Iceland stays in the picture

Iceland is looking pretty good at the moment. At least in these photos.

Our old friend Helga Kvam still makes Iceland look like a million ~~krónas~~ dollars. For a sample of some of her nicest Iceland pictures, just click on the slideshow below or see the fullscreen version here.

And hey — if seeing this makes you want to see more of Iceland, you know how to get there. Just saying.

More Iceland photos: Iceland by Rebekka | Helga Kvam was here | New York Times: Iceland’s Ring Road

Update: If you’re in Germany should check out the film Island 63° 66° N by Stefan Erdmann: "Eine phantastische Reise durch ein phantastisches Land."

30 October 2008 – 10:02 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, nature, Helga Kvam, photography | Comments (6)

In Iceland, we’re suddenly feeling so cheap

The Icelandic krona’s loss is your gain as coming to Iceland has never been less expensive than now.

Icelandic Krona In the past few weeks the Icelandic króna (a.k.a. “funny money”) has been going through a Keith Richards-scale hangover and looking increasingly like the love child of Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty.

But every cloud has a silver lining and what all this means for you is that Reykjavík has never been cheaper to visit.

The price of a day tour of the Golden Circle is down to around £45/€57, entry to the Blue Lagoon is £12/€16, and (entirely unrelated) a pack of Durex PleasureMax Warming condoms is down to £7/€9.

Even the price of beer in a Reykjavík bar has reached the level where you could potentially afford to buy us one. (Just kidding.)

In short, now would be a good time to spread the wealth and book a cheap flight, an Icelandic day-tour or even an old-fashioned (not really) package tour.

More on how cheap we are here: Seven Things to Do in Iceland (Why You Should Go Right Now!)

23 October 2008 – 10:03 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland, Icelandic Krona | Comments (2)

Icelandic Music 101:
FM Belfast

Imagine a Teenage Ninja Turtle having an affair with 2 Unlimited while MC Hammer and Scooter watch from the wardrobe.

One of Reykjavík’s most popular electo bands, FM Belfast throws together samples from all manner of 80s and 90s hits to form a fast-paced barrage of unexpectedly introspective dance music. The boy-girl-boy trio is also famous for an interesting line in cover versions and ~~nerds~~ experts may spot tracks from Rage Against The Machine and Technotronic creeping into their set.

All of which we fear will be included on their new as yet untitled album — out soon! — making us want to pump up some jam and wear neon leggings again. Blast!

More FM Belfast: Myspace | Dancenova | Last.fm | Flickr | YouTube

Previously on Icelandic Music 101: Ghostigital, GusGus, Jeff Who?, Amiina, and múm.

5 August 2008 – 10:22 | By Ben | Posted in iceland, icelandic music, Icelandic bands | Comments (0)

Something for August: The Party Time, Excellent Edition

A round-up of things to do in Iceland this August, as prepared by your festively inclined editors.

1-4 August: Verslunarmannahelgi. The wildest and most unpronounceable party in ~~the universe~~ Iceland is Þjóðhátíð, in the Westman Islands. Thousands flock to the tiny island of Heimaey to drink, dance, sing, and “get to know each other.” It’s no coincidence that most Icelanders have their birthdays in April. Naked Twister anyone?

7-10 August: Reykjavik Gay Pride. It’s the time to frock up, put on some red lippy and flutter those fake eyelashes. Oh, and ladies are also welcome of course. It’ll be like Eurovision all over again!

23 August: Reykjavik Marathon and Culture Night. Men and women panting, sweating and wearing tight clothing? Yep, we’re talking about the internationally renowned Reykjavík Marathon of course. All that running should get the blood pumping for Culture Night, a smorgasbord of pick-and-mix amusements that include art, music, dance, theatre, et cetera. And the best bit? It’s free!

26-30 August: Reykjavik Jazz Festival. The best of the burgeoning Nordic jazz scene, where there’ll be lots of trumpets, saxophones and other instruments that make lots of noise.

28-31 August: Tango Festival. Sexy, sassy and seductive. Oh and we hear there’ll be dancing too. If the Funky Chicken Dance doesn’t score any dates on a Saturday night out, then maybe a little tango will help spice things up.

31 July 2008 – 13:58 | By Iris | Posted in drinking, music, events, Reykjavík Jazz Festival, Festivals, gay pride, Reykjavík Culture Night | Comments (0)

A Series of Unfortunate Icelandic Animals, Part One: The Wolf Fish

In the first installment of this important new series, we take a closer look at the piscatorial world’s answer to Keith Richards.

