Sour Grapes: Cash Cows And Vulgar Words

Most awesome letters

Dear Grapevine

So here it is – just came home from our fourth trip but possibly last trip to Iceland – saved the Grapevine to read at home and after reading ‘Highway Robbery’ I feel compelled to write about our experience.

Our first trip was back in 2011 – it was perfect and the hospitality was amazing, but I am sad to say the rumour is true – Iceland is losing its magic.

Or rather it’s losing some of its magic and what is left is being put behind a pay-and-panic wall.

Take wonderful Seljalandsfoss for example – last year I paid for the parking but then panicked when I returned the rental car – unfamiliar with Icelandic license plate rules, I had mistaken an ‘oh’ for a zero and had entered the wrong plate number. I had to research who owned the car park and contact them to avoid a fine. A minor task after returning home but an annoying one that detracted from our visit.

While at the waterfall I took a photo of my daughter at the hidden waterfall Gljúfrabúi. This year she was most excited to show her father, who couldn’t come with us last time, the beautiful hidden waterfall in a canyon.

We paid for the parking – no zeros or ohs in the number plate this time, thankfully. My husband was impressed with Seljalandsfoss, and it was fun walking around the back of it and getting wet! He didn’t ever see Gljúfrabúi. The attached photo shows you why. A queue of people at least an hour long to take 20 photos each in multiple different poses with Gljúfrabúi.

Yes we had to give up – we had paid the parking and didn’t see what we came to see!

Other magic is disappearing fast – we noticed apathy in rental companies – happy to take our money but not providing us with a clean and roadworthy vehicle. Tours that were previously brilliant and challenging have been dumbed down and shortened. Campsites on the south coast and especially near the airport are overwhelmed with too few/dirty/broken facilities and dumped rubbish as visitors struggle to empty their camper-vans before they return them. In real terms prices for some tours are four times what they were in 2011, thermal pools have doubled in price – inflation accounted for.

We often feel like cash cows, not guests. [..]

Iceland IS magical, I would love to visit again, but honestly something’s got to give first.

Kind regards,

Helen Clark

Dear Helen,

There is a saying in Icelandic: “Vinur er sá er til vamms segir”. It roughly means that a true friend is someone who dares to point out what could be improved. Your criticism is fair and should be taken to heart by policymakers and private actors. You are a true friend of Iceland.

The Grapevine

You devalue your journalistic integrity using common profanity to emphasise your point. We use our words as craftsmen build things of wonder and unique value. Please dont drop the Fbomb as its still common vulgar language and devalues your journalism. Thank you. Craig

Dear Craig,

Ahh, fuck. We’re so fucking sorry.

The Grapevine