Missing in Iceland: Nuclear Energy
Most people are familiar with the fact that Iceland’s electricity comes from hydropower and, to a lesser extent, geothermal energy. This means that there are no nuclear power pla
Hour Of The Wolf: Haunted Nights At Landspítali
Hailing all the way from the Philippines, Ma Janice Ymbong Silao has been in Iceland for seven years now. As a nurse working night shifts in the intensive care unit, […]
Beasts Of Iceland: The Minke Whale
After a trip around the Golden Circle, you—our tourist reader—might be wondering: “How the hell does any animal survive on this godforsaken mid-Atlantic rock?” It’s a fai
Time Capsule: Landsbankinn
In 2013, five years after the financial crisis, one of Iceland’s major banks, Landsbankinn, redesigned its headquarters. Currently Landsbankinn holds all of its operations under
Don’t Ask Nanna: About Veganism
Dear Nanna, I’m in the throws of planning a trip to Iceland but I may have a problem after seeing the menus on offer at many of your restaurants. I’m […]
The Quality of Dreams: Icelandic Director Ása Hjörleifsdóttir On The Icelandic Filmmaking Scene
It’s early Monday morning when I meet Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir, the latest director to shake up the Icelandic movie scene. Only a couple of days have passed since the premier
Christ as a ‘Party Pervert’
Our government was brought down by old perverts last week. It has been a glorious spectacle to watch. It sounds beautifully surreal but, when you think about it, this was […
Icelandic Conspiracy Theories: The Definitive List
Writer Alan Moore once said that “the greatest conspiracy is that there is no conspiracy”—that is, that the world is a chaotic place of competing forces shaping events, rathe
Swimming Upstream: Biologist Jóhannes Sturlaugsson
Jóhannes Sturlaugsson is very passionate about fish. After 16 years working at the Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Jóhannes decided to blaze his own trail in the field of fish
The Shortest Icelandic Government Ever
Shortly before midnight, on Thursday September 14, Iceland’s ruling coalition of the Independence Party, the Reform Party and Bright Future came to an end, when the latter of tho
Dawn Of The Populists
Municipal elections are coming up next spring, but parliamentary elections are rapidly approaching, coming up on October 28. The usual suspects will be throwing their hats into the
Icelandic Facebook Groups: Spottaði Kött
There are some Facebook groups that transcend all languages, and Spottaði Kött is one of them. The name means “spotted a cat” (“spottaði” is not actually an Icelandic wo
Ask A Scientist: Why Are Salmon And Trout Pink?
Pay a visit to your local grocery store, and the seafood section is a virtual sea of white, with two notable exceptions: salmon and trout. These tasty fish boast a […]
News In Brief: Late September Edition
Well, the past couple of weeks have been pretty slow. Nothing much happened, really. Unless you count the collapse of the Icelandic government. We cover this in depth later in [&he
Readers Write: On Preserving The Icelandic Language
To the editor of the Reykjavik Grapevine, My name is Marjorie and I live in Texas. I am learning Icelandic and feel passionate about it. I’ve heard that Icelandic is […]
Word Of The Issue: Útlenska
This word basically means “foreign languages,” but not quite. It is an expression that linguistically splits all languages into Icelandic or not Icelandic. You could almost vie
Hour Of The Wolf: Musical Hot Dogs
Life is pretty simple for Skúli Þórðarsson, otherwise known by his musician name, Skúli Mennski (“mennski” just means “human”). Working at the legendary hot dog stand
Buy Shit: Lace, Liquorice, Ginger and Hanskies
Souvenirs that won’t make your entire suitcase smell like hardfiskur. Virki Lace Collar This 1800s-retro accessory is carefully constructed from vintage doilies, tablecloth a
Time Capsule: Höfði
Politicians and ghosts make for a terrifying combination. The Höfði House is Reykjavík’s most famous and haunted residence. Built in 1909, Höfði sits on the waterfront just
Beasts Of Iceland: The Icelandic Raven
After a trip around the Golden Circle, you—our tourist reader—might be wondering: “How the hell does any animal survive on this godforsaken mid-Atlantic rock?” It’s a fai
Missing In Iceland: Casinos
Looking for a casino to spend countless hours playing blackjack in the hope of scoring some big bucks? Well, in Iceland, you’re out of luck. There are no casinos, as […]