Also known as the Atlantic Catfish, Sea Wolf, Wolf Eel and Anarhichas lupus (which, funnily enough, were all names for lesser known 80s hair metal groups), the Wolf Fish looks its seen a thousand badly-behaved boozy world tours and has the scars and dodgy teeth to prove it.

A larger specimen would happily would eat your hand for dinner before downing a few rocks as an digestif — its Icelandic name Steinbítur translates as ‘stone biter’ — due to some incredibly powerful jaws and a set of fangs that would put Ronaldinho’s vampire double (pictured here) to shame.

But in spite of having looks that only Shane McGowan’s mum could love, this grey monstrosity is a much sought after sport fish. Caught in the deeper seas a few kilometres from Reykjavik, it apparently provides a worthy battle once hooked and attracts serious deep sea anglers (both of them) to holiday in Iceland on a regular basis.

A variety of lures, attractors, fishy baits (clam meat is a real winner) and bits of dead animal are used to tempt the beast from its cave — we use the same trick on our head of IT — but reports surrounding the use of inflatable life-sized ‘Miss Wolf Fish’ lures are unconfirmed at the time of writing.

More Wolf Fish: Flickr | YouTube | Wikipedia | Google Image Search | Khoi Vinh

Photo kindly provided by Daniel. Thanks Daniel, you’re a star in the face of the sky.

18 July 2008 – 16:27 | By Ben | Posted in animals, fish | Comments (1)

Five things to remember when visiting Iceland

Think you’re ready to take the plunge? Here’s your survival kit.

1. Bring a bathing suit. Iceland’s national sport is swimming. (”Swimming” here loosely defined as sitting in a hot tub talking.) There are about 200 swimming pools in Iceland, and you could say they’re the Icelandic equivalent of the English pub. Oh, and the hot pots are a great place to ~~pick up~~ gossip with the locals.

2. Bring batteries. To keep going and going and going. You’ll need stamina and durability to party like the locals. The bars and clubs in Reykjavik are kind of like Icelandic nature, wild and untamed (unless you hit the town before midnight, when you’ll find it similar in other ways — desolate and frigid). Hot spots include Kaffibarinn and for the “happy” folk, Q-Bar.

3. Learn some Icelandic. Just the most commonly used Icelandic phrases should do it…

“Kemur þú oft hingað?” (Translation: “So, do you come here often?”)
“Ég myndi kaupa handa þér drykk ef það væri ekki svona dýrt, getum við ekki bara farið beint heim til mín?” (Translation: “I’d like to buy you a drink but it’s so expensive, let’s just skip it and go straight back to my place”).

Click for some more Icelandic lessons.

4. Dress like a local. Why not leave the hiking boots and brightly colored raincoats in the hotel room when walking downtown Reykjavik? (Although it does make “spot the foreigner” so much more fun when you don’t). In order to blend in, you’ll definitely need a Lopapeysa (traditional Icelandic jumper). But like a true local, you’ll need to rip off the lopapeysa and bare those pasty-white arms once the temperature hits 10 degrees and a sun ray peeps out.

5. Bring a paper clip. Iceland is full of extremes. You know, the landscape (fire, ice, et cetera), the people (naughty, nice, et cetera), the weather (rain, shine, et cetera). You’ll need a paper clip to hold it all together. And maybe a flashlight wouldn’t be a bad idea either, especially in winter.

7 July 2008 – 10:24 | By Iris | Posted in iceland, nightlife, Bars in Iceland, clubs, swimming pools, icelandic sweaters | Comments (3)

Hidden People of the World Unite

With all these elves, trolls and hidden people mucking about, the question isn’t only whether they exist, but also whether people actually believe they exist.

So do they or don’t they? No, we’re not talking about Santa Claus or The Tooth Fairy — we all know they’re for real — we’re talking about the Hidden People. You know, elves and trolls and things.

What are these things? Well, after some serious investigative journalism (not really) here’s what we’ve come up with:

While elves are usually benevolent creatures that live between heaven and earth, a few mean-spirited elves sometimes try to lure humans into their world by having them accept delicious food or gold bracelets.

Now, trolls on the other hand are hideous, greedy creatures who have been banished to the deep underworld. If they are caught above ground at daylight they turn into stone, which explains some of country’s unusual rock formations.

Spooky. Generally speaking though, a good rule of thumb is that the hidden people won’t harm you unless you disturb theim or interrupt their way of life (sort of like the Americans, actually).

