Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.07.2006, Síða 23

“This building used to be a freezing plant,” Viddi’s mom
tells us while pouring us a cup of coffee after we have
attended a local art show. Viddi’s parents own the build-
ing, which now houses a totally different business than
filleting fish.
“There is no room for the fish anymore, the art and
culture scene takes up all the space. The next plan is to
set up an elf museum downstairs.”
She keeps explaining while showing us pictures of
her son’s band with famous rock star Dave Grohl and
buddies in the Foo Fighters. “You know, the Foo Fight-
ers came partying here again last year, getting drunk at
the Ghost Bar while the Queens of the Stone Age guys
were going crazy at the grand piano in the saloon,” she
continued and guided us to the Ghost Centre, located
on the same f loor.
A community where one native has a polar bear in the
living room, some have horses in their backyard, and
almost everyone knows the Foo Fighters on a first name
basis, Stokkseyri is located on the south coast only 45
minutes from Reykjavík. This small village of about
500 people is renowned for its natural beauty, but more
impressive are the creative inhabitants living there, in-
spired by the shore and wildlife in the surrounding area.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anything remarkable
to happen as we drove past Eyrarbakki, looking at the
Westman Islands from afar and wondering what might
possibly go on inside the large white building on our
right hand, enclosed by high barbed wire fences. As we
later learned, it was the prison Litla Hraun, the biggest
in the country, housing almost two-thirds of the prison-
ers in Iceland.
The only things I had planned before the trip were
going kayaking with the company Kajakferðir, and
eating lobster at the restaurant Við fjöruborðið. I didn’t
know much else about the village. Luckily enough, two
members of the local garage rock band NilFisk had
agreed to fill in the gap by showing us around the area.
NilFisk became famous throughout Iceland three years
ago after opening up for Foo Fighters at a big concert in
Laugardalshöll. At that time, the band had never played
in public before. The members just turned 15 and 16
and no one really knew of their existence, except for
native inhabitants of Stokkseyri. Then the Foo Fighters
overheard something while eating at Við fjöruborðið.
Today, they are relatively famous, having been inter-
viewed by all local media, having played all around the
country, and having released their first album, Don’t
Run After Your Own Apples, last year.
Stokkseyri wasn’t much of a draw for tourists a decade
ago. Natives almost entirely depended on the fishing
industry, and the 26-metre-high lighthouse Knarrarós-
viti was really the only attraction for travellers. Times
have changed, the fish processing moved to nearby town
Þorlákshöfn and with companies like Kajakferðir, Tö-
fragarðurinn, restaurant Við fjöruborðið and all kinds of
museums the village is becoming a popular spot for both
locals and foreigners arriving by thousands every year to
take part in various activities.
The first things to witness while driving the main
street in town are all the old and colourful houses typi-
cal of small villages in Iceland. A few even have horses
feasting on the grass in the backyard. After admiring
the architecture of some newly built summerhouses, we
hurried to meet my kayak instructor, whose office shares
the same building as the community swimming pool.
Instruction was brief. I was told, “You’re not going
to fall in the water,” and left to my own devices. “Just
pick the boat you like and have fun!” he said, waving
me off. So I did. Having never been on a kayak before,
I fumbled onto the boat and tried to push it into the
water with all proper splashing and stumbling. Unfortu-
nately, I didn’t have time for the full tour, which consists
of a hardcore two-hour trip around the shore and the
lagoons in the surroundings. Instead, I paddled on the
pond in the centre of town, safe from all dangers, except
A Great Place for Lobster, Ghosts,
Giraffes and Friends of Foo
The Grapevine visits Stokkseyri, the art commune on the shore
by steinunn jakobsdóttir photos by gúndi
the Arctic terns f lying around.
After my short kayak experience, we drove to the gas
station, got some refreshments and waited for the celebri-
ties of NilFisk to show up. Viddi the guitar player and
Svenni the drummer arrived just as I received my coffee
and after a brief chat where we learned among other
things that the whole band is moving to Denmark in the
fall, we headed to the Art and Culture House, (Lista- og
menningarverstöðin) a large red building, hard to miss,
right across from the gas station.
We started our tour by looking at landscape paintings
made by artist Elfar G. Þórðarson, a famous resident of
Stokkseyri who owns a large showroom and workshop
inside the Culture House. Elfar usually spends most of
his time down in the shore painting, the guys explained
when I asked if he was somewhere to be found. I had
heard of Elfar before and read about a famous painting he
made containing all the lighthouses in Iceland.
“That’s just upstairs. Want to take a look?” Svenni
asked. We then walked inside a large room where the
30-square-metre painting named “Brennið þið vitar” cov-
ers one of the walls. Elfar made the painting in honour
of Páll Ísólfsson, a composer who lived in Stokkseyri. To
complete the piece, the song “Brennið þið vitar” is playing
in the background while small bulbs light up the sites
where the lighthouses are located.
Ghosts and Organs
While this murky museum has become a draw, and the
neighbouring bar and adjoining ghost museum is just
as popular a meeting point for natives as well as foreign
rock stars. With no time for a drink, we walked around
the museum while listening to ghost stories and getting
spooked by some small kid that kept startling us, all part
of the show. After 30 minutes inside this haunted place
I was glad to walk out to the balconies and see the sun
again.
With an incredible view over the shore and the dock
I noticed a group of men building, as it seemed, a giant
concert stage.
