Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.12.2009, Síða 42

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 18 — 2009
26
Walking around Akureyri on a beauti-
ful November afternoon got me think-
ing. Coming from Reykjavík, I’m
pretty used to see trash lying around.
Compared to Tokyo our capital is like a
dumpster filled with candy-wrappers,
empty beer-cans and cigarette butts.
It's like a big reminder of a party long
gone. Sort of like how Borgartún, our
very own Wall Street, appears now,
with its broken neon-signs, empty of-
fices and vacant parking lots.
City officials don't seem to bother
much with cleaning the streets, except
maybe during high summer, when
they have access to cheap labour in the
form of drowsy students. ‘Luckily’ we
have lots of snow to cover it all up in-
between.
This means that from September
until May not much is done about
cleaning up the streets. And Akureyri
doesn't seem to be that much differ-
ent. However, what I really love about
Iceland’s capital of the North is its
connection with the past. They don't
seem to be too eager to tear down old
places of value to replace them with
some monstrous new ones. Their 10-
11 supermarket is located in a 100-year
old building. They keep snowmobiles
in their gardens. They eat pizza with
beef, béarnaise and French fries (it’s
called Búkolla and is a must-eat for ev-
ery visitor).
While us in the city of Reykjavík
have erased much of its past with great
success, using either bad business
ideas or even worse fire prevention
constructions, the people of Akureyri
seem comfortably rooted in their cosy
little town. Maybe Akureyri's close-
ness to nature and harsh winters has
helped shape their mentality. We, on
the other hand, may have been too
busy booking flights to sunnier des-
tinations and signalling the doorman
at Kaffibarinn to notice our very own
Esja.
It's about time to look around and
start noticing all the little details that
have gone unnoticed. If it's snowing,
you can always dig in.
Travel | Photo Essay: Akureyri
jÓHannES kjaRTanSSon
jÓi kjaRTanS
Browsing Backyards
On The Verge Of Winter
Always best price online.
Various online-offers to all Air Iceland's destinations.
www.airiceland.is
websales@airiceland.is / tel. +354 570 3030 Contact Air Iceland or
travel agent for reservation.
ÍS
L
E
N
S
K
A
S
IA
.I
S
F
L
U
4
75
69
1
0/
20
09
KEFLAVÍK
BORGARNES
STYKKISHÓLMUR
SNÆFELLSJÖKULL
DRANGAJÖKULL
FLATEY
NESKAUPSTAÐUR
BLÖNDUÓS
SIGLUFJÖRÐUR
BOLUNGARVÍK
HRÍSEY
NARSARSSUAQ
Greenland
FAROE ISLANDS
REYKJAVÍK
AKUREYRI
EGILSSTAÐIR
VESTMANNAEYJAR
ÍSAFJÖRÐUR
VOPNAFJÖRÐUR
ÞÓRSHÖFN
HÚSAVÍK
GRÍMSEY
KULUSUK
Greenland
Blue Lagoon
AKRANES Geysir
Gullfoss
Jökullónið
Kárahnjúkar
Krafla
Hallormstaður
NUUK
Greenland
ILULISSAT
Greenland
www.airiceland.is
CONSTABLE POINT
Greenland
Flight to Akureyri was provided by Air Iceland.
Book flights at www.airiceland.is