All Things Iceland

March 19th, 2022 marks the one year anniversary of the start of the Geldingadalir eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The eruption lasted six months and, according to scientists, is the longest eruption of this century in Iceland! To commemorate this momentous occasion, I am hosting “Eruption Week” on the All Things Iceland YouTube channel and here on the podcast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gujgzJRf0U

Throughout this week, I will feature interviews that I did with two creators who documented the beauty, power, and impact of the Geldingadalir volcanic eruption. The first interview to be published is with Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove. He is a professional photographer from Belgium that has resided in Iceland since 2016. He recently published a book called “New Earth: A Photographic Journey of the Geldingadalir Eruption.” Not surprisingly, the images in it are stunning. While there is not a lot of text, what he does write is captivating and takes you along on the journey he embarked on to document the volcano during the forty-four visits that he made.

The second interview is with April Anderson. She is the cinematographer, editor, and director of the documentary “Fire & Iceland: Art, Culture & Chasing Lava.” This documentary is visually stunning and gives amazing insight into Icelandic culture and mindset about living on an island with such volatile nature.

To cap off “Eruption Week”, I’m hosting a free watch party of the “Fire & Iceland: Art, Culture & Chasing Lava” documentary on Sunday, March 20th, 2022 on my YouTube channel. This is a one-time free showing on my channel because I will delete it afterwards. If you want to watch along with me, you must be at the premiere of it.

Normally, you must pay for the documentary, and you can watch it at any time by purchasing it on Vimeo or Prime Video

To be notified of the time and to get the link, sign up for my newsletter. I will send out the time and link on Friday evening.

Since viewing the documentary is being made available for free, if you feel inclined to, you can donate directly to the Icelandic Search and Rescue team. They are a 100% volunteer-led non-profit, non-commercial organization in the country that works tirelessly to help save lives and keep all of us safe. The reason so many of us were able to safely see the eruption is because of them.

If you can donate to their organization, it would be greatly appreciated. The link to donate is to their Paypal account, so they will get the money directly.  The link is also here – https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EKX6MUYPP7AGA&source=url

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or rating on whichever platform you are on.

Also, please share this with someone that you think would enjoy it what is coming up for eruption week.

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Gerog Leite is Afro-Brazilian and came to Iceland way back when he was 16 years old. I witnessed first-hand his gregarious nature during my first visit to Kaldi Bar, a place he owns and manages, many years ago. It’s funny how I wondered about his story as I watched him from afar chatting with people at the bar. Little did I know that one day I would have the pleasure of interviewing him for the All Things Iceland podcast.

During the conversation, Georg describes what led him to choose Iceland as a teenager and what it was like for him to adjust to a place that is pretty much the exact opposite of where he grew up in Brazil. Along with adjusting to life here, we discuss how his family back in Brazil reacted to him choosing to live in the land of fire and ice.

One of my absolute favorite parts of this interview is hearing about his journey learning Icelandic. It always delights me when people just allow themselves to jump headfirst into challenging situations. Iceland was a very different place when he moved back in 2002, but the fact remains the same – Icelandic can be hard to learn but it is doable. This is something I often remind myself of because somedays it feels rough.

On top of owning Kaldi Bar, my favorite bar in downtown Reykjavík, Georg is a talented photographer that published the gorgeous book called “New Faces of Iceland”, which features portraits of Icelanders with mixed heritage. It shows the amazing and diverse cultures that have merged into Icelandic society. He is also an actor, and model. Seriously, he is majorly talented and treats everyone like a close friend.

If you enjoyed this interview with Georg, I encourage you to follow him on Instagram and share this interview with someone you think would enjoy it.

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Even though the Health Minister had hinted at removing all restrictions, I honestly didn‘t think it would happen now because of the continued high rate of infections in the country. In the last couple of weeks, the number of new COVID cases has broken records. We have seen numbers way higher than when the pandemic started. Yet, Icelandic Parliament, along with the Chief Epidemiologist, have decided to lift all restrictions.

In this episode, I go over how people are feeling in Iceland about this decision. There are some who are rejoicing, while there are some that are nervous. The most vocal people that are rejoicing are those in the hospitality and travel sector. It has been a rough two years for them, and they are hoping that going back to pre-pandemic life will mean a revival of their businesses.

