Icelanders To Gather In Solidarity With Refugees
Tomorrow, Icelanders will gather in front of parliament to bring a singular message to their government: we want more refugees and asylum seekers. The event in question, Solidarity
City Swimming Pool Offers “Free Soup”
An alert reader brought to Grapevine’s attention yet another reason why spellcheck is not enough. A new sign displaying the rules for swimming at Laugardalslaug pool greets v
High Hopes And Great Expectations: Three Icelanders Share Their Thoughts On Our New Government
Eleven weeks of negotiations have finally brought us a new government. Shortly thereafter, they made their joint platform public. Health care might be one of the biggest issues, bu
The Murder of Birna Brjánsdóttir: The Case That Gripped Iceland, And The World
Last month, a young woman who was last seen walking down Laugavegur early one Saturday morning disappeared without a trace. CCTV footage of her last known whereabouts depict a scen
Missing In Iceland: Melatonin
For better or worse, there are lots of things that you won’t find in Iceland. Amongst these things is melatonin. Why can’t you find this common sleep aid anywhere for […
Ramsplaining: The Icelandic Word of 2016
Hey girl, let me tell you about the Icelandic word of 2016, hrútskýring. It’s a portmanteau of the words hrútur (“ram”) and útskýring (“explanation”) and I probably
People Are Feeding Ravens In The Westfjords
The iconic Icelandic corvid is actually in decline across the country, but in the Westfjords, their numbers are not only greater than ever; people are actually leaving out food for
Downtown Reykjavík To Increase And Update Security Cameras
Reykjavík City Council voted in favour of putting 4 million ISK towards buying new security cameras for downtown Reykjavík and other areas. Vísir reports that the measure passed
Between The Two Towers: The delicate balancing act of Óttarr Proppé
Óttar Proppé is an unlikely politician. A bleach-blond, flat-capped figure dressed in 70s-style garb, he first entered the public consciousness as the frontman of the legendary I
Not A Chance In Hel
Although the name “Hel” hails back to ancient Norse mythology, Iceland’s Naming Committee believes it would only cause problems for a child so named. RÚV reports that a coup
Iceland Got A Little More Corrupt In 2016
The new government has its work cut out for it. Iceland lost a little credibility in 2016. It has, in fact, become the most corrupt of the Nordic countries, according to […
Papers, Please
“We clump ourselves into a group with other people who look, talk, and think like us because we feel safe there. Throw in someone from another tribe, and we are […]
Torture Works
History speaks from the lips of President Trump. It is the crude and truthful voice of human mayhem and we should listen closely. The man is her beloved agent, a […]
One From The Heart: An Interview With Heartstone’s Director
Consider this dilemma: You’re thirteen. You’re offered a starring role in a movie. But, you have to spend much of the film in your underwear being emotionally vulnerable, and y
Faroe Islands Accepts Monetary Gift From Iceland After All
Despite a message of “thanks but no thanks” from the Faroese Minister of Foreign Affairs, today the director of the Faroe Islands’ rescue squad accepted a financi
Birna Bid Farewell Today
This afternoon, the funeral of Birna Brjánsdóttir will be held. Of the two suspects initially arrested in connection with her murder, one was released, and the other is still in
Reader Letters: An American Reader Returns After 15 Years
Dear Grapevine, I visited your lovely island back in ’99 and there weren’t that many menus in English, let alone shopkeepers who were willing to engage in my native tongue [&he
Alcohol Bill Could Legalise Booze In Stores, Though Parliamentary Fight Likely
It is now more likely than ever that the sale of alcohol in private stores will become a reality in Iceland. However, the matter will by all accounts still be […]
Last Words: Remember When We Gave A Shit About Handball?
The success of the Icelandic national football team at Euro 2016 last summer was far from victimless. Roy Hodgson had to resign from his post as England manager and English [&helli
Reykjavík Of Yore: Landspítallin
Pictured here is the oldest building of Landspítalinn, The National University Hospital of Iceland, located by Hringbraut in 101 Reykjavík. The featured picture dates back to 195
RECAP: The Dream of Star-Oddi
So some dude named Oddi, who is a good at astronomy but shitty at poetry, eats a bunch of psychedelic mushrooms and trips some craaazy shit. Technically, he is on […]