Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.08.2010, Blaðsíða 47

31
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 12 — 2010
horts and I, as this place was originally referred
to us as a ‘doll museum’. Much like my prejudices
at our first stop, my friend had the notion this was
going to be a bunch of creepy, 19th Century por-
celain dolls staring at us like corpses through ster-
ile glass cabinets. In fact, this was a completely
magical world of human-controlled creatures and
characters created by German puppet-master
Bernd Ogrodnik, curated with Hildur Magnea
Jónsdóttir.
The enchantment began as soon as we
made our way up to the loft of the main house.
A peephole display revealed the set of ‘Nómi’, a
film currently in progress, while popular Icelan-
dic children’s character Einar Áskell with his dad
and mouse hung out behind us. After rounding
a couple of corners we landed in a room with a
massive shadow-screen display of ‘The Jumping
Mouse’ and a try-out station with hand-puppet
instructional images on the wall. Needless to say,
we turned into a bunch of big kids trying to make
alligators and bunnies.
We then headed over to the next house which
was full of sets from previously performed puppet
shows, such as ‘The Little Match Girl, ‘The Magic
Book’ and ‘The Pillowman’. Most extraordinary
was the giant set of ‘The Little Shop of Horrors’
along with its hilariously phallic miniature coun-
terpart. On the upper floor—which we nicknamed
the ‘hot loft’—we found a bunch of workshop sta-
tions and a screening of Bernd Ogrodnik’s pup-
petry in action. In the third house we took a gan-
der at the theatre, currently set up to show ‘Peter
and The Wolf’, and tinkered around on the most
out-of-tune piano in Iceland, begging to have an
improvised experimental album recorded on it.
GARBAGE dELIGHT!
Bjössa Róló Park
After a little stroll along the shoreline, taking in
the gorgeous sunshiny weather we were lucky
enough to get, we headed up towards a park that
everyone seemed to be talking about. Built by lo-
cal handyman Björn Guðmundsson, Bjössa Róló is
a playground made entirely of recycled and dis-
carded materials. Brilliantly executed with slides
built into the surrounding hillocks, a variety of
swings, a jungle gym, spinning top and several
lookout points, the place was swarming with chil-
dren. If one is a bit too big to play on a hobbyhorse,
it’s great to simply climb the rocks up to the top of
the point and lookout at the beautiful fjord. It was
enough for one of my cohorts to proclaim that she
could move to Borganes.
dON’T FORGET yOUR SWIMSUIT
Hreppslaug Country Pool
Of course, no trip of any length in Iceland would
be complete without a quick dip in some body of
water. At the end of our marvellous and brain-
stimulating day around Borganes we decided to
venture ten minutes off-course for a very reward-
ing swim. Built in 1928, Hreppslaug pool is nestled
in a little cove overlooking a field and is just about
as quaint as they come. The admission centre is
basically just a farm-shack with a few hooks and
terrible water pressure in the changing rooms. The
pool itself was really great though. It actually has
something resembling a deep end (i.e. nearly two
metres) and is refreshingly cool. The hot tubs were
also totally funny, made out of small metal con-
tainers that looked like they came from the farm
next door. We sat in our little metal tub, contem-
plating our great day, and thoroughly agreed that
Borgafjörður is well worth the visit.
REBECCA LOUdER
JULIA STAPLES
Driving to Borgarnes should only take you like 45 minutes. Check it out!
3. 4.
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.
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