Back with the Silver

Iceland won the Silver medal for Handball from the Beijing Olympics. France won the gold one.. shame on you France. Here a picture of the celebration of the return of OUR brilliant athletes. Winning a medal for Iceland is huge. Iceland have won in Olympic history only 3 medals including this one. We are only a bit more than 313 000. This is huge for us. So...as we would say in Icelandic...Til hamingju Strákar !!!

On this picture you can see .. the President of Iceland, the whole Gouvernment and the Icelandic Handball team.

Virgile

I am back

I just want to say that i am back

Virgile

Most beautifull place in the world...

I think i have nothing more to say.....

Virgile

French sailors in Iceland

Here is a picture of the Hospital build by french fishermen in the beguining of the 20th century in Iceland. French fishermen were used to go fish cod in the east of Iceland. They were so numerous that they build an hospital. The sea was reputed to be very dangerous and a great number of french fishermen have been lost at sea during this time.

The hospital is now today one of the only trace of this time and his unfortunately falling appart because of no preservation plan.

For the story, In the east of Iceland, this is told that there is more dark haired people than in the rest of the country because of the french sailors that were spending the winter over...(do you need a drawing?)

Virgile

Holly-gays ?

It happened....Gay people can officially get married in churches in Iceland. On the 30t anniversary of the the National Gay association Samtökin 78, released the news.

This picture (sorry for the low quality) has been taken at the official reception for this event.

It deserve a picture. In Iceland, the church is not separated from the state, and wer are from now one of the first country to officialise gay marriage in church ( the national church of Iceland). This country will still surprise me !!!

Congratulation

Virgile

Out of Reykjavik / Live from Goðafoss. Blue Tank / Old Skym

Picture taken in the North of Iceland, close to the Goðafoss waterfall. I could have shown you the waterfall... but... I think that this is more intriguing....

There is a lot of old and unused building in the Icelandic countryside. This is one, is an abandonned tank. I love that kind of old and abandonned building. They have something magic.

Virgile

National Day

Today is the National day of Iceland.
the 17th of June 1944,
Iceland declared its independence from danemark.

Happy Birthday Iceland

Landing

Another piece of Icelandic mobile technology. I am partially sparing you the sunset stuff today....partially. This is a picture of a plane landing at 11 o´clock at "night" at the reykjavik airport. This is a local plane....run by the very local company Air Iceland. They have awesome plane... with fan / propeller...I think this is pretty cool.

Today i am not going to mention the light....judge by yourself...

Virgile

Big Toy....

Having a big car is one thing....Calling it Big Toy....Is another....thing..

This picture says a lot about Icelanders and car. I am not against those...( no against Icelanders..not against cars)...but sometimes... this is too much...

A car is not a toy... and this is certainly not a jacket... as some people might think in Iceland...

Virgile

Yet another midnight sun....

Okay.... That s a picture of another sunset.. yet again....I know... all the picture on this photoblog starts to look like the same.....But there is nothing much going on right now in Iceland...and i am not going to start to take picture of the invasive tourists....I am not that bad.... yet...(it will happen soon...once i will not be able to swim at my usual swimming pool... there will come the picture of the invasive tourists...)

So once again I am giving you a midnight sun picture...That´s my best today.....

Virgile

Seashore Landart

There is a tradition for hikers to mark paths with pile of stones...while i was roller-blading last night (Yes i have said night). Next to the northern coast of Reykjavík, next to Sæbraut (the sea avenue), there is a walking/biking/roller-blading path. There was a man piling stones. That is pretty amazing. The guy doing it (second picture) have a great sense of balance.....Look at the different stones. I am still wondering how he is doing it.

Virgile

Summer night vs Black and White

I have decided to play a bit with camera. This is a picture of the sea shore next to the Grótta light house. you can see the light house on several previous post (as the one of last wednesday).
I thought that was interesting to take a black and white picture...when Iceland is becoming so green....I guess i miss the grey colors of the winter.

Virgile

3 o´clock at night....

View of the central lake of Reykjavík, at 3 o´clock at night....even after 4 years, this is still make me feel strange to stand in sun light in the middle of the night...Strange but amazing....

Virgile

Closer to Heaven

I have never been so close to heaven...seriously... !!! Few weeks ago, i have made a post about the best Ice cream store in the whole universe....Íbuð, situated on Hagamelur in Vesturbær in Reykjavik.....

