Lögberg-Heimskringla - 10.05.2002, Blaðsíða 8

8 » Lögberg-Heimskringla * Friday 10 May 2002
Travel
Rendezvous in Reykjavík
Ann Reykdal
Robertson
Aldergrove,
BC
Just past midnight, the
Dutch pilot announced
they would begin their
descent into Keflavík, Iceland.
The four hour flight from
Amsterdam was almost over.
Passengers began moving
about in their seats. Velv'et
Waters gazed out into the inky
blackness. Far below, airport
lights glittered. What have I
gotten myself into, she won-
dered?
Was she really on her way
to Iceland, alone, not knowing
anyone there? Amazing events
of the past month swirled
around in her mind. After a dis-
tant cousin had died, she had
received an unexpected
bequest of ten thousand dollars
from his life insurance policy.
At roughly the same time, an
opportunity had come up to
attend the Ninth Congress of
European Business and
Professional Women. It would
take place August 22, 23 and
24, 1997, in Reykjavík. Velvet
welcomed the chance to meet
other business women. She had
recently joined the Canadian
Business and Professional
Women’s Association, to help
her establish a new home oper-
ated medical transcription
business. In her role as a
Canadian observer, she wished
to make a video of the high-
lights of the conference.
If the truth be known,
Velvet had an ulterior motive.
Her mother’s ancestors had
come from Iceland and she had
always been intrigued about
this'little country. But raising
three children as a single mom
had not exactly left her in a
good financial position. Now
the children were grown. She
had some money. And she was
going to fly! I feel so selfish,
she thought. I ought to be pay-
ing down my mortgage. This
trip had been thoroughly
impulsive and not the thing that
a responsible, thrifty matron
should be doing.
The Keflavík airport
looked surprisingly small, but
after all, Iceland’s total popula-
tion is only about 277,000.
Relief flooded Velvet’s face
when a blonde woman
appeared holding a BPW sign
in bright green letters. This was
her Icelandic BPW transport to
the hotel.
Velvet appreciated the
kindness of her Icelandic coun-
terpart, who stayed up late to
meet the plane and drive her to
the Hotel Sága in Reykjavík.
Beside the front entrance, a
bevy of flags fluttered from
flagpoles and Velvet was glad
to see a Canadian one amongst
them. The hotel registration
was efficiently handled and she
was shown to her shared
accommodation. Knocking
timidly at the door, Velvet saw
it opened immediately by a
weary-looking lady who let her
in and showed her where to put
her things. Mavis was also a
Canadian observer who had
arrived that morning from
Halifax.
Mavis looked sleepy after
being wakened up in the mid-
dle of the night. “Let’s talk
tomorrow. I’m going back to
bed.”
It was morning and Velvet
opened the heavy curtains.
Interestingly, the black linings
were used to block out the six
weeks of “white nights,” when
the sun doesn’t set. Across the
green expanse of lawn she saw
the University of Iceland for
the first time. She realized that
the sky was slightly overcast,
but still she felt peaceful and
tingled with anticipation.
Opening the door of the
armoire to get her housecoat,
she was pleased to see the
broad-shouldered wooden
clothes hangers, for people of
Nordic builds.
However, she wasn’t pre-
pared for the stench of rotten
eggs when she jumped into the
shower after turning on the hot
water. It was the sulfur.
SCHOL ARSHIPS
JON SlGURDSSON CHAPTER IODE
The following Scholarships are offered for Manitoba students:
(í) Jolianna Gudrun Skaptason Memorial Scholarship .. $500.
For a student who has successfully completed Grade XII and who is
registered in a first year programme at a Manitoba University.
(2) Members Memorial Scholarship...........................$500.
For a student beyond 1st year and registered in a Degree programme
or enrolled in Post-Graduate work.
(3) Hildur Guttormson Memorial Scholarship.................$500.
For a female adult, resuming studies, with the objective of obtaining
post secondary certification or a degree.
(4) Music Memorial Scholarship.............................$300.
