Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.02.2007, Blaðsíða 7

1_RVK_GV_0_007_OPINION
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I don’t drink and the smell of
smoke makes me want to wear a
gas mask. And just for the sake
of confusion, no, I am not a nun.
Based on my “unique lifestyle” and
standard appetite for mental, au-
dio and visual stimulation, at times
I feel stuck between a rock and a
hard place when it comes to mak-
ing weekend plans. I have done
my share of frequenting the cin-
ema and bowling to funky sounds
from the disco era and frankly, I’m
a bit tired of the whole scene. In
my position, one has to be quite
creative in choosing leisurely activi-
ties on the weekends in Reykjavik.
Thinking of ways to “seize the day”
has become quite a challenge, and
since being surrounded by the in-
toxicated or smelling like an ashtray
the morning after is not scripted in
my daily journal, my only option at
this point is to change my frame of
reference.
When the decision was made
to move from New York City to
Reykjavik I knew I would be faced
with the dilemma of limited en-
tertainment options. Relocating to
any new environment requires ad-
justing to a whole new social set-
ting, and to avoid wallowing away
in the sea of regret I had to take
a look around and really recognize
what Iceland had to offer. In order
to have a satisfying social life I had
to think outside of box and adapt
a nomadic perspective. Sometimes
we need to adopt the mindset of
a temporary wanderer to soak up
and appreciate the precious time
we have while existing in such a
unique place.
The majority of weekend enter-
tainment that Reykjavik’s “down-
town” has to offer consists of an
available seat or private corner
to stand in, an expensive glass of
liquid courage and blaring beats
vibrating from the speakers of a
fairly lavish sound system. There-
fore the entertainment portion of
the evening is left solely up to the
consumer and the magical anti-
dote concocted by the slaving bar
tender behind the counter. Hence-
forth, you find yourself not exactly
being entertained, but often being
the focal point of the show itself.
Even still, weekend after weekend
downtown Reykjavik continues to
be the busiest place in town where
life completely changes her ward-
robe after 10 pm.
I, on the other, hand prefer the
traditional alternative of being en-
tertained – by professionals who
at least appear to be sober while
performing their God-given talent.
Live jazz music on a random Tuesday
night, discovering an authentic new
Middle Eastern restaurant with old
friends or catching a dynamic play
or show that won’t be in town too
long are some of the things I miss
doing without having to sacrifice
a quarter of my salary. Although
it is quite unfair to compare New
York and Reykjavik in the category
of entertainment, I do wish the in-
dustry could be more creative in its
business ventures when it comes to
amusement activities. By the sheer
number of bars compared to any
other form of late night diversions,
it is clear what product is valued
most by consumers and commerce
alike.
In order to feel entertained in
this city, thinking like a tourist is
beneficial because you are forced
to think of outings that promote an
experience to remember, therefore
making each event worthwhile and
devoid of anything routine and or-
dinary. When I lived in New York
City I used to ask native New York-
ers all the time if they had ever been
to the Statue of Liberty, climbed
the steps all the way to the top of
her crown and looked out over the
Hudson River. Most people had the
same answer – no, but I live here,
so I can go anytime.
Unfortunately after September
11th, that golden opportunity to
stand atop Lady Liberty has been
taken away and now that mem-
ory only exists for the millions of
people that have simply “passed
through” New York City. Thinking
like a tourist gives you the motiva-
tion and energy to do things you
wouldn’t ordinarily do. However,
as a resident we often forget to
take advantage of the jewels of our
distinctive surroundings and, like
many New Yorkers, we miss the
boat altogether.
Just last week a friend and I
visited the National Gallery of Ice-
land to see the French Expression-
ist Exhibition. Taking an afternoon
to surround oneself with the works
of the masters definitely provides a
break from the monotony of daily
routine. It was a Wednesday after-
noon and although the museum
was quite empty I felt like a tourist
appreciating what the city had to
offer. There was also a slight feel-
ing of privilege in taking a moment
to value such talent in the midst of
work and running errands. Adapt-
ing this new perspective in thinking
differently about what I do with my
time has made life much more in-
teresting and enjoyable. My advice
from all this is to take the time to
be creative and seize the day be-
fore the day ends up seizing you.
Think Like a Tourist
By Gabriele R. Gudbjartsson
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