Monday, February 23, 2009

I guessed ..you guess


What is this ?



Clue: n°1 Iceland is gastronomically know for...whale steak, roasted puffin and rotten...but also....:-) Clue n°2: When President Clinton visited Iceland He told that they were the best "....." He has ever eaten.




answer..this is a Hot-Dog Holder.

Bill Cinlton´s favorite...

see following link:

Friday, February 20, 2009

It´s time to start again to blog

It ´s time to continue to work on this blog.  so this is the first post for 2009. I am sorry i have been busy doing other stuff, and  i haven t had a lot of time to work on this blog. 

This picture is not the best quality, It has been taken with my Iphone, but i think it´s a good start for 2009.

As you might have heard, Iceland  has been badly hit by the current financial/economical/toomuchbullshit crisis...Anwya...Iceland is only down not dead !

More to come soon 

Virgile

Thursday, December 11, 2008

On the move

On my way to work this morning.

Virgile

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Winter sunset in Iceland


Yet another winter sunset in Iceland ?
Who told you it was dark ?

Virgile

Monday, December 8, 2008

Dark Darker Iceland / Brigh Brigther Iceland


Too many people think that during winter there is only darkness in Iceland. Too many people are wrong. Nights might be longer, but during the short time of day light we usually have very good weather and plenty of sun. 

Here is a picture of an Icelandic winter sunset. 

Virgile

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Frozen


This is getting cold here....

Virgile

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

They also do it on mondays !

Monday was the day of the Icelandic Nationhood. People once again took the occasion to protest...Once again i have to point out the peculiar way Icelanders do have to protest...Once again they were throwing food. After the sempiternal skyr, tomotoes and cabbage, Monday protestants granted the house of the government with be ready Gorgonzola and filet mignon. If you do prostest in Iceland you apparently must do it with style and good taste. Note that on the picture, birds seems to really enjoy it !

Here is few pictures of the protestation.

Note that there were even pirates among the protesters ! masked people , anarchists., teenagers...and anti European Union people....Not gonna start to talk about it...This is getting pointless



I still do not agree with the protest. I think this is a way of running away from the problems. Insteat auto-proclamed intelectuals and well educated people leading those project should start to work on real economical-industrial-financial solutions and build up projects. Instead of standing by the microphone and scream how unfair is the situation and blaming authorities, life and the others for it. Make you own self analysis and move your ass. built somehting Where were you when it started to go bad in the beguining of the year 2008? what did you do to prevent it? Did you take loan in foreign currency to go shop in tenerif or build a buisness? How many time have you maxed your visa card on the last 5 years ? etc... etc...

Start to propose real stuff and act. Drop down the protest sign, get a pen and paper and get to work !

Virgile




Thursday, November 27, 2008

Pick your fight....Pick your time


Women´s Emergency Government !

There is protest in Iceland and it seems to me that a certain number of people are trying to help to fix the situation. Political leaders, writers, journalists.. feminists....

With the risk of being accused of sexism, i found the last one quite peculiar. The idea has flourished the last couple of weeks. Women are not responsible for the crisis, they were not the boss of the bank (however they were working strategical position that also lead to the situation, and for some of them, became today the new boss of the bank....mediocrity pays afterall). They also say that the measures taken during this crisis are mainly securing males´position in society...etc...

Last saturday they dressed the status of Jón Sigurðsson, figure of the indepence of Iceland (would like to point out that they did it with the help of a useless man -they did not succeed to do themselves.... not so useless after all... not so useless...)

I would like to say....
Pick your fight....Pick your time.

First of all...why pink ? There is nothing more sexist than this color...Feminists.. you are wraping yourselves in one the thing that has been used to drag you down. Many studies (sociological, psychological have demonstrated the use of pink to control and drag down people... from little girls to convicts !!! google it)

I understand the fight of feminist s on many scales... work, salaries, right equalities., violence... i am all for it...But is it not crossing the line to start to do that kind of discourses? Why do you promote one form of sexism ? Why not start to promote racism in that case?

I was thinking to create an Gay Male Emergency Gouvernement...Well well what about this ? No Gay Male in the Gouvernment ? No gay boss of a bank ? and we are the very first victim in it ? Who would you fire first ? the mother of 2 or the childless fag one ? (It´s actually more or less happening). We are the victim in this story ! Our rights will be once again drag down for the benefit of straight people !