“It is for the annual Dock Festival next weekend,”
Viddi said. “Then we have concerts and a lot of happen-
ings down at the dock, attracting visitors from all around
the country,” Svenni added and told us that NilFisk will
of course make a contribution to the festival by playing
some old Beatles songs.
As we stood there enjoying the scenery, artist Ella
Rósinkrans waved to us. Ella has her own workshop and
gallery in the Culture House and was happy to show us
her place.
“An artist is allowed to have a lot of mess,” she told
us when we tried to walk through her crowded workshop
without breaking anything. The huge gallery, filled with
wall sculptures, bowls and vases, all made of glass, were
more organized. Afterwards, she invited us to take a look
at her apartment, located right above the gallery. “Here
I throw the best parties in Stokkseyri, just ask the guys,
they should know,” Ella said, smiling, and Viddi and
Svenni nodded in agreement.
As I had now noticed, everybody seemed to know
Viddi and Svenni in this small friendly village, and,
therefore, I was not surprised by the warm welcome when
we dropped in at the workshop of local pipe organ con-
structor Björgvin Tómasson. I had never considered how
all these giant organs in the churches are made and the
last thing I expected was the fact that they are all custom-
built in Stokkseyri, by one and the same man.
“I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. It is para-
dise on earth,” Björgvin said about his hometown, then
informed us about his business and points to an organ
in the corner. Looking very old, I asked him if it is quite
valuable. “You can just imagine. It was made in the year
1754,” he answered and sat down in front of it. “This
organ comes from Vienna. Mozart probably played on it
while still alive” he continued with a laugh and played us
a Mozart song.
“‘Hunting animals has become a lifestyle. The animals basically
control everything we do, and now we have to enlarge this place
as there is no room for more,’ Páll said, then told us the story
about when he shot two lions in Africa on his birthday.”
>>> continues on next page
Outside Reykjavík
Stokkseyri
travel travel
A relatively large percentage of foreign tourists in Iceland
travel around the country by car. Conditions in Iceland
are in many ways unusual, and often quite unlike that
which foreign drivers are accustomed. It is therefore very
important to find out how to drive in this country. We know
that the landscapes are beautiful, which naturally draws
the attention of driver away from the road. But in order
to reach your destination safely, you must keep your full
attention on driving.
This article is intended to point out the main dangers when
driving in Iceland, especially the unusual ones that may
come as a complete surprise to foreign drivers.
What are the speed limits?
The speed limit in urban areas
is usually 50 km/hr. Speed limit
signs are usually not posted
unless it is other than 50 km/hr.
The speed limit is often 60
km/hr on thruways, but in
residential areas it is usually
only 30 km/hr. The main rule on
highways is that gravel roads
have a speed limit of 80 km/hr,
and paved roads 90 km/hr.
Signs indicate if other speed
limits apply.
Gravel roads, blind hills &
blind curves
A common
place for
accidents to
occur on urban
roads is where
a paved road
suddenly changes to gravel.
The main reason is that drivers
do not reduce speed before
the changeover to gravel,
and consequently lose control.
Loose gravel on road shoulders
has also caused a great
number of accidents. When
driving on gravel roads—which
are often quite narrow––it is
important to show caution
when approaching another
car coming from the opposite
direction by moving as far to
the right as is safely possible.
Blind hills––where lanes are
not separate––can be very
dangerous, and should be
approached with caution.
There are also many blind
curves in Iceland that test a
driver’s skill.
Single-lane bridges
There are many
single-lane
bridges on the
Ring Road.
The actual
rule is that the
car closer to the bridge has
the right-of-way. However, it
is wise to stop and assess the
situation, i.e. attempt to see
what the other driver plans to
do. This sign indicates that a
single-lane bridge is ahead.
Livestock on the road
In Iceland, you can expect
livestock to be on or alongside
the road. It is usually sheep,
but sometimes horses and
even cows can be in your
path. This is common all over
the country, and can be
very dangerous. Sometimes
a sheep is on one side of
the road and her lambs
on the other side. Under
these conditions––which are
common––it is a good rule to
expect the lambs or the sheep
to run to the other side.
Seatbelts are required by
law
In Iceland, drivers and
passengers are required by law
to wear seatbelts, regardless
of the type of vehicle or where
they are seated. Investigations
of fatal accidents in recent
years have shown that a large
majority of those who died
did not have their seatbelts
fastened. Wearing seatbelts is
especially important because
of the nature of accidents
in Iceland: many of them
involve vehicles driving off the
road and rolling over. In such
accidents, seatbelts often
mean the difference between
life and death. It should be
noted that children must either
wear seatbelts, or be in car
safety seats, depending on
their age and maturity.
Necessary to bear in mind
It is against the law to operate
a vehicle in Iceland after
having consumed alcohol,
and the punishment for
violating this law is rather stiff.
Iceland requires that vehicle
headlights be on at all times,
day and night, when driving.
It is strictly forbidden to drive
off-road. Such driving results
in serious damage to sensitive
vegetation, which may take
nature decades to repair.
Foreign travellers requiring
information regarding road
and driving conditions
should visit the Public Road
Administration’s website at
www.vegagerdin.is
It should be noted that the
Road Traffic Directorate
has produced a video for
foreign drivers, which covers
all the points that have
been mentioned here. The
video can be viewed on the
Directorate’s website,
www.us.is (under the English
version).
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