Should Icelanders Be Ashamed Of Themselves?
After the publication of the SIC report, there was a near unanimous agreement in Icelandic society that it was not only an important analysis of the economic collapse’s causes, b
On the run
When I met Aisha, Bekele and Dabir, I realised I was in a precarious spot. As we settled in to chat, Bekele smiled sheepishly and told me, “If you hadn’t […]
Sour Grapes and Stuff
MOST AWESOME LETTER: Hello osom grapevine I am admirably broke and i like lobster. Can i have it? -Sindri Dear Sindri, Sure, since you ask so nicely. Enjoy your lobster! […]
Will 101 Reykjavík Ever Reclaim Its River?
Lækjargata is one of the main streets of downtown Reykjavík, lying alongside Reykjavík’s pond, Tjörnin, through the centre of town and towards the new concert house Harpan. N
Thoughts On Learning Icelandic
Why don’t those damn foreigners just learn Icelandic? Language learning is highly subjective and, as Icelanders love to tout, the language is complicated and difficult. It takes
Icelanders: Still Reluctant Europeans?
Icelanders can be described as “reluctant Europeans” akin to their Scandinavian neighbours. Denmark, Finland and Sweden all joined the EU and have to a greater or lesse
“LET’S TALMBOUT LOVE, BABY”
Actually, let’s not. Love is great, everyone should have it in their lives all the time and if it is currently lacking from your life then your life is lacking […]
A Beautiful, Mysterious Garden
When I was a boy I lived close to the Old Cemetery (“Gamli kirkjugarðurinn”), which is just up the hill from the pond. The cemetery is an old, mysterious place—and […
A Box Full of Offal, A Bag Full of Blood
It’s a brisk September day and despite the winds Icelandic housewives, mothers, aunties, grandmothers have come out in droves and are queuing in the food section of Hagkaup. I’
Whose Fault Was The Giant Icelandic Consumption Boom?
Considering the vast size of the recent Icelandic consumption boom that peaked in 2007, it is remarkable how little attention it received as it was happening and how few real [&hel
The Shouting Match
As many are aware, over a year has passed since a flotilla bound for Gaza with humanitarian aid was intercepted by Israeli commandos, the result being nine dead and 30 […]
THE BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2011
Our annual BEST OF REYKJAVÍK LIST, 2K11 EDITION is finally here in all it’s listy listness. For the third year in a row, we’ve spent countless hours of what was […]
The Best Of Reykjavík : The Anarchist’s Edition
An anarchist interested in history might want to take an ‘oppression tour’ around the city, checking out important power-symbols like the police headquarters at Hlemmur, the ca
The World’s Only Elf School
“People come to me with their stories and they swear to me that they’re not a drunk, they’re not on drugs, and they’re not a pathological liar”, Magnús Skarphéðinsson
Things They Like About Reykjavík
While compiling our BEST OF REYKJAVÍK list, we consulted with a large group of people from all around town. Some of them were very detailed in their preferences, and some [&hellip
WELL THIS IS JUST LOVELY!
So this is our third annual BEST OF REYKJAVÍK issue. Making it has been really hard (like always), but it’s also been a lot of fun (like always). Sitting around […]
The Swimming Pool That Has It All
If there’s one swimming pool in Reykjavík that has something for everyone, it’s Laugardalslaug in 104 Reykjavík. With the biggest swimming pool in the country, numerous hot t
Mackerel Mayhem And The Unholy Triangle
Forty years ago, Iceland saw its last real spell of hard times before the crash of 2008. In 1968 it wasn’t the financial geniuses who failed, but the herring. A […]
Reykjavík’s Best Spots To Catch A Live Show
Pondering this question got me thinking hard about all my favourite concert experiences in Reykjavík through the years—and surprisingly enough, I found that most of them had tak
The Best Places For Skateboarding In Reykjavík
Skateboarding is doing great in Reykjavík these days. There are some new spots and people making some nice skating videos, me being one of them (search Facebook for ‘First try [