Archive for 'Icelandic customs'
Reykjavík Pride 2014! Posted by hulda on Aug 13, 2014
Hulda reporting in from the annual Hinsegin dagar, Pride Week, and especially the parade! For once we had amazing weather luck and apparently one quarter of Icelanders showed up to celebrate the day. I can admit I’ve personally never seen this many Icelanders in one place together before in all the years I’ve lived here…
Smoky vikings of Smoky Bay. Posted by hulda on Jul 31, 2014
As I was browsing through my notes about hljóðbreyting (= metathesis) for another entry that I currently have in the works I found something interesting that I thought might amuse you while not being quite as heavy as learning the theory of different sound changes. I understand many of you, dear readers, have recently suffered…
Icelandic horses for courses and… courses. Posted by hulda on Jul 17, 2014
Question and answer time! During the last month you’ve asked the Icelandic blog, via both the e-mail and the comments section, a couple of interesting questions that I’ll try to answer today. First a question was about horses: what are all the different words that mean horse in Icelandic? The most obvious one is hestur of…
Reykjavík calling: we’re on fire (again). Posted by hulda on Jul 11, 2014
Hi all, it’s been quite an insanely busy and action-packed week, not to mention a small injury in the family has momentarily made a nurse out of me (although hopefully if you ever need a nurse it will be someone with better handling skills). We’re doing fine at the moment despite all my best efforts at…
A Love Letter to the Icelandic disregard of time. Posted by hulda on Jun 24, 2014
Dear Iceland, When I first moved here four years ago I almost didn’t have a culture shock. Iceland and Finland seemed so similar, though one had trees and lakes and the other one mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls and glaciers, I very nearly felt at home right away. Except. Whenever I arranged to meet with my local…
Come all you sailors (and others as well)! Posted by hulda on Jun 6, 2014
It gives life, it takes life, the Icelandic attitude towards the sea is divided in two. On one hand the local artists will adore it in their works and declare it the height of all things mysterious and wonderful, on another are the people who put their lives at risk on it. The difference is…
The Iceaboo. Posted by hulda on May 31, 2014
Iceaboo: a person whose idea of Iceland is strongly coloured by vikings, fermented shark, Sigur Rós, Björk and a short visit they once did; may end up in danger of death by failing to use common sense, most likely wants to move to Iceland. Often wears Iceland’s flag in some form and/or a plastic helmet…