All Things Iceland

Besides the Reykjavík area, the South Coast of Iceland is by far the most popular part of the country that is featured on social media, blogs and in one of Justin Bieber’s music videos. People from around the world are flocking there in droves. According to  the Icelandic Tourism Board’s statistics for 2017, during the winter 55% of the travelers that come to Iceland traveled to the South and in the summer, a whopping 71% of travelers to the country went to that region. It is without a doubt a very popular place but it might make one wonder, “Is it really worth the hype?”

Before answering that, let’s start off with what you can see and do along the South  Coast of Iceland. Because this area does have a variety of attractions and stunning nature, I have split everything up into three categories. I will start off with talking about historical sites and the most popular places to visit. Following that, will be the type of wildlife and nature you can find in this region. Lastly, I will go over the fun activities that are available for you to do along the South Coast.

Þingvellir

Þingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is popular for many reasons. The first and most important reason  is due to its historical significance in Icelandic society. The general assembly for Parliament, or Alþing in Icelandic, was established here around 930 and continued to meet there until 1798. The parliament members would discuss and decide on laws, as well as pass judgements on any matters brought before them.

The Logberg or Law Rock is where public speaking events took place. The unique geology in the area created a natural amphitheater for such speaking events. Along with learning about history and being able to see where Icelandic people’s ancestors used to meet,  you can witness the Mid-Atlantic ridge. This ridge is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly separating at a rate of two centimeters per year. The separation has created a rift valley, which means that you can walk between two continents.

2. Churches Along the South Coast

Even though less than 10% of Icelandic population goes to church each month, there are many churches in the country. In fact, there are 19 churches that can be found along the South Coast of Iceland, if you exclude the ones in the Reykjavík area. Many of these churches have a similar style that makes them easy to spot. Just look for a steeple with a cross on top that is attached to a large room that is used for the congregation to meet in.

On a map, you will always know how to find a church because the word kirkja will be at the end. Kirkja means church. Some of the churches that get a decent amount of visitors are the ones in Selfoss, Þingvellir, Strandar and Höfn.  The church in Höfn is especially interesting because it has a turf roof and was built in 1884!  See the full list of churches along the South Coast of Iceland here.

Church with a turf roof

Icelandic people are very proud of their culture and the nature that surrounds them. In total, there are 15 museums and cultural centers the region. My favorite is the LAVA center, which is a very cool interactive museum about Icelandic volcanoes. It is for all ages and I have been there twice. You can find museums and cultural centers along the South Coast of Iceland that feature exhibitions on the Icelandic sagas, art and even Bobby Fischer.

This is one of the most popular routes that many tourists that visit the South Coast of Iceland take. It is made up of Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir hot spring and Þingvellir National Park. This trifecta gives you a taste of Iceland magnificent natural wonders.

Vík is a tiny town of less than 300 people in the southernmost village in Iceland. It attracts  41.5% of travelers in the winter and 56.6% of travelers in the summer. My random fact about Iceland shares some fascinating information about this town’s precarious location.

Vík

This is the closest glacier to Reykjavík that you can go on. It is about 2 and a half hours from Reykjavík one way.

Vatnajökull National park is about 4-5 hours away from Reykjavík.  It is the largest glacial ice cap in Europe!

Skaftafell

The third largest geothermal area in the world. You can hike between bubbling hot springs and take a dip in one as well.

Þórs Valley, a lush green area in the highlands, is absolutely magnificent

Reykjadalur literally translates to smoky valley. If you can’t experience Landmannalaugar’s hot spring area, I recommend taking a hike here. It is not a difficult hike and you can take a dip in a hot spring.

Seljalandsfoss

I have already mentioned Sólheimajökull, Svínafellsjökull, Vatnajökull  but there are 7 more glaciers along the South Coast of Iceland. An infamous one is Eyjafjallajökull. Check out the full list in the show notes

Black sand beach in Vík

Lava Cave

Just know that this is not an exhaustive list of popular places, activities and nature,  but it is certainly a good start if you plan to visit the South Coast of Iceland.

Back to the question that I asked in the beginning of the episode, “Is the South Coast worth the hype?” My overall answer is yes. However, I feel that it has become so popular that it is hard to enjoy being there due the massive amount of people. My advice is to arrive early in the day or late at night, specifically during the summer. You can avoid most of the crowds and possibly capture some beautiful photos of these stunning places. Regarding the activities, you have to do the majority of them with an experienced guide but you can avoid feeling like you are being herded around like cattle by booking with a company that specializes in small group experiences.

The Icelandic word of this episode is Þingvellir. Listen to the podcast at _________ to hear how it is pronounced and what it means. I also shared a random fact about Vík during this episode at ___________. Check it out.