So do Icelanders really belive this, or is it just something that’s good for selling trinkets to tourists? Well it’s not as if the design of new roads or building sites is changed to avoid disturbing the hidden people. Or that several organizations in Iceland have employed folklore researchers to determine the impact of construction projects on the hidden communities.

Um, actually, yes they do.

So forget Big Foot and Loch Ness, come and explore the world of the mystical beings or take courses in “elf studies” from the (somewhat disreputable) Icelandic Elf School. With your diploma in hand, you too can be employed by the government as a “consultant” dedicated to finding a harmonious existence with these mystical beings so that everyone can live happily ever after. The End.

More about The Hidden People: Iceland Tourist Board | Icelandic Wonders | Iceland Mythology | The Travel Rag

27 June 2008 – 13:34 | By Iris | Posted in iceland, hidden people, elves, trolls | Comments (1)

Viking Festival: Come If You Dare

Where's your sword? What’s big, burly and grunts a lot… (apart from your grandmother)? An Icelandic Viking of course! For those of you who missed the original Vikings the first time, the town of Hafnarfjörður has brought them back for a best-of reunion tour.

This year, the International Viking Festival takes over the town from 12-16 June. The festival demonstrates most aspects of Viking life and culture, including ships, “cuisine”, handcraft, storytelling, archery, games, music, and battle reenactments.

Before you get too excited, we’ve heard that they leave out all the best bits… you know, the burning, pillaging, slaughtering and stealing that the Vikings are most renowned for. Oh well, we guess it could still be fun (sigh).

The Festival is all about authenticity and re-creating Viking life in detail. We wonder, however, if their commitment to realism will include the full sensory effect. Given the primitive state of the sewage system, the tendency to keep farmyard animals in their bedrooms, and the number of un-refrigerated dead fish (and human carcasses) hanging around, one would imagine that the olfactory aspect would be an important element of the experience. And it would definitely help to build one’s appetite for that traditional Viking feast! Pass the blood sausage and a nose clip, please.

For all you wannabe maurauders out there, you might even be lucky enough to score a date with a beautiful Icelandic Viking woman! So what are you waiting for? Come along to the festival. Bring your sword, battle axe (no, not your wife) and get into the Viking spirit!

Viking Festival Info | Flickr Set

9 June 2008 – 14:12 | By Iris | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, Festivals | Comments (2)

Back to Nature for Björk and Sigur Rós

Industrial magnates of the world beware. Icelandic ~~elves~~ artists are striking back.

Breaking news! Björk and Sigur Rós are not too thrilled at all about highly pollutant aluminum smelters being built left, right and center in Iceland.

The musical pair are dedicated to environmental issues and feel as if the Icelandic image of, you know, like purity and unspoilt nature and all, is being tarnished by the ever-increasing number of heavy-industry factories being built all around the country.

On 28 June, the divine duo will perform together at a free, open air concert in Reykjavík, in an attempt to raise awareness for the issue, and we want you to be there.

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, Friedrichshafen, Gothenburg, and Basel.

Travel Period:
25 June to 2 July 2008.

Booking Period:
Right Now - 9 June, 23:59 GMT.

Return fares, including taxes and charges, from:

₤148
€195
DKK 1489
SEK 1828
ISK 20.170

Legal Stuff: Act fast - limited dates and seats.

UPDATE: SORRY, THE ICEBREAKER SALE IS FINISHED, BUT DO CHECK OUR EXTREMELY MODERATE REGULAR AIRFARES TO ICELAND. AFTER ALL, THE CONCERT IS FREE FOLKS!

Ready to get your environmental groove on?
You’re missing out - Book Now!

More concert info: Björk | Sigur Rós | I Love Icelandic Music

In case you missed it the first time: Book a Seat!

6 June 2008 – 14:18 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (2)

Everybody Loves a Last Minute Deal

Quick on the draw? We’ve got 1000 seats for ₤49 on sale until tomorrow night. Get clicking!

Seven airports, a bunch of low fares, one great destination!

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, and Basel

Travel Period:
1 June to 15 June 2008

Booking Period:
Right Now - 23:59 GMT, 30 May 2008

One-way fares, including taxes and charges, from:

₤49
€60
DKK 470
SEK 580
ISK 6.990

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
You’re missing out - Book Now!

29 May 2008 – 15:15 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (5)

We Love Björk as Much as Everyone Else

But we’re not going to make a fake video about her.

