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katharinahauptmann02_dlA recent episode of the cartoon series The Simpsons brings us to Iceland. Finally.  more



 
May 20 | Rhubarb Stew
rhubarb01Watch an audio slideshow of how traditional Icelandic rhubarb stew is made. Rhubarb is one of the few vegetables that grows effortlessly in Iceland and for that reason it used to be a highly-valued addition to the traditional diet of fish and lamb.  more




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01.01.2012 | 11:20

New Year’s Eve in Iceland. From 2011 to 2012. Photos
Many Icelanders use the day for motion. For some it is slow motion, for others faster. Around 600 people took part in the annual New Year’s Eve 10K run of IR, Reykjavík Sports Club. Most people just took a stroll or read a book.

Around seven the evening meal starts. Turkey is becoming more popular nowadays; people have had enough red meat. Since the meat is lighter people eat more of it, so noting is gained but weight.

At eight o’clock the Prime Minister gives her yearly New Year’s Eve speech. Most people don’t notice unless they are extremely interested in politics. And even so, usually the Prime ministers don’t say much anyway. They tell us how well the country did, despite extremely difficult circumstances and that tightening the belt will finally pay off. Then they usually read a poem by their favorite poet. 

After dinner, families with young children stroll out to the nearest bon fire. Sometimes you will find friends there, but it is rather difficult to recognize any in the dark.

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Back home, shoot a few fireworks. The most popular ones are called cakes. They shoot up ten, fifty or five hundred balls of fire. You save the biggest until midnight.

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At ten thirty everyone goes in for the Áramótaskaup, a parody of the year. It goes for an hour and sometimes you laugh, especially if the joke is on your political opponents. Then we discuss whether it was as good as last year. It never is.

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90% of the people watch the Áramótaskaup. Funny or not.

The final countdown to midnight consists of all the biggest fireworks you can find in your arsenal. A typical family might spent anywhere from ten to sixty thousand ISK (about 100 to 500 USD, 70 to 400 €) on fireworks.

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Photos: Benedikt Jóhannesson/Iceland Review

Then it is: Happy New Year. All hug and are happy for the first few minutes in 2012.

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whalewatching_ipaOne of the last tasks of Steingrímur J. Sigfússon while in office as minister of industries and innovation was to issue a regulation on Monday extending the reserve for whales in Faxaflói bay, off Reykjavík in Southwest Iceland. The regulation took affect at midnight.  more

death-announcementsThe Identification Committee of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police yesterday completed its investigation of human remains found by travelers on the beach Kaldbaksvík in Strandir, the eastern West Fjords, on Saturday.  more

sigmundur_presents_government_agreement_bessastadir_04_goThe government of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir will formally step down after a state council meeting with President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson at his residence Bessastaðir at 11 am today. At 3 pm, the new government of Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson will attend a state council meeting and afterwards formally take power.  more

keflavikairport_ipaAir traffic was grounded at Keflavík International Airport for up to two hours this morning due to a failure in the flight data system. Due to the delay, many passengers missed their connecting flights.  more

















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ir0213_coverThe 2013 April-May issue of Iceland Review & Atlantica has been released. Packed with informative and entertaining stories, highlights include an interview with outgoing Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and the people who know her best, a photo essay of ice caves in Europe’s largest glacier and a colorful feature on life in the West Fjords.  more



REVIEWS
reykjavik_shorts_and_docs_2013The 11th Reykjavík Shorts & Docs. Catch it while it lasts!  more

inspired_by_isafjordur_thumbnail_asArtist couple Nína Ivanova and Ómar Smári Kristinsson explain why they decided to settle in the West Fjords’ capital.
  more

reykjavik_queer_choir_facebookReykjavík Queer Choir’s annual spring concert takes place on Friday, May 24.
  more

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