Friday, December 30, 2005

Happy New Year 2006!

New Year´s Eve in Reykjavík - The photo is borrowed from the site of Stelpa
but this is in fact almost exactly the view from mys sisters apartment,
where we are going to spend the evening.


Many thanks for stopping by and reading my blog in 2005.

Scenes from last years New Year´s Eve celebrations in Reykjavík.
Photo on the left by Torfi Frans Ólafsson

Monday, December 26, 2005

Gerður Helgadóttir 1928-1975


Gerður Helgadóttir (1928-1975)

A television documenty film about one of our best artists:
Horfa í sérglugga Líf fyrir listina eina

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

for everyone that views this,
from Millan.net and me.
...and I´ve decided that you simply
MUST see this fabulous Santa Dance too!
Christmas Is LOVE!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Nisse


As I have already given links to blogs with stuff about the Icelandic yulelads, I now want to give a link to the Danish Christmas NISSE, from Denmark, the country of my grandmother on my father´s side. And here is some information about Danish yuletide traditions, some of whom have been adopted by the Icelanders, with Iceland being a former Danish colony, or until 1918, and a part of the Danish Kingdom, having selfrule in certain matters but with a shared monarch, until 1944.

Almost too good to be true...

...have a look at this site:
Millan.net

Monday, December 19, 2005

Just for fun.....


This is the girl the Icelandic Bachelor chose, with her daughter.
She is a single mom from a previous relationship. Even though always seeming a little withdrawn and shy, she very obivously had a big crush on the bachelor from very early on in the series. After the series she told that she had not expected to fall in love participating, but she also told that she held herself back on purpose in the girls competition over the bachelor, because she had sensed very early that it was her he was really interested in. Even so, she was not very good at hiding her jealousy! But, as the bachelor himself admitted: "I could not very well go ahead and choose one girl right from the early start, because then there would obviously have been no series... :) (Yeah, Monika, I think too he also had a lot of fun fingering all those other girls!)
A lovely girl and I hope they will be happy and manage to build a good relationship in peace, even though they have the eyes of our whole little nation on them !

Saturday, December 17, 2005


Monika also blogs about
the Icelandic "jólasveinar"
like Móa of "Leikur og list".


<- This is Pottaskefill aka Pottasleikir/ Pot-scraper


Wednesday, December 14, 2005


I saw this guy today

in Laugarásbíó in Reykjavík.

Monday, December 12, 2005

The yulelads


If you want to learn more about the Icelandic yulelads or "jólasveinar" you will be able to read about them in Móa´s blog, "Leikur og list". She is a USA citizen of Icelandic origin and writes in English. She is an artist and has made the most cute figurines of the lads and is showing them on her blog day by day until Christmas, telling about them and their habits along the way. I have taken the liberty of posting her picture of the first one, "Stiff-legs" here on my blog.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

I must say I was a bit surprised by this result! : )

Dragon
You are a Dragon!

Dragons are fabulous monsters, represented usually
as a gigantic reptile breathing fire and having
a lion's claws, the tail of a serpent, wings
and scaly skin. There are many different types
of dragons, some good and some evil. Dragons
are aggressive and determined, going after what
they want.

Which Fantasy Creature Are You? + Pics
brought to you by Quizilla

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Guess what...

Just crowned in China: Miss Iceland - Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir
- Miss World 2005 -
Congratulations, Unnur Birna !


Wikipedia has an article on Unnur Birna.

Delegates from Iceland have twice before won the Miss World title:

1985 Hólmfríður Karlsdóttir
Hófí was, and still is, a kindergarten teacher when she received her title. She has been working in the same place as she was when she became Miss World for the past 20 years, a happily married mother.


1988 Linda Pétursdóttir
Linda led a turmoilous life after being Miss World. She had problems with addiction, which she has now overcome. With other members of her family she owns and runs a ladies only health spa, the Baðhúsið. She very recently became a single mom, of her own choice, and lives life today very happily with her baby.

Baðhúsið

Baðhúsið is a unique health spa. It was founded by former Miss World, Linda Pétursdóttur, and is strictly for women. It is a place where women can relax and just enjoy themselves, far from any testosterone. Emphasis is placed on treatments, fitness, and relaxation. There are also various special services, for example beauty treatments. Baðhúsið is popular among Icelandic women, and an ideal opportunity for women visiting Iceland to talk with the women of Reykjavík.
www.badhusid.is


In 1963 Guðrún Bjarnadóttir (second from the left in photo) was chosen Miss Universe International on Long Beach, USA. After winning her title she had a successful career working internatianally as a much sought after model and has lived in France for many years.

And in 1970 Henný Hermannsdóttir, a young dance teacher from Iceland, won the title Miss Young International in Japan. She taught at her father´s dance school for many years.

Not bad for a nation with a population of a little less than 300.000, n´est-ce pas?

