apr
Happy summer everyone!
Today is the First Day of Summer – even though it dosn´t seems to be ! The summer month Harpa, of the old Icelandic calendar, begins today, which is also officially the first day of summer. The holiday always falls on the first Thursday after April 18. According to legend, people considered it a good sign if summer and winter "froze together” (if there was frost on the last night before summer). People would put a bowl filled with water outside to check whether it had frozen in the early hours of the next morning, before the morning sun could melt it. If the water had frozen, the summer would be a good one. It was common to distribute summer gifts on the First Day of Summer in Iceland, four centuries before Christmas presents became a tradition, and the summer gift tradition is still practiced in some households. People celebrated with a feast, often finer than on Christmas Eve. If the weather was summery, farmers would let their cattle and rams out, to allow the animals to greet summer, and to also entertain themselves by watching the animals play. People used to go to mass on the First Day of Summer until the mid 18th century when the inspectors of the Danish church authority discovered that mass was being held on this heathen day and banned the practice. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, winter and summer did not freeze together last night so now we have to wait and see if the legend is true or not !
apr
Iceland in the news
Jonathan B. Tourtellot in the April 2011 issue of National Geographic Traveler takes in a black glacier, some red-hot controversies, and lessons on living with lava in his article... "Life Atop a Cauldron." Shane Mitchell in the April 2011 issue of Travel + Leisure Magazine heads to a country of Viking descendants and modern foragers to uncover a culinary aesthetic that remains wild at heart in her article... "True North." ESPN Goes Surfing in Iceland… "Each journey along Iceland's coast brings an experience rich in wide open spaces and waves, along with an appreciation for the isolation that exists out there." The Huffington Post discovers what Icelanders have known for decades...We have the world's best hot dogs!!!… "Is This the Best Hot Dog in the World?" by Victoria Haschka
apr
Sunday, April 3rd. Extra tour at 08:55
On Sunday April 3rd, we have an extra tour at 08:55. We also have the tour at 12:55 so just contact ticket sales for further information's - or simply show up before departure. Tel +354 562 2300 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +354 562 2300 end_of_the_skype_highlighting