Iceland review - 2013, Síða 78

76 ICELAND REVIEW
sPECIAL PROMOTION
fly me to the moon
Norðurflug helicopter service may not take you to the moon but through a bird’s eye
view of Iceland’s moon-like lava landscapes you might get the illusion that you’re look-
ing at an alien planet. At least that’s the conclusion of Hollywood producers who have
shot their sci-fi thrillers, among other projects, in Iceland. Many of those have taken
advantage of Norðurflug’s services during filming, including the producers of Oblivion,
set to premiere in April 2013. The star of the show, Tom Cruise, was so impressed that
he also went sightseeing with Norðurflug.
Based in Reykjavík, Norðurflug offers versatile services and tours—since its launch
in 2008, the company has earned an 80 percent market share in Iceland and become
the country’s largest privately-run helicopter service. Priced between ISK 25,000 and
200,000 (USD 200-1,500, EUR 150-1,200), customers can choose between a wide range
of tours with the company’s three helicopters, carrying up to nine passengers. Or make
their own suggestions: a proposal on top of Mt. Esja is among the more memorable
ones. The most popular tour is to the crater of Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which erupted
in 2010. The aftermath is a unique sight as TV chef Gordon Ramsay can attest to.
nordurflug.is
A Scaled friend for life
Water resistant, stronger than animal leather and incredibly fashionable. These are
the qualities of the fish leather Hulda Kristinsdóttir uses for her refined HULD
Design bags and accessories. Processed in a factory in Sauðárkrókur, North Iceland,
the fish leather is a by-product of the Icelandic fisheries industry. Hulda mainly uses
three types of leather for her hip designs: perch, salmon and wolffish, either natural
or dyed.
Before turning to designer bags, Hulda was one of the finest dressmakers in Iceland
but says she wanted to try her hand at something else. She learned the craft of bag
making in London and has since been working on her own line.
All her bags are named after her female friends and relatives and bear strong Ice-
landic names. The only accessories in her line that bear a male name are her extraor-
dinary key wallets. The enduring quality of her bags and accessories is such that they
make perfect scaled friends for life. Hulda’s designs can be purchased in her store on
Skólavörðustígur 4. huld.is

ATL_Huld02.indd 1 6.12.2011 14:41
Century of watchmakers
The story of Michelsen Watchmakers goes back an entire century, to 1909, when the
first of the Michelsens established a small business in Iceland under the family name.
Since then, the firm has been owned and operated by the same family and is now
owned by the third generation of Michelsen master watchmakers. Michelsen is their
own line of quality watches, created by the third and fourth generation of Michelsen
watchmakers. The Michelsen shop on Laugavegur, the main shopping street in
Reykjavík, offers a wide assortment of watches and jewelry, including many interna-
tionally known brands. First and foremost among these are the world-famous Rolex
watches. Among other interesting pieces are RJ-Romain Jerome, Tudor, Movado, Jorg
Gray, Jacques Lemans and the famous Danish brands Georg Jensen and Rosendahland
Arne Jacobsen. michelsen.is