Reykjavík Grapevine - 31.07.2015, Blaðsíða 4

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LOVELIEST LETTER
FREE GRAPEVINE TEE HEE HEE!
This Issue's Most
Awesome Letter!
Hello,
I was reading your wonderful July 17-
30 Grapevine news. I came across the
'Potential Closure of Downtown's Mu-
sic Venues' article and became flooded
with a wave of emotion. The article is
incredibly written and possesses such
truth into the matter of creating spaces
for pure money hungry objectives in-
stead of for the necessity and creativity
of a good and healthy life. It's rampant
everywhere and I, coming from the
U.S.A's Tristate Area of New Jersey,
can tell you that what I love about
leaving my country is culture, diversi-
ty, new creativity, learning and feeling
the pulse of a different community of
people. Creating sameness is halting,
stale, sterilizing and boring. I can tell
you that when I travel, more than
anything I want to travel abroad, away
from the U.S, not because I do not like
my country but because of the thirst
for something new. Wherever you go
in the U.S more and more you end up
in the same place. By that I mean you
see the same stores, the same malls,
the same places to eat...the same the
same the same. It's so boring. Nothing
can take away from the natural beauty
also seen or the diversified areas of the
U.S all living a little different than each
other but....it's all becoming gobbled
up by big businesses and downtowns
are becoming ghost towns and it's sad,
upsetting and dull.
As a tourist here in Iceland I have
to say that I love that it's so tour-
ist friendly, it's easy to navigate and
everyone is so nice! But, I was shocked
at just how many 'puffin' shops there
were. So many tourist shops on the
downtown strip. For me, that's not
what I want to see and experience as
many others also feel; I want to get to
know this beautiful city of Reykjavik,
Iceland. I want to touch its heart and
feel it's blood pumping, feel what
makes it and it's people alive and flow.
See the day to day normalcy and the
exciting amazing wonders it has to
offer.
I think there should be a balance,
with the scales more tipped in the
locals favor. Tourists are coming,
they will keep coming, there should be
some things geared towards them and
helping them learn and understand
this amazing county; but I feel it would
be such a disservice, not just to the
locals, but to the tourists as well to
take away parts of what make the city
and it's people so unique and creative.
When I come to a new country I want
to learn about it as well as feel it, I
can't feel it if it's become a standard-
ized tourist mill with no soul. I don't
want to feel 'puffin' shops and 'burger
joints' that I can get everywhere else I
go; I want to experience new artwork,
new music, new creativity, small local
places geared towards locals but where
foreigners are welcome, where I can
experience a normal day or night as
an Icelander. I want Iceland to be
Iceland, that's why I came and why I
would come back. I honestly would not
come back if it became just another
tourist spot. Big businesses doesn't
understand that uniqueness is the
pulse of life. We need to keep this blood
pumping with our creative expression,
even more so now, as they drain the
blood from the extremities....we must
protect the Heart...protect the Soul of
Reykjavik, of Iceland and of all other
amazing places this world has to offer.
Thank you kindly,
Lauren Karpinski
Dear Lauren Karpinski,
Thanks for reading.
You are very right!
Yours,
Grapevine
Say your piece, voice your
opinion, send your letters to:
letters@grapevine.is
SOUR GRAPES AND STUFF
RE MY ADVERT
DEAR ANNA,
I DONT THINK ANY OF YOUR
CUSTOMERS ARE INTERESTED
IN CONCORDE BECAUSE SO FAR I
HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE REPLY.I
AM SERIOUSLY THINKING OF
RENAMING MY BOOK! TO;-
A day trip in CONCORDE at 1340 miles
per hour
What amazes me is that no one even
emails me with a comment.
yours sincerely
NIGEL
Dear Nigel,
We’re sorry to hear that!
Dear readers, DID YOU NOT SEE
HIS ADVERT IN OUR BEST OF
REYKJAVÍK ISSUE?
In case you missed it, Nigel is writ-
ing a book. The working title is now
‘A day trip in CONCORDE at 1340
miles per hour’ instead of ‘A DAY
TRIP IN CONCORDE TO ICELAND
AT MACH 2’. If you’re interested in
learning more about his book, you
should email him! Also, if you’re
looking for a diligent pen pal, you
should also email him! His email ad-
dress is nigel2012anthony@yahoo.
co.uk.
Your pals at Grapevine
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