Gay Male Emergency Gouvernement -Power- Gay Male Emergency Gouvernement -Power- Gay Male Emergency-Power- Gouvernement Gay Male Emergency-Power- GouvernementGay Male Emergency Gouvernement-Power-Gay Male Emergency Gouvernement-Power-Gay Male Emergency Gouvernement

I just wanted to point out what i think is an absurdity !

And if we were the boss we sure do it with taste and style :-)

Pick your fight....Pick your time!

Virgile


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

SOLD

That´s it. Iceland officially got a loan from IMF. Once again some people were protesting last Saturday in front of the parliament. Much more less than the previous week-ends. I guess people calm down when the news came up that Iceland finally got a loan from the IMF.

How ever some people got pissed off that we did actually receive the loan. The sign on the parliament says that house has been sold by the IMF.



On this pictures, you can see a monster..wearing an IMF shirt...attacking Iceland....living blood behind in which you can read "Education, Healthcare, Resources, Independence".

I think that do have a point. But then again i think that we do need sometimes necessary evil !

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Statement Trees


In Iceland, we do not have trees...Lately wodden things have started to grow in the capital area. Statement Trees.

(Stop to pay)
(Stop slot machine)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Monday, November 17, 2008

9:40 in the morning...


the darker the better ?

I do think so..

Virgile

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Silver Boy


For those who have some inside in Iceland popculture..Páll Oscar...Iceland queerest star just released a best of , of his songs... SilverSafn...get it !!!

For those of you who does not know who is Páll Oscar...Shame on you ! There is other forms of culture than bacterias ! Here is link to one of my past post on Páll Oscar...

the picture has been taken Saturday afternoon..While some grown ups were protesting in front of the parlement...The little ones were at a free concert for the release of the best of Cds. The average age for this party was... around 5 !!! I find it amazing !!!
Páll Oscar is a musical UFO... i would say that his fan base is quite gay...but children loves him too.. that´s must be the shinning outfits ! Anyway...some could be scared that he might turn his public gay.. well.. shit happen :-) and for worried parents...gay people are more happy than straight ones :-)

Virgile


Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Drying Fish


Here is a picture that i took of drying fish in the harbor of Reykjavík. This is unusual to see this in the city center.. that might be due to Kreppan...(the crisis in Iceland)... People usually do it because it stinks ! When i took the picture the smell was okay.... i wont come back in a couple of weeks.

Dry fish is excelent. this is a good source of protein. It has been for a long time the only reliable source of protein for Icelanders...We might come back to it !

If you have never tried it..go for it.. don´t be scared.. this is excelent !

Virgile

Monday, November 10, 2008

Finally some protest ?


The last couple of weeks some protest have been taking place in Reykjavik. The manifestants mostly protest against the Gouvernment and the director of the Central Bank of Iceland, Davið Oddsson. The good people of Iceland are asking for the demission of the gouvernment and new election . Even if i am also pissed of with the Gouvernment i think this will be stupid to do elections now and it will only bring political instability which the country does not need now...Let´s let them clean up the mess and then let´s have elections ! I was also surprise by the kind of people who were protesting...I was use to protest a lot in France...not to say that i have a small experience on the matter... but i do not think that Icelanders are doing this the right way... and i am surprised by the kind of people who are protesting such as bleached haired teenagers throwing eggs and pseudo alter mondialist people who protest to protest...Been there done that...

Anyway here is a picture of the Icelandic parlement, Alþingi covered in eggs...milk.. chocolate milk and skyr*

Virgile
* an Icelandic dairy speciality

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Icelanders Are Not Terrorist


I wanted to do this post for a long time but i haven´t had time to do so. Please Read it.

Iceland and Icelandic interests have been put and still is on the same list as terrorist organizations. Prime Minister Geir Haarde declared to the Times on the 3rd of November: "We're still on the list — in the wonderful company of al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Sudan, North Korea, Iran and a number of other entities — where we do not belong," Here is the link to the Times

Icelanders have started to resist and try to respond to the attack. Officials have made numerous interventions. A web based petition have been created on the following web site http://www.indefence.is/

Nearly 75 000 people have signed the petition. Please do it too !

This is an outrage. Iceland has never perpetuated any terrorist acts and is not planning to do so. We do not even an army and our policemen do not even carry guns !