This store... just opened... a new one....next to my home ......I do not have anymore to drive 20 minutes to get there....Now i can just take a small walk....and get my ice(drug)cream fix....What did i do to deserve so much good ? What did i do ?

But... (there is all time a but...all time)....

You see the line in the first store.....at eleven... on the first post.... this is worst here....This is not so easy to get in heaven.... not so easy.....

Virgile

23.00 / 11pm in Iceland

Back In Iceland...

I am back in Iceland, after a long and needed vacation in Franceand some work stuff in Aalborg, Danemark.

Here is my first come back picture.

This is french military boat, Le Tourville (D 610) is a F67 type large high-sea frigates of the French Marine Nationale specialised in anti-submarine warfare.

The boat came to Reykjavik on last Thursdays and stayed until this morning. The 250 men and 50 women on board who have travelling for several months without stops, have apparently had a lot of fun in Reykjavik (i am betting that in February 2009 we will have a pic of birth..wonder why). What happen´s in Iceland, stays in Iceland....

Yesterday, i went to visit the boat. That was very interesting. It´s like a piece of France in better.

They Left this morning for further adventure on seas.

I will keep you update the the birth rate of January / February 2009

Virgile

"out of Reykjavík daily photo" Learning Icelandic everywhere

As unbelievable as it seems.. you can find book with Icelandic almost everywhere, here in a book shop in Oxford. This is only one small part of the shelves dedicated to Icelandic. This is kind of unbelievable. 300 000 people only talk this language....and apparently there is a lot of people who want to learn it. They don t know in what they are getting into...Poor them... If you want to learn Icelandic... expect jaw pain and tongue spasm....But at the end once you have accepted the pain... that so worth it talking Icelandic.

Virgile

"out of Reykjavík daily photo": Piece of Iceland in Oxford

Whereever you are...there is all time a piece of Iceland somewhere...even in Oxford, Uk.

Virgile

Information Notice: on vacation from the 10th to 25th of May.

The author Reykjavík daily photo will be on vacation from the 10th to 25th of May.

Nevertheless, i will try as much as possible to post picture

and make an "out of Reykjavík daily photo" session.

Virgile

Tallest building in Iceland

This is the tallest building in the country...for now. Few days ago i presented Hállsgrimskirkja as the tallest building in the country. I was wrong. This is not. With 20 floors, this tower in Kópavogur is for now the tallest tower in Iceland. Situated just next to the biggest parking lot of Iceland. As i have said everything have to bigger Kópavogur. This is one more proof :-)

In Reykjavík, this is illegal to build a something bigger than Hállgrímskirkja (74,5m). In Kópavogur there is no suck law.

This building is the only real skyscraper in Iceland. There is future plan for others skyscrapers in just next to this one. There is one with 16 floors rising up as you read this post. There is plan to build a higher tower in a very soon future with 36 floors and this one will be the highest in the whole country. There is also plan in a near future to build a twin sister to the one on the picture.
As i have said....Kópavogur, the Manhattan of Iceland. Let´s hope that the same thing will not happen to these twins.

There is something about Iceland. Here in the capital area, Icelanders are able to unearth a whole building in few months.... in France or in any other place it would take years !!! But we must be in some kind of parallel time stuff here in Iceland. Impressive buildings just grow like pimples on the face of a teenager. For this towers, let s also hopes that it has also been properly build and it will resit earthquakes and volcanic eruption which happen in Iceland quite often.

To Conclude, on the pictures of today, you have, a view of the whole building, view on the south from the balcony of the building (20th floor) and a view from the north side of the building.

Virgile

The biggest parking lot in Iceland

This is a picture of the biggest parking lot in Iceland. Okay... one part of it. This parking lot is not situated in Reykjavik, it´s situated in Kópavogur, one town in the Suburb of Reykjavík. I would say, and pardon me people living over there...That Kópavogur have a small complex...an inferioty complex. Everything seems have to be bigger in Kópavogur. Bigger parking lot, bigger building (tomorrow´s post). Basicly they unfortunatetly sometime present themself has... the Manhatan of Iceland and there is even some people who dream that Kópavogur should be the capital of Iceland.. I personnally think that a bit sad. Kópavogur has its own place and competing with Reykjavík is a waste of time. Seriously people you have probably better stuff to do than trying to be the Manhatan of Iceland or competing for being a capital.