As of now, there is no obligation to take a test when you land in the country, no quarantine or isolation is required as well. Regardless of your vaccination status, you can enter Iceland without issue. PCR tests are no longer readily available. If you need to take a COVID test, you still have the rapid test (antigen) one available.

You are also not obligated to wear masks or keep your distance from people. If you do feel sick and test positive for COVID, it is recommended that you isolate but that is not being enforced. Basically, you can enter and travel around freely in the country.

Additionally, you do not have to pre-register on covid.is nor do you need to present a vaccination certificate at the border.

Below is a quote from this article on RÚV English regarding Iceland has concluded lifting all restrictions:

Depending on how the next couple of weeks turn out, it could be that the decision to lift all restrictions still stands or that the government takes different action. We shall see.

If you found this episode helpful and/or informative, please share it with someone that you think would find it interesting.

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Tryggvi Rúnar jr is named after his grandfather, who is one of the wrongly accused and convicted individuals in Iceland’s most infamous criminal investigation. In 1974, two men, on separate occasions, went missing and their bodies were never found. The police scrambled to figure out what happened to Guðmundur Einarsson and Geirfinnur Einarsson (not related). I watched the Netflix series Out of Thin Air, which gives more background about what Tryggvi talks about during this interview.

After intense interrogations and mistreatment, including being put in solitary confinement for years, six people confessed and were convicted for kidnapping, killing, and disposing of the bodies of these two men. This was without any forensic evidence or the bodies of these two men. Finally, in 2018 five out of the six falsely convicted people were exonerated.

In this episode, you will hear how Tryggvi Rúnar Jr grew up around his grandfather but was completely unaware of his past as a petty criminal and wrongly convicted person. His experience of his grandfather was only one of a caring, gentle, and giving older man that loved him. Tryggvi, his family, the others convicted and their families, have been fighting the Icelandic justice system for years. As I mentioned earlier, five out of the six were exonerated. While that is great, it took over 40 years for justice, and Erla’s name has still not been cleared.

I think a story like this sheds light on the fact that someone’s past doesn’t have to define how they act in the future. Also, “once a criminal, always a criminal” is a harsh and unfair label that can lock people into a vicious cycle of criminal behavior because they haven’t been able to reintegrate back into society.

The other aspect to this interview that intrigued me to no end is the involvement of the Icelandic government. The current Prime Minister, Katrín Jakóbsdóttir acknowledged there was wrongdoing regarding the case and investigation. However, she has never directly apologized to the families on behalf of the Icelandic government. Tryggvi Rúnar explains this in detail during the interview. Admittingly, I was shocked to hear that because this seems like such a cut and dry thing to do.

If you enjoyed this podcast episode, please share it with someone that you think would also enjoy it.

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As I approach my sixth year of living in Iceland, it is fascinating to take a trip down memory lane and talk about what has happened leading up to me living here. Because some people have asked how my family felt about me moving to Iceland, I decided to let them tell you. During this episode, I conducted a virtual interview with my sister and mother. They both get a chance to share with you what their feelings from the beginning of me meeting Gunnar up until now.

Some of the things they shared gave me better insight into how they felt back then. Plus, it was so much fun to have them as guests on the show. Over the years, I think we have all adjusted to live many thousands of miles away from each other. Technology has been such a gift for our family because we can easily stay in touch.

While I am not yet a parent, I have a greater appreciation for my mom expressing her empty bird nest syndrome that happened when I moved. We were so close (still are), so moving was an adjustment that both of us had to mentally prepare for. I distinctly remember crying at the airport on the day when I was finally moving. I wasn’t expecting to burst into tears but when I saw my mom crying, I couldn’t help it. As you might have heard in previous episodes, I’ve never felt home sick for the US, but I always look forward to when my family comes to visit or when I go to them.

My sister, who now lives in Texas, has always been quite the jokester and you will hear that in this episode. I think all of us use laughter and comedy when discussing difficult topics because it helps us to ease the pain. Change can be difficult, and me moving to Iceland was certainly a major adjustment for everyone. On top of that, I created All Things Iceland, which is a topic we discuss too.

