Pylsuspjall: Whaling In Iceland - 1. Hot Dog Chat 2. A Brief Conversation Held With Strangers Holding Sausages

1. Hot Dog Chat 2. A Brief Conversation Held With Strangers Holding Sausages

Today’s Topic:
Whaling In Iceland

Welcome to our fifth edition of Pylsuspjall, a feature in which we accost strangers at the Bæjarins Beztu hot dog stand and ask them questions. This time we spoke with them in the pouring rain while their hot dogs got soggy.

What’s your name?
Ingimundur Guðjónsson

Where are you from?
Keflavík, Iceland

What do you do for a living?
I’m a security officer at Keflavík Airport.

What do you think makes these hot dogs so good?
I’m a security officer at Keflavík Airport.

Describe Iceland in three words.
Rainy. Chaotic. Sunny.

Are you aware that Iceland hunts whales?
Yeah.

Do you think it’s okay to hunt whales?
Yes, I do.

Well, why?
There are too many whales. They eat all the fish causing the puffins in the Westman Islands to die out. The whales are eating so much fish that the birds and other species can’t get any food. If we hunt a few whales, I think that is okay.

Have you tried whale meat?
I have!

What did you think of it?
I thought it was okay. I liked it. But one time they cooked it too much and that was not good.

Where did you eat it?
There was a guy at work who is a body builder. He needed more protein, but was tired of chicken so he tried whale meat and he gave me some. I have never eaten it at a restaurant.

— —

What’s your name?
Edward Dimio

Where are you from?
The States.

What do you do for a living?
I’m a computer engineer.

What do you think makes these hot dogs so good?
The sauce and the crispy stuff that they put on the bottom of it. It adds a lot of texture to the hot dog.

Describe Iceland in three words.
Rocky. Rainy. Beautiful.

Are you aware that Iceland hunts whales?
I am.

Do you think it’s okay to hunt whales?
In a sustainable and controlled manner.

Why do you think it’s okay in a sustainable manner?
People hunt because we’re carnivores. They are just part of the food chain—that’s how things go.
I think we’re intelligent enough to make sure we don’t wipe out a species completely. If it’s controlled and overseen, then it’s fine.

Have you tried whale meat?
No, I have not.

Have you thought of trying it?
I have thought of trying whale meat while I’m here. If the opportunity shows up then I’ll give it a shot.

— —

What’s your name?
Erin Frey

Where are you from?
From the United States.

What do you do for a living?
I’m a stay-at-home mom.

What do you think makes these hot dogs so good?
I like the toppings.

Describe Iceland in three words.
Clean. Friendly. Beautiful.

Are you aware that Iceland hunts whales?
[Shocked] No, I did not.

Do you think it’s okay to hunt whales?
No

Why not? There are quotas in place so they don’t over-hunt and according to them it’s sustainable.
I think whales should be left alone.

Have you tried whale meat?
Ah, nope. I don’t think I’m going to try it.

——

Satisfy your Pylsuspjall craving with our previous chats:
Downtown Hotels
Iceland’s Bar Scene
Iceland’s Love Scene

To learn more about whaling on all sides, read these articles:
Aboard A Whaling Vessel
The Case For Sustainable Whaling
US Gov’t Steps Up Anti-Whaling Campaign Against Iceland