Anyway... a nice sunset....a dash of pollution and i think you have a nice picture.

Virgile

Sound of far far far away music

Here is a picture of music store situated down town Reykjavík. Out the fact that this is a very old Icelandic house... This music store is a dreamland if you are like me a bit... okay a lot ADHD.

This is not a classic music store. This is an extravagant one. It has only "exotic" and instrument for far far far away and the best stuff.. you can touch them all (My ADHD self is giggling). There is gongs from Asia, harps from India, flute from South America and so many other that i cannot name from far far far away places that you only dream off.

Wait... the best stuff is coming...

In this store you can touch whatever you want.. This ain't normal music store... this is one where you can touch and touch and touch stuff...Ring the gong , play harps and so on... No one will tell you.. don´t touch this...Touching is mandatory in this store..and this nice...I think this is even a huge selling argument... On a detour, your fingers might play the right instrument and right note that would make blossom your wallet and use your credit card.

Okay i have to confess... i have never bough anything this store, but... it´s probably because i haven´t touched the right instrument yet. Who knows maybe one day...

Virgile

Challenging Holiness

At 74,5 m, Hallgrímskirkja is the tallest building in the country. Too often mistaken for the Cathedral of Reykjavík, which is not the case...(here is a link from a previous post where you can see the cathedral of Reykjavik... on the right.. the white building).

Its actually under renovation and its seems that mankind is trying to challenge holiness.

This is very common mistake when people visit Reykjavik...Mistake relayed by most of tourist guiding book. Hallgímskirkja is not the cathedral. But that doesn´t make it less beautiful... and for a non believer in that kind of place I think this is one of the most beautiful church that i have ever seen. This extremely peaceful and there is no pain and guilt liking on its walls. This is just calm and classy. It almost make me holly.

Apparently the church needed some fixing. It didn´t notice that it needed some cleaning.

This is very impressive to see the installation in front of the church. Especially when you stand down the hill the church his....It seems that the whole stuff is just gonna fall down. Hopefully it will not happen. Hopefully.

Virgile

Going Icelandic

Okay, that might not be the least attractive post i have done and people reading this blog might expect something different... from a daily photo blog... Like... old buildings... interesting places, exiting events and so one...

Today .. this is Monday and you are gonna have cat food and read about it...

Monday sucks We all agree on this.....Why should i give you good food...Well you are gonna get genuine Icelandic cat food

Today i went my weekly shopping in this supposedly not expensive store that is Bonus...(i am not gonna start an outrageous post about the price of food in this store.... but just want to say that they are buying the tomato 37 % cheaper than in January and they are sold 53% more than the price of January...Do you get it ?)

When i give my weekly contribution to one of the richest man of Iceland, I usually buy stuff from Iceland. All my veggies, my fish and as much stuff as i can. I am great food nationalist. I am just like this. I can´t even think buying vegetables who are not from Iceland. I think this is just scary...how they make they grow in Netherlands for example. The Icelandic one are more green and clean... and most important by buying Icelandic i am supporting the Icelandic economy..which by the way need a bit of help lately.. believe me

Today I have found out that Iceland is actually producing...Cat Food !!! Yes...!!

(Finally i would say).

I was totally amazed and over exited by the idea that my cat could actually eat Icelandic product....I am a very down to earth guy... Nothing amazed me....exept when this is my birthdayI was also amazed to think that there is some Icelandic company brave enough to produce that kind of food... for cat....What are the potential of market for cat food in Iceland ? In a world ruled by Wiskass and Frikies that must be hard Good luck to them....Anyway.. i was really pleased to buy Icelandic stuff for my cat.

One very good about it is that this is only fish in it.. just fish... nothing more...And they propose three kinds..Salmon, Trout and Cod and Cod Liver....and when you look at the composition it look better that what human usually eat.... just a bit of conservative.... nothing more...with all the chemical we ingest....that would be good to go on a break from all those chemicals....and Icelandic cat food might be the solution...hummm Ymmmyyy!!


Enjoy this cat food and if you see it in your local store..please buy it.. your cat worth it and most important Iceland need it.

Virgile

Office of the forgotten Object

On my way to the gym this morning i noticed something that i find extremely intriguing....There was a pair of female shoes abandoned next to a light, on a parking lot. Here is a picture of it

Is seems that people in Reykjavik have a tendency to abandon object such as shopping cart or hiking shoes. Here is another picture that i took last Sunday on another parking lot in Iceland.
Or this one on a rock...

