The curious parking techniques and fashion-forward outfits are just a few ways Iceland is sure to leave an impression on an outsider.
more
Airline passengers who passed through Keflavík International Airport last month increased significantly compared to August 2009, by 11.7 percent. Last month, 274,600 people passed through the airport.
more
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.
more
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.
more
Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir told reporters at Hilton Reykjavík Nordica yesterday that the agreements with British and Dutch authorities on the state guarantee regarding the Icesave loans are well underway.
Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir. Photo by Geir Ólafsson.
The Icelandic parliament, Althingi, introduced preconditions to the original agreements in late August and British and Dutch authorities made their standpoints known last week.
“We wanted to finish this matter a long time ago because so many other things are involved,” Sigurdardóttir said, according to Morgunbladid. “Loans from the Nordic countries are at stake and the review of our program at the International Monetary Fund.”
“The representatives of the nations are in discussions and I hope that we can have a conclusion by the end of this week,” the prime minister added.
Regarding what actions the government intends to take to abolish the currency restrictions, Sigurdardóttir said they needed to be abolished gradually. Lowering the policy rate is also necessary, she added.
In response to questions on whether China would be considered a partner in the restoration of Iceland’s economy, Minister of Finance Steingrímur J. Sigfússon revealed that diplomatic relations between Iceland and China are growing.
However, Sigfússon said he was aware that China had acquired natural resources around the world and that he opposed such acquisitions in Iceland. In such a case, the minister said it would be better to consult neighboring countries.
It was reported recently that a Chinese aluminum giant was interested in buying shares in geothermal energy company Theistareykir ehf. in north Iceland.
Click here to read more about that story.
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.
more
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.
more
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.
more
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.
more