Sometimes we stumble across things online that make us really wonder about the fate of humanity.

Then we leave Oprah.com.

But even the rest of the Net seems to be jammed with people stalking celebrities or taping themselves doing borderline illegal things with Mexican food. Or both.

We won’t claim that this video is funny, but at least it portrays Iceland’s most famous daughter doing something other than beating the crap out of a reporter.

20 May 2008 – 10:36 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, icelandic music | Comments (5)

Something for May: The Concerts are Coming Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this May, as prepared by your ticket-holding editors.

Icelanders aren’t much for people who whine about what’s wrong in the world, but they sure are excited about Bob Dylan’s concert 26 May. Just like a woman.
Rite of Spring Festival returns 17-19 May. It’s like Airwaves for the folk, jazz, and world music scene, except people might actually remember it the following day.
Speaking of old-people music, John Fogerty will try to slip some non-Credence Clearwater Revival tunes by the crowd 21 May. It’ll give you a chance to grab a beer.
How about something for nothing? Only if you’re fast. There’s a free Midday Concert in Hafnarborg 1 May. Book now!
It’s never too early for a blunt. James Blunt visits the joint 12 June. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

And hey - let’s be careful out there.

1 May 2008 – 9:02 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Festivals, concerts | Comments (0)

The Little Gay Viking

Little Gay Viking? Maybe one out of three. There once was a little gay Viking. This friendly but misunderstood fellow spent all his time braiding horses’ manes and knitting colorful scarves. The village people liked him, until one day he got drunk on chocolate choo-choos at the summer festival and tried to kiss Thor, the blacksmith. Thor was really embarrassed and angry because he was more aroused than disgusted, so he locked him in a closet.

From that day on the little gay Viking, and all other little gay Vikings that came after him, had to hide their feelings or risk the consequences. But about 30 years ago a group formed to help. Samtökin 78 decided that all of the gay Vikings should be let out of the closet, and they somehow got the rest of the country (more or less) to agree.

These days the majority of Icelanders not only accept the lifestyle of their more fabulous countrymen and women, they even show up in droves every summer to celebrate their diversity with a Gay Pride parade.

So whether you’re a stromo, a judy, or a raging bear, Iceland has a special place for you - and we promise it won’t be in the closet.

Iceland’s gayest upcoming events:
17 May - Gay dance at Organ | 13-16 June - Leather Summit

Get the whole flaming story: Gayice

28 April 2008 – 14:45 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, events, concerts, clubs, life lessons, gay pride | Comments (3)

What to Name Your
Icelandic Baby

After that first blissful night in an Icelandic nightclub, the next thing you’ll want to do is have an Icelandic baby. This is perfectly understandable, but be warned: you’ll have to give it an Icelandic name. It’s the law.

You might frown at a rule dictating what you may or may not name your child, muttering something about freedom of choice, but you’ll soon find the rules helpful. After all, the more interesting your child’s name, the more interesting you yourself appear to be, so naming your kid Aðalbjörg will give you all sorts of cool cache. Plus it will prove to your friends and family that you’re finally shacking up with an Icelander.

But some Icelandic names sound disappointingly English, so avoid “Jón”, “Davið”, “Anna”, “María” and “Nóvember” at all costs. Instead, how about “Snjólaukur” for a boy, or “Grettisgata” for a girl? Whatever you do, do not name your baby “Björk” — it’s just trying too hard.

Hopefully you already understand about the Icelandic last-name conventions, which dictate that boys take their father’s first name and stick a “son” on the end of it and girls have to do the same with “dóttir”. And if you’re really, truly traditional you’ll give your son both his father’s first name and last name as a special treat — which is how the world was blessed with the likes of Magnus Magnusson.

But try to be original: there are many beautiful Icelandic names to choose from - some more pronounceable than others. Luckily, nearly all Icelanders are given nicknames that are shortened, easier versions of their birth-names at some point, which means that no matter what you choose to name your child, it will inevitably be known as either Siggi or Sigga in the end anyway. So much for cool cache.

Don’t take our word for it: before naming your baby you’d be wise to look up Wikipedia’s full list of genuine Icelandic names for boys and girls. And you can check their meanings here. Good luck!

18 April 2008 – 14:32 | By Annie | Posted in iceland, life lessons | Comments (7)

Insert Your Own Bad Spring Pun Here

We’re at it again!

Miss out on the concert giveaway last week? Have no fear - the Icebreaker’s here!

