Reykjavík Grapevine - aug. 2021, Síða 15

Dance, jive & have the time of your life
Torfi Tulinius
Torfi Tulinius is a professor of
Icelandic Medieval Studies at the
University of Iceland. He completed
his PhD at the Sorbonne in 1992
and has written extensively on the
Icelandic family sagas, with an
emphasis on genre and form.
We muse with him on his ideal day
and, by extension, the good life.
Walking & remembering
Humanity remembers the past and
projects itself into the future. This
ability is a blessing and likely one of
the reasons for mankind’s success
as a species. As all blessings, howev-
er, it has negative aspects. Too o%en,
we are so busy mulling over the past
or worrying about the future that we
forget to seize the moment in all its
warmth and beauty.
My best possible day would be one
of fully lived moments.
Waking up in a bright room and
remembering a sweet dream while
seeing a loved one still slumbering
close by. Enjoying a light and tasty
breakfast while following the news,
until my thoughts turn to the tasks
that await me: writing a paper, pre-
paring a lesson, practicing guitar.
Morning is for letting oneself be en-
grossed by one’s projects, the plea-
sure of seeing them progress, of get-
ting things done, of acquiring new
skills, but also of developing ideas,
testing them, seeing where they take
me.
Acting & thinking
It is also essential to follow what is
happening in intellectual life, to be
alert to what can possibly be of use
to me in my work. Equally important
is to be creative in adapting it to my
needs. Working with ideas and man-
aging to explain and illuminate some
aspect of reality is a pleasure and a
privilege.
I enjoy physical activity, prefer-
ably in the form of contest. Midday
would be a game of tennis, basket-
ball or, later in the afternoon, golf.
I love the exercise, the fun, the joy
of winning and the fact that losing
does not matter, also the interaction
with other players, the camaraderie
of sports.
Intoxication & being together
Good evenings are spent with loved
ones: my wife, my family, my friends.
Exchanging stories, watching a game
of football, savoring a good meal, ex-
cellent wine, but only occasionally as
consuming alcohol too frequently
dims the light of being. The same ap-
plies to television and the Internet.
Though they enrich our lives, they are
like memory and anticipatory think-
ing in the sense that they keep us
away from the joy of the moment,
as well as frustrating our deep need
for community. A perfect evening
would be without either of these
two fixtures of modern life. It would
be spent with friends and family. In-
stead of staring at screens, there
would be conversations, laughter,
and love. It would be a moment fully
lived.
Perfect Day
Vital Info
Reykjavík Map Best Of ReykjavíkPlaces We Like
Au!ust 6th — September 2nd
In Your Pocket
Venues
The numbers (i.e. E4) tell you the position
on the map on the next page. The letter
is the row, the number is the column.
Austur
Austurstræti 7 D3
American Bar
Austurstræti 8 D3
Bíó Paradís
Hverfisgata 54 E5
Bravó
Laugavegur 22 E5
Dillon
Laugavegur 30 E5
Dubliner
Naustin 1-3 D3
English Pub
Austurstræti 12 D3
Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22 D3
Hard Rock Café
Lækjargata 2a D3
I"nó
Vonarstræti 3 E3
Kex Hostel
Skúlagata 28 E7
Kaffibarinn
Bergsta"astræti 1 E4
Kiki Queer Bar
Laugavegur 22 E5
Loft
Bankastræti 7 E4
Mengi
Ó"insgata 2 F5
Nordic House
Sturlagata 5 H2
