9900 ice@mountaineers.is www.mountaineers.is

Your Ticket to Adventure Issue six 105

Hey

look!

What’s going on over here?

Quite a lot actually, and if you know where to go you can live each night in Iceland like there’s a full blown festival going on.

What: Mass of St. Thorlac When: December 23 Where: All around the country Mass of St. Thorlac (Þorláksmessa) is a big part of the Icelandic Christmas tradition. For many families this is the day to put up the Christmas tree and decorate it and this is also a big night for last minute shopping before Christmas (not unlike Christmas Eve in the U.S.). In downtown Reykjavik, people will be rushing from store to store to buy the last presents for their loved ones and also settling in at cozy bars and cafés to meet friends and have fun before the holy days.

Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur in Reykjavik are lined with musicians making the atmosphere festive so you can feel the true Christmas spirit.

If you find yourself in Reykjavík (or any town center that has restaurants) during Þorláksmessa you’ll discover a strange odor coming from some of the restaurants. That is the smell of fermented skate and the taste is similar to the smell. Use this opportunity to have a proper taste of this well known traditional food.

What: New Year’s Eve When: December 31 Where: All around the country If there is one night to celebrate in Iceland it is New Year’s Eve. Family and friends come together in their best dresses, enjoying a good meal partying throughout the night. The main event during New Year’s Eve for the locals is the Annual Comedy Revue broadcasted by the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV), which people will talk about for days after whether it was good or not. Going to bonfires and shooting up a whole lot of fireworks illuminating every village, town and city in beautiful colors is also on the agenda. It is well known that Icelanders are mad about fireworks during New Year’s Eve and it is truly a sight to behold. If you are in the capital feel free to hit downtown (start

by Hallgrímskirkja Church before midnight) for one of best parties in the world.

What: The last day of Christmas When: January 6 Where: All around the country

What: Moses Hightower Where: Húrra, Tryggvagata 22 When: December 26 from 20:00-22:00 Moses Hightower is an exciting band which has released two 10-track al­bums that both got outstanding re­ views. Here you get a good oppor­­tunity to see one of Iceland’s top indie bands perform at a local bar. You simply show up at Húrra, at Tryggva­gata 22, before 8 PM in down­­town Reykjavík and have a good night out.

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Generally known as Þrettándinn (The Thirteenth) in Icelandic, the last day of Christmas is the day when creatures out of this world will be more visible than other days. The Thirteenth marks the thirteenth day of Christmas and the day that the last Yule Lad leaves town and heads back to the mountains. People should be on special alert this night as it is believed that on this day cows can talk, and those who hear them loose their sanity as a result, so stay away from farm animals during this day. If that isn’t enough, elves and fairies look for new dwelling place during this time so they will be more visible than on other days of the year.

In ancient days the thirteenth was actually the day people celebrated the birth of Christ but in the 18th century this was changed and Christmas was moved to the 24th of December. For the next two centuries the day was actually nicknamed “The Old Yule.” Today Icelanders celebrate the Thirteenth in a similar fashion as New Year’s Eve by lighting bonfires, shooting up fireworks and partying with elves, trolls and the last of the Yule Lads before they disappear again for another year. Wherever you stay during this day ask a local to direct you to the nearest bonfire for a fun night out.

Vodafone 4G

Choose Vodafone Iceland With Vodafone, you gain access to an extensive 4G network in Iceland with excellent 3G/4G roaming connectivity, no matter whether you’re on sea or land. Share your memories by using Vodafone’s prepaid mobile starter kit with voice and data.

Vodafone Power to you

PHOTO Buy your prepaid SIM card at BSI bus terminal, Vodafone stores, N1 gas stations all around Iceland, and at our network of resellers.

Issue six 107

What’s going on over here?

What: KEX Jazz Where: KEX Hostel, Skúlagata 28 When: Every Tuesday from 8:30-10 PM Did you know that every Tuesday live jazz performances are held at KEX-Hostel? Throughout the years a great variety of artists have performed at KEX Jazz making it well known for music lovers in Iceland.