Friday, December 09, 2005

New Life Magazine´s Woman of the Year 2005

Rembember Thelma Ásdísardóttir, the woman I told you about previously on my blog?


Now she has been honored with the title "Woman of the Year" by "Nýtt líf" (New Life), an Icelandic monthly magazine, for her courage to come out in the open with her story of how she and her sisters were abused by their father their entire childhood. In this photo she is seen with former president of Iceland, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir and Gulllveig Sæmundsdóttir, editor of Nýtt líf, after receiving her prize on 11/30/2005

Thelma has also been chosen "Ljósberi" (Light Bearer) of the year 2005, here is the newsarticle (in Icelandic, sorry) in one of Icelands two largest newspapers, the "Morgunblaðið" (The Morning Paper).

Thelma´s life is really busy these days, she is giving talks in various societies all over the country, including at a meeting arranged by the towncouncil of Hafnarfjörður, her hometown, where she grew up and which was the scene of her misery. She says in a short interview with "Séð og heyrt" (Seen and Heard), Icelands main tabloidmagazine, that her life has taken an U-turn, but that the most inportant thing that has come from the publishing of her book is the positive reception that it has met, going beoynd her wildest dreams, and the great effect it is having in opening up a debate about childabuse and encouraging other victims to come forward.

And Thelma is a great humourist: Talking about her feelings at the presentation of her prize as Woman of the Year, she told the journalist that she had been quite overwhelmed with feelings, but that she managed to maintain her calm and hold back her tears, in order to be able to make her speech of thanks, by thinking about her forthcoming VISA-bill!

Congratulations, Thelma, you are a real hero!

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

I just found this list of sites about the way we celebrate Christmas in Iceland:
Many thanks to Carolyn of blog "December in Akureyri"! :-)

Dog Humour


If you have a very clever dog, better keep a close watch on it, now that Christmas is coming!

We went to see Lord of War tonight.
Man, was it good! It´s called an international thriller on the moviesite, but in fact I rather think it should be called a Real Life Horror film. Nicolas Cage, one of my favourite actors, at his very best and that means very, very good acting! Ethan Hawk and Jared Leto are also very good.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005


Guilt admitted...I´m a lazy blogger these days (and nights)!!!

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

TV Person of The Year in Iceland :



S i l v í a N i g h t Silvia Nótt - The TV Show
Silvía Nótt Tv star - the blog Silvía Nótt - fan site1 fan site2
Silvía Nótt - Star sign: Lion
Silvía Nótt - TV news interview: RÚV Kastljós 10/20/2005


Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, aka Silvía Nótt, received The Edda Award last
Sunday night
for her part in creating the super star!


Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is a "real" actress. Here she can be seen (on the right) in a scene from "A Midsommer Night´s Dream", in an open-air performance in Elliðaárdalur, Reykjavík, in the summer of 2003. She participated in a popular remake of the musical "Hair" last year. And she is also a "real" singer (TV Contest 04/28/05 tune 13; winner was nr. 12 with two ex-Eurovision contestants, oops, 3 counting back vocal, performing).
A talented young woman (unlike Silvía Night!).

Iceland´s answer to Sarah Silverman?

Monday, November 14, 2005

The Romantic Princess
You are absolutely in love with love! Charming,romantic, and feminine are all words that describe you. You are a huge flirt and know how to use your feminine wiles to get your way. You are always on the lookout for the guy who will sweep you off your feet. Role Models: Isolde, Juliet You are most likely to: Free a cursed prince from a terrible spell with a single kiss.



Shorter Days


Everything is now moving more and more slowly in this part of the world, at least where I´m concerned.
I cuddle up indoors and z-z-z a lot!
Then again sometimes I stay up a bit during the small hours of the night (as I´m not working these days), because honestly, what´s the difference? ;)

Photo nr.1:
More photos
Photo nr. 2: ?

On RÚV television tonight


Himalaya - L´enfance d´un chef
Himalaya - A Chief´s Childhood,
a very special French-Nepalese film.
A monk´s milieu
The Film
Review

Sunday, November 13, 2005

The wedding dress that suits me:

HASH(0x8b22288)
Out of the Ordinary. The dress which
describes you, describes your inner self as
well. White simply bores you, so you tend to go
with more out-of-the-ordinary colours. The
styles you find comfort in may turn others
away, however, it bothers you not. You know
what you love, and this is it.

Which Wedding Dress Suits Your Personality? {Pictures!}
brought to you by Quizilla

I think this dress is beautiful, especially the colour,
yeah, I think I would wear it!

Friday, November 11, 2005

Just saw this film on RÚV television tonight...



