Author: - The Reykjavik Grapevine

Author: Zoë Robert

High Hopes

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In December, Iceland joined over 190 nations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The two-week summit, blasted…

Asylum Seekers In Norway

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Our arrival on a Saturday afternoon at a reception centre for asylum seekers on the outskirts of Trondheim, Norway’s third…

Hot Springs and Mountans of Many Colours

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It is an overcast, cold day when I arrive at the BSÍ bus terminal and board the mini bus along…

Exploring fishing villages in the far northwest

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With petrol prices at an all time high and a car suited to city streets, it didn’t exactly seem like…

Office Skills for Foreigners

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Since 2006, Menntaskólinn í Kópavogi (MK) has been offering a course in Office Skills for students over the age of…

Calling Vatnajökull

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You are bound to listen carefully. The drip, crack, splash, plop and clack of icebergs melting echoes down the phone…

Destination: Lake Mývatn

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There are few reasons, in my opinion, to get out of bed early. The rare occasion of catching a flight…

Belgium, an Unlikely Choice

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It is common knowledge, or, at least it should be common knowledge, that Belgium is home to the best beer…

Island Life: 24 hours on Grímsey

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The Island Situated on the Arctic Circle north of Iceland, Grímsey is a small island home to just 95 people,…

Toys for Tourists

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Choosing that perfect souvenir to send home can be difficult when stores sell pretty much the same the world ‘round….

The Westman Islands: Puffins Abound

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No sooner had I started to settle into my seat than the pilot announced he was commencing the descent. The…

Great Wall

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We here at the Grapevine have been watching the construction of the Great Wall restaurant through our office windows the…

Laws on Stripping Laid Bare

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In March, Parliament accepted new licensing laws making strip shows illegal in Iceland. According to the new laws which took…

A Story of Asylum

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According to Red Cross Project Manager for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Atli Thorstensen, there are currently 20 to 25 asylum…

Surtsey Exhibition

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A continuous (and unsettling) loud rumbling sound and flickering yellow-orange light greet you as you approach the entrance to the…

Women Paint the Town Pink

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Women around the country took part in the annual National Women’s Day celebration on June 19. The event marks the…

Protection in Numbers

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According to the the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), a refugee is a person who “owing to a wellfounded fear…

Home Restaurant and Spa

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On the inlet at Hlið lies one of Reykjavík’s best kept dining secrets. In what also has to be the…

Better Late Than Never

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Icelandic/Swedish reggae band Hjálmar set the perfect example of how not to reward their dedicated fans. Let me explain. Hjálmar…

Pioneering Sculptures

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You’ll find Ásmundarsafn, the Ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum, in a unique building near Laugardalslaug swimming pool, just outside of the…

Thorvaldsen’s Bar

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Located on Austurstræti, in downtown Reykjavík, Thorvaldsen’s Bar is a hip bistro and bar with a relaxed feel. The restaurant…

Four days in Northern Poland

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Day 1 – The very long drive from Berlin After several wrong turns, we find what we think is the…

Bubbling Icelandic Design

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If 18th century governor of Iceland and entrepreneur Skúli Magnússon were alive today he would be a happy man. After…

Fotografí Fine Photography

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Ari Sigvaldason knew he was interested in photography, but it wasn’t until February when he quit his job of 15…

Hydrogen (Brain) Power

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You won the award together with two others. How does that work? The official explanation is that Professor Sigfusson gets…