Jazz it up in Reykjavik simply by showing up and enjoying great music in good company.

Hey

look!

What: Thorri When: Late January Where: All around Iceland

What: Kristján Jóhannsson’s Christmas Concert Where: Harpa Concert Hall When: December 6 One of Iceland’s most beloved tenors will be performing a Christmas concert on December 6 at the Harpa Concert Hall.

Experience the voice of Jóhannsson and fill your soul with Christmas spirit.

Tickets are available at www.tix.is.

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WOW Power to the people

Þorrablót is a pagan midwinter feast were the food served is of particular note. In ancient times the blót meant a sacrifice, probably to the Norse god Thor, to ensure the survival of the household during this last and most trying of winter months. This pagan ritual disappeared after the Christianization of Iceland but during this country’s period of romantic nationalism a festival named Thorrablot was introduced and is still popular today.

But back to the food, which is the biggest part of modern Thorri festivities. The old food of Iceland’s rural regions is what’s for dinner. In the old days all parts of slaughtered animals were utilized and eaten. It was at a time when food was scarce and preservation was crucial. Preservation before the time of refrigerators and freezers often meant curing or pickling the meat and offal in whey but also smoking it, drying it and/or salting it. During Thorri, Icelanders get together and eat these questionable delicacies and some even love them. But what is served during a Þorrablót? Here are some examples: singed sheep heads, pickled ram testicles, pickled blood pudding, rotten shark, dried fish and pickled whale blubber to name just a few. Tempted? Ask a local to guide you to a restaurant serving traditional Thorri food and bon appetit.

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All the watches are designed and assembled by hand in Iceland. Only highest quality movements and materials are used to produce the watches and every single detail has been given the time needed for perfection. www.jswatch.com

Issue six 109

Libra

23 September - 23 October

Aries

21 March - 19 April Yep—you’ve done it again; and after we tried to warn you and everything. Your carefully chosen and timely bought Christmas presents are hidden and you don’t remember where.

FYI, they’re in the back of your closet. Now let’s just hope you read your WOW horoscope before Christmas. If not—just pretend you’re Aquarius.

Taurus

20 April - 20 May Procrastination is the name of your game so as always you wait until the last moment to buy Christmas presents for your loved ones.

This will result in some weird choices that will affect you all through 2016.

Gemini

21 May - 21 June You decided last year that this year would be different but you just realized that it was exactly the same minus that cat incident. Well done Gemini. 2016 will be more of the same.

You went a little crazy with the baking this year and are having problems giving those yummy cookies away. The stars have just teleported their address into you mind and are looking forward to your package. In return they will sprinkle a lot of good things in you path for 2016. Stay tuned.

Scorpio

24 October - 21 November When will you realize that sex toys are not a good Christmas present?—not for your new romantic partner, not for your parents and definitely not for your favorite co-worker or boss. Your social life will take a quick dive in the beginning of 2016 but they’ll get over it eventually.

Sagittarius

22 November - 21 December Your handmade presents will not impress anyone except your grandmother. Perhaps you should actually learn a skill before you try and create something for others, hmm? On the bright side the stars predict that you will need a new hobby for 2016.

Capricorn

22 December - 19 January

Cancer

22 June - 22 July As last issue’s horoscope predicted, you founded your own cult and you’re now regrett­ing it since you have very few followers and you forgot all about Christmas. Rookie mistake! In 2016 you will change the rules and gain more followers because of it.

Leo

23 July - 22 August You know what everyone else wants for Christmas but you decide to buy it all for yourself instead and post it on Facebook to make them jealous. Seeing that so many people now want what you have this will have amazing effects on your social life in 2016.

You spent 2015 handcrafting all your Christmas presents so you wouldn’t go over your budget this time. When the holidays draw nearer you will however get sucked into the material cheer wanting to give everyone a little something extra. The stars do see you losing your holiday weight faster than anyone in 2016 though, so there’s a plus.

Aquarius

20 January - 18 February Sending out Christmas presents in January?

Why not? It shows people that you’re not bound by tradition and the expectations of others. Good for you. You know it says 2016 on the calendar but you’re still living it up like it’s 2005.