The United Kingdom and Gordon Brown took advantage of the financial crisis to acheive their on political agenda.

The situation in Iceland has not improved much since the beguining of the financial crisis because of this terrorist classification. This is for example extremely difficult to transfert money in and out of Iceland One of the reason is that we are being classified as a terrorist organisation and no one wants to trade with us.

By using anti-terrorist laws voted after the september 11th, UK´s gouvernment has made is illegal and unfair and there was NO JUSTIFICATION for it. This could happen to anyone or to any country. If this has happened to us... this could happened to us

For more information go to this website. This is the petition "Icelanders are not Terrorits"

On the website there is also plenty of Picture of Iceland with pictures similar to the one that i took today.


http://www.indefence.is/

This is a good cause.

I would like to ask you to take a similar picture if possible and to post it on your city daily Photoblog and to give the link to the website. If you are not willing to take a picture, just post the link and write few lines about the situation. This would be great.

Thank you very much

Virgile

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Did we reach this point ?


"Free Food"
This sign is a bit scary...I know that in this crisis time we must witness desperate measure but....Did we reach the point to eat each other ?

Virgile

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Could not be more Icelandic !!


In how many countries could you do this..?

Leave your baby outside...warmly "cocooned" in its baby cart outside while you, mother or father are enjoying a nice cup ofcoffee... ? This is a typical Icelandic thing and i do think that you can only do this in Iceland. This is all time striking foreigners visiting Iceland...They wonder down town and see all those well parked baby carts parked outside... and parents inside "cafeining" themselves...

Foreigners who think that this is particularly cruel...think that...this is a sunny day...and we do the same on rainy days... or very cold day (-5) today...or snowy day?

With all the negative things that i heard about Iceland in the last few weeks, i was very glad to see and to share it with you !

Virgile

Monday, October 27, 2008

Possitivism ?

"I am a just shit"

This a piece of art from Jóna Hlif Halldórsdóttir, showed at the Reykjavik Art Museum. This is a picture that i took a couple weeks ago and i think that this is today really reflecting what many Icelanders are now thinking. Who´s to blame ? I do not think that the general population is to blame...Things having moving quite fast hear. It seems that we are doing better even if we are still struggling with our newly acquired terrorist background...As a terrorist newbie should we seek help from more experienced organisation ? :-) Should you start to panic when you see a overtanned bleached blond person drving a big jeep and cell phoning?

We are not just shit..We are yet to be terrorist !

Virgile


Friday, October 24, 2008

Profilactic Treatement ?



First i thought that I have found out why the Icelandic economy is not in its best days....then Irealized that this is probably how the Icelandic government is stopping inhabitants of Iceland to take off their saving from banks... "wrong pin number...wrong pin number...wrong pin number...your card has been canceled... have a nice day..."

Virgile
(Look carefully at the digit number)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Freezing Time


Winter is here.
This is starting to get a bit chilly in Iceland.
Snow storm after Snow storm
I love it

Virgile

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Media War


The media war is still going on. I am sure that this journalist/soldier hidden behind his shield, is planing some kind of attack !

It seems that the divorce of Madonna did not stop the thirst of English newspaper for dirty news...Well today nothing happened in Iceland.

Virgile

Virgile

Monday, October 20, 2008

Team Iceland !!!

When Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston got divorced, people did split in 2 teams....Team Jolie (the newly girlfriend of Brad) and team Aniston (the poor left over girlfriend..that is by the way apparently still grieving.... :-).
Today with the crisis, there is 2 new teams..Team Iceland and team Rest of the world... Today´s post is dedicated to common heroes from team Iceland. (which i am a proud active member)

Last Saturday i went to a meeting. Some kind of meeting that you could only see in Iceland. Due to the economical situation, Iceland is looking for new ways to renew and regenerate itself. the meeting was organized for young people and student by the innovation centre of Iceland. The goal of the meeting was to try to find new ideas of business for Iceland, in order to first stop the crisis, second, take advantage of the situation, and finally to re-boost the Icelandic economy.

