Well, You Asked: A Bumpy Road Ahead

The Grapevine’s finest answer your most pressing questions

Why are speed bumps the most terrible thing in Iceland?

They might drag the driver’s attention away from their phone screen for even a second when they realise, if ever so briefly, that they should probably check if that bump was asphalt or a person. This is a call-out post specifically for Icelandic drivers btw. Watch. The Fucking. Road!!

Is the Blue Lagoon open? Might it be at the end of June?

Well, if the Blue Lagoon isn’t Blue La-Gone due to waves of fire-rumblings in the area these days, my best guess is that they will be open sporadically throughout the coming months. Going with the lava-flow, so to speak. As with most Icelandic endeavours, the Blue Lagoon is both stubborn and prone to improvisation, so for a while at least they might be able to work around the…situation. Just keep checking the website for now. Just don’t be blue if your visit doesn’t work out. And hey, maybe by June they’ll have a new (red) hot stone massage treatment and more steam rooms!

Why are the gay bars full of straight spectators these days? The support is nice but where is the community going for togetherness?

Straight lookie-lous at gay bars have always kind of been a thing, to be honest, though keep in mind that you can’t tell from the outside who is straight, bi, pan, trans, ace or anything in a seemingly “straight” coupling. Erasure ain’t a joke. And while the knee jerk reaction might often be to question “why do the straights need this place, too?” the fact is, you don’t actually know how straight a person is and why they seek out the feeling of safety at queer spaces. Inclusivity is our lifeblood, friend. But to go into the second part, I found what works for me currently is seeking out individual events rather than one specific location. I have my personal favourite, Gaukurinn, which isn’t specifically a gay bar, but is a very inclusive place. You can also check-out the burlesque shows and stuff from Q-félagið!

P.S. if someone really is an ogling creep, you can always ask security to give them the boot, that’s kind of what they’re there for.

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