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Barcelona, and Alicante

Travel Period:
17 April - 14 May 2008

Booking Period:
16 April (noon GMT!) - midnight 17 April 2008

One-way fares, including taxes and charges, from:

₤56
€70
535 DKK
669 SEK

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
Get your seat before this deal melts away. Book Now!

16 April 2008 – 8:49 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (0)

Follow the Light

The first 100 people to book this Icebreaker deal will get free concert tickets, but everyone gets return tickets for ₤154!

The Þráður (Thread) music festival next weekend features some of Iceland’s hottest bands (see below), and we want to give you a free ticket. The first 100 people to book one of these special city break deals will walk in for free. That leaves lots of extra cash to buy the blonde at the end of the bar a drink.

*If you are one of the 100 lucky ticket winners you will pick up your pass at the venue (NASA).

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, and Berlin

Travel Period:
Depart 17 April, Return 21 April 2008

Booking Period:
Friom right now until 17 April 2008

Return fares, including taxes and charges, from*:

₤154
€190
DKK 1430

* Be sure to choose the correct currency during booking for the deal!

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
Come get your groove on, Iceland style. Book Now!

Some of the Thread bands: Halfdís Huld | President Bongo of GusGus | Brain Police | XXX Rottweiler Hundur

11 April 2008 – 18:43 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, DJs, concerts, GusGus, nasa, iceland socks | Comments (1)

Why Iceland Sucks Socks

Our new employees don’t sock around — they tell it like it is.

Need to say something to someone about Iceland but don’t dare do it in person? Let our new employees do your dirty work for you.

The Iceland Socks are a rag-tag bunch of loudmouth sock puppets with questionable taste in clothing. They seem to be traveling around Iceland and they’re not afraid to say what they think of it.

Or, to be more precise, they’re not afraid to say what you think of it.

Feed them some lines and cut a short film that doesn’t have to sound like it comes from the Icelandic Tourist Board. You can then send your masterpiece to a friend! Or a foe! Or the nearest film school!

Don’t sock around: Send a sock-o-gram now!

8 April 2008 – 7:31 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, nature, iceland socks | Comments (2)

Something for April: The Make Your Own Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this month, as prepared by your always-ready-to-satisfy-themselves editors.

Get packing. As far as official events go, April is a dead month. Spring is in the air and nobody wants to commit to being anywhere, at any time (except, perhaps, the pool — let’s say Saturday at noon?). So here are some suggestions to keep you busy this month:

Traveller’s Day corresponds to the first day of summer on the Viking Calendar. Celebrate with cheap bus tours, fishing trips and family events. We like our Traveller’s Day like we like our women: warm and inexpensive.
Go see some glaciers and rocks and things. Ok, it’s a shameless plug, but we know a few tour operators who will gladly show you around. Get on the bus.
You can walk off your hangover (and the twelve hot dogs you ate yesterday) with a hike up Mount Esja. A 15 minute drive from the capital, Esja offers a relatively easy hike to the best views around.
Find your next mad crush. In case you haven’t heard, Icelanders are rather good looking. And smart. And they don’t expect you to have great manners. You just may have a chance.

And hey — let’s be careful out there!

3 April 2008 – 14:20 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, hiking | Comments (2)

Why Stop at the Showers?

Iceland: The least likely place on earth to perfect your all-over tan.

Almost a year and a half ago we warned you about the nude bathing requirements at Reykjavík’s swimming pools. The inquiries from terrified travellers were overwhelming.

Do I really have to get, like, all the way undressed?

Are there any pools with private showers?

I’m circumcised… will that be a problem?

It seems that most people who visit Iceland haven’t been naked in public since the nurse slapped on their first diaper.

But we fear that we may have created a monster. Apparently some of you are becoming so comfortable with yourselves that the establishment has been forced to act. Notices prohibiting women from doing any ”personal grooming” in the showers have sprung up on changing room walls, and now this story appears in an Icelandic newspaper.

The article describes the rising popularity of topless sunbathing at public pools in Iceland and notes that, in most cases, while airing your lady lumps may get the attention of the 14-year-old boys swimming nearby, the pool staff couldn’t care less. At least they won’t kick you out for it.

In a poll of our Iceland Express office, nobody reports noticing an increase in nipple slips at public pools (although our Content Editor excitedly claims to have seen Páll Óskar lose his bottoms on the water slide at Sundlaug Vesturbaejar).