During the first part of the meeting, several personalities made speeches. Among them were the President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (on the left on the picture), Björk (in the center) and Magnus Schieving aka Sportacus aka Íþróttaálfurinn for those speaking Icelandic (On the right on the picture). Don´t tell me you do not know him !! If you do not know him click on this link . If after clicking on the link you still don´t know who he is i think you have so kind of problems and should reconsider your own diet: Sportacus is the main character of Lazy Town a "healty" tv show for children, that promote healthy diet and encourage kids to have outside activities instead of staying inside watching tv for example. ( i know this is kind of illogical...asking kid who watch tv to not watch it through a TV show...No wonder the Icelandic economy is not doing so well...) Click on this link to have more info on the show.

Back to the meeting. The speech they made was quite nice and cut out the negativist waves about Iceland (both from local and international). For the first time in few weeks there was no crazy Icelandic "let´s all live in a collective farm, let our hairs grow and eat only organic potatoes" economists, no "media whore" (sorry:-) like international economist pointing out the cruality the Icelandic economy/society and its actual hopelessness , no "They [the Icelanders] are all gonna die poor once upon i have been in Iceland for 2 weeks" tourist and most no sensationalist hatefull foreign journalists... The meeting was just nice of nice and realist people. The President of Iceland open the meeting with a nice speeches framing the goal of the meeting and re-placing the situation of Iceland in its context. He also once again repeated that Iceland was a small state, and that the country is having problems like many other small states (Iceland has been networking for quite sometimes with other small state and Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson has been a very active actor in this network). He also called for calm and responsibility. Once his official speech finished, Björk, a well know Icelandic singer (do i need to explain who is she?) her talked about sustainable development and for once was not in some kind of idealist delirium crisis "let´s all live in trees" (there is No trees in Iceland)...If i wanted to be mean i would say that she was probably sober and clean... but it would be too mean...finally Sportacus electrified the room. He was the best one... He explained clearly that this crisis times are not more different than the one before and that tomorow will still be uncertain... crisis or not crisis.

None of them denied the fact that we are facing a huge problem, that the situation might not be easy for a couple of year, but they all told us that we should have faith and look up and be proud. I think that Iceland need to hear that kind of discourse. We Icelanders have been for the last couple of week only hearing bad stuff about us and the nation need a small boost. Media, and especially British ones are the responsible for this situation. The race for sensationalism killed the information and i do think that journalism died the day some newspaper titled that it was hunger riots in Iceland and that people were fighting for Olive oil. The only riot that i took part in during the last couple of weeks, was the exceptional autumn sold in the biggest shopping mall of Iceland. I did fight for a pair of shoes.

The situation in Iceland is not that bad. Everyday we are getting better. Even if i am not a great political fan of Iceland´s actual leaders, i do think that they are doing the right thing. (taking control of the bank, financially cleaning them and getting rid of the "rotten" assets). We are gonna be fine. The IMF thinks that in 2 years we will be back to the situation of before the crisis. Meanwhile, unemployment has raised a bit and a strong inflation is on its way. The Icelandic króna has been more or less stabilized but is still strongly devaluated. Economically we will be fine. I am not worried at all for Iceland. We are a small country and we will be able to stand up again very soon. Meanwhile, we might loose some points in the GHP tables, but who cares we have fresh water, Björk and Sportacus... :-)

I am a bit more concerned about the political situation. Locally, this is gonna have huge consequences and especially if the director of the central bank of Iceland, Davið Oddsson, a former Prime Minister, leader of the independence party keep steering the Icelandic economic as he is doing now. He is getting more and more unpopular and many people both inside and outside the country (many people protested against him last Saturday). I think that Davið Oddson is working on his own interest and have an hidden agenda on the matter. I am sure that he is not gonna last long and that once the crisis will be over, the Party of Independence , his political will blow up in pieces. There is too many people in this party only working for their own interest. Internationally, i think that the crisis will have tough many things to Iceland. First of all, we as a nation are not prepared at all to deal with a media waves, and we do need a good PR to give the right information, second we found out who were really our friends and the British are not one of them, neither the European Union. Some countries have been taking advantage of the situation. As i have mentioned.. the British are not our friends any more ...have they been one day ? i do wonder...They froze our assets in UK forcing the Icelandic Government to take control of the biggest bank of the country. In order to froze our assets they used an anti-terrorist law voted after the September 11th, making Iceland one of the kind terrorist country in Europe and in the NATO organisation.(just for information, we do not have any army. Our policemen are not armed...). This is gonna have huge consequences.

