All Things Iceland

Najmo Fiyasko’s story of growing up in Somalia and her escape from being a child bride there caught my attention when I saw her on the cover of a newspaper in Iceland. I was shocked to learn that she had been through so much at such a young age. I still have the newspaper that featured her because I just knew that one day I would interview her. The funny thing is that one fateful day she friended me on Facebook and we eventually started to chat. I was elated when she agreed to be interviewed because I wanted as many people as possible to hear about what she has overcome and the inspiration she is today.

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Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits.

If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega.

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Reykjavík and the rest of Iceland has gained a reputation for having many rainy days. While I’m an advocate for going out and dressing well no matter the weather, sometimes it is better to stay inside. Well, if you have to be indoors why not make it fun? The five interactive places I talk about in this episode are so much fun that they will make you forget all about the weather.

I’m excited to have FlyOver Iceland as the sponsor of this podcast episode and video. I remember experiencing this interactive ride back when it first opened and I was blown away. As explained in the podcast episode, there are three distinct parts to the experience. First, you enter a Viking longhouse and hear an Icelandic storyteller explain about Vikings and settlers that came to the country. Next, you go into the Well of Time. In this room, an Icelandic troll uses their magical powers to show you visually and through music about the history of Iceland and its people.

Last but not least, is the simulated flying experience. After strapping in, you feel like you’re flying over some of the remote parts of the country. It’s an incredible experience because there is wind, mist, and the seats are moving like we are in an airplane. Everyone I know who has been there, including my mother, has raved about it. I highly recommend this incredibly fun activity in Reykjavík.

Don’t miss out on announcements of special content for those planning a trip to Iceland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vsy0xeVKgw

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According to the website Reykjavík ClimaTemps.com, there are,

Rigning – rain

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega.

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

While it might seem a little morbid to talk about how Iceland can kill you, the intention of this podcast episode and blog post is to spread awareness. Icelandic nature is absolutely gorgeous but there are plenty of dangerous situations that can be life threatening. In this episode, I’m sharing seven ways that can lead to death here. I include some examples of people who have unfortunately perished.

Please remember to check safetravel.is before heading out on an adventure in Iceland. This site has updates about weather warnings, road closures and more.

Don’t miss out on announcements of special content for those planning a trip to Iceland.

Regardless of the season, Icelandic weather can vary. It’s common to experience what feels like different seasons within the same day.

Most people that visit Iceland are not familiar with how to properly layer their clothes. That is why I created a free Ultimate Packing Checklist for Iceland. It breaks down all of the essential items you need for winter and summer. I also included non-essential items that can be helpful if you have room to pack them and outfit ideas if you plan to go out to dinner or party in Reykjavík.

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The Icelandic Search & Rescue teams are voluntary organizations. I go into more detail about them in the episode and how they raise money to keep in operation so they can save lives.

hætta – danger

Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits.

If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega.

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Whether it‘s your first or fifth time visit Iceland, I think you will find my what I share about the Reykjanes Peninsula in this podcast episode to be quite exciting. This peninsula is a UNESCO Global GeoPark.

Grab my free itinerary for the Reykjanes Peninsula. It gives you all the names and links of places and activities that I experienced on my adventure in this amazing place.

According to the unesco.org wesbite, UNESCO Global GeoParks,

I’ve had the pleasure of exploring different parts of the Reykjanes Peninsula and I even did a podcast episode about this place years ago.

The difference between that episode and this one is that I recently did a three-day trip exploring this amazing place. In fact, I partnered with Visit Reykjanes for this podcast episode to bring you an amazing guide to how you can enjoy this  area that I feel is the most underrated in the country.

It still surprises me that so many people visit the iconic Blue Lagoon, the current erupting volcano, and come through Kelflavík international airport, which are all on the peninsula. However, they have no idea about all the amazing natural wonders, food, accommodations and activities that are right under their noses. While it is a shame, I will admit that it is nice to visit all of these places without many people being there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsiJ0rhY_g4

Day one was a bit of a beast in that we packed in a lot of activities. If you end up watching the video for this, you will see some drastically different weather on day one. There were parts of the peninsula where it was raining and other parts where it was blue skies and dry. It was a bizarre weather day, but we used it to our advantage. Well, to the best of our abilities.

During the episode, I talk about a kind of funny and unfortunate event that happened to me on the last day of this adventure in the parking lot of the Rock and Roll Museum.

