Honest Iceland Talk

In the old days, most Icelanders believed in ghosts, and some do until today. Iceland has a great variety of folk tales, giving you a distinct picture of the life and beliefs of past generations.

In this episode, we bring you three stories:

Redhead from the book 25 Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson

The Monster of Látrabjarg from the book 25 Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson

Helga the Farmers Daughter and the Elves from the book Elves, Trolls and Elemental Beings by Alan Boucher

We look forward to reading your feedback. You can rate the episodes here https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/honest-iceland-talk-1372422 or on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/honest-iceland-talk/id1525999592

In the old days, most Icelanders believed in ghosts, and some do until today. Iceland has a great variety of folk tales, giving you a distinct picture of the life and beliefs of past generations.

In this episode, we bring you three stories:

Redhead from the book 25 Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson

The Monster of Látrabjarg from the book 25 Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson

Helga the Farmers Daughter and the Elves from the book Elves, Trolls and Elemental Beings by Alan Boucher

We look forward to reading your feedback. You can rate the episodes here https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/honest-iceland-talk-1372422 or on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/honest-iceland-talk/id1525999592

Iceland is situated right between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, and its geology is nothing short of extraordinary and fascinating. The inhabitants live with the constant threat of a sudden volcanic blow with a volcanic eruption on average every three to five years.

In this episode, we tell you how past volcanos threatened the nation's survival and what we can learn from them for future eruptions. We also explore which volcanos show signs of erupting soon and take you on a short geological excursion about Iceland's formation.

We recommend the book: Exploring Iceland's Geology by Snæbjörn Guðmundsson.

Movie recommendation: BBC - Volcano Live, Iceland Erupts: A Volcano Live Special on YouTube

Find out more about Grímsvötn in our latest blog post: https://honesticeland.com/icelands-powerful-volcano-ready-to-erupt/

For Iceland lovers and explorers - every Thursday, we share with you great stories, little known mysteries, and how to explore Iceland like a pro!

Visit our website: https://honesticeland.com/

Steffi from Germany and Aðalbjörn from Iceland deliver you more Iceland wisdom every week! From geological history, mystical stories, funny tourist faux pas, personal experience to packing advice and travel tips, we got you covered!

If you have suggestions for a future episode, fill out the short survey on https://honesticeland.com/honest-iceland-podcast/ and leave a review to help us create new material:

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/honest-iceland-talk-1372422

https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/things-you-did-not-know-about-iceland/id1525999592

Coming completely from the mountains? We get it, Icelandic is pretty hard to understand.

The Icelandic language did not change much in the last couple of centuries, which is why most Icelanders can still read ancient books and texts.

Preserved with the language are many phrases that the old Vikings used, and are still used by many people today. We explore these phrases and put them into a present-day context.

Let's get on with the butter!

The darkness in the wintertime? High prices? While the nature in Iceland is breathtaking, living in the country can be challenging.

Although we wouldn't choose anywhere else to live, in this episode, we explore several reasons that might throw you off form your plan of moving to Iceland.

When it comes to corruption and tax evasion, Iceland is no exemption. While there are a few rotten apples amongst politicians, one MP manages to rise from the ashes, again and after.

In this episode, we explore what impact the three main scandals of the last couple of years had in Iceland. Listen to learn more about The Fishrot Files, Panama Papers, and the Klaustur Scandal.

Sources for this episode

The Fishrot Files:

https://www.ruv.is/kveikur/fishrot/fishrot/

https://wikileaks.org/fishrot/

https://www.samherji.is/en/moya/news/samherjis-namibia-investigation-finalized

https://www.samherji.is/en/moya/news/significant-taxes-paid-in-namibia

https://www.ruv.is/kveikur/fishrot/fishrot-2/

Panama Paper Scandal:

https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news-topic/panama_papers/

Klaustur Scandal:

https://www.icelandreview.com/politics/in-focus-the-klaustur-scandal/

Fascinating and mysteries, seeing Northern Lights in Iceland, is every travelers' dream. The new hunting season just started, and we tell you everything you need to know: How to read Autora forecasts, best spots to watch Northern Lights, and what are your option if you encounter a Northern Lights no show?

Check these websites:

https://auroraforecast.is/

https://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/

Visit our website and read how to catch Northern Lights: https://honesticeland.com/guide-to-northern-lights/

The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. But is it a must-do, or can you skip it? We tested it for you in August 2020: Pros and cons, and what you need to know before you visit.

Would you like to know more about Iceland's geology and the Blue Lagoon? We recommend the book "Exploring Iceland's Geology" from Snæbjörn Guðmundsson.

In this episode, we also review the Silica Hotel, the Blue Lagoon Premium access, and Moss Restaurant.

New episodes are published every Thursday!

Getting lost on an ice sheet, driving a 6-hour detour, or literally finding yourself after an intense search, all this happened in recent years since Iceland became such a popular tourist destination.

We talk about different mistakes and mishaps that travelers made on their vacation and what you can learn from it for your upcoming Iceland adventure.

Please support the Search and Rescue Team in Iceland!

See the pictures and read more about the stories we discuss in the episode:

Don't trust your GPS

Better stay off icebergs and Ice Sheets

False alarm: a polar bear or the scariest sheep ever?

Please only camp on the campsite

The pooping Tourist

Are you sure you want to use this broom to clean yourself?

Warning signs are here for a reason

Leave nature as you find it

The Journey of finding yourself turns into a real adventure