Many people here want Iceland to press charges against UK, because the action was not justified at all and even Iceland´s Prime Minister Geir Haarde explained it in a press conference, that Iceland will not yet respond to this, but reminded that many countries will have taken extremely badly... to not say that this could have been a war declaration. Some UK journalist pointed out that the Government of Gordon Brown used the oldest trick in the world to hide the situation in UK, and that Iceland have been used has a bait. This is true that the situation of Icelandic bank in the UK was not pretty, but there was no reason for freezing our assets. There is the IceSave matter that burn between the 2 countries. Iceland is supposed to cover a certain amounts of the savings of people (like other banks do / did), but it never seemed to be enough for the British Government. (Same case in Netherlands/Luxembourg/Germany and this is going well, Governments have found ways to solve the problem).

The terrorist situation of Iceland is probably cost a lot to British tax payers. By freezing the assets, Uk´s Government has made Iceland lost billions and We do want to have those billions back :-). On the politic scale, this is starting to make wrinkle. As Iceland do not have army, there is some agreement between NATO´s member to protect Iceland the one after the other. Currently, this is France who is protecting Iceland and it should the UK very soon. How a country that consider Iceland as an enemy, could come to our Land and pretend to protect ourselves? The matter is currently being discuss among NATO members and UK does not seems to pull its point of view back.

On the European level this is going also to have consequences. Iceland is more or less bound to join the Union. This will have consequences during the process of adhesion and after. How to discuss with countries that classified Iceland as a terrorist country ? One other thing cross my mind..Why do "big" European countries do not support Iceland during the crisis and that we are eventually obliged to ask for a loan to Russia ? I have my own idea on it. I do think that European countries, especially France and UK want to have a weak Iceland coming to the European Union. Until recently, because of its wealth, Iceland could have negotiated anything when entering the Union. Anything such as the fishing areas (which has been by the past a burning subject. Anyone remember the Cod War between UK and Iceland ?). Iceland is one of the biggest exporter of fish in Europe and especially in the UK ( worth 400 millions pounds every year !!!). Having a weak Iceland will not allow the country to negotiate the fishing areas and we will have eventually to open them to foreign boats (Fishing represent more or less 27% of the Icelandic Economy). Some might say i am paranoid but i do think that there is a political agenda behind the no-reaction of European Governments and that those Governments have a lot to gain from a weak Iceland.

Anyway....Iceland is gonna be fine and as a proud member of team Iceland, i submitted some of my ideas during the meeting. I kind of hope that they will be taken in consideration. In any case i do think that with a shock team composed of the Icelandic President, Björk and Sportacus...How many countries do have Sportacus ?

We will be fine...We hear all time that Youth is suppose to be future...Youth has talked on Saturday and apparently Youth has been heard...How many countries during this crisis have done the same ? How many countries invited its youth population to come, to talk and give ideas and thoughts about the future ? that why we are strong and will come up even more stronger after this crisis...

Virgile


Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Lost and not Found...

Sometimes i rush outside my home and wonder... "humm maybe i forgot to turn the oven off."... "Are the lights still on?" or "For how long the cat has not eaten?"...those are "normal" pondering?

There is plenty of things that you might find in a lost and found box...Shoes, cell phones, ipod, wallets, all kinds of bags.....Apparently in Reykjavik in lost and founds bags you find other things..

2 days ago, i unfortunatelly forgot my shoes at the gym. Yesterday evening i went to see the janitors to ask if they had found them. They told me to look in some big boxes...which i did...and next to my shoes then i found the following "item":


Yes this is what you think it is.....An artificial leg ! I know that this has happened several time in the metropolitan in Paris...You get in the wagon and you eventually carried an artificial leg that you forgot behind you when you rush out... But...forgetting such leg in a gym... i think this is extreme....The person must have noticed it somehow...? He or she probably took it off to shower and then forgot it...I can understand this.. But how could he leave without noticing it..

I feel a bit low because of the whole situation of Iceland. I guess i am more and more Icelandic than French and i do care more about my adoptive country than my birth one...Anyway... this made my day....

Virgile

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Rotten Apple ?


I do not know why by this picture make me think about the whole situation in Iceland. I certainly do not want to fall into idiotic symbolism...but the tree... the half eaten apple make me think about what happened the last few weeks to Iceland....We fell off the tree...but we are still here and we will be fine...I would be more worried about the tree that we fell from....

