True Crime Iceland: The Hitchhiker Murder
I was only planning to scare them. I placed one shot into the rifle, which I carried in one hand, and held wire in the other hand, to be used […]
Meet All The Candidates (Except One)!
We at the Grapevine believe strongly in the idea of the well-informed voter. To that end, we asked every candidate running for President of Iceland the same eight questions (with [
Our Local Regent: Great Moments In Icelandic Presidential History
As hard as it may be to believe, Iceland has only had five presidents since first gaining independence from Denmark in 1944. Since then, while the vast majority of Icelanders [&hel
Talk Small To Me
Icelanders have a lot of special talents developed over generations of practice. Drinking, for example. Making gorgeous and functional sweaters. Taking fish out of raging, frozen A
Tourism, Slavery, And Worker Exploitation
Readers who’ve been following our daily news output might have noticed a disturbing increase in stories about worker exploitation in Iceland. These cases range from relatively mi
For & Against: The Presidency
FOR: Icelanders may disagree with one another on any number of highly charged political issues, but if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that we love having […
The Hot Button: Presidents
The new hot button issue is president fever. Elections in Iceland, from small villages to Parliament itself, are almost always about party politics. The exception to this is the pr
Don’t Ask Nanna About Euro 2016
@elqqazz As #EURO2016 correspondent @brainlove might say, He shall bathe in free ancestral mead long after Valkyries carry him to Valhalla — Nanna Árnadóttir (@NannaArnadottir)
Last Words: Why Can’t Icelanders Throw?
Making a generalization about an entire population is usually frowned upon. It’s the tactic of demagogues, racists and men over the age of 55. There is no such thing as […
RECAP: Saga Of Hrolf The Tramper
The Saga of this issue is Göngu-Hrolfs Saga, literally “Walking Hrolfur’s Saga” but typically translated as the Saga of Hrolfur the Tramper. Boring old people like to argue
New Faces Of Solstice
The Grapevine‘s picks for up-and-comers you should catch at this year’s Secret Solstice Festival. Aron Can Distinguishing yourself from others in a crowded scene is al
Humans Of Reykjavík: Helene Caspersen
On a rainy day in Reykjavík, the Grapevine found this Danish human at the city library. On what brings her to Reykjavík “I’ve been working on a farm for one month […]
Heroes & Villains: The Protestor And The President
This week’s hero is the Icelandic protestor. Some of the biggest stories about Iceland to make international headlines have involved them in some way, but more importantly, t
Sturla Atlas SEASON2: One year old and fresher than ever
People say Iceland has just two seasons: winter and light winter. However, for about a year now, a third, #sturlaseason, has been shaking the country. Many would say Sigurbjartur S
Why Cats Are Better Than Dogs
The most characteristic sound of Reykjavík is neither the desperate noise of drunkards during the weekend nor the lonely song of the wind in winter. It is the sound of […]
The Best Intentions: One Man’s Experience On “The Biggest Loser”
Thor Viðar Jónsson was a contestant on the first season of Iceland’s version of ‘The Biggest Loser’, a reality show that pits contestants against each other to see who can
Still Ain’t Easy Being Green
Before we started jailing bankers, Iceland’s strongest memetic power was in our energy grid. Our energy consumption may be proportionately higher than that of a lot of countries,
Answers Instead Of Questions
One trans Icelander’s experience with sexism and transition. The past few years have seen an explosion of international media coverage of trans visibility and human rights. O
For & Against: Does Cultural Appropriation Exist?
FOR: Cultural appropriation is everywhere. You can see Icelanders chowing down on shwarma, drinking coffee—which doesn’t even grow in Iceland—and even rapping. We seem to be
The Hot Button: Deportations
Our current Hot Button issue is deportations. This contentious subject has been particularly visible lately, especially as it relates to the case of Nigerian asylum seeker Eze Okaf
Speed Bumps For Your Safety
I had never been carsick in my entire life. I’d roll my eyes when my sister asked for carsickness medication on our family road trips. I always felt she was […]