Vanmeta – underestimate

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It’s so hard to believe that I am celebrating 5 years of living and traveling in Iceland this month. June is special to me because a lot of major events in my life have happened during this month. Some I have control over, such as moving to Iceland in 2016, getting married, and  starting the podcast three years ago, so I’m celebrating those anniversaries too.

One thing that I don’t think I had any control over is that I was born in June. This is a kind of random fact but I was supposed to be born on May 16th but my mom said I was not ready to come and I ended up being born a month later on June 16th. Maybe I had more control over that than I thought. Anyway, as you can see there is a lot to celebrate this month

Don’t miss out on the announcement of special content for those planning a trip to Iceland.

Five years feels special to me because I’ve been fortunate enough to learn, travel and grow as a person in Iceland throughout this time. I’ve met some amazing people, gone to gorgeous places and had the opportunity to share some of them with all of you, whether it’s on the All Things Iceland podcast, YouTube channel, Instagram or Facebook. The funny thing is that I have so much that I haven’t been able to share because there is not enough time in the day to put all the content.

Living and traveling in Iceland for the last 5 years, podcasting for the last three years and running a Youtube channel about Iceland, I’ve amassed a lot of knowledge about this amazing place. While it would be great to share all of what I’ve learned, it would take a very long time to do that. So, I’ve chosen 10 things I’ve learned in the last 5 years to share.

Random side note, here is the Farm Life Iceland video, where I followed Pálína around on her family’s sheep farm.

I only started hiking when I came to Iceland. In the podcast, I talk about my first hiking experience in the country with Icelandic mountaineers, which was intense.

umbreytast – transformation

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega.

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This episode is all about the Icelandic geothermal bathing culture in Iceland. Many of you might be aware that Icelanders love to soak in a hot tub no matter the weather. However, you might not be aware of some of the history, modern day culture and etiquette involved with this tradition. Before I jumped into it, I’m excited to announce that this episode is sponsored by the new Sky Lagoon geothermal spa in Reykjavík. 

I have to point out that I only like to promote places or things that I have personally gone to or used and can vouch for the experience. I will share some insight a little later in the episode about the Sky Lagoon because I was blown away by this new geothermal spa. 

Bathing in a geothermal pool in Iceland is a national pastime, and the origins of this activity dates back to the settlement times. When farmers from Norway came to Iceland, they found that there was an abundance of hot water coming out of the earth in different areas of the country. Washing clothes and soaking in natural Icelandic geothermal pools were two of the most common uses. The heat and steam from the geothermal water were also used to make delicious Icelandic bread called rúgbrauð.

Iceland’s harsh weather takes a toll on the skin and those with skin conditions found that soaking in the warm water seemed to alleviate some symptoms. Because the water from geothermal sources is often rich with minerals, it can provide healing properties for those that immerse in it.

Snorri Sturluson, a revered Icelandic historian, poet and politician, had a man made geothermal bathing pool in Reykholt back in the 13th century. It is aptly named Snorralaug, which translates to Snorri’s pool and is fed hot water by the nearby hot spring Skrifla.. What’s even more interesting is that Snorri had a tunnel built that went from his house straight to the pool so he could be sheltered to and from his beloved geothermal bathing pool. I visited this location in the summer of 2020 and the pool is beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to bathe in it today because the hot water that fills the pool can sometimes be scolding hot. 

While Snorralaug was once thought to be used only by Snorri, it appears that this pool was mentioned in the Landnáma, or book of settlement, back in the 10th century. Of course, it was not called Snorralaug back then but the pool in the book of settlements was in the same location.

While it is still possible and quite fun to bathe in natural geothermal hot springs out in Icelandic nature, the majority of Icelanders opt for local pools and spas. These facilities provide a comfortable place to change, lockers to store your things securely, showers to clean off, and a relaxing place to gather. Many of these places still use geothermal energy but it’s a major upgrade from what their ancestors used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LceJtnzj_0&t=12s

And this is what brings me to talk more about our sponsor for this episode, which is the new gorgeous Sky Lagoon in Reykjavík. I had the amazing opportunity to check out the Sky Lagoon the weekend it opened. If I recall correctly, it opened on Friday, April 30th and we went on Sunday, May 2nd. What’s nice is that it is only about a 10 minute drive from the downtown area. 