If you have enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland, please subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss an update. If you are listening to this on iTunes or any other platform that allows reviews, please leave a review.

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

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening). See you soon!

Iceland is home to 130 volcanoes and as of today, 30 of them are active.  While the country has experienced 13 eruptions since it was settled in AD 874, none has been as devastating as the Laki eruption that started in 1783 and lasted for 8 months! During this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast, you will learn about the effects this massive eruption had on Iceland and other parts of the world.

If we are being technical, the mountain Laki did not erupt. Instead, fissures opened up on each side of it after groundwater interacted with rising basalt magma. The fissure is called Lakagígar, part of the volcanic system that centers on Grímsvötn volcano. For the sake of simplicity, I will say Laki instead of Lakagígar and eruption when referring to the fissure releasing gas and lava.

For starters, I think it would be helpful to give you an idea of where the eruption took place. This volcanic fissure lies along the south of Iceland near to the magnificent Eldgjá. This word directly translates to the Canyon of Fire. Kirkjubæjarklaustur,  a small village that most people have probably fumbled over trying to pronounce, is very close to Eldgjá.

From June 8th, 1783 until February 7th, 1784, the Laki fissure and Grímsvötn volcano poured out toxins. An estimated 42 billion tons of basalt lava, as well as poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide were released into the soil and air. The lava flow destroyed 20 villages.  The soil contamination led to the death of over 80% of sheep, 50% of cattle and 50% of horses in Iceland. The 8 million tons of hydrogen fluoride that was released caused dental and skeletal fluorosis in the animals. Most of the crops were wiped out as well. The loss of crops and livestock resulted in a famine that killed about 25% of the Icelandic population.

The quote below is an excerpt from the book, Fires of the Earth: the Laki eruption, 1783–1784.  It gives a very vivid depiction of what happened to the livestock and villages during this eruption.

“This past week, and the two prior to it, more poison fell from the sky than words can describe: ash, volcanic hairs, rain full of sulfur and saltpeter, all of it mixed with sand. The snouts, nostrils, and feet of livestock grazing or walking on the grass turned bright yellow and raw. All water went tepid and light blue in color and gravel slides turned gray. All the earth’s plants burned, withered and turned gray, one after another, as the fire increased and neared the settlements.[13]”

The effects in Iceland were no doubt devastating, but it was not the only place the suffered. Scientists have found evidence that the eruption weakened Indian and African monsoon circulations. This resulted in between one to three millimeters less daily precipitation than normal in the north east and north west regions in Africa. Less rain meant a low flow in the Nile river. Egypt ended up experiencing a famine in 1784 that killed 1/6th of its population.

The outpouring of  millions of tons of hydrogen fluoride and sulfur dioxide became known as the Laki haze across Europe. The thick haze from the 120 million tons of sulfur dioxide that was emitted resulted in thousands of deaths. Inhaling this poisonous gas causes you to choke as your soft tissue starts to swell.

The summer of 1783 was very hot and the winter brought extreme frost in Great Britain. They estimated losing 23,000 British people due to the poison. During the spring of 1784, Germany and Central Europe reported severe flood damage after regions thawed following the blistering cold winter. Even many years after the eruption, Europe was feeling the effects. The Laki eruption has been linked to the French Revolution in 1789. It is believed that the poisonous gas caused droughts, bad winters and bad summers during the years following its eruption.

Gilbert White, an English naturalist and ornithologist, said the following about summer of 1783 in Selborne, Hampshire, England:

The summer of the year 1783 was an amazing and portentous one, and full of horrible phaenomena; for besides the alarming meteors and tremendous thunder-storms that affrighted and distressed the different counties of this kingdom, the peculiar haze, or smokey fog, that prevailed for many weeks in this island, and in every part of Europe, and even beyond its limits, was a most extraordinary appearance, unlike anything known within the memory of man.

By my journal I find that I had noticed this strange occurrence from June 23 to July 20 inclusive, during which period the wind varied to every quarter without making any alteration in the air. The sun, at noon, looked as blank as a clouded moon, and shed a rust-coloured ferruginous light on the ground, and floors of rooms; but was particularly lurid and blood-coloured at rising and setting.

All the time the heat was so intense that butchers’ meat could hardly be eaten on the day after it was killed; and the flies swarmed so in the lanes and hedges that they rendered the horses half frantic, and riding irksome. The country people began to look, with a superstitious awe, at the red, louring aspect of the sun; […][25]

North America did not escape the effects of this eruption either. The winter of 1784 was recorded as being one of the longest and coldest across the United States. Surprisingly, the Mississippi River froze near New Orleans and there were reports of drift ice in the Gulf of Mexico.

Incredibly, the aftermath of this eruption caused a drop in global temperatures. Iceland might be a small island in the North Atlantic but natural events like this one show that it can have a huge impact on the rest of the world.

