The surroundings appear tropical and the gleaming sun makes the illusion complete. I snap out of it as I remember that I’m sitting on the back of a horse.
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Yesterday, the man accused of having killed Haukur Sigurdsson in Reykjanesbaer this spring refused to answer whether he was guilty of manslaughter. He did however admit to have inflicted injury on Sigurdsson, which led to his death.
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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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Former Prime Minister and former chairman of the Independence Party Geir H. Haarde said in his address at the party’s national convention on Sunday that his predecessor Davíd Oddsson’s criticism of the party’s reconstruction committee had been unwarranted.
Former Prime Minister of Iceland Geir H. Haarde. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
In his surprise speech the previous day, Oddsson, who is also a former governor of the Central Bank of Iceland, declared the committee’s self-critical report not worth the paper it was printed on, saying he lamented the beautiful trees that had been cut down to process it.
Oddsson stated the report was badly written and that it included many inaccuracies, Morgunbladid reports.
Then Oddsson cast doubt on committee chairman Vilhjálmur Egilsson’s credibility by claiming that former CEO of Kaupthing Bank Hreidar Már Sigurdsson, former CEO of Baugur Group Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson and former CEO of FL Group Hannes Smárason had appointed him to run the Confederation of Icelandic Employers (SA).
At that point, many attendees of the national convention walked out.
“I think these comments are generally unwarranted, not just concerning myself, but also concerning the 80 individuals who participated in the task force and helped write this report,” Egilsson said in reaction to Oddsson’s words.
Haarde also came to the defense of Egilsson and the reconstruction committee, complimenting him on his work and recommending that other members of the Independence Party support his proposals.
However, when the content of the report was first made public, Haarde was not pleased, saying the party should rather look towards the future than into the past.
Click here to read more about Oddsson’s speech and here to read more about Haarde's speeches during the national convention of the Independence Party.
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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