The Ernest Green Story
...good...!!!
[...] As one of the “Little Rock Nine,” Green and his eight classmates risked their lives to become the first black students to integrate Little Rock’s Central High School following the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. the Board of Education, declaring segregation illegal. The integration of Central High School became one of the crowning victories of the Civil Rights Movement and a triumph over legal segregation. The first African-American to graduate from Central High, Green was the subject of a movie, “The Ernie Green Story,” produced and distributed by the Walt Disney Corporation...[Inside ASU ]
Ernest Green - Biography
Interview: Mr. Green looks back on 1957
1997 President Clinton honours The Little Rock Nine
More about Little Rock September 1957
...and more!

Winter in Reykjavík

I will try to write a little about the wintertime here in Iceland (with a little bit of geography included!):

With the island of Iceland being situated in the midst of the Atlantic ocean, half way between North-America and Europe, winter here is not as harsh as people might expect from how far north on the globe we are. We have the benefit of The Gulf Stream bringing warm sea from the Gulf of Mexico up to our shores, bringing the warmth with it that makes life bearable here. If it was to change or stop flowing, this island would become inhabitable. So thats one more reason we have to be worried about global warming along with spillage being dropped into the oceans, changing the way things are supposed to be.

Right now the temperature here in the south of Iceland swings around the 0°C degrees, just mild weather, sun sometimes shining but for ever shorter periods every day, the way that our globe, the Earth, changes the position of it´s axis in relation to it´s revolving round the sun, until 21st December, when that relation starts changing back again. Sometimes it rains heavily, sometimes it´s has snowed a bit during the night, but that snow will soon melt during the day. You have to be careful driving to work as the roads might be slippery in the early morning, later in the day that is a problem no more. The north is getting a bit more snow, as it stayes colder there, even so the weather is relatively mild.

It´s the increasing darkness that mostly gets people down. And without much snow it´s even darker, that´s why some people will welcome a snowy spell, not to mention the skiers! We try to find ways not to be too much affected and find little things to cheer us up. We light candles, watch television and read lots and lots of books at this time of year. And we start looking forward and preparing for Christmas, the celebration of the light of Christ coming into the world, which for nations living this far north, having to endure darkness during these weeks and months, gives an added meaning to this event.

It´s not until January that we will be getting real snow, and then very often here in the south it will not stay very long, but melt into a dirty wet heaps, only to be frosen again during the next spell of frost, making the roads very slippery and pavements hard to walk on, with frosty ridges of frozen dirty snow to climb for those who venture to go for a walk on them. Which of course is everybody that doesn´t own a car. That´s maybe why Icelanders rank so high on the lists of carowners per capita in the world.

This kind of weather will continue until April, - ach, I´m being overly optimistic here, like always in spring, thinking it´s here a month too early. To tell the truth, it will not really be here until May. That´s when this woman will be very happy to see all the leaves budding on trees and bushes once again and the first flowers sticking their heads out of the soil!

Thursday, November 10, 2005

I have not felt like posting -

I´ve been a bit depressed about blogging lately. The reason is that I got a rather harsh e-mail from sombody Icelandic, living abroad, that I know a little bit, whose blog I had come across on the net. I quite enjoyed reading it, so I had made a link on it and made comments a few times. I want to stress that I had nothing but positive feelings about this person and all my comments were on a happy note. Then I got this e-mail from that person, telling me that the person in question did not want to be linked on my blog, or me making comments, that it was out of line and that the blog was written for a close(d) circle of friends and I must understand that. That I of course could not be forbidden to read but should refrain from commenting and linking. When I had a look at the blog I discovered that all my comments had been deleted. I was very sad about all this matter and wrote and apologized for intruding my person on that other person, telling that I would take out the link immediately and stop reading that blog. I guess this is something that can always happen to you in this jungle of the blogosphere. But all this matter is the cause that I don´t feel very much like blogging these days, along with the fact that Iceland is becoming a dark and cold place these days and will become so more and more until January, when days start getting longer again. Just fortunate that we have the festivities of Christmas to look forward to during this darkest time of the year.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Good news for "us knitters"...

Top Fashion from Iceland:
The good old "LOPAPEYSA"
made from lopi, the unique Icelandic wool.
More information in these links:
The Lopi Sweater
Ístex



The word "peysa" for jumper or sweater actually has a funny story behind it:
When French-speaking sailors/fishermen came to Icelandic shores centuries ago they used to do some
merchandising with the inhabitants. As they were often freezing in the cold climate, they liked to buy some warm garments from the farmers, made from the warm wool from sturdy Icelandic sheep. From there derived a misunderstanding on the part of the farmers; when the foreigners pointed at them saying the word "paysan", which means farmer in French, the Icelanders thought they meant the thick woollen jumpers they were wearing, wanting to buy them. Gradually they started calling the garment by the French word, and today it´s not a slangword from French, but a proper Icelandic word!
This is a good example of how language developes.
(Hmm, actually the same was the case with "mademoiselle", the word the sailors used for the pretty Icelandic girls, "young ladies" they met here. The jealous Icelandic males were quick to twist and abbreviate that to "mella" , which has quite another and negative meaning, that´s to say "whore". What a typical negative male reaction!)