But closet exhibitionists rejoice - the weather is warming up, the sun is shining, and the tourists are on their way.

26 March 2008 – 12:58 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, swimming pools, gymnophobia, nudity, laugardalslaug | Comments (2)

Most Boring Iceland Review Stories of the Month

Iceland Review is a web news site and quarterly magazine specializing in all things Iceland. As a resource for foreigners interested in the goings-on of daily Icelandic life, it is about as good as you can get (other than this page, of course).

But here’s the thing: There are only, like, 300,000 people here. There just isn’t that much news.

Hence, The Most Boring Iceland Review Stories of the Month:

Central Bank Contemplates Measures for the Banks
-They must be taking a break from all the sing-alongs and finger painting.

Business Opportunities in Development
-Business Opportunities took 2007 off.

Senior Citizens in Reykjavík Satisfied
-Perhaps by the new business opportunities.

Iceland May Minimize Trans Fats
-Just maybe. Better check back daily for updates!

Supplement your blogging with some of IR’s more interesting stories here.

19 March 2008 – 15:27 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, life lessons | Comments (0)

An Introduction to
Icelandic Mannerisms

Want to avoid feeling out-of-place in Reykjavik? Never mind eating sheep testicles in an attempt to fit in — here are the important everyday customs you’ll really need to become a true Friend of Iceland.

Never eat soup with your fingers

Take off your shoes
If you’re lucky enough to get invited into the home of a genuine Icelandic person (yes, it has been known to happen) make sure you take your shoes off at the door. Walking wet sludge all over their brand new parquet flooring is considered bad manners. And watch out - the same rule applies at some swimming pools, doctor’s offices, and other public areas.

Whatever you do, don’t say hello to anybody
Never say “hi” to anybody you recognise. Not even if they spent the whole of last night propping up the bar with you, relaying their life-story. People don’t greet each other here until after they’ve had at least two beers — then you’re free to hug / laugh / cry / get married, whatever.

Eat everything with your cutlery
Icelanders haven’t yet realised that burgers are served between two pieces of bread precisely so you don’t need to use a knife and fork to eat them.

Don’t be a push-over
Don’t feel offended if you get shoved to the floor in bars. It’s not that Icelanders are rude, it’s just that you’re in their way. We advise you to smile brightly and push right back. You might make a friend that won’t say “hi” later.

It's not a custom, they're just cold

Get naked
Icelanders are notoriously hygienic. You must shower naked before you swim, paying special attention to your special areas. If you’re not sure which parts we mean exactly, refer to the classic Naked Androgynous Diagram.

You seem to have right-of-way
Don’t be surprised when cars slow down to let you cross in front of them; even if you never wanted to cross in the first place. It just gives everybody a chance to get a better look at you.

No Icelandic word for ‘please’
Say takk a lot to make up for it.

7 March 2008 – 15:49 | By Annie | Posted in iceland, food, life lessons | Comments (2)

Something for March: The Bleeding Gums Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this month, as prepared by your 8 Bar editors.

The Yardbirds don’t remember the 60’s, but you might. They join musicians from all over the world 18-21 March at the Reykjavík Blues Festival. Sad and happy at the same time.
So you’ve seen Spamalot four times… wouldn’t it be nice to see the New York City Players in an homage to old western movies in Iceland? The International Festival of Theater runs 6-9 March. Who needs Monty Python?
Help March go out like lamb by adopting your very own Icelandic sheep. Really. Use her wool, choose her lover, and even eat her children. Better hurry before Angelina Jolie and Madonna snap them all up!

And hey - let’s be careful out there!

28 February 2008 – 12:41 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Festivals, concerts | Comments (0)

Everyone Loves a Last Minute Deal

Quick on the draw? We’ve got 1000 seats for ₤49. Get clicking!

Seven airports, a bunch of low fares, one great destination!

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, and Basel

Travel Period:
1 June to 15 June 2008

Booking Period:
Right Now - 23:59 GMT, 30 May 2008

One-way fares, including taxes and charges, from:

₤49
€60
DKK 470
SEK 580
ISK 6.990

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
You’re missing out - Book Now!

27 February 2008 – 8:56 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (4)

We come from the land of the ice and snow…

…from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. Led Zeppelin screamed these words and unknowingly became the first “Friends of Iceland”.

If you’re famous, have been to Iceland once, and have said anything positive about the country, you are qualified to be an Íslandsvinur - A Friend of Iceland.