To a student who has obtained a high standing, vocal or instrument,
(Grade VIII or above) in Canada Conservatory or Royal Conservatory
of Toronto examinations.
(5) Snjolaug Gillis Memorial Scholarship...................$300.
For a student registered in a Nursing program.
(6) Gyda Naylor Memorial Scholarship.......................$300.
For a student who has successfully completed at least one year in the
Faculty of Human Ecology, preferably in Family Studies. (Apply directly
to the University of Manitoba).
(7) The E. I. Benjaminson Memorial Scholarship.............$300.
For a worthy Medical student, preferably specializing in Geriatrics.
(8) Kristin Stephensen Music Scholarship...................$300.
For a student studying music, vocal or instrumental, (with Grade VIII
or higher standing) Royal Conservatory of Toronto or School of Music,
University of Manitoba.
Candidates will be selected on the basis of academic excellence,
good citizenship and leadership potential (Mention Icélandic
ancestry, if any).
For further information and application forms,
please write, phone or e-mail:
MRS. SHIRLEY MCCREEDY
31 CARNARVAN ROAD
WINNIPEG, MB R3J OX4
TEL: (204) 832-3091 E-MAIL: mccreedy@mts.net
Applications must be received by October 5, 2002
Iceland’s unlimited hot water
source comes from geothermic
springs beneath the ground.
This hot water is cheap, and is
used to heat homes, greenhous-
es and to provide hot water for
washing. Velvet remembered
that the people there didn’t
need snow ploughs to clear the
shopping centre sidewalks and
parking lot in the winter
months, because hot water
pipes beneath the cement kept
them free of snow and ice.
“Are you ready for break-
fast, Mavis?” Velvet asked.
“Sure thing,” came the
reply.
Seven hours later, meet-
welcomed them in the stone
fireplace. Sitting down on
wooden benches at long
tables, they saw- animal skins
stretched across the walls and
candles gleaming from the
tables, reminiscent of Iceland’s
“black nights” of winter. At
that period of time the sun
rarely shines for about six
weeks.
The tall, broad-shouldered
Viking stood up and said. “We
will now sing.” He ordered his
red-haired Irish slave to pass
out the songsheets. The singing
waiters, all wearing medieval
clothes walked over to join
them.
The Viking feast was held at the restaurant Fjörukráin by
the físhing port of Hafnarfjörður
ings for the day were over. The
BPW chairwoman invited the
ladies to meet with her in front
of the hotel at 7:30 pm, when
they would be taken by coach
to an Icelandic restaurant.
For ten minutes the bus
ride was uneventful, but it sud-
denly lurched to a stop. A lusty,
blond, slightly crazy-looking
Viking climbed aboard. He
wore a helmet and carried a
broadsword at his side. His
short, homespun tunic brushed
his knees and his leather
footwear was laced all the way
up his calves.
In English, the Viking
growled, “Take it easy and
nothing will happen to you.
You are my hostages.” He
ordered the bus driver to tum
off the side of the road down a
deserted path.
A dark, ancient wooden
building stood beyond some
trees. Carved dragons jutted
out from each end of the ridge
pole on the roof. As soon as the
women filed through a narrow
door, they felt transported back
to the year 1000. A roaring fire
But first, the women were
handed sheep horns full of
Brennivín, known locally as
the “black death.” This
Icelandic national drink is a
vile tasting kind of potato
brandy. The Viking showed
them how a true Icelander
drinks, by putting the hom to
his lips and gulping it down
fást. He wiped his beard with
the back of his hand and then
lifted a mug of beer which he
drank at a more leisurely pace.
The red-haired slave and the
waiters then led the women in
singing some Icelandic folk-
songs, accompanied by guitar
and lute.-
By now, Velvet was feeling
quite hungry. The hot food
arrived on wooden trays.
Everyone enjoyed the mouth-
watering fish and the tender,
roast lamb, but most of them
decided not to attempt the
braised sheep testicles entree.
Looking around, the
Viking spotted the European
Please see Rendezvous
on page 11
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