Reykjavík Grapevine - jan 2019, Qupperneq 51

Island Life
Hot news from the cold Icelandic countryside
Words: Andie Fontaine
The common refrain is that while Reykjavík is experiencing
a housing crisis, the countryside is emptying out. That’s
certainly not the case in East Iceland, where there is grow-
ing demand for new
apartments to be
built. Most of these
apartment build-
ings are slated
to be raised in
Eskifjörður
and Reyðar–
fjörður.
The east
certainly is
pretty, so
the demand
is under-
standable.
West Iceland has had
the worst aspects
of the Icelandic
winter this year:
sleet, freezing
rain, and
icy roads.
In a single
week, the area
saw five car
accidents
and three
“black ice”
wipeouts. Fortunately,
no major injuries were
reported.
In the South Iceland town of Eyrarbakki, an unmanned car burst into flames for reasons that
were not fully disclosed. No one was injured in the blaze, although for a short time it seemed the
fire was going to spread to another car, but that vehicle was moved from the area. The car was
completely consumed in the blaze, and how it caught fire in the first place is still unknown.
51The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 01— 2019
West: Best
Budget Meal
Skúrinn
Skúrinn is an all-are-welcome com-
fort joint. The cosy Stykkishólmur
haunt boasts nachos, milkshakes
and some of the best burgers in
Iceland. Try the Senior Citizen, se-
riously. With low prices, a homey
atmosphere and friendly staff, it’s
light on the wallet while still yummy
in the tummy.
North: Best Budget
Accommodation
Akureyri Backpackers
Budget Pick: We know luxury ho-
tels aren’t for everyone, but even so,
Akureyri Backpackers is a palace
amongst hostels. With their clean
and minimal rooms, dorms for
those truly on a budget, and a choice
of cooking for yourself in the kitch-
en or eating in the cosy café-bar (try
their arctic char if you can), this is a
reliable choice with a lot of charm.
East: Best Easy Hike
Hallormsstaðaskógur
Lagarfljót One must-do for the out-
doorsy types in the East is a light,
free-form hike through the lakeside
forest of Hallormsstaðaskógur. You
can park and explore Iceland’s big-
gest forest, characterised by gushing
streams, tucked away cabins, views
over Lake Lagarfljót, and the famous-
ly picturesque and mild-weathered
Atlavík camping ground.
Best Of Iceland
A selection of winners from our Best Of Iceland travel magazine
MORE INFORMATION AT:
centerhotels.com/centertainment_events
#cen te r t a i nmen t
CENTERTAINMENT
events in the of Reykjavik
THURSDAYS
18.00 - 20.00
LIVE MUSIC
IN THE GARDEN
EXTENDED HAPPY HOUR
& OTHER BAR OFFERS
CENTERHOTEL MIðGARðUR
LAUGAVEGUR 120, 105 REYKJAVÍK
FRIDAYS
21.30 - 23.30
DJ IN
THE SKY
LATE NIGHT
HAPPY HOUR
SKÝ RESTAURANT & BAR
INGÓLFSSTRÆTI 1, 101 REYKJAVÍK
LIVE MUSIC
IN THE SKY
SATURDAYS
19.00 - 21.00
SKÝ RESTAURANT & BAR
INGÓLFSSTRÆTI 1, 101 REYKJAVÍK
January
Schedule