This honour is probably bestowed because we feel small in a global context and want to feel oh-so-glam, so we use that popular method employed by anyone feeling inferior – we namedrop. Kiefer, our friend with benefits When foreign friends are over we take them to Harrison Ford’s favourite Indian place, Ryan Philippe’s hang out hotel bar, and Damon Albarn’s does-he-still-own-it?-anyway-he-loves-it pub. And every girl you’ll meet here has received a drink or two from this or that chap. Especially this chap. –>

The first time celebs are here they might get some attention. But by the second and third time they’re here, they have gained the Friend of Iceland status and should be treated as a local celeb, i.e. coyly ignored except in queues outside the clubs. In this way, the celebs can get some privacy, and the Icelanders have something to blog about and tell their foreign friends.

We also like to spread our love of Iceland to all who visit. Even people that are here for work, like actors filming in Iceland, are said to have “fallen for Icelandic nature and leisure” simply because they spend their days off swimming, looking at Geysir, and going to clubs. If they buy an estate here it keeps the entire Icelandic nation happy for a month or so. Tarantino wearing Death itself

If the Íslandsvinur mentions that they were here in interviews it becomes headline news. Quentin Tarantino said horrible things about drunk Icelandic models on Conan O’Brian. However, he did like the snowmobile tour and he complimented Brennivín. This one was tricky, because of the drunken Icelandic women comments, but in the end his status as an Íslandsvinur remained because the girls he mentioned weren’t really supermodels (just regular Icelandic beauties) and he wore some Nonni Dead designs on various occasions after his visit. So it’s all good.

Oh, Robbie There’s only one man that is an enemy of Iceland – Robbie Williams. When he stepped out of his private jet, and Icelandic news casters bombarded him with questions about what he knew about Iceland, as well as the infamous question How do you like Iceland? his security guards brutally pushed them aside. So Robbie criminally said absolutely nothing about the beauty of Iceland or its women, even though he had been in the country for about 12 minutes. Furthermore, he walked off stage after 20 minutes of playing because someone threw a water bottle on stage. A sworn enemy indeed.

If you are not sure how to keep your cool around international celebrities, go to this bar and learn from the best.

21 February 2008 – 9:38 | By Margrét | Posted in iceland, nightlife, 101, designers, sirkus | Comments (0)

Iceland’s Contribution to the Iraq War, Part II

The search for Iceland’s troop continues. Let’s hope the war keeps going until she can go back!

18 February 2008 – 12:16 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland | Comments (0)

Iceland’s Contribution to the Iraq War, Part I

Iceland’s troop finds that her hand-knit wool sweaters are not appreciated in Baghdad.

15 February 2008 – 9:55 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, icelandic sweaters | Comments (2)

Get a Taste of Iceland

This is an appetiser, but you better believe that the main course is far more filling!

13 February 2008 – 11:41 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Bars in Iceland, 101, shopping, swimming pools | Comments (0)

Midwinter Bloating

Here in Iceland we’re currently in the thick of Þorrablót season—the traditional midwinter festival where people get together to eat rotten food and drink lots of Black Death. While it is commonly regarded by outsiders as merely a putrid-food drinkfest, there is a lot more to it than that.
Before Iceland adopted Christianity in 1000 AD, it was a Pagan society that worshipped the Norse gods. A blót was a celebration held in honor of the gods, and Þorrablót was held in the month of Þorri, which began in the 13th week of winter according to the Pagan calendar. Originally it was a sacrificial feast dedicated to the god Þór (Thor to you and me).
Save me an eyeball! Before 1000 AD, a brewing feud between Pagans and the growing number of Christians in the country threatened to erupt. The two sides each refused to acknowledge the laws of the other. Under the threat of imminent chaos, a decision was made to ask the Pagan Law Speaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði—who was known to be a pretty cool guy—to make a decision on behalf of the fledgling nation as to which laws it should uphold.
So old Þorgeir went and lagðist undir feld—literally ‘lay down beneath a skin’—in order to meditate on his decision (hence creating an idiom in the Icelandic language—when one needs to make a major decision they need to leggjast undir feld). He stayed there for a night and a day, and then declared that he felt it was most wise to adopt Christianity, although the pagans could still hold their celebratory feasts as long as they did so discreetly, i.e. in secret. Consequently the Þorrablót feasts went underground and, in addition to being a fun chance for a get-together, they presented an opportunity to finish off all those leftovers that had been preserved in… well, in whatever way was possible back then. And so Þorrablót became inextricably linked to things like cured (read: putrefied) shark, soured ram’s testicles, pickled whale blubber, sheep’s head jelly, soured intestines, and so on…
This carried on for centuries, until around 200 years ago someone decided that they probably wouldn’t be beheaded if they held the party out in the open. So today Þorrablót are held all over the country, replete with toasts to Thor (not really) and lots of the dubious delicacies described above (yes, really). No Pagan cloak required.