Virgile

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

We are all right winged Bolchevik !!


Today you are gonna have a grouped photo and a small insight of the Icelandic financial situation.

Has everyone has probably heard, Iceland is in trouble...Our finances are not so good...To not say that we are on the edge of a major financial disaster. Yesterday the Prime Minister made a statement on national television explaining the situation and describing what was exactly going on ,(financial crisis) what was exactly happening (financial crisis, fall of the Icelandic currency) and what was going to be done.

Last night, Alþingi (Althingi) voted special law that gives power to the Government to intervene and/or take over banks and financial group as they did this morning with Landsbankin, the second bank of the country.

Anyway it came as a choc for most Icelanders. Unfortunately, they have been obliged last night to face the whole naked truth. This is very good thing and i think that admiting that we have a problem was the first steps toward recovery.

Today has been agitated. First Icelanders learnt that the second biggest bank of the country got nationalized. Second, the króna started to raise. (both due the Geir Harde, Iceland´s "right now" hard working Prime Minister last night speech, and the special laws voted by the parliament last night). Third they learnt that financial help was on its way from Russia..Yes...es i have said Russia...who was "for sure" loaning us 4 billions euros not in order to inject to compagnies who are sinking but for restoring the" in case of emergency national fund" and boosting the trust into the Icelandic Króna. Proudly, the director of the Central Bank of Iceland anunced the terrific news this morning.....Plunging the Nation into a "Sovkozes sugared with Mafia/Ex-KGB" spin...Well i have to say... i immedialty thought about sending few people to the Goulag.. i even made a list...

My hopes vanished away rapidly when the Minister of finance of Russia officially annunced that Russia did not loan any money to Iceland also causing the Icelandic Króna to replunge.

Most of us got worried with a possible russian investement. especially when our Prime Minister that some of our traditional friends turned their back on us and that thus we need to make new friends...Aka..Russia...When most of us thought about dirty money and how much could be accurate the popular saying "money does not have any smell", I immedialty thought about what could be our soviet futur... all i foresaw was Kolkoze, Sovkoze and Goulag (the last being a wishfull thinking)... i also saw bad fashion but this is another subject...

Did the Icelandic right winged party revealed their Bolchevik soul ? Did ultraliberalism got red?

After this awfull day i decided to take a break and to meet my danish friend. On our way downtown saw several sights of our soviet futur..First of all a rainbow with roost from the Russian ambassy... then when sitting in the coffee house we found an ad on a newspaper for loans (totally appropriated for the moment) giving choice between Lada and Hummer....Who needs more signs ? Well i have more in my bag... Then the man who gave us our coffein shot of hope, revealed a prophetic tattoo...

i am now sitting at home and i wonder...Was i right ? I do think so :-)

Today i was thinking to just post the picture in the middle because i think that right now "this is Damm good to be a banker" and make a very sarcastic comment.
I decided to spice it a bit.

Virgile

P.S: Do not worry about Iceland. WE ARE GONNA BE FINE.


Monday, October 6, 2008

Don´t try this at home / Banana Crisis?


I know that we are in a "small" Crisis...and that Iceland is on a very bumpy road (WE WILL BE FINE)...I know that the crisis might mean less quality and maybe less products available in stores. Some stores in Iceland even dramatically annunced that they will be a shortage of food, and that the store´s shelf might be empty within 30 days....(soon

But do Icelander have reached the point to buy anything in store... just in order to have food? or in Other word...How much crap stores are willing to sell just in order to make money during theses "hard times"?

I was having few guest for coffee and i had to go to a store on sunday. A store that is suppose to be a Top one.. with products of better quality... this is still a supposition.. They usally have the same product as in other stores.. but more expensive.... Anyway...

Here is a picture of the banana that they are selling in the store....!

Seriously...Those banana have been imported...at the lowest price possible.

We in Iceland produce banana. We are the only European country to produce banana on its own territory and this thanks to geothermal energy. From no .. i am only buying local stuff.

i do not want to seems picky. I know that "vintager" bananas can be good with a bit of jams are even some Mars or Snickers metled on it. I am the first to do it at home when i have some banana who are crossing into the dark side... But i am not willing to buy them in the store in an advanced stage of decay ! Would you buy this ? Something that you cannot see on the picture was that these banana were aslo dry and the one under had a bit of mold....How long does it take at your home to have a banana that is brown, dry and moldy ? would you eat that?

