The surroundings appear tropical and the gleaming sun makes the illusion complete. I snap out of it as I remember that I’m sitting on the back of a horse.
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Yesterday, the man accused of having killed Haukur Sigurdsson in Reykjanesbaer this spring refused to answer whether he was guilty of manslaughter. He did however admit to have inflicted injury on Sigurdsson, which led to his death.
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Click on the picture to watch an audio slideshow of a hike to Hraunsvatn lake in Öxnadalur valley in north Iceland, which lies at a height of 490 meters, interlocked between two steep mountains and a small glacier with a view of the majestic Hraundrangar peaks.
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Fjallabyggd (“Mountain Settlement”) is a skier’s dream. Its slopes are perfect for slaloming and there are also tracks for telemark skiing. Winter sporting enthusiasts can also go ice skating or rent snowmobiles. In summer, Fjallabyggd turns into a paradise for hikers. Read this special promotion about one of Iceland’s best hidden gems.
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Pollution levels in the pond in central Reykjavík are well above guideline limits, according to a new report on the situation of the pond, which states that the amount of e-coli bacteria and heavy metals in the pond are far too high.
“It is a foul pit in the heart of the city,” Hilmar J. Malmquist, one of the report’s authors, told Fréttabladid.
The report, which was undertaken by the Natural History Museum of Kópavogur on the situation of the Reykjavík pond between May 2007 and April 2008, was handed in to Reykjavík City authorities yesterday.
“It is known that some of the bacterial species in the e-coli mix cause diseases,” Malmquist said. “If I had an infant and would be taking a walk past the fountain [in the pond], I would not want the wind to blow our direction.”
The high level of e-coli bacteria in the pond is traced back to bird droppings—there is a high number of birds in a small area of the pond, mainly because pedestrians give them bread—and sewage.
The sewage probably comes from the domestic airport area in the nearby Vatnsmýrin district. It is unknown whether sewage leaked into the pond by mistake or not—sewage disposal in the pond is prohibited.
The heavy metals found in the pond mainly originate from exhaust from cars that drive past it. Parts of the pollutants may however come from an old waste disposal site which is now buried underneath Hljómskálagardurinn public park.
The pollution is affecting the biosphere of the pond, most visibly though the disappearance of the reddish water plant Alternate Water-milfoil (Lat. Myriophyllum alterniflorum), which used to be common in the pond. Blue-green algae are emerging instead, making the water look muddy.
The report recommends Reykjavík City authorities improve the situation by removing the uppermost sediment of the pond, which is polluted by heavy metals, preventing sewage from leaking into the pond and limit bread-feeding to birds.
The report also recommends replanting Alternate Water-milfoil which can help reducing pollution in the pond.
The second issue of the print edition of Iceland Review 2010 has just been published. Entitled “Under the Volcano” the magazine dedicates 20 pages, words and pictures, to the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull glacier which made headlines all over the word. New subscribers will receive the book Puffins as a gift and all subscribers are part of a draw to win a trip to Iceland. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.
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Future of Hope is an aptly named documentary directed by Henry Bateman about what some people are doing to shape the future of Iceland, hoping that above all, the crisis will ultimately strengthen the country.
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There can’t be many novels that are heralded as being “a purification for body and soul” recommended to “those who enjoy experimental cookery” (review of November Rain in DV newspaper) and “as beautiful as a painting from the golden age” (review of The Offspring by Danish newspaper Politiken). However, Reykjavík based writer, Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir, has attracted such attention not to mention literary prizes.
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Have a laugh this week by visiting Hafnarborg, the Hafnarfjördur Centre of Culture and Fine Art, where the exhibition “Humor in Icelandic Art” is currently running. The exhibition consists of works by contemporary Icelandic artists from different generations which deal with humor and irony.
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