The Icelandic word of this episode is eldfjall. Listen to the podcast at 8:33 to hear how it is pronounced and what it means. I also shared a random fact about volcanoes in Iceland during this episode at 7:45. Check it out.

Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

If you have enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland, please subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss an update. If you are listening to this on iTunes or any other platform that allows reviews, please leave a review, if you haven’t already.

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

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

I had the pleasure of interviewing  Jón Gnarr, Iceland’s most famous and funniest Mayor. Jón became Mayor of Reykjavík not long after Iceland’s economic crash in 2008. His victory was just as shocking to him as it was to many others in the country and around the world.

He was kind enough to host me at his home in Iceland for this interview. We chatted for almost three hours about a variety of topics. In part one, you will hear about why he ran for political office, his feelings about the welfare of polar bears, what surprised him about being Mayor and more.

Because we were at his home, there is some background noise from his 10 month old dog Klakki, who was eating a bone. I apologize in advance for the intermittent crackling noises. Additionally, at some point during the interview his youngest son Nonnie comes home and Jón has him tell me about the time that he met Lindsay Lohan, and he gives us bread that he baked at school. I ended up cutting that part out but it was a cute story and nice to have some fresh baked bread. Needless to say, meeting Jón Gnarr and conducting this interview was fun and included some unexpected events.

Jón dressed in drag

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview with Jón Gnarr. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

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

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

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

This is the second of a three part interview that I did with Jón Gnarr, Iceland’s funniest and most famous Mayor of Reykjavík. If you haven’t listened to part 1 of this interview, I highly recommend that you do. Jón shares why he decided to run for political office, his concern about polar bears and more. Plus, it will provide context for some of what we discuss in this episode. For part 2, Jón and I have a fascinating philosophical discussion. I learn about the profound impact that Taoism, surrealism and judo have had on his life and more about his time in political office as the Mayor.

Lastly, I shared the word klakki, which means ice, in the last episode. This time around I thought it might be helpful to teach you how to say Mayor of Reykjavík, which is Borgarstjóri (city boss) Reykjavíkur.

I hope you enjoyed listening to part 2 of my interview with Jón Gnarr. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss Part 3 next week. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

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

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

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make, if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Bjarney “Baddý” Hinriksdóttir, a yoga instructor and yoga studio owner in downtown Reykjavík about yoga in Iceland. Like many Western countries, Iceland has seen a significant rise in the number of people practicing yoga. With just a quick Google search you can easily find 4 or 5 studios in the Reykjavík area.  What makes Baddý’s studio unique is that her classes are only taught in English and it is smack dab in the middle of the downtown area.

When I first moved to Iceland, I immediately gravitated toward Baddý’s studio. It was awesome that I could get some yoga classes in English but also because you can tell that Baddý is passionate about what she does. During this interview we talk about how obscure yoga was considered not too long ago in Iceland, Baddýs thoughts on why yoga has become so popular here and if yoga will stand the test of time as an activity in this country.

I hope you enjoy listening to this interview on the All Things Iceland podcast. After the interview, please remember to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss the episodes I publish every week. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Góða skemmtun og sjáumst fljótlega (Enjoy and see you soon)!

During this episode of All Things Iceland, I give you the low down on what you can expect during an Icelandic winter. While long, dark winter nights can sound awful,  you can easily survive it by knowing what to expect and by using some of the coping mechanisms I share in this episode.

According to the Old Norse calendar, which was split up into two seasons (winter and summer), winter in Iceland is 26 weeks long. The first day of summer is the first Thursday after April 18th every year, which I feel like is a long running joke in Iceland because the weather that day is usually not “summery”. Icelandic winter starts on the Saturday that falls between October 21st and 27th. I am putting together an episode about the Old Norse calendar because it is so fascinating, but for right now, just know that the end of October signals to people in Iceland that winter has arrived. The days get darker much faster around this time.

In fact, we get about 9 hours of daylight around the first day of winter. Daylight just rapidly decreases from there. Check out the yearly sun graph of Iceland.  It is fascinating to see the drastic difference in daylight during an Icelandic winter and summer. While it is true is that winter is long in Iceland, I think it is worth mentioning that it is not an endless span of long, dark, super cold and dreary days. However, there are days like that but they can vary.

The country lucked out with its geographical position in the world. According to Iceland’s meteorological office, “Iceland enjoys a much milder climate than its name and location adjacent to the Arctic circle would imply. A branch of the Gulf Stream flows along the southern and the western coast greatly moderating the climate. However, this brings mild Atlantic air in contact with colder Arctic air resulting in a climate that is marked by frequent changes in weather and storminess. Furthermore, this leads to more rainfall in the southern and western part than in the northern part of the island.”