This new geothermal spa in Iceland is unique because they have incorporated Icelandic culture and history into the experience.I was blown away by how beautiful the facilities are and how thoughtful the architects were when they designed the place. For starters, the outside of the building was made using Icelandic turf, which is essentially dirt and grass. That is how Icelanders made their homes for centuries after running out of wood due to cutting down trees.

The Sky Lagoon has 7 ritual steps to relaxation and well-being. I posted a video of my experience of going through each step and will embed it in the show notes so you can check it out. The place is absolutely gorgeous and is home to the largest sauna in the country.

In addition, they have an infinity pool with views of the ocean, the current volcanic eruption and the house of the President of Iceland. How cool is that?! I could go on and on about this place because I was that impressed. Gunnar and I plan to go back in the very near future. I have a link to the Sky Lagoon in the show notes of this episode on allthingsiceland.com and I highly recommend keeping this place on your list of must-dos when planning your trip for Iceland.

One thing to understand before coming to Iceland is that there are rules for bathing here. If you don’t follow these rules, you might find yourself in hot water and I’m not talking about the one in the hot tub.

If you have watched my “How to Offend Icelanders” video on YouTube, you probably already know that not taking your shoes off before entering their home is a big no-no. Well, there is a similar rule at the pools. You must take off your shoes before entering the changing facilities. The point of this rule is that people are walking around barefoot and taking off your shoes means that dirt, bacteria and other things that are on the bottom of your shoes are not being tracked in this area.

I think it goes without saying that you are not allowed to take photos or videos in the changing room but I think some people get excited about being in new places and forget. Please be respectful of the space and others privacy and don’t take any photos or videos.

It might come as a surprise that most pools and spas have communal changing and shower areas that are separated by gender. Icelanders are not shy about stripping naked to get changed and shower. It’s helpful to be mentally prepared for this because it is expected that you will do this too.

There are some places where you can pay more to have your own shower and changing area, such as at the Sky Lagoon. Their Sky Pass comes with those amenities. In the video I mentioned about the place, I show what those facilities look like.

One important thing to remember is that you are expected to shower naked, meaning without your bathing suit, before you get in the pool. You have to use soap to clean every part of your body, rinse off the soap and then put your bathing suit on.

Again, this is done in a communal shower. It’s a very common thing here but I can understand if it is a little shocking or strange for people who have never showered in front of others before. The good thing is that you realize that most people in the shower are not concerned about what you look like. Everyone just wants to get clean and into the pool.

In some pools, Icelanders do look to see if a person has showered because it is important that you do it before going into the pool in order to keep the pool cleaner. I know of Icelanders that have stopped tourists to let them know that they have to shower first.

After you have showered, dried off and put on your bathing suit, you leave your towel in a little cubby area and head off to the pool. Some might be tempted to take their towels with them but the weather conditions can vary, so it makes sense to leave your towel inside. This ensures that it stays dry and clean for when you come back to shower.

After you’ve enjoyed the geothermal bathing experience and have showered, make sure to dry off before going into the changing room. Doing so prevents getting the floor wet where people are putting on dry socks and their clothes.

Ok, there you have it! This might seem like a decent amount of rules but they are very easy to follow and doing so will keep you in the good graces of the natives.

While it has been common for Icelanders to bathe in geothermal pools for centuries, one thing I found fascinating is that swimming was not a skill many people possessed for quite some time.

Even Though fishermen were abundant here and fishing was an important part of the economy, Icelandic fishermen did not know how to swim until the 19th century! It’s sad to know that some drownings of fishermen might have been avoided if they had the skill to swim. 

Another fascinating fact is that many swimming pools were constructed in the 1940s and 50s after Icelanders were drilling for gold but instead found geothermally heated water. Pretty much every town in Iceland has a swimming pool. I’ve read that there are as many as 200 swimming pools in the country. That goes to show you just how much Icelanders cherish their geothermal bathing culture.

Jarðhiti – geothermal heating

Jarð – earth

Hiti – heat or warmth

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

I’ve been learning Icelandic for quite some time but I’ve not felt very confident when it comes to speaking. To boost my confidence, my Icelandic husband and I agreed to spend the month of March in 2021 speaking in Icelandic. We tried this experiment for the first time last July but it was quite difficult. Even though we had an idea of how it could go, we each had reservations about it because it can be emotionally draining to not be able to express yourself. While this time around was much different than the first time, there were still challenges. 