Pisces Virgo

23 August - 22 September You’ll have a slight panic attack when you realize that your Christmas tree will never look like the ones in the magazines because other people wrap presents too and then send them to you, totally destroying the theme of your own artfully wrapped gifts. Eeugh! 2016 will begin normally but when you send out that “Guide to Christmas Wrapping” in September you will lose a few friends.

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WOW Power to the people

19 February - 20 March You bought the Christmas presents early but unlike Aries you know where you hid them.

The only problem is that you’ve been second guessing every one thinking you made the wrong choice. In 2016 you will try to get to know people better so you won’t have to live through this agony ever again.

Disclaimer: This horoscope is total and utter nonsence. Any accuracies, real or imagined by readers, are purely incidental.

Issue six 111

WOW Sudoku But how do I do it?

Really, really bored? Here are a few sudokus to make time fly.

The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: Each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. What could be simpler?

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WOW Power Power to to the the people people

Issue six 113

The Traveling Inquisition

What‘s so funny?

In downtown Reykjavik, Gísli Johann along with his group the Goldengang are bringing stand-up comedy in English every Monday night, and from December 2015, Wednesday nights too, to Gaukurinn, a bar on Tryggvagata 22, where he and 10-20 comedians one after the other perform their short and often hilarious stints.

by Paul Michael Herman / Photos: From private collection

Standing up The leader of the group, Gísli Jóhann, the young man who got this “show on the road” has appar­ ently found his niche. Gísli explains how he got into stand-up.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of stand-up. I re­­­ member when I was ten, watching my first hour special with my dad. I didn’t understand a lot of what was being said but it felt funny and I liked it and I wanted to see more. As I grew up it nev­­er occurred to me that this could be an actual profession for me. Then around Christmas 2014, I was working as a machinist standing in front of a machine 8-10 hours a day listening to podcast comedians the whole time. I felt that rather than standing there, I should be sitting in a group of comedians joking around with them. So I looked into it, found an open mic and on the 5th of February 2015, I was on stage telling jokes. I haven‘t stopped since.”

“I want to make stand-up comedy more popular in Iceland and Icelandic standup comedy more popular internationally.”

The Goldengang emerges When asked to describe his experience, Gísli says: “Amazing! It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. I quit my job to do this and yes, it has been rough.

To start out, most comedians just get paid in beer which doesn’t pay the bills, but it’s been incredibly rewarding in so many other ways.”

For the first few months Gísli had no income and no place of his own to stay so it was sometimes only one meal a day and then a friend’s couch at night. But Gísli wasn’t expecting it to be easy and hardship does make great material for comedy. When asked how it’s been over the past six months, Gísli explains...

“By performing, I was able to attract the attention of other comedians until we eventually formed a group. Since May, we’ve had a show on every Monday that has expanded exponentially both in terms of comedians per­­­ forming and the size of the audience. The show features Icelandic comedy in English and because it’s an open mic we are also getting a lot of travel­­­ing comedians jumping in to perform.

“We started out as 6 comedians performing in front of 20 people. Now it’s up to 20 comedians performing in front of 120-150 people each week.

Because of this show we’ve made friends with other comedy groups from other countries and we are working on bringing in international talent, thereby creating opportunities for our comedians to be discovered.”

Check out the culture “I want to make stand-up comedy more popular in Iceland and Icelandic stand-up comedy more popular internationally,” Gísli says when asked about his vision for the future.

What would a comedian recommend for people visiting Iceland? “Spend money. We love money. Seriously though, I’d recommend people take the time to explore Iceland’s culture and nightlife. Reykjavik, for example has everything you’d find in any other bustling city. Nightclubs, live music, art and now Icelandic stand-up comedy in English.”

Gísli (now) has his apartment, his plans and his passion and thanks to his good sense of humor, Iceland has a lot more to laugh about and perhaps soon the world. v

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Issue six 115 www.cintamani.is | Bankastræti 7 | Austurhraun 3 | Smáralind | Kringlan

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