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Race Against The Sun: The Icy Wonderland Of Skógafoss And Jökulsárlón
Just over 370 kilometres from Reykjavik, in the far southeast corner of the country, you’ll find the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. This particular lake—Iceland’s deepest, in fact, at a depth of around 250 metres—is considered to be amongst one of the crown jewels…
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The Horror: Cyber On Coffins, Cocaine & Their Sexy, Unsettling Album
Inside Salka Valsdóttir’s apartment is a jumbled mishmash of things. Wedged amongst the usual detritus of life, and bathed in the colourful glow from the florescent pink and yellow walls, a number of curiosities compete for attention. A large, strange wooden box…
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Charley And The Chocolate Factory
There are no oompa loompas, golden goose eggs or everlasting gobstoppers in the Omnom Chocolate factory, but when the chocolate tastes this good, it really hardly matters. We’ve come along for one of their popular guided tours, which run every weekday at…
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First Cat Café To Open In Reykjavík
In a town so full of cat people, you would expect there to be at least one cat café. Unfortunately for the feline friendly folks of Reykjavík, until very recently, the law prevented animals from hanging out at restaurants and eateries. Now…
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Ice Queens: Reykjavík’s Most Elegant Ladies’ Winter Fashion
Whilst I skitter around in my slippery shoes and a coat that clashes with everything else I’m wearing, the angelic beings of Reykjavík trot effortlessly across the ice, draped in quality woollen finery and heels. Heels! So, if you’re sick to death…
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Slowdown In Iceland’s Economic Growth Is Good, Says Central Chief Banker
Thanks to the tourist boom following the 2008 financial crisis, Iceland’s economy has experienced a period of strong growth, despite it being one of the countries worst affected by the crash. Now, this growth has started to slow. Fortunately there’s no need…
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Restaurant Patron Gets Drunk, Leaves Without His Teeth
The police in Reykjavík now have a new case to get their teeth stuck into, as they search for the owner of a pair of wayward false gnashers left by a customer in a restaurant last night, reports RÚV. Last night, a…
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Reykjavík Music City: Protecting The Local Music Scene
Sadly, two more music venues in downtown Reykjavík have had to close down recently. The long-established and popular blues bar Rosenberg on Klapparstígur, with its 20th century jazz feel and wooden panels on the walls, has closed its doors for the last…
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Drone Ranger: Southern Farmer Ditches Dog, Utilises Drone To Herd His Sheep
Forget about recording scenic footage of the country’s beautiful, rugged terrain: when it comes to utilising the power of drones, Icelanders are all about work rather than play. Perhaps inspired by the drones working tirelessly to bring the nation fresh, hot pizzas,…
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Diana Forever: Celebrating 20 Years Since The Death Of An Icon
20 years ago, internationally beloved Lady Diana lost her life in a tragic “car accident” in Paris. Her glamorous lifestyle, relentless charity work and turbulent love life have cemented Princess Di as a mythical figure in the public’s collective conscious. She may…
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Epic, Glorious, Stupid: Dance For Me In Your Living Room
Since forming in 2013, local Reykjavík performance group Dance For Me, created by British-born Brogan Davison and Icelandic-born Pétur Ármannsson, has been performing across the world, playing shows in Germany, Finland, Italy and Canada, amongst others. But this November they’re staying much…
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Readers Write: On Doomed Partnerships
Dear Sir, I am in distillery/liquor co for last 35 years. I have worked in leading groups of india, burma-union of Myanmar, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and free town-sierra leone. My area of job is to develop alcoholic, non-alcoholic, wine, energy drinks etc. If…
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Psyched Up: Uncovering My Future With A Runestone Reading At Gjafir Jarðar
“I’m aware of a lady and gentlemen from the spirit world here,” says Kay. “Have you got two grandparents who were a couple and are now a man and a woman in spirit?” I do indeed. I feel somewhat uneasy. I didn’t…
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Icelandic Facebook Groups: Leiga á Íslandi
So you’re moving to Iceland! Congratulations. You’ve got your visa, you’ve packed your suitcase and you’ve Googled pictures of the Blue Lagoon. You’re halfway there. All you need now is a place to live. Enter Leiga á Íslandi (Rent in Iceland)—a group…
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Ask An Astrophysicist: Will The Aurora Fade In 2019?
Everyone who comes to Iceland wants to see the Northern Lights. During a powerful display, you can see huge bursts of strong green, purple and red lights weave their way across the night sky. But if you’ve booked your trip in 2019,…
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Time Capsule: WWII Remains at Öskjuhlíð
In the centre of Reykjavík there lies a grassy hill called Öskjuhlíð. Unusually for Iceland, Öskjuhlíð sports a thick covering of greenery, so you can pick one of its many winding paths and enjoy a walk through the pine woods. At the…
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Húsavík Explorers Festival 2017: Through Fire And Ice
I’m sat in an intimate audience of approximately 20 to 30 people centred around a makeshift stage in Húsavík, listening to a softly-spoken woman calmly discuss climbing to the top of Mount Everest sans any additional oxygen. “Only 2% of people make…
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Buy Shit: Scarves, Bedding, Books, Herbal Medicine
We’d skip the shitty novelty T-shirts, tbh. This stuff is better. 66° North Bylur Scarf Icelandic wool is a wonderful thing, but even its biggest fans will admit that it’s uncomfortably itchy for anything other than outwear (like the classic, chunky lópapeysa…
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Dark Shadows Cause Deep Rifts In ‘Undir Trénu’
In Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson’s third feature, ‘Undir Trénu,’ the shadow cast from the tree next door sparks a seething feud between neighbours which ultimately culminates in tragedy. Through its suburban setting and tight knit cast of intriguing and troubled characters, the film…
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Hour Of The Wolf: Spanning The Scale Of Human Emotion
Frímann Andrésson wears many hats. He’s a family man, and occasionally volunteers for the rescue service, locating lost tourists. But most of the time, you’ll find him running services for his undertaker business, consoling grieving relatives and sending off the dead respectfully.…
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What Will Become Of Catalonia?
Tensions are high in Spain as Catalonia’s fight for independence rages on. The rumblings for an independent Catalonia have been brought to the forefront of the world’s attention after the landslide victory for the Yes voters in the controversial referendum on the…
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Time Capsule: The Nordic House
While Iceland’s traditional turf houses have their own special charm, if you fancy admiring some really great architecture, pay a visit to Reykjavík’s Nordic House. Designed by Finnish modernist Alvar Aalto and built in 1968, it stands proudly as the only edifice…
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Readers Write: On Flying Visits
Grapevine minn, I’ve managed to secure a flight back to my dearest Iceland this coming January. The problem? I’ve only got 14 hours ( from about 5:00 to 19:00) before I need to be back at Keflavík to continue my journey from…