There must be something that i don´t get there.....

Virgile

Theme of the day: Numbers 1937

This is a picture of the swimming pool in Reykjavík. The oldest one built in 1937. The inside of the building is amazing and i love the old style of the building.

Rare to have such swimming pool still working properly.

Virgile

Arty Protest

This is a picture of a "Art installation " down town Reykjavik. The main goal of the piece that have been installed at night on the wall a building on Laugavegur, the main shopping street, is to protest against the aluminium industry in Iceland.

It has been a huge concern lately. Dams have been build to furnish electricity to huge aluminium smelters and a lot of small town are fighting to have one of their own because they see it as a source of incomes.... We are almost having a gold rush.. for aluminium. Most of the concerns about this issue are ecological. I personally think this is stupid and that Iceland on this special field is navigating on sight and that other industries might be more appropriate for a longer time.


Iceland on the picture is made out of beer can from the Icelandic brand "Thulé". Try it, it´s good. Made out of Iceland fresh water. All around Iceland on the picture there is names of company involved in the aluminium industry in Iceland.

I think the point of this piece was to protest, but at the end... when you look at it, you forget the protest side. It look too much as an art piece. At least for me.

Virgile

Flying over the Summer

Here is a picture that i have taken when i was having a drink with some of my friends on Saturday afternoon, down town Reykjavík. This plane from the inland company Flugfelag Islands (the Icelandic Association of flight), flew just over us. It is probably going in the north of the country to some local exotic place.

The local airport in just next to the city center and a lot a questions have been raised recently about its actual location and if it should stay or not where it is. (the city wants mainly to make a bunch of money by selling the ground.... this is one of their first motivation...but hush hush)

I love to have this airport here and i especially love to hear the plane flying over. They make a special noise that i think is totally enjoyable. It also make me feels that i am Reykjavik is a metropolis don´t know why...but it does...

Kokomjólk

Here is a mountain of Kokomjólk...
What is kokomjólk?
This is an Icelandic dairy chocolate drink and this excellent.
Since the price of milk has raised, the dairy company try have started some kind of Operation Seduction. Making huge piles of Kokomjólk is one of their weapon. This is a very good one. I almost felt for it. This pile was higher than me (i am 1.80) !!!

Kokomjólk is kind of an institution in Iceland. This is excellent but slightly addictive. Once you get one... you usually want two and then its too late... you ruined your diet because this is pure Icelandic milk which is the opposite of fat free. Anyway this is very good and when you have hard week a Kokomjólk is a blessing. It is good and it might remind you your childhood... This is like Proust and its madeleine.

Have a good Week end.

Virgile

First day of the summer.

This is the picture of the first day of the summer.

Is there anything bothering you?

It hasn´t rained in weeks... just maybe few drops... or snow.... we have had sun.. and warmth and... on the first day of the summer.. this is raining cat and dog....The weather is a bitch in Iceland... this is official... The clouds and sun are just making fun of us...I will take my revenge Beware !!! I am gonna contribute so much to global warming that ... on the first day of winter we will have a heat waves....Who is you daddy weather girl... who is your daddy...

Virgile

Ps. Sorry the post went to the draft that why it only appears now.

Dramatic end...

This is the end of the winter... and this will be the last picture that you will have.. for this year of the Icelandic winter. Tomorrow is the official beginning of the Summer. There is only 2 officials season in Iceland...Winter... where you freeze you ass off.. and Summer.... where you a bit less freeze your ass off :-)

The Icelandic winter is very moody... to not say dramatic....The weather is all time changing and seems to not be able to manage what psychologist could call an identity crisis.

Anyway this is Over.... Officially. This is not that we are glad that we made it through... but this year the winter has be quite rough and the large amount of snow didn´t really help.

So from today this is summer.. we are all suppose to start to wear short pants and short sleeves shirts.. and enjoy the summer sun.... Well we will see tomorrow. I intentionally didn´t look at the weather forecast tomorrow .. just to be totally amazed and surprise tomorrow by the huge sun that will fill the sun .....Or maybe i just don´t want to be disappointed one more time...

Enjoy the end of the dramatic Icelandic winter.....
I am gonna iron my Hawaiian shirt !!!

