FM Belfast: “It’s Incredibly Boring to Be Cool”
Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson and Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir are surprisingly fresh, considering that the day before they flew into Iceland after a short tour of Europe with their b
A CIVIL (COD) WAR?
Many people find the subject impossibly boring, but it is always simmering under the surface of Icelandic society. Many do not understand it, but others are totally obsessed by it.
Sticking Together And Fitting In
It’s been noted many times that Iceland is a country that treats children well. Many new arrivals have remarked on this point, often citing the amount of social services devo
The Universal Project Of Whale-Watching In Húsavík
A few years back fate brought me to Húsavík, a small town in northern Iceland. Fate? Well, friends were getting married close by, it was friendship that brought me, but […
ICELAND’S POLAR BEAR POLICY
The fourth polar bear in three years landed in Iceland last month. This one swam ashore in Iceland’s remote Westfjord region and was spotted roaming the countryside of Hælavík.
THE POLITICS OF FAILURE?
Normally, local elections in Spain are not big news. Compared with the desperate revolt against tyrants in the Arab world now being acted out on our TV-screens, it looks like [&hel
INSPIRED BY ICELAND?
Iceland and Spain are about as dissimilar as chalk and cheese. However, the two nations have lately found they might have a thing or two in common. Namely, they have […]
A letter from Barcelona
The sun is rising in Plaça Catalunya, Barcelona. Some people are still sleeping while others try to prepare breakfast for everybody in Comissió de cuina (“kitchen’s commi
WTF! FISHING QUOTA SYSTEM?
Four years ago, I wrote and researched a monstrous article that probably none of you read (‘The Crazy World of the Quota System (somewhat) Explained’, issue 11 2007). You likel
Volcanology? That’s from Star Trek, right?
Sigh. If I had a penny for every time someone has made that joke when I tell them I study ‘volcanology’ (or worst still, ‘vulcanology’) then Iceland would not be […]
Icelandic Volcanism: Where, Why & How?
Iceland sure has been in the global news a lot this past year or so and a lot of that has been to do with volcanoes. So why does this […]
Útúrdúr
Art bookstore Útúrdúr has been sorely missed since they closed down along with the equally missed Havarí (come back!) in January. So when they re-opened in a brand new location
OH NO! IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN!
Farmer Erlendur Björnsson and his wife Þórunn Júlíusdóttir were in Reykjavík celebrating their son’s high school graduation when the subglacial volcano Grímsvötn began e
More Asylum Seeker Woes
Last issue we reported that Iranian asylum seeker Mehdi Kavyanpoor had walked into the Red Cross building and threatened to set himself on fire if his case—in limbo for seven [&h
Killer Volcanoes: A Comparative History
Which country starting with the letter ‘I’ has caused the most international havoc due to volcanic eruptions in the modern age? As you may have surmised, this is indeed a [&hel
Sour grapes and stuff
MOST AWESOME LETTER FREE GRAPEVINE TEE HEE HEE! We’ve got a new prize for all your MOST AWESOME LETTERS. And it’s a scorcher! For this issue, whoever sends THE MOST […]
Don’t Forget Your Speedo!
Here’s a fun activity: Go to your nearest pool and start swimming. Swim around until your arms get tired, your legs go numb, your lungs burn, and your heart feels […]
THE CONSUMER’S REPUBLIC OF ICELAND
The newspaper DV recently made considerable hay out of the fact that from 2005–2008 Iceland was the second largest market in the world for the Danish luxury home electronics bran
Why Riding Your Bike In Iceland Isn’t Green
It is no doubt that Iceland’s natural beauty and landscapes invite many different types of nature lovers that travel the country road to take it all in. This should be [&hell
Racist? You Misunderstand
Since May 8, when 53-year-old Iranian Medhi Kavyanpoor attempted self-immolation in the Icelandic Red Cross offices, intending to give up his own life to draw attention to the inhu