The Last Whaler: Why Is Whaling In Iceland Still A Thing?
Every whaling season, environmentalist and animal rights groups at home and abroad raise the alarm: Iceland is still hunting whales. While it is true that culpability for letting w
Well, You Asked: Crazy Moms, Iceland Dating, And Podcasts In Our Latest Advice Column
You guys shoot us a lot of questions—some reasonable, some curious, and some totally weird—via Facebook, Twitter and email. Apart from lots of people asking where to buy weed,
Last Words: Northern Exposure
I recently returned from a trip to Árneshreppur, a small community on the northern coast of Iceland, which recently became the central point in a heated debate that has erupted [&
Cartoons: Elín & Lóa Muse On The Icelandic Summer, Or Frequent Lack Of
Here’s the latest relatable content from our resident comic geniuses Elín Elisabet and Lóa. See more comics here.
PHOTOS: Sunny Day Out In Reykjavík
Today was the first and hopefully not last sunny day in Reykjavík. Naturally, we had to head out and document the rather rare occurrence. What follows are photos of long-familiar
Whose City Is It? Tour Buses And Locals Struggle To Find Harmony
Recently we reported that residents of the east Reykjavík neighbourhood of Hlíðar were experiencing difficulties on account of many tour buses taking up space on Skógarhlíð,
Island Life: Heat Waves, Landslides, And Hitting Sheep With Cars
We’ve done a lot of whining about the cold, rainy weather here in Reykjavík, which had its worst June in 100 years. Meanwhile, the hottest place in the country last […]
Songs Of The Dammed: Hvalárvirkjun And The Future Of Árneshreppur
When people talk about Iceland’s economic boom days, they are largely referring to the greater Reykjavík area. Roads are repaired and renewed, construction cranes are everywhere
The Midwives’ Tale: Government Continues To Ignore Demands
Negotiations between the midwives and the government have been ongoing for two years, with the crux of the disagreement centering on low salaries and difficult working conditions.
Word Of The Issue: Karphús
The word of the issue is karphús, a word of unclear origin but more than one meaning. Karphús is almost always used in the context of “að taka einhvern í […]
Well, You Asked: Cha-Ching Cha-Ching, Ka-Boom Ka-Boom
Dear Grapevine, I am down to my last 2,000 ISK and still need to eat for the rest of the month. What do I do? Brokeness and hunger. It’s a […]
War Of The Nerds: The Icelandic Horse Minefield
Picture a huge Lord of the Rings fan. They’re so into the books or movies or whatever that they decide to name their beloved Icelandic horse after one of their […]
Ask A Linguist: Why Is Icelandic Such A Difficult Language To Learn?
Whether you’ve already been to Iceland several times or whether it’s your first visit, you might encounter some struggles in deciphering or even speaking Icelandic. Thi
Life In Pictures: Children Know Better
Children are the miracle of life. Within no more than nine months, humans have the ability to give birth to a new life that will last many decades. Isn’t that […]
Last Words: How I Watch Football
For years now I’ve been developing my own method of watching football. Some will find this method, which I’m about to describe in exhausting detail, extremely annoying. They’
Island Life: Fox Hunting, A New Winery, And Tourist Rescue
If you’re a fan of the Arctic fox (and honestly, who isn’t?), you may be pleased to learn that the East Iceland Nature Research Centre has concluded that fox hunting […]
Well, You Asked: How To Fit In When Visiting Iceland
Dear Grapevine, When it comes to the different values and traditions of the various cities of Iceland, what needs to be known beforehand to not find yourself the odd person [&helli
What Are Icelanders Talking About?
We are often lectured about how tourism is good for the Icelandic economy. The lectures are necessary, because, unless you own a tour company, it’s often hard to tell how [&helli
How Not To Die In Iceland, Part 2: On The Road
When we last spoke with Dr. Kunz, he discussed with us many of the various and sundry ways that people can die while visiting in Iceland. This time around, he […]
Five Myths About Iceland That Need To End
Iceland has a lot of fans. At the same time, we prefer to be admired for things that are actually true. A lot of the reasons people love Iceland, it […]
The March Of Progress: The National Queer Organisation Turns 40
Samtökin ‘78 (literally “the ‘78 organisation”, with its official English name being The National Queer Organisation) celebrated its 40th anniversary on June 23 (although