Ölsmi"jan
Lækjargata 10 E3
Paloma
Naustin D3
Priki"
Bankastræti 12 E4
R6013
Ingólfsstræti 20 E4
Röntgen
Hverfisgata 12 E5
Reykjavík Roasters
Kárastígur 1 F5
Tjarnarbíó
Tjarnargata 12 E3
Museums & Galleries
ART67
Laugavegur 67 F7
Open daily 9-21
Ásmundarsalur
Freyjugata 41 G6
Open Tue-Sun 8-17
Aurora Reykjavík
Grandagar"ur 2 B1
Open 09-21
Ásgrímur Jónsson
Museum
Bergsta"astr. 74 G4
July 8-Sep 1, Mon-Fri
Berg Contemporary
Klapparstígur 16 E5
Tu-F 11-17, Sat 13-17
The Culture House
Hverfisgata 15 E5
Open daily 10–17
The Einar Jónsson
Museum
Eiriksgata G5
Open Tue–Sun 10–17
Exxistenz
Bergsta"ast. 25b F4
Gallerí List
Skipholt 50A H10
M-F 11-18, Sat 11-16
Hafnarborg
Strandgata 34, 220
Open Wed-Mon 12-17
Hverfisgallerí
Hverfisgata 4 D4
Tu-Fri 13-17, Sat 14-17
i8 Gallery
Tryggvagata 16 D3
Tu-Fri 11-18, Sat 13-17
The Penis Museum
Kalkofnsvegur 2 D4
Open daily 10-18
Kirsuberjatré"
Vesturgata 4 D3
M-F 10-18, Sat-Sun
10-17
Kling & Bang
Grandagar"ur 20 A4
W-Sun 14-18, Th 12-21
Living Art Museum
Granadar"ur 20 A4
T-Sun 12-18, Th 12-21
Mokka Kaffi
Skólavör"ustíg. 3A E5
Open daily 9-18:30
Museum of Design
and Applied Art
Gar"atorg 1
Open Tu-Sun 12-17
The National
Gallery of Iceland
Fríkirkjuvegur 7 F3
Open daily 10–17
The National
Museum
Su"urgata 41 G2
Open daily 10–17
The Nordic House
Sturlugata 5 H2
Thu-Tu 11-17, W 11-20
Hafnarhús
Tryggvagata 17 D3
Open 10-17, Thu 10-22
Kjarvalssta"ir
Flókagata 24 H8
Open daily 10-17
Ásmundarsafn
Sigtún
Open daily 10-17
Reykjavík City Library
Tryggvagata 15 D3
Mon-Thu 10-19, Fri 11-
18, Sat-Sun 13-17
Árbæjarsafn
Kistuhylur 4
Open daily 13-17
The Settlement
Exhibition
A"alstræti 16 D3
Open daily 9-18
Reykjavík Museum
of Photography
Tryggvagata 15 D3
Mon-Thu 10-18, Fri 11-
18, Sat-Sun 13-18
Saga Museum
Grandagar"ur 2 B2
Open daily 10-18
Sigurjón Ólafsson
Museum
Laugarnestangi 70
Open Tu-Sun 14-17
SÍM
Hafnarstræti 16 D3
Open Mon-Fri 10-16
Tveir Hrafnar
Baldursgata 12 G4
Open Fri-Sat 13-16
Wind & Weather
Window Gallery
Hverfisgata 37 E5
Venue Finder
Useful Numbers
Emergency: 112
On-call doctors: 1770
Dental emergency: 575 0505
Taxi: Hreyfill: 588 5522 - BSR: 561 0000
Post Office
The downtown post office has moved to
Hagatorg 1, open Mon–Fri, 09:00–17:00.
Pharmacies
Lyf og heilsa, Fiskisló" 1, tel: 561 4600
Lyfja, Hafnarstræti 19, tel: 552 4045
Opening Hours - Bars & Clubs
Bars can stay open until 1:00 on week-
days and weekends until 4:30.
Opening Hours - Shops & Banks
Most shops: Mon–Fri 10–18, Sat 10–16,
Sun closed. Banks: Mon-Fri 09-16
Swimming Pools
Sundhöllin, the downtown pool at
Barónsstígur, is an outdoor swimming
pool with hot tubs and a diving board.
More pools: gpv.is/swim
Open: Mon-Thu from 06:30–22.
Sat from 08–16. Sun from 10–18.
Public Toilets
Public toilets in the centre can be found
inside the green-poster covered towers
located at Hlemmur, Ingólfstorg, by
Hallgrímskirkja, by Reykjavík Art Mu-
seum, Lækjargata and by Eymundsson
on Skólavör"ustígur. Toilets can also be
found inside the Reykjavík City Hall and
the Reykjavík Library.
Public Transport
Most buses run every 20–30 minutes
Fare: 490 ISK adults, 245 ISK children.
Buses run from 06–24:00, and 7–04:30 on
weekends. More info: www.bus.is.
t
Words: Erik Pomrenke
Photo: Art Bicnick
“There would be
conversations,
laughter and love.
It would be a mo-
ment fully lived.”
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Bar & Restaurant Hver!sgata 26
Bar & Restaurant
Hverfisgata 26