Have Your Own Þorrablót: Icecook | Jo’s Recipes

7 February 2008 – 8:15 | By Alda | Posted in iceland, Festivals | Comments (0)

Something for February:
The You Don’t Mess with Spring Edition

A round-up of things to do in Iceland this February, as prepared by your sickly-white editors.

Tell darkness to “smell it… smell it… NOW TAKE IT!” 7-9 February at the Winter Lights Festival. Bring a flashlight.
Fight racism with hip-hop at Gauk á Stöng 1 February. Don’t expect to see many Spanish football loyalists.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra performs Dark Days of Music 7 February. The title “Death of Music” was taken by Amy Winehouse.
Now that the weather has gone all winter on us, why not strap on a snow machine and carve a glacier? You know you want to.

And hey - let’s be careful out there.

31 January 2008 – 15:23 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Festivals | Comments (0)

The Most Depressing Day of the Year

Restricted Icelandic daylight hours could make the whole of our winter pretty depressing if we let it, but the 21st of January has been and gone — and your editors are still alive to tell the tale.

This is like watching Home Alone on LSD According to alleged university professor Dr Cliff Arnall, Monday the 21st of January is officially the most depressing day of the year. He can prove it too, with one dubious mathematical equation and rather obvious references to bad weather and early nightfall. The only way to avoid this, according to the “Doctor”, is to book a holiday — not a bad thought, but it doesn’t help his credibility.

Well, even we have to admit that on the surface, Iceland is an odd choice for an uplifting holiday. We only have two seasons: winter and spring, and at the moment it’s most definitely winter: cold, damp, and — thanks to being anchored on the edge of the Arctic Circle — mostly dark. And yet we only rank number 34 on the World Health Organization’s suicide rate list. A disappointing result for most Icelanders (who like to come first at everything).

If we keep our heads down, we can't smell the farts. Maybe it’s because what little winter light we do have is pretty spectacular. There’s the northern lights, of course, caused by a collision of charged particles in the Earth’s magnetosphere — whatever that means. And at this latitude dawn and dusk can last for hours, so in good weather (and by “good” we mean freezing cold and snowy) Iceland is an all-day sunset — cue uplifting fluffy pink skies!

So, most depressing day of the year? Pfft, we didn’t notice. We were all happily sitting indoors, ignoring the season completely, knowing that spring is just around the corner. In late May.

Shake your blues - book a northern lights tour with Iceland Excursions; go horse-riding in the snow with Ishestar; or just have a beer in candlelit Kaffibarinn with the locals. And hey, hows about a smile?

22 January 2008 – 9:49 | By Annie | Posted in iceland, wellness, northern lights, life lessons | Comments (1)

Because Nerds are Cool in Iceland

A laptop in Reykjavik is like a guitar-case on the continent: it doesn’t matter what you’re doing with it, just carrying one around increases your chances of getting lucky.

Stickers will get you laid Imagine using your computer in a pub back home; everybody would look at you like you’re barmy… before turning back to the television that’s blaring away in the corner, that is. Nearly all bars in Reykjavik are TV-free, thankfully, but what’s even better is that being a nerd is actually considered cool in Iceland, and you can surf the net in the pub without anybody thinking any the less of you for it.

Most bars offer free WiFi: just pull your computer out of your backpack and click to connect to the network. But make sure it’s the right brand of computer; Icelanders are generally trendier than most other nationalities, spending more money on over-priced hardware than anybody else, per capita. Of course, if you don’t own a Mac, you can always paint your PC white and slap an apple-shaped sticker on it — which would probably go down well in bars like Kaffibarinn where D.I.Y. fashion always wins you extra cool points.

Whose blog is that? Careful though, a few bars only offer net access at a price, but these places are money-grabbing tourist-traps which you hopefully wouldn’t be seen dead in anyway. On the other end of the scale, bars like b5 on Bankastræti not only offer free WiFi but will loan you a fancy MacBook to go with it, too. They don’t even charge — you just have to leave some ID behind the bar as insurance.

And remember, nobody has to know yo