The curious parking techniques and fashion-forward outfits are just a few ways Iceland is sure to leave an impression on an outsider.
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Icelanders are still feeling the consequences of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption. Yesterday a dark mist was lying over Reykjavík. Visibility was limited and people complained of a strange smell. Doctors advised those who are allergic or have weak lungs to stay inside.
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Click on the picture to watch an audio slideshow of a hike to Hraunsvatn lake in Öxnadalur valley in north Iceland, which lies at a height of 490 meters, interlocked between two steep mountains and a small glacier with a view of the majestic Hraundrangar peaks.
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Fjallabyggd (“Mountain Settlement”) is a skier’s dream. Its slopes are perfect for slaloming and there are also tracks for telemark skiing. Winter sporting enthusiasts can also go ice skating or rent snowmobiles. In summer, Fjallabyggd turns into a paradise for hikers. Read this special promotion about one of Iceland’s best hidden gems.
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Hundreds of liters of hot water flooded the showroom of Iceland’s Museum of Natural History, which houses the last Great Auk in Iceland, when a pipe burst yesterday.
Fire fighters were called to the scene to remove the almost 300 liters of water which leaked into the Museum’s showroom. It is suspected that frosty temperatures caused the pipe to burst. RÚV reports.
The water that leaked into the showroom was so hot that it resembled a sauna at one point. It is feared that many of the items on display at the Museum, including the stuffed Great Auk, can’t withstand the dampness which was created by the leak.
Gudmundur Karl Halldórsson, duty officer at Reykjavík fire department, told RÚV that after removing the water, a dehumidifier will be installed, to, hopefully, prevent damage to the items in the showroom.
The Great Auk, a giant black-and-white flightless bird, also known as garefowl, used to breed in Iceland and in other northern territories, but was hunted to extinction in 1844.
In 1971 Iceland’s Museum of Natural History acquired a stuffed Great Auk at an auction in London, which is Iceland’s only stuffed Great Auk and one of few in the world.
Three weeks ago, valuable documents were destroyed by yet another leak at the Natural History Museum. Álfheidur Ingadóttir, manager of the Museum, told RÚV that these incidents show that it is time to build a new Natural History Museum in Iceland.
The building which houses the current Museum is old and considered a temporary solution. There are no sensors in the building to indicate leaks.
Rúv.is reported this morning that the Great Auk did not suffer as much damage as earlier feared.
The second issue of the print edition of Iceland Review 2010 has just been published. Entitled “Under the Volcano” the magazine dedicates 20 pages, words and pictures, to the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull glacier which made headlines all over the word. New subscribers will receive the book Puffins as a gift and all subscribers are part of a draw to win a trip to Iceland. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.
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Future of Hope is an aptly named documentary directed by Henry Bateman about what some people are doing to shape the future of Iceland, hoping that above all, the crisis will ultimately strengthen the country.
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There can’t be many novels that are heralded as being “a purification for body and soul” recommended to “those who enjoy experimental cookery” (review of November Rain in DV newspaper) and “as beautiful as a painting from the golden age” (review of The Offspring by Danish newspaper Politiken). However, Reykjavík based writer, Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir, has attracted such attention not to mention literary prizes.
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Have a laugh this week by visiting Hafnarborg, the Hafnarfjördur Centre of Culture and Fine Art, where the exhibition “Humor in Icelandic Art” is currently running. The exhibition consists of works by contemporary Icelandic artists from different generations which deal with humor and irony.
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