Happy Last day of the Winter.

Virgile

"And dash of Iceland names..."

Here is the picture of one of the windows from the Icelandic Social Security building. These are officials Icelandic names. Their is about 6000 thousands of them. In Iceland you cannot name your Children out of this list. If you want to have a "special" name, you have to ask the authorisation for it...

Not everyone get the authorisation...and for example the loving parents of Satania...Have been asked to find another name as the ones who wanted to name their son Annall...Wonder why ?

Even if there is some name that are not refused, the list keep getting bigger and last year about 40 of them have been added. Most of them are okay. For some of them... i am a bit wondering....Why....Why for example you want to name your kid.. Kaktus ? If you don´t like children you just don´t do some. You don´ t wait to have one and stick him a name that´s probably going to ruin his life !!! Some parents went all poetic and there is a boy in Iceland named: "Ugly Elf light" (Ljótur Ljósálfur - NB.. in old iceland ljótur mean clear...but not today not anymore). There is also now a lucky girl named: Air-kill Visa- (Loftveig) why not go all the way and call her Kill-Air Visa (it sounds like a Tarantino movie...)

Most of the Icelandic name really mean something. Gunnar means great warrior, Jökull mean glacier, and Bergur stone. I think this is cool.... Some people are even cooler, they have two names for example Bjartur Logi and its mean bright flame.

This is just like when you were a kid and having Indian names...But for real.

Okay it´s time for me to join my great warrior....Goða nótt.

Virgile

PS: On the picture, you can also admire few of the special letters of the Iceland Alphabet: Þ, Ö, ð...

Monday´s Escapism

Monday have all time been hard to carry. Hard to bear. Hard.... just.... Hard.
That why this post is dedicated to all Monday haters.

This picture have been taken by the Blue lagoon, 25 km outside Reykjavik. This is a great place to go just to chill and relax and get ready to fight evil Mondays. I went there yesterday and that was amazing. This is very nice to escape from the city once in a while and if you look for escapism, this just perfect. The only thing is that you need to know when to go.

As you can guess this place is most likely a tourist magnet, and bathing in this blue water surrounded by a100 of Germans and 100 of Americans is not fun. Been there done that never again.

If you go to this place. You have to go after 17.00(5 pm)... no more tourists or just very few of them. Before this don´t even think to enjoy it. After 17.00 is just perfect... all the passing by passenger from the airport near by are gone (If you come from Europe and that you are on your way to America with Icelandair, you have a stop of several hours...and a lot of people just come to this place during their planes break).

The blend of the color of the lava field and the blue from the water, the geothermal plant near by make you feel that you are in an other planet or even that you are facing the end of the world.


This place is amazing, but i have to complain about one thing. They are becoming a bit too much internationally /Americanized oriented.
Let me explain.

The relationship that Icelanders have with their body is very simple. Nudity is not a problem. Especially between people of the same sex. Who cares we are all made according to the same "plan". If you take a shower in a pool in Iceland. Everyone is naked, and shower are open and absolutely no-one cares. You have to shower naked and to wash yourself actively.

I remember a very funny scene in the biggest swimming pool of Reykjavík a couple of year ago. It was a morning summer and i decided to go to the pool to swim a bit. When i went to the shower, naked, as usually, the place was full of American dads with their sons showering in their swimsuit. When i came, they turned the back of their children to me, trying to hide them and turned their back to me. They looked at me very pissed off and i could read in their eyes..."pervert". I didn´t care and started to take my shower, naked as i do usually. Then suddenly something wonderful happens. If i believed in miracle i would have gone all holly. The old grumpy man working in the locker room and shower of the guy, came to them and told them that they had to take off their swimsuit and shower naked because this is the rule in Iceland. He stood there and waited for them to take off their swimsuit. One by one they took it off. One by one. One by one he got them. If you are in Iceland you have to play by the rules!

My complains about Blue Lagoon is that, they are loosing their Icelandicness on this. The shower are now in cabin...design and not practical cabin. You feel oppressed in it. This is just not Iceland.

To add to the problem, Blue Lagoon is the only place in Iceland where woman cannot be bare breast. A woman can be bare breast at every pool, every beach in Iceland but not in Blue Lagoon. All this to not shock international guest. Icelandic woman see their right being denied by foreigner visiting their country, and for economical reason. I think this is a shame. What´s next? forbidding gay people to hug in the lagoon, like other straight couple do?