Yes, you will find ice and snow in Iceland during the winter. About 10% of the country is covered in ice and during the winter, the sidewalks in the Reykjavík area can be very icy. Some people wear micro spikes on their shoes because you can easily injure yourself if you slip and fall on the ice. It is unfortunate that micro spikes are usually thought of as things that older people wear here but that is the perception. If you are visiting, I think it is worth it to bring some with you. Better to be safe than sorry.

Snow during the winter in Iceland is welcomed, not only because it is pretty but because it lightens up the dark nights. It is interesting to see how much brighter it is outside when there is snow on the ground. Even though, there can be a decent amount of ice on the ground, the majority of the country rarely gets hit with super frigid temperatures. I know that seems weird, especially since the country’s name is Iceland.  The average temperature in Reykjavík, during an Icelandic winter is 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That is pretty mild, considering that Greenland is a our neighbor.

However, Iceland really is the land of extremes. While you have 24 hour brightness in the summer, Icelandic winter days are quite short. On the shortest day of the year, December 21st or the winter solstice, we get 4 hours and 7 minutes of daylight! Sometimes you don’t see the sun for days because of clouds or storms, especially when the days are at their shortest in December and January. Thankfully, December is full of holiday celebrations.

While the sky might be dark, there are lights decorating people’s houses and lots of excitement about Christmas and the upcoming New Year. The other upside to long, dark nights is that you have much better chances of seeing the Northern Lights. This natural phenomenon is caused by collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. They are known as ‘Aurora borealis’ in the north and ‘Aurora australis’ in the south. Variations in color are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding.

Here is a list of activities/tools that help people in Iceland to cope with the darkness during the winter.

The Icelandic word of the episode is Gluggaveður, which means window weather. Listen to the podcast at 17:57 to hear how it is pronounced, and how Icelandic people use it. I also shared a random fact about Iceland during this episode at 14:55. Check it out.

If you have enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland, please subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss new episodes.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening). See you soon!

For episode 10 of the All Things Iceland podcast,  I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Gunnar Örn Ingólfsson, a practicing psychologist in Iceland. We spoke about the state of mental health care in the country. Even though Iceland has consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world, according to The World Happiness Report, the country ranks as the fourth most depressed nation in Europe. I find that quite shocking and I wanted to get better insight into why there is such a high rate of depression in Iceland and what steps the country can take to improve the situation.

Gunnar has a PhD in Counseling Psychology and  he has worked extensively with adult clients in the US and Iceland that suffer from depression, anxiety, drug problems, as well as computer and internet addiction. He also works with those that find it difficult to adapt to the variability of life. His work with clients centers around Solution Focused Therapy.

I enjoyed this interview not only because it helped me to better understand mental health care in Iceland , but also because Gunnar is my husband. It was interesting to hear his perspective on a topic that I know is very close to his heart. I have added the contact details for his private practice below for anyone that is interested in reaching out to him.

Dr. Gunnar’s Private Practice Contact Information

Sálfræðistofa Reykjavíkur Facebook page

I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it. Please remember to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss the new episodes that I upload every week. If you are listening to this podcast on a platform that allows a reviews, please leave a review.

Goða skemmtun og sjáumst fljótlega (Enjoy and see you soon)!

My love of delicious beer and curiosity about Iceland blended together perfectly when I sat down to chat with Óli, the brewmaster at Ægisgarður brewery. While there are bigger and well known breweries in Iceland, I was drawn to Ægisgarður for a few reasons. The first is that I got married in that brewery in 2017 and I had the pleasure of attending a beer tasting earlier in the spring of this year. Óli conducted the beer tasting and dropped some major knowledge about Iceland’s complicated history with beer and other types of alcohol. After that, I just knew that I needed to chat with him about his role as brewmaster, the complicated history that I mentioned, and how the beer culture has evolved in Iceland.

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

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

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

This is the third and final part of my interview with Iceland’s youngest President of City Council, Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir. If you haven’t listened to part 1 and part 2 yet, I highly recommend that you do. Dóra shines a spotlight on the political scandals, deep seated beliefs and opportunities for positive change in Iceland during those parts.

During this episode, Dóra shares why she became a member of the pirate party, her views on information freedom, the responsibility of politicians to make positive change, the personal political initiatives that she would like to see implemented in Iceland and her favorite Icelandic phrase.

Before the interview starts, I have to include a disclaimer. At the very end of this episode, Dóra uses curse words for her favorite Icelandic phrase. Cursing is not a normal part of this podcast but her phrase ties in perfectly with the reaction to the financial meltdown in Iceland, so it I feel it is appropriate to include it.

Connect with Dóra

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

I hope you enjoyed listening to part 3 of this interview. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega (Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!