I’m proud that as a family we have weathered many storms, supported each other in our individual endeavors, and continue to stay connected. I hope you this bit of insight into my family’s feelings about me living in Iceland. Feel free to share your comments or stories about you moving abroad in the comments.

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Today is the last day of the All Things Iceland 15-day Christmas series. To hear about the Icelandic Yule Lads that have arrived during this time period, and an overview of this series, check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13 and Day 14.

This episode dives into what happens to the Icelandic Yule Lads after Christmas. Below is the Icelandic and English version of the last part of the poem by Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

Á sjálfa jólanóttina, 

Svo tíndust þeir í burtu, 

Fyrir löngu á fjöllunum 

On Christmas night itself

Then one by one they trotted off

Their footprints in the highlands

On this day, which is Christmas eve for many in the US, Icelanders have the tradition of getting dressed up and sitting down for dinner at 6 PM.

The main staples of the meal are usually boiled and sugared potatoes, green peas from a can, pickled red cabbage that also might be from a can, corn, laufabrauð, and some type of meat dish. My mother in law always has ptarmigan or rjúpa (which is a type of bird), but others might have beef, lamb, glazed ham or turkey.

It really depends on the family. After dinner, there is of course dessert. Later on you open gifts. Most people get a book for Christmas, so they usually go off and read their book at the end of the night. 

Starting on December 25th, the Yule Lads start to make their way back to the mountains one by one each day. The last official day of Christmas in Iceland is January 6th.

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Tonight Kertasníkir, the 13th and final Yule Lad, comes to town – the favorite among Icelanders. To hear about the other Yule Lads that have already arrived and an overview of this Icelandic Christmas series, check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12 and Day 13.

Below is the Icelandic and English version of the poem about Kertasníkir by Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

Þrettándi var Kertasníkir, 

Hann elti litlu börnin, 

The thirteenth was Candle Beggar –

He trailed after the little ones

The 23rd of December in Iceland is Saint Þorlákur’s Day in Iceland, 

Thorlak Thorhallsson is the patron saint of Iceland. He was bishop of Skálholt from 1178 until his death on December 23rd, 1193. 

The holiday calls for a special meal which many eat only once a year: fermented or putrefied skate (a type of ray).

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Tonight Ketkrókur, the 12th Yule Lad, comes to town. To hear about the other Yule Lads that have already arrived and an overview of this Icelandic Christmas series, check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11 and Day 12.

Below is the Icelandic and English version of the poem about Ketkrókur by Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

Ketkrókur, sá tólfti, 

Hann krækti sér í tutlu, 

Meat Hook, the twelfth one

He snagged himself a morsel

Christmas candies! I feel like a holiday in Iceland is not complete without some kind of candy that is made especially for this time of the year.

The big candy producers like Nóí Sírius, Apollo and Góa all have some type of candy during this time. I especially love Jóladýr, which is a vegan candy from Freyja. It is dark chocolate with creamy mint filling. So tasty and way too easy to eat the whole bag.

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Tonight  Gáttaþefur, the 11th Yule Lad, comes to town. To hear about the other Yule Lads that have already arrived and an overview of this Icelandic Christmas series, check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10 and Day 11.

Below is the Icelandic and English version of the poem about Gáttaþefur by Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

Ellefti var Gáttaþefur 

Hann ilm af laufabrauði 

Eleventh was Door Sniffer,

He caught the scent of leaf bread

Bake saras or sörur – Chocolate glazed buttercream macaroons

​​Sarah Bernhardt cakes originates back to 1911, where a Copenhagen pastry chef (Johannes Steen) created this cake as a tribute to the world-famous french actress, Sarah Bernhardt, when she came to Copenhagen to mark the publication of her memoirs in Danish

Piparkökur – pepper cookies but really gingerbread.

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Tonight Gluggagægir, the 10th Yule Lad comes to town. To hear about the  other Yule Lads that have already arrived and an overview of this Icelandic Christmas series, check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, and Day 10.

Below is the Icelandic and English version of the poem about  Gluggagægir by Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

Tíundi var Gluggagægir,

Ef eitthvað var þar inni

The tenth was Window Peeper,

And whatever was inside

Jólaterta – Christmas cake that is layered with jam and cream. You can find them in every supermarket wrapped up in plastic

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