Issue 26 • 2015 Ancestors‘ Knowledge Not Just Fire and Ice The Sport of Lords and Kings Hike Over Glaciers, Volcanoes and Mountains www.icelandictimes.com Flight taken. Inside Wings spread. Volcanothe Take part in a great adventure. Descend 120 Fly with Lufthansa metres into a volcano to over 200 destinations and explore an worldwide via underground world. Frankfurt or Munich I have never been anywhere Everything included underground that matches the grandeur and impact of this place. - The Sunday Times Standing inside a volcano is a strangely emotional experience. - The Guardian One of twenty places in the world you must see before you die. - CNN Book now For the first time in history, travelers have the opportunity to see what a volcano looks like on the at: InsideTheVolcano.com inside. Descend into a 4.000 year old magma chamber at: InsideTheVolcano.com and experience a new underground world. • Several departures a day Price: ISK 39,000 per person • Maximum 15 people in each tour • Duration: 5-6 hours • Minimum age: 12 years • Fitness level needed: Moderate. LHBS180215 More info at InsideTheVolcano.com No knowledge of hiking or climbing is requiredrequired. LH.com TOURISM, CULT URE AND BUSINESS Issue 26 • 2015 s the weather is finally getting more of great lava fields and dramatic mountains, However, this relatively young country also mirthful after this unusually long and geysers, and vast geothermal areas that sport has a surprisingly rich history which has shaped harsh winter, as are the spirits and quixotic colors. The geographic location of the culture and the national spirit even to hearts of the Icelanders. They now look upbeat the country as well as mountain ranges and modern times. Regardless of where you choose forwardA with delight and optimism, ready to pervasive high-level plateaus make for ultimate to bound, you will be sure to find an abundance meet and greet the foreign friends who have conditions for glaciers – and there are plenty to of museums and carefully preserved relics come to visit this remote destination. contrast with the rest of the environment. All and historical sites. It is evident that the hard- It is common knowledge that this little island of these elements contribute to the creation of working locals strive to show visitors the best of fire and ice rests on top of a geothermal an unusually diverse landscape and sights that of what their area has to offer. So remember to hotspot and is hence subjected to a great are rarely found so densely packed in a small really take your time when you visit the villages deal of seismic activity. This has shaped the area. Our foreign friends know this and the and towns and absorb the local hospitality along landscape drastically as frequent volcanic nature remains the number one reason listed as with the stunning scenery. eruptions have created an outlandish terrain a reason for visiting. - Edda Snorradóttir Contents The Greater Reykjavik Area .............................. 6 Iceland’s Best Kept Secret ................................. 38 Ambassador to the Whales................................. 68 The World’s Most Exclusive Watchmaker ............. 9 Grindavík’s Harbour Café ................................... 40 The Old Post Office ............................................ 68 The Joyful Wonderland....................................... 10 A10 Deluxe Bed and Breakfast ........................... 41 Where Past, Present and Future Meet ................ 69 The All-Icelandic Wool Shop ............................... 11 The Place to Stay in Grindavík ............................ 41 Ancestors’ Knowledge Healthy Food .................. 13 We Specialize In Your Adventure ........................ 42 East Iceland ...................................................... 71 Culture and Fun in the North .............................. 14 Reserved Luxury ................................................ 73 The Fine Art Knife Making .................................. 17 Business Insider: Not just Fire and Ice .......... 44 A Guide Through the Mesmerising East Iceland . 74 Leather Designer ................................................ 18 Entrusted with Complex Projects ....................... 45 The Little Hotel with a Big Heart ........................ 78 The Cultural Core ............................................... 19 A Call for Information and Support ..................... 46 Cow Shed Corner – Fjóshornið ........................... 79 Elves .................................................................. 20 Saw an Opportunity and Made the Most of it ..... 48 Breiðdalsvík -The Hidden Gem of East Iceland ... 80 Living in the Lava ............................................... 21 Island Luxury ..................................................... 