Author: Valur Grettisson
The Grapevine Bookclub: Sperm Banks And Erotic Sheep
by John Rogers and Valur Grettisson
Driving the Ring Road means a lot of downtime in the car. Pick up one of these books to enrich…
Abandoned Iceland #9: Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss, the most gothic waterfalls of them all in Skaftafell, south of Iceland. The waterfall inspired the architect, Guðjón Samúlesson,…
Reykjavik Newscast #8: Iceland’s Borders Open Completely 1st of July No Matter What the EU Says
Iceland will open its borders for countries outside of the Schengen area on July 1st, no matter what decision the…
Reykjavik Newscast #7: 15k For A COVID-19 Test & Netflix Cut Out Icelandic PM From ‘The Laundromat’
The news is official; Iceland will open on the 15th of June. deCODE Genetics will help the Icelandic government test,…
Abandoned Iceland #7: South Road Trip
Valur Grettisson and his trusty companions, Art Bicnick and Polly, the chief morale officer, travelled from Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón in…
Editorial: The Coronavirus Is Not War
For an Icelander, with almost no historic ties to war, to analogize the fight against COVID-19 to a war seems…
Rediscovering Paradise: The Unexpected Side Effects Of Covid-19
It was 2010 when Eyjafjallajökull erupted. I went with a group of friends from work (I was working for the…
Icelandic Superstitions: The Fierce Viking Horse Trapped In A Pony’s Body
First, we worshipped the Viking horse, then we ate him, and then we felt bad about it. Feels like there…
The Waiting Game – The COVID-19 Outbreak Calls For Patience
Let’s be honest here: The government and associated specialists have done a fantastic job in this incredibly complicated battle with…
Icelandic Superstitions: Bubbi Morthens & Sadistic Spanking
Let’s admit it: Sports are more or less the biggest manifestation of modern superstition. You know, “laces out” and all…
Grapevine Playlist: Elín Ey, Hrim, Dirb & More
by Sam O'Donnell and Valur Grettisson
Here’s what the Grapevine team is listening to this week. Elín Ey – Waterloo This acoustic cover of an ABBA…
Fastsplaining: How the Covid-19 Came To Iceland – A Lesson To Be Learned
As you know, Iceland is a small country with a population of about 350,000—and we only have one international airport….
Just Sayings: Heimskur er jafnan höfuðstór
Blessed with a big head? Tough luck. As Icelanders say, “People with big heads are stupid!” Yes, not our most…
A Productive Drinking Session: Thnigs Too Do Whne Ur Drunk
Feel like getting drunk “just because” is not a good enough reason any more? My, my, someone’s a fancy drinker….
Fastsplaining: Drive-by COVID-19 Screening
65 people have been infected by COVID-19 at the time of this writing, and these numbers change quite rapidly. The…
The True Impact Of The Coronavirus
So, here we are in history, with another global health crisis on our hands. It’s not the first time we…
Food of Iceland: Kjötsúpa
Kjötsúpa, or Icelandic meat soup, is a meal that Icelanders have been eating for centuries—in fact, it’s one of the…
Fastsplaining: This Is How Iceland Handles The Coronavirus
Iceland is no different from other countries when it comes to the coronavirus, or COVID-19. The first case was discovered…
Iceland Superstition: A Short Revision Of Iceland’s Safest Road
Icelanders don’t really believe in elves. It’s just a silly myth. That said, we don’t mess with them either. Perhaps,…
Editorial: Please Save Bíó Paradís
Bíó Paradís proved that an art-house cinema can work in Iceland. But, in Reykjavík’s cut-throat rental market, only the wildly…
Museums, Records, and Ramen: Logi Leó Gunnarsson’s Perfect Day
Logi Leó Gunnarsson is a young artist in Reykjavík who designed the cover art for the band Hjalti Kaftu, which…
Dill Reclaims Iceland’s Only Michelin Star
It’s official! Dill Restaurant has reclaimed their precious Michelin Star and in the process, brought honour to the Icelandic culinary…
Grapevine Playlist: Goose Bumps And Some Solid Rock
by Inês Pereira, Valur Grettisson and Sam O'Donnell
Bistro Boy – evolve Bistro Boy is definitely our boy. He just released a new EP called ‘evolve,’ and boy,…
Icelandic Superstitions: The Possibility Of A Cross-Eyed Husband
Dinner tables are nothing less than a gamble about one’s future, and in worst cases – death can follow. If…
Mayor Found A Mortar Shell In The Basement
The mayor of the small town of Westman Island was quite surprised at the beginning of the week when he…