Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.07.2006, Síða 24

summer Concert series
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www.spacity.is
Welcome to Iceland – Welcome to SPA City Reykjavík
Reduces stress. Loosens up stiff joints and muscles. Alleviates jet lag. Strengthens the heart and lungs. Cures hangovers. Helps insomnia. Inspires the powers of imagination.
Fortifies the body. Improves moods. Soothes the mind. And, they are the right place to meet Reykjavík residents and get reliable information about what’s happening in the city.
And best of all, the entrace fee is less than 4 USD.
Eleven Reasons to Visit Reykjavík’s
Thermal Pools and Baths
Have You Seen a Giraffe Today?
We had now spent a good portion of the day inside the Art and
Culture House, and it was time to move on and visit some other
sites. With souvenirs in our pockets, we let Björgvin continue
with his work and headed to the Hunting Museum. I had
noticed the sign: “Have you seen a giraffe today?” when driving
into town but didn’t know by then that inside is a whole zoo of
mounted animals like mink, antelope, zebra, peacock, a giraffe
and a polar bear.
The couple Páll Reynisson and Fríða Magnúsdóttir own the
place. The number of animals hanging on the walls is almost
overwhelming. I was trying to count them when Páll interrupted
my thoughts by pointing to a Ruger Super Redhawk shotgun on
the wall. “Here you can see the gun the giraffe was killed with,”
he explained and told us that he and his wife had shot almost
all the animals inside, except the 30 pieces owned by Icelandic
Institute of Natural History.
The place, remarkably enough, is also the couple’s home.
Having decorations like these in the living room is probably not
a first choice for many people. As for myself, I would probably
get a little annoyed having the giraffe watching over me every
time I decided to have dinner, but it is an impressive museum all
the same.
“Hunting animals has become a lifestyle. The animals basi-
cally control everything we do, and now we have to enlarge this
place as there is no room fore more,” Páll said, then told us the
story about when he shot two lions in Africa on his birthday. By
now, the clock was ticking, and we had to say goodbye to Páll
and his furry friends to explore a little more before dinner.
As we drove through town to the lighthouse and walked
around the area Sveinn og Viddi told us a little about how it is
to grow up in Stokkseyri. “We love it here. There are no cops
to annoy us and, well, no actual bars either. You have to go to
Selfoss for clubbing and many people do, but we just love sitting
down in the shore, lighting up campfire and playing the guitar,”
Svenni told us. “It is a little bit weird. When I moved over here,
at first I couldn’t sleep because of the sea noises. Now, I don’t
hear it anymore,” Viddi added.
With that said, the guys had to get ready for work as waiters
at Við fjöruborðið, as it happened, our final destination for the
evening. The restaurant, with its friendly atmosphere, was the
best ending of an eventful day I could have asked for. Every-
thing inside is so simple, the decorations as well as the food.
First, you get the traditional soup and then a large pan filled
with lobster and all sorts of trimmings, a portion so big the two
of us couldn’t even finish it.
After stuffing ourselves, we sat down outside, finished our
drinks and relaxed while the sea breeze cooled us down. At the
same instant, Viddi and Svenni came walking towards us and
told us they had to get the restaurant ready for a big corporate
dinner later that same evening. Heading back to our car, we said
goodbye to the guys and this friendly village, our day in Stokk-
seyri was now coming to an end, and theirs was just beginning.
Car provided by Hertz Car Rental, Flugvallarvegi,
101 Reykjavik. Tel: 505 -0600
Mentioned in this article:
Kajakferðir ehf. Tel: 896-5716
Lista- og menningarverstöðin, Hafnargötu 9. Tel: 483-1214
Við fjöruborðið, Eyrarbraut 3A. Tel: 483-1550
travel
ursday july 20th
17:00 gallerí humar eða frægð, laugavegur 59
free entrance
21:00 café amsterdam, hafnarstræti 5
500 iSK
Gav in por tland
ursday july 27th
17:00 gallerí humar eða frægð, laugavegur 59
free entrance
21:00 Café Amsterdam, Hafnarstræti 5
500 iSK
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ga vin Portland
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