Why Birds Flock to Iceland The North Prepares for ... - Land og saga

Autumn arrives from one day to thenext in Iceland. The weather changesare dramatic—as are the colours, both in thevegetation and in the sky. Spectacular sunsetslead to ever-earlier nightfalls, after which theskies are filled with the Northern Lights.The sheep are brought down from themountains, the harvest is brought in before theinevitable storms that signal the onset of winter.Iceland puts on an entirely different set ofclothes after basking in the warm summer sun.Something Old and New ............................................................. 4-5Now Showing at the National Museum of Iceland ...................... 6-7Focus on Fashion ............................................................................8Hands On Trips ...............................................................................9Fine Dining, Classic Taste .............................................................10Viking Hospitality ..........................................................................11The Celtic Secret ..........................................................................11Handknitters United ......................................................................12Enter the Volcanic Café .................................................................13The Brave get the Best .................................................................14Hot Winter Nights ..........................................................................15Harbourside Sushi ........................................................................15Life of Whales ..............................................................................16Jewels & Art by the Sea ................................................................18Eat Thai in Iceland ........................................................................18Reykjavík Art Museum ..................................................................19Art to Enjoy and Own ....................................................................20A Taste of the Good Life ................................................................21Fine Art and Design ......................................................................21Come Out to Play ..........................................................................22Food Fit for Kings ..........................................................................23Make Your Trip Memorable ..................................................... 24-25Stay Warm this Winter ..................................................................26Connoisseur’s Delight ...................................................................27Baked to Perfection ......................................................................28The Grindavík Experience .............................................................30A Different Iceland ........................................................................31Leather Designer ..........................................................................31The World of the Vikings ...............................................................32Hotel with Charm ..........................................................................33Enjoy Icelandic Farm Life ..............................................................34Deep in Natural Wonders ..............................................................34Mystical Snæfellsnes ..............................................................36-37Iceland to Yourself ........................................................................38The Mountains and the Bay ..........................................................39PUBLISHERLand og Saga ehf.Síðamúli 1 • 108 Reykjavíkinfo@icelandictimes.comEDITOR & GENERAL MANAGEREinar Þ. Þorsteinssoneinar@landogsaga.isSALES AND MARKETINGAnna Margrét Bjarnadóttiranna@icelandictimes.comDelphine Brioisdelphine@icelandictimes.comElín Sigríður Ármannsdóttirelin@icelandictimes.comSigurlaug Ragnarsdóttirsigurlaug@icelandictimes.comHulda Davíðsdóttirhulda@icelandictimes.comCreditsErna Sigmundsdóttirerna@landogsaga.isARTICLES WRITTEN BYAndrew Scott FortuneAnna Margrét BjarnadóttirDelphine BrioisElaine Marie ValgarðssonHrafnhildur ÞórhallsdóttirJóhann Óli HilmarssonJúlíana BjörnsdóttirKelly BaumannNanna Hlín HalldórsdóttirSigrún PétursdóttirSteingerður SteinarsdóttirSúsanna SvafarsdóttirVignir Andri GuðmundssonVisitors who have seen the country in summer,see a very different landscape in autumn—andthen, an even more different scene in winter.It’s an exciting time, especially in the North ofIceland where, in Akureyri, commonly knownas the country’s winter capital, after the cruiseships have left, the skiing and winter sportsbegin, drawing visitors from all over the world toexperience the uniqueness of an Icelandic winterin all its glory. The evenings are filled with lightsand entertainment.ContentsThe Life of the Town .....................................................................39Superb Views and Food ................................................................40Snack in the Sun at Snæfellsnes...................................................41Dining in the Old Town ..................................................................41Birds in Breiðafjörður ..............................................................42-43Step Back in Time .........................................................................44Soft as Silk Spa.............................................................................45Sailing Breiðafjörður Bay ..............................................................45I Discovered America First ............................................................46Peace with Nature and Birds ........................................................48Dine with the Vikings ....................................................................48Pirates in Patreksfjörður ...............................................................49Cosy Nostalgia ..............................................................................50Sleep by the Riverside ..................................................................50Love and Joe .................................................................................51Hannes Boy Café & Kaffi Rauðka ..................................................52At the Top of the World .................................................................53Tröllaskagi’s Mystic Beauty ....................................................52-53A Perfect Day in Hrísey ...........................................................54-55The Heart of the Island ................................................................56An Outdoor Paradise .....................................................................56The Northern Playground ........................................................58-59Dine with the Saddler ...................................................................60Enjoy Akureyri on a Budget ...........................................................61Men who Made Iceland .................................................................62A Hundred Years of Flowers ..........................................................64The Café in the Flowers ................................................................65Baking the Best in Akureyri ..........................................................66Enjoy Winter this Year .............................................................68-69At last in Reykjavik! ......................................................................70Flavour Festival in Akureyri ..........................................................71Home to the Raven’s Roost ...........................................................72Spacious, Clean and Central .........................................................72Arctic Winters Conquered ............................................................73Local Fishing Secrets Shown ........................................................73ENGLISH EDITOR& PROOFREADERAndrew Scott FortunePROOFREADINGElaine Marie ValgarðssonVIDEO & TV DEPARTMENTEinar Þ. ÞorsteinssonGabriel RutenbergSigurlaug RagnarsdóttirLAYOUT & DESIGNLand and Saga Layout TeamFRONT COVER PHOTOAkureyri MuseumÞórhallur JónssonIcelandic is one of the European rootlanguages, like Latin. There is no ‘c’or ‘z’ in modern Icelandic, except inforeign words. However, It still containssome letters not found in most otherlanguages. This basic list provides ageneral idea of their sounds, usingfamiliar words rather than phonetics.CharacteráæðþIcelandic languagePronunciationLike ‘ow’ in ‘cow’Like the personal pronoun ‘I’Like ‘th’ in ‘that’Like ‘th’ in ‘thing’The opinions expressed in Icelandic Times do not necessarily refl ect those of the editor, publishers or their agents. Though thecontent of this issue have been meticulously prepared, no warranty is made about the accuracy and completeness of its content.Copyright © September, 2012 Land og Saga ehf. All rights reservedOddi Ecolabelled Printing Co.www.icelandictimes.comSports feature highly, also, in Mývatn, wherethe lake freezes over. This year marks the 10 thanniversary of the horse riding competition onthe ice. It’s not all cold there, though, as thegeothermal baths are more enticing than ever,making a visit well worth the trip.Birds feature highly in this edition, both atthe mystical Breiðafjörður Bay and around thenorthern towns and villages. In particular, LakeMývatn is home to many species of birds, anumber of which stay through the winter.It’s a different Iceland—but one that is all themore exciting, challenging and memorable. It’sa visit you will never forget!Andrew Scott FortuneNo One Comes Home Empty Handed ............................................73The Old Town of Akureyri ........................................................ 74-75Pure and Natural ...........................................................................76The Long Valley.............................................................................77Eat Vegan in Akureyri ....................................................................78A Guesthouse in the Country ........................................................78Icelandic Times .............................................................................79The Country Experience ...............................................................79It’s a Bird’s Life .......................................................................80-81Birdwatching in paradise ........................................................82-83The Magical Mystery ....................................................................84Dimmuborgir Guesthouse .............................................................85Winterland Wonders ...............................................................86-87Memories of a Country Childhood...........................................88-89Loghouse Life near the Lake ........................................................90The Entrance to the East ........................................................92-93Neat as a Pin .................................................................................94At the Eastern Crossroads ............................................................94The Mystery of Randulf´s Sea House ............................................96A Class from the Past ..................................................................97Idyllic Days at Þakgil .....................................................................97On Top of the World ...............................................................98-99Experience Excellence ................................................................100Refreshing Vík.............................................................................100Ásólfsskáli Farm Holidays ..........................................................101The Old Cowhouse Restaurant ..................................................101Beyond the Mountains ........................................................ 102-103Within The Golden Circle.............................................................104Down Into the Depths .................................................................104A Taste of Wild and Sweet ..........................................................105Another taste of Ethiopia ............................................................106Eat At The Source ......................................................................106High Adventure ...........................................................................107The Icelandic Sheep ........................................................... 108-109Tender is the Meat ...............................................................110-111How to make use of QR codesUse your QR code reader application on your smartphone oriPad to scan the QR codes. QR code reader applications can bedownloaded free for all makes of smartphonesIcelandic TimesSíðumúla 1 • 108 Reykjavík+354 578 5800info@icelandictimes.comwww.icelandictimes.comHARPAA NEW DIMENSION IN ICELANDIC CULTURAL LIFEVISIT HARPATake a guided tour of the building and peak behind the scenes.Enjoy the glass facade, elegant halls and different floors ofgenius design. Harpa is definitely a must-see on any Icelandtravel agenda.Located in Harpa are Munnharpan, a lively bistro on the first leveland Kolabrautin, an a la carte restaurant on the fourth floor withstunning views over the city.On the first level you‘ll also find 12 Tónar, the music experts,and Epal, a design store with design and gift products.GUIDED TOURS DAILYWeekdays at 15.30. Price 1500 ISK(Around 10 Euros) Weekends at 11.00 and 15.30.Price 1500 ISKGUIDED TOURS PACKAGESBook a tour package for small or large groupsAll tours can be booked at the box office desk,at tours@harpa.is or via telephone +354 528 5009THE BERLIN PHILHAMONIC OCHESTRAICELAND AIRWAVESFRÖST RIDES AGAINTHE UNDERCURRENT MUSIC SERIESYOU ARE IN CONTROLPOHJONEN PLAYS MOZARTMASTERPIANIST SERIES IN HARPAADVENT CONCERT – THE MESSIAHTHESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EVENTSTAKING PLACE IN AUTUMN 2012Visit www.harpa.is for our full programme.IL TROVATORE