The White Falcon - 26.06.1987, Side 9
In and about Iceland
You are there as Surtsey is born, belching and
blasting its way out of the ocean south of Iceland
and onto the world map. You are there when a wall
of lava on Heimaey crushs the concrete buildings of
Vestmannaejar. You are there when a fissure near
Myvatn splits the earth spouting flames and fire and
you watch as the lava flows from one crack in the
earth and disappears into another. In a small
plane you skim the waves of a glacier burst and
soar into the gigantic crevasse of a cave-in on
Vatnajokull. You are there when...but this could
go on forever. You are there during some
explosive moments in Iceland's history by attending
The Volcano Show.
The Volcano Show is a ‘two-hour long program of
prizewinning volcano and nature films about
Iceland.. .very popular among visitors(to
Iceland)," says the brochure. (Don't plan anything
after the show, however the night we were there it
stretched to more than three hours. But, I add
hastily, its worth every minute!)
It costs 300 kronur per person, starts at 8
p.m., and is located in a small building not far
from the U.S. Embassy at Hellusundi 6A, telephone
9-91-13230, reservations are recommend.
Although the evening is entertaining, there is much
natural and social science in the films and
explanations as entertainment.
But the explanations, mini-lectures by the
filmmaker Vilhjalmur Knudsen about Iceland's
geology and how the films were made, are
fascinating. Vilhjamur is an interesting character;
big but shy. He talks softly and you have to listen
very carefully to his anecdotes. He and his father
have been filming Iceland's volcanic action since
1947.
Vilhamur is a good story teller and has an
interesting inventory of tales. Like the time he
obtained a special pair of shoes from Vienna for Lou
Gossett during filming in the Westman Islands. He
was the Icelandic agent for a View to a Kill, the
lastest James Bond movie, whose opening scenes
were films at Jokulsarlon, or glacier lake to us
tourists. His reputation landed him a job of
assisting CBS when that network invaded Iceland
Photo of the Week
J- iA--?
Mteik 1 r Tm !
A i!1!! !' r 1 t% =- R J
C-l u
An old church located about five miles
south ofEglisstadir (photo by Master
Sgt. John L. Cavanagh).
with a planeload of people and equipment during the
last October's pre-summit meetings.
He organized an expedition onto Vatnajokull to
film a mid-glacier volcanic eruption; in a light
plane dared the turbulence of superheated air from
the Myvatn eruptions two years ago; went hungry on
Heimaey for three days in 1973 because rescue
workers considered photographers a hindrance and
wouldn't share their food with him; and roasted his
feet and singed his eyelashes getting close enough
to lava streams for ‘a good shot".
Vilhjalmur is a good photographer as attested by
the film festival certificates hanging on the wall of
his small theater. Although the theater is small
(60 seats), and the atmosphere informal (kind of
like watching a friend's home movies) there is
nothing amateurish about his photography. It is a
thrill to have a ringside seat during Iceland's most
explosive moments through the lens of his camera.
Schedule of religious services
Sunday
8:30 a.m. Lutheran Communion
Service, chapel
(First and Third Sundays)
9:15 a.m. Protestant Sunday School
(Contact chapel at 4111 for
class location.)
9:30 a.m. Catholic Mass
11:00 a. m. CCD (Sept, thru May, High
school, Family Services)
11:00 a.m. Protestant Morning Worship
(Communion-First Sundays)
12:30 p.m. Catholic Mass
Lav Reader Services
9:00 a. m. The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints,
Elementary School
10:00 a.m. Church of Christ, Family
Service Center
12:00 p.m. Gospel Service, Elementary
School
2:00 p.m. Christian Science, chapel
3:00 p.m. Pentecostal Full Gospel
Fellowship, chapel
Fridag
7:30 p.m. Jewish Sabbath, for
more information
contact chapel
Weekdays
11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass (Mon.-
Thurs. chapel and
first Fri.)
Contact the chapel at 4111 or
4211 for other activities.
June 26, 1987
9