50 On Top of the World ............................................ 82 Getting Juiced in Iceland .................................... 22 On Top of the World ............................................ 52 South Iceland ................................................... 84 Great Value and Good Fun .................................. 23 West Iceland and the Westfjords .................... 54 A Delightful Experience in Stokkseyri ................. 85 The Brave Get the Best ...................................... 25 I Discovered America First ................................. 55 A Taste of Iceland’s Wild & Sweet ...................... 86 Gray Line Iceland ............................................... 26 Hotel Flatey in Breiðafjörður Bay ........................ 57 Refreshing Vík .................................................... 87 Fire under the Snow ............................................ 28 Iceland’s First Settler ......................................... 58 Volcano Tours Day Trips ..................................... 29 Eat in Iceland - Scenic Food Tours in Iceland ..... 88 Gamla Kaupfélagið ............................................. 59 The Hidden Pearl of Iceland................................ 90 Take a Ride on the Wild Side .............................. 29 Celebrating 30th year of operation ..................... 59 Take Time to Discover Vestmannaeyjar .............. 92 Experience the Icelandic Summer ...................... 30 Far from the Madding Crowd .............................. 60 Seeing Iceland with Mercury-Grail Tours ........... 33 The House that Disappeared .............................. 94 Hike over glaciers, volcanoes and mountains .... 33 North Iceland .................................................... 63 A Look at Museums in Vestmannaeyjar .............. 95 “Different and Proud of It” ................................. 35 Akureyri Heart of the North ................................ 64 Viking Tours of the Westman Islands .................. 97 The Sport of Lords and Kings ............................. 36 A Corner of Paradise – Here in Eyjafjarðasveit ... 66 Pictures Are Our Language ................................ 98 Credits Icelandic language How to make use of QR codes PUBLisHER LaYOUT & Design writeRS EKS ehf. / Elín Sigurðardóttir Andrew Scott Fortune Icelandic is one of the European root J&Co. ehf Dagmar Trodler languages, like Latin. There is no ‘c’ E. Marie Valgarðsson ProofreaDer Edda Snorradóttir or ‘z’ in modern Icelandic, except in ICELANDIC TIMES Jónas Örn Ólafsson Grétar J. Guðmundsson foreign words. However, it still contains Helga Dís Björgúlfsdóttir saLES & MARKeting Hrafnhildur Þórhallsdóttir some letters not found in most other Alexander Kazek Kelly Baumann languages. This basic list provides a Managing EDitor & [email protected] Melanie J. Adams GeneraL Manager Helga Berglind Jónsdóttir Nanna Hlín Halldórsdóttir general idea of their sounds, using Einar Th. Thorsteinsson [email protected] Ólöf Ásdís Baldursdóttir familiar words rather than phonetics. [email protected] Kolbrún Ólafsdóttir Simon Faulkner [email protected] Vignir Andri Guðmundsson proJect manager Kristinn R. Hallbergsson Character [email protected] Pronunciation Edda Snorradóttir Front coVER PHOTO Use your QR code reader application on your smartphone or [email protected] Ragnar Finnbogason Brynjar Ágústsson á Like ‘ow’ in ‘cow’ iPad to scan the QR codes. QR code reader applications can be [email protected] panorama.is æ Like the personal pronoun ‘I’ downloaded free for all makes of smartphones ð Like ‘th’ in ‘that’ þ Like ‘th’ in ‘thing’ Icelandic Times The opinions expressed in Icelandic Times do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or their agents. Though the Síðumúla 1 • 108 Reykjavík contents of this issue have been meticulously prepared, no warranty is made about the accuracy and completeness thereof. +354 578 5800 [email protected] Copyright © Mars 2015 Icelandic Times media ehf. All rights reserved Oddi Ecolabelled Printing Co. www.icelandictimes.com 4 www.icelandictimes.com TOURISM, CULT URE AND BUSINESS Issue 26 • 2015 The Greater Map © Ólafur Valsson ReykjavikThe Cosmopolitan Capital - where History and Culture meet Area today’s world ne of the world’s smaller capitals, Reykjavik is surrounded by the towns of Seltjarnarnes, Kópavogur, Garðabær, Álftanes (where the OPresident lives), Hafnarfjörður and the country town of Mosfellsbær, combining to make up the Greater Reykjavik area. It is also one of Europe’s youngest capitals. Founded by the first permanent Viking settler in the 900’s, Ingólfur Arnarson, it has grown from a handful of houses a few centuries ago to a compact and thriving metropolis. The National