Iceland review - 2016, Side 4

2 ICELAND REVIEW
Geothermal Baths
A unique contact with nature - come enjoy a steam bath
on top of a hot spring and afterwards relax
in the open air geothermal baths.
Local Kitchen with our popular country style lunch
and dinner buffet available daily.
Experience our Geothermal Bakery, every day
at 11:30, 13:00 and 14:30. Welcome!
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Þingvellir
Gullfoss
Geysir
Kerið
Reykjavík
Mosfellsbær
Selfoss
Akranes
Skálholt
Flúðir
Hveragerði
We’re only one hour from Reykjavik and in the
middle of the Golden Circle. Make sure to
upgrade your excursion to include a visit to us.
Geothermal Baths - Natural Steam Baths
Local Kitchen - Geothermal Bakery
Open daily 11:00 - 21:00, extended hours summertime
TEL: +354 486 1400 • www.fontana.is
Completing the Golden Circle
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4 FROM THE EDITOR
6 THE COLORS OF PRIDE
Glittery unicorns, fake breasts and rainbow flags…
snapshots from the parade at this year’s Reykjavík Pride.
8 AUTUMN AMUSEMENTS
Get ready for Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík International
Film Festival and Nordic Music Days: some of Reykjavík’s
biggest cultural events are coming up.
10 CULTURAL CURIOSITIES
Reviews of three recent Icelandic book,
music and film releases.
12 MASTER OF ILLUSION
Being known for work which isn’t quite what it seems at
first glance, art connoisseurs are looking forward to Egill
Sæbjörnsson’ creations at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
14 THE FEMALE VOICE OF NJÁLL
Actress Brynhildur Guðjónsdóttir talks to Vala Hafstað about
the theater and playing the role of Njáll, one of the most
famous (male) characters from the Icelandic sagas.
18 NEWS ROUNDUP
A summary of some of the most noteworthy news stories
from Iceland in July and August, including the inauguration
of the new president and a no-defecation sign selling well.
22 UPS AND DOWNS
Páll Stefánsson plays snakes and ladders in the Icelandic
highlands while taking photos for his landscape series at
Kerlingarfjöll mountains.
32 CELEBRATING SOCCER SUCCESS
Coach of the Icelandic national team in men’s football Heimir
Hallgrímsson reveals what it was like playing in the quarter
finals at Euro 2016 and what’s next for the team.
38 MANY BRANCHES MAKE THE TREE
Electronic musician Úlfur Hansson discusses his upcoming
album Arborescence and how genre boundaries shouldn’t
restrict music.
42 OF LOVE AND MURDER
Laxdæla saga differs from the other Icelandic sagas in that it
focuses on love and its main protagonist is a woman. Eygló
Svala Arnarsdóttir finds out more.
46 TO MARKET
Zoë Robert and photographer Áslaug Snorradóttir check
out the latest harvest at the popular farmers’ market in
Mosfellsdalur, just outside Reykjavík.
52 ISLAND OF OPPORTUNITY
Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir and Páll Stefánsson take a trip to
Hrísey island in North Iceland and find out from residents
what makes their island so special.
58 A STRANGE CALM
– EXIT THE RABBLE-ROUSERS
The Panama Papers, a new president and early elections.
Halldór Lárusson analyzes the current political
situation in Iceland.
62 PICTURING TIME
Up-and-coming photographer Shu Yi explains to S. Anne
Steinberg the philosophy behind her work and
the attraction of Icelandic landscape.
68 OUT OF THE WOMB AND INTO THE POOL
Rachel Mercer goes swimming with her six-month-old
son, learning about the benefits of baby swimming and
what’s special about the practice in Iceland.
72 FROSTY WELCOME
Kristín Linda Árnadóttir, director of the Environment
Agency and head of the response group on polar bear
sightings in Iceland, argues why it has been necessary to
kill all polar bears that have arrived on Icelandic shores.
76 GOING PLACES?
Zoë Robert goes on a road trip to the West Fjords and is
appalled by drivers’ reckless behavior.
78 HEROINES OF THE SEA
Iceland has one of the highest percentages of female
fishermen in the world, yet few people seem to know
about them. Seattle-based anthropologist Margaret
Willson covers their early and recent history in her book
Seawomen of Iceland, released in April.
82 ROUND THE MOUNTAIN
In the autumn, hundreds of thousands of sheep and
horses are rounded up in approximately 200 locations in
the Icelandic countryside for réttir.
86 TINT AND TONE
In his second landscape series, Páll Stefánsson captures
the magic of otherworldly smoking fumaroles, bubbling
water holes and colors at Hveravellir Nature Reserve.
91 SUPPLEMENT – MADE IN ICELAND
Here we present a selection of innovative and delicious
food items, elegant jewelry and warm, cozy woolen
goods made by Icelandic producers.
97 SUPPLEMENT
– VESTNORDEN TRAVEL MART
Tourism companies from the West Nordic region will
gather in Reykjavík October 4-6, presenting the best
services and most exciting activities offered in Iceland,
Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
113 SUPPLEMENT – RESTAURANTS
A guide to some of the best places for dining out in
Reykjavík and around the country.
128 LAST PAGE
The midnight sun peeks out from behind Hringdalsnúpur
mountain and is mirrored in Hvestuá river in Arnarfjörður,
the West Fjords, in early July.

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