I am a bit fed up with certain stores in Iceland, that are doing anything in order to make money. That are willing to creat mass panic "There will be no more food in store in 30 days.. Start to store food" just in order to take advantage of the situation It worked.. people went to stores and bought stuff...Is there less stuff on the shelf today ? No !

Virgile





Friday, October 3, 2008

First Snow Fall


The Króna is not the only thing falling, there is also Snow.

We have had a small snow storm last night and the country is now all white. This is a very early snow fall and will not probably last very long... but if it can´t hide the crisis for a couple of hours that would be great.

It also remind me that i was not living in Iceland for the money but for its beauty :-)

Here is a picture that i took during my daily commute.

Virgile

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Burning House


This is the House of the parliament. Alþingi in Icelandic. There is right now a meeting inside in order to try to find a solution for actual economic crisis. The Króna, Icelandic curency is falling and is reaching new depth days after day...Everytime that we think that we reached the bottom...we find a way to go even deeper !!! Anyway... One bank has been nationalized at 3/4 th (my bank :-).

I do believe that this is just a huge bump on the road and that we are gonna be fine. Some people starts to panic a bit and think that we are fucked...well....As would say my officemate...Icelanders are the strongest in difficult... So we do need to touch the bottom to shine again

There is some protest planed on next saturday. I don t think this is a good idea to protest for example against the gouvernment right now... (and this comes from a French man professional protester and ex-strike leader).

This is like everywhere else i guess a big buzz in the media and all radio and tv channel have their experts who all say opposite stuff...Today they were anouncing possible shortage in food supplies and in gas...One of the biggest oil compagny declared that we only have 30 days left of oil...headline in the media....Then the ministery of economy anounced that this is no true and that we have at least 3 months of supplies quaranted same for gas.....

Anyway let´s hope that WE are gonna find a solution and that we will be once again fine !

Virgile

ps.. By the way.. if you want to invest money in Iceland.. this is the time.. the króna is worth nothing and it can´t get worst !


Wednesday, October 1, 2008

1st of the month theme day: Lines


What do you think it is ?

This is hot water pipes that will be soon under the side walks in order to keep them free of snow/ice. I love Iceland :-)

Virgile


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, London, UK by Ham, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Hilda, Manila, Philippines by Anthony, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Melbourne, Australia by John, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milton, New Zealand by Milton Daily Photo, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Scott, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Roanoke (VA), USA by Tanya, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, South Pasadena (CA), USA by Laurie, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine,

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Candy Rush



Well
as i have posted yesterday about the Icelandic economy. I have said that Icelandic economy was not doing so well...They country might not have any more gold but we still have candy...and people are still rushing for it.

Here is a picture from last Saturday.... "Nammiland" (Candy Land in Icelandic) taken over by people. The Candy rush....

This is very funny to see that on Saturday people are almost fighting for candy. Once a time i was like them... I stopped the day i steped on scale :-)

Virgile


Monday, September 29, 2008

Black Monday




The Icelandic economy has today once again been shaking...One of the main bank has been nationalized.. well almost...75% of the bank is now owned by the State. This is my bank...Glitnir...

I do not think that this is a bad stuff... The name of the bank Glitnir comes from the nordic mythology and it is symbolic of the importance of discussion rather than violence as a means of resolution of conflict within the Norse tradition....

Did we reach the solution?

Anyway, i choose to put this picture that i do think translate the ambivalence of the situation. The kid on the picture seems to fall but he is in control... and landed perfectly after

Hopefully this will be the same thing for us...

Virgile

Friday, September 26, 2008

Sun voyager




Sorry, i haven t been posting a lot.. i was on a conference trip in Canada...Took a couple of nice shots... you can see them by clicking here.
The sun is gone.. the "rain season" is here. This is probably one of the last picture that you will have of the sun from me.. for a long time.. this friday seems to be a bit hopeless...:-)

The sculpture on picture is name the sun voyager.... I bet the sun run away with it...

Virgile

Monday, September 15, 2008

Useful Graffiti



Gentlemen...here is a useful graffiti/street paint.

Virgile

Friday, September 12, 2008

And the inhabitants of Reykjavík are called.....


