Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.07.2019, Page 6

News broke re-
cently that Krispy
Kreme is shutting
down its Icelandic
operations. How
will we survive?
Well, perhaps by
sampling any one
of the bazillions of
Icelandic pastries.
And there’s no
better place to
start than with a
kleina.
There’s much
to appreciate
when it comes to
Iceland’s rugged
equivalent of a
doughnut. For
those of an ety-
mological persua-
sion, you can im-
merse yourself in
fulfilling debates
as to whether the
word kleina (or
the plural, kleinur)
is originally of
Swedish or low
Germanic origin.
Or if geo-
culinary transfer-
ences get your
tummy rumbling,
you can appreci-
ate the impressive
distribution of this
pastry through-
out Nordic and
eastern European
countries. Or, you
can be like us at
The Grapevine and
simply scarf them
down. That’s good,
too.
To butcher
Rule 34: if you can
think of it, there’s
probably a kleina
flavour of it. You
can get these
twisted treats
sugared, coated
in lemon glaze or
even made with
a healthy glug
of Cognac. But
invariably, simple
is best. A good
kleina, after all, is
significantly more
robust than your
wimpy American
doughnut. The
dough is twisted
like a bow and
then fried in oil
or, if you’re feel-
ing particularly
metal/authentic,
rendered sheep
tallow, forming a
surprisingly solid
exterior. The best
kleinur should
crunch just a
little as you bite
into them. After a
gruelling research
project, I can
confirm that the
best way to enjoy
a kleina is with a
large mug of cof-
fee and no meal
plans for the next
few hours. Kleinur
are available at all
good cafes and
bakeries. FR
Kle
in
a
On any drive through South Iceland,
it is very likely you will encounter one
of the most iconic and peculiar tourist
landmarks in the country: the wreck of
a US Navy DC-3 transport plane (its very
classification a source of contention
for many over the years). This wreck-
age has appeared in photo galleries of
Iceland since long before the advent of
Instagram, or any other social media
for that matter. The airplane was never
intended to be a cultural touchstone,
but it continues to be more meaningful
for visitors than locals.
Can you believe people
vandalise this rusting
pile of metal??
Normally, graffiti being scrawled on
a tourist site is frowned upon. This
makes it understandable that, when
Polish television station WP recently
reported on the site, they expressed
shock and outrage at the graffiti that
practically covers the DC-3, and scolded
their countryfolk for being a part of
the problem (some of the graffiti is in
Polish).
While carving your name into a tree,
or into the side of a mountain, does
evoke understandable ire from the
locals, the fact that the wreck of the
DC-3 has been vandalised—and even
fired upon, as the numerous bullet
holes in it attest—is not a huge concern
to locals. Benedikt Bragason, the owner
of the land upon which the wreck rests,
told reporters in response to the WP
story that he simply did not care if
people damaged the wreck further.
What is it even
doing there?
The aircraft itself was once owned by
the US Navy, and crashed at its current
location back in 1973, after encounter-
ing a problem with ice on its wings.
The wreckage was simply abandoned
by the military, leaving it for Iceland-
ers to deal with. They opted to not deal
with it at all.
By this point, however, the wing-
less wreck is in such a state of disrepair
that it bears little resemblance to its
original form. These days, it’s a rusting,
graffiti-covered, bullet-ridden hulk of
metal, quietly eroding on the black
sand, presumably destined to stay there
until the heat death of the universe.
On the other hand, there is undeniably
a haunting beauty to the sight of this
ghost plane from a bygone era guarding
the black sands of southern Iceland. In
many ways, the airplane, first flown
in 1944, is an accidental monument to
Iceland’s military history. For the time
being, its crumbling skeleton remains
one of Iceland’s most unlikely tourist
attractions—graffiti and all.
The Case Of The
Ghost Plane
Crashed DC-3 is a crumbling tourist attraction
that's attracting new controversy
Words:
Andie Fontaine

Photo:
John Rogers
First
You probably know that reindeer are
not native to Iceland; they were ac-
tually brought to the country in the
18th century. Since then, they have
done well for themselves, flourish-
ing to such an extent that it’s not
uncommon to encounter them in the
East Iceland countryside and have to
stop for a small herd blithely milling
about on the Ring Road.
However, one part of the country
where you won’t see them is in the
West. Why? We asked Sigríður Birna
Björnsdóttir, a specialist at the Rey-
kjavík Park & Zoo, for the truth of the
matter.
“While early attempts have been
made to promote the reindeer popu-
lations in other parts of Iceland, it
was only in the East where they really
thrived. The reason for this is decep-
tively simple: the East just has eve-
rything reindeer could ask for. This
is especially the case on account of
the moss which grows plentifully in
the East.
Reindeer travel in herds and have
a large range that spans from the
northeast of the country all the way
down to Höfn in the southeast. In the
winter, when food is more scarce in
regions with higher elevation, the
reindeer will descend to lower eleva-
tions in search of food. This is why
you will often see them by or even
on the highway (so be careful when
driving in the East). Although they are
hunted, the annual quota is strictly
limited, meaning reindeer are not
especially shy about human contact.
It would probably be a good idea and
not disturb them anyway; just enjoy
their beauty as you drive slowly by
and take photos.”
ASK AN
Expert
Q: Why Are There No
Reindeer In Western
Iceland?
6 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 12— 2019
FOOD OF ICELAND
NEWS
Love it or hate it, this hunk o' junk is a beloved tourist stop
Words
Words
Words
Words: Andie Fontaine
Photo: Art Bicnick
More info and tickets
lavacentre.is
Open every day
9:00 - 19:00
Volcano &
Earthquake
Exhibition
LAVA Centre is an awarded, interactive exhibition
on Icelandic volcanoes and earthquakes. Learn
about the most active Icelandic volcanoes and
see all the latest eruptions in 4K. Lava Centre is
a mandatory stop on your Golden Circle or South
Coast adventure.
Located in Hvolsvöllur
80 min drive from Reykjavík
Photo: Eyjafjallajökull Eruption 2010