I think the biggest change for me this month was how much I was able to remember on the spot when I started to speak. Repetition is super helpful when learning a language and Icelandic is no different. We talk all about the challenges for both of us in this episode of the podcast. I hope you find it interesting and helpful.

The audio is taken from the video that I posted below on the All Things Iceland YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYQHrlqgtyE

While Icelandic is difficult for many that are learning it, just know that it is possible to do it. I think pushing through your fear about speaking is a key aspect to any language learning journey. As I work on that, I will continue to share how it’s going for me and any other Icelandic language learning resources that I think will be helpful.

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Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits.

If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Chris Burkard is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker and adventurer that loves Iceland. He has shared epic photographs and films that showcases Icelandic landscape and natural phenomenon. Some of his films about Iceland includes “Under an Arctic Sky” and “A Line in Sand“.

Chris Burkard’s love for this country is contagious and he has experienced this place in such unique ways, such as surfing under the northern lights and cycling across Iceland from east to west. Along with talking about his adventures, Chris also shares so many great pointers in this interview for travelers who plan to visit Iceland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db0CfLjTcso

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Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits.

If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join.

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

The fissure eruption in Iceland that so many people have been anticipating happened last night on the Reykjanes Peninsula near Fagradalsfjall and is called Geldingadalsgos. In this video I specifically go over all the updates about the eruption so far.

This includes when the eruption started, what authorities are saying about the ash expected, gas emission, lava flow, safety for those in the surrounding area, how long this might go on. I also teach you how to say the name of the eruption, and give some insight on how people are reacting here. I have a link to the live stream of the eruption in the description box and the news articles I am referencing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT4LhCYiBX8

When the eruption at around 9:40 PM on March 19th, 2021, it was reported that there were hundred-meter tall fountains of lava but those are no longer visible

There is little to no ash production. I know many were concerned about that because of what happened in 2010. When I interviewed Ari Trausti Gudmundsson, a geologist in Iceland about this he said that the reason that little to no ash is expected is because the predicted eruption would happen in an area where there isn’t a large source of water. 

Also, there is minimal gas emissions. If you are near the eruption, like literally next to it and in the path of the wind, you would be in danger. However, the neighboring towns like Grindavik are fine. The night of eruption, authorities did tell people in Þórlakshöfn, which is a nearby town to shut their windows and turn off their radiators just in the case the wind pushed gas toward them.

The images and videos of the volcanic eruption are from the Icelandic newspaper RÚV (ruv.is)

I think it is very telling that the Civil Protection agency is calling this a “little and beautiful eruption”

So safety wise, we are all safe and that is expected to continue but technically it could change but like I said, that doesn’t seem likely

“It is on the scale of one to two kilometres, not much longer than that, the lava flows and fissure

They think that the lava will not flow over a very wide area and will probably just get thicker

Because the eruption is small many Icelanders are calling it a cute or poor little thing. We’ve all been glued to the news and it is so fascinating to see 

At first authorities have asked people to stay away but later on they gave advice about how to safely access the eruption by foot. On the night of the eruption, there was a stream of cars heading toward the eruption. And I saw some people on the live stream waving to the camera. While this specific area is closed off, the rest of the Reykjanes Peninsula is open.

Authorities are still monitoring the area because another fissure could open up. Also, Ari Trausti said in our interview that this could be the beginning of more volcanic activity, but for now that has not happening.

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Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits.

If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Ari Trausti Guðmundsson is a well-known Icelandic geologist, broadcaster, author, journalist, documentarian, lecturer, mountaineer and member of Icelandic Parliament.

I had the pleasure of interviewing him for the podcast about the thousands of earthquakes and possible volcanic eruption. He answered as many questions of my subscribers and followers that he could and I’m so gratfeful for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqYFwZlbr6o&t=98s

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Some of you might be aware that one of my goals for the podcast is to travel around Iceland more to interview different people in each region. In July, I set up the All Things Iceland community on Patreon. It’s a membership platform that was founded in 2013. It allows for creators like me to provide exclusive content to listeners like you in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Each month I am doing Ask Me Anything videos, Live Chats, and Folklore Friday each week. Sometimes I do updates about my life in Iceland. I do not share this content on any other channel. The support from my patrons on the All Things Iceland community on Patreon will help to evolve All Things Iceland. There are several membership tiers to choose from and each tier has a variety of benefits.

If you would like to join the community, go to patreon.com/allthingsiceland. I look forward to having you join.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!