Here is a Reykjavíkingur...an inhabitant of Reykjavik.
Now you know how to call them... the inhabitants of Reykjavik....

He is also my favourite Icelander :-)

Virgile

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Icelandic Gold


This is Icelandic Gold...This is Lýsi...We don´t have mines but we have fish oils...Lýsi.

It is ery healthy and suppose to be a fountain of youth. Do not know for this last one virtue (not old enough for experiencing aging ;-) but it is sure good for nails, skin and hair and a lot of other stuff in your body like your inner beauty and you outter ones. Are Icelanders not known for their beauty ? We have had 3 Miss World in the last 50 years !!! Who did best ?

When i moved to Iceland. I wanted to do it a l´Islandaise... Well i thought though...So i took it liquid...This is simple Lýsi looks like oil... feels like oil in the mouth...but taste and smell... like old fish...a very smelly one!! I soon realized why Icelanders do take Lýsi as pill. Liquid...this is not good. I would not wish this to my worst enemy... Well i would....So if you ever take it...don´t do what you think Icelanders would do...Do like Icelanders really do...;-)

Nevertheless... this is very good.. take it !

Virgile


Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Victorious Skottish


They came...they saw they won..... (2-1). We Icelander got beaten by men in skirts... :-)
Here is a picture of the victorious Sottish. Congratulation Guys.

Virgile

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Kilt invasion


Iceland is being invaded. Not by men in black... but by men in kilt... They are all over the place.
There is a football (soccer) match tomorrow evening between Iceland and Scotland...and it seems that the Scots have decided to take over the place. This is very funny to see all these men in kilt down town Reykjavik but i was a bit disappointed though... i have found out that they do wear something under their kilt. ( i wanted to have a spiced photoblog session) I was very disappointed to found out that this is just a LEGEND at least for the one i have seen today. Maybe i will save the mystere tomorrow... For now... a happy Scottish man. Good luck for tomorrow !

Virgile

10th of September. Addendum: They are not all wearing underwear´s. What i could not get, a female journalist could !!! click on this link.


Friday, September 5, 2008

Sea Fishing Reykjavik


Went on a fishing trip last evening. Caught a lot of fishes. I felt like a real Icelander :-)

Virgile

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Morning Sun / High Tide


The weather has been quite good the last couple of days. Very sunny and very warm. The winter (who start earlier here than anywhere) is to be late. Unfortunately i was sick hence the only way i enjoyed it was from my sofa. But today seems to have one more sunny day. S

trange autumn... Icelandic Indian summer ?

Virgile

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Local Stars vs A Local Place


I went to a concert. One of my favorite band VoxFox. A promising vocal band. (click on the band´s name to hear a bit of what they are doing.) During this concert, they had different guest. among them was Páll Oscar. Páll Oscar is a musical UFO in Iceland. The gayest star on the island...and one of the best local one. Okay his style my be a bit kitsch but this what make it so good is that this is so unexpected. Here is few example of what he has done recently.




During the concert he has shown how versatile he could be and pulled out the two songs above (after few arrangements) in a complete other direction. It was calm, audacious and personal.

Anyway, it was very interesting to hear that 2 different kinds of artists could meet and have there way together.

Other artist guest were also there. Kristjana an intriguing jazz singer and Monica a bewitching harpist.

The concert was also marking the re-birth of Café Rósenberg. About a year ago this Café burned "to cold coal" as we say in Iceland, and is now re-opened in a new location. This is one of the only place in Reykjavík. One of the only bar that offers good live music in Reykjavik and last´s night concert was one good example of the whole potential of this place.

You should go there.

Virgile






Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Souvenir from Summer 2008


Nothing to say about it.

Virgile

Monday, September 1, 2008

Racing ?


There is geese everywhere down town Reykjavik. I am sure they are here to challenge us !!!

Virgile

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Reykjavik Fashion Capital ?

Here are fews pictures that i took during a fashion show in Reykjavik last Saturday. Could Reykjavik be a fashion Capital ? I would tend to say yes. There is a very innovative Icelandic style. On a general scale.. in Iceland you can get dressed as you want. There is not this fashion diktat that you can have in France. Here In Iceland, if you want to wear your grand mother dress you can...In france people would think you are neither disturb or on your way to a Bad Taste Party. Anyway Icelandic Designer are getting better and better.

Virgile