I think that if you travel in a country. You have to play by the rules of the country. You try to adapt yourself and you don´t overcome the natural right of people in their own country because you feel offended. In the breast case, no one asked you to do it and if people want to do it, well this is their right. Because it´s alright here.

Unfortunately, the Blue Lagoon people doesn´t think the same and let the "international" rule them. What if suddenly, Iceland was full of tourist from Iran or Afganistan? Would they forbid the access to the Lagoon to woman ?

Nevertheless, Blue Lagoon is a very good place to go a good escapism. A place to go to take care of the body and to clean the mind.

Virgile

"Bonne Bouff V": Where to get dirty

We are Friday. I have been good all week. Eating fresh fish, delicious ice cream and good coffee...Well it´s time to get a bit dirty. I might be french and very picky on food, but i have need and on Fridays i let my need submerge me. I embrace them. That´s why today we are going to have burgers.

There is this place by the harbor (among other place), where they make the best burger in Iceland : Búllan. They are just delicious. Just delicious. They are fresh, affordable and not industrially processed. Every time i went there, there was some small variation in the menu/taste of the burger. They have for example a veggie one that never taste the same. No worries to be disappointed, It all time taste better than the last one you had.

The place look likes a dinner, but you don´t judge a book by its cover. This is a very cool place. People working there are very cool and i have to say... as a "end of the week treat" or just because you have the munchies.... just go there. They HAVE what you NEED.

The people running this place are very smart. In their concept they took in consideration the "food guilt concept": More you eat more you feel guilty.....Especially when talking about that kind of food....Well no worry in this place serves reasonable portion thus NO GUILT !

Virgile

"Bonne Bouff IV" Where to re-balance your Blood/Coffee ratio

People usually drinks a lot of coffee. Long time ago, people needed God(s) to get through their daily work (slavery?) routine. God(s) was/were kind of an exit from work. Working hard in mortal present time (thus paying a lot of taxes to churches, temples, local gurus etc... in order to reach holiness and happiness in future immortal times (A.k.a after people died of exhaustion).

I am sorry to announce that workers fired God(s) long time ago and today rely on caffeine input to get through their day and most important to reach heaven.

Think about it. What would be your day without coffee ? How would look like your Monday morning ?

So many things that coffee would do that God can not do.

Reykjavikingar (people living in Reykjavik) believe in coffee. They should more believe in good coffee. There is 2 firms of coffee more or less running the country (I am not going to mention them). They usually plays on the third-world-itute of their coffee and the fact that they are so "green" and independent. The truth is far from it and their coffee is becoming (my humble opinion) worst and worst. (Sorry corporate coffee makers people but using Chemical ice-cream chocolate sauce in Mokkas dragged you down. ). They also lost their smiles and charm on the way. I know that serving coffee all day long to addicts is not the best job in the world and that people working over their had other dreams when they were good children, but a dash of smile in your coffee is good.

The place that i am gonna talk about today is not that kind of place. Over there you get the real stuff. This place is fortunately situated just next to the Ostabúðin, so once you are done eating you can get a good coffee their.

This place is quite little and is run by a group of young charming lady and gentlemen that not only give your daily shots of caffeine but also a smile.

Unfortunately the "portion" is quite small and if you have an average addiction to coffee you might want more...but what is quantity when you can have quality ? and smiling people ?

For your caffeine fix in Reykjavík, go to kaffi felagið on Skólavörðustígur, next to Ostabúðin.

So many things that a smile would do that coffee & God together cannot do.

Addendum: To give you an example of what they served today for lunch in the Ostabuðin from yesterday´s post.

Fish of the day: Cod and Puffer fish with feta cheese salad and foie gras sauce.

This is just an example.

Virgile

"Bonne bouff III" Hidden Place

In the hidden place
In a hidden place
In a hidden place
We'll stay in a hidden place
Ooohh in a hidden place
We'll live in a hidden place
We'll be in a hidden place
In a hidden place
(Björk, Hidden Place)

On this picture there is an hidden place.
In this delicatessen store, there is an hidden treasure.
A secret place.
Only too few know about it.

Behind the window of this store where you will not only find the best cheese in town, delicious olive oils, and fine meats, you will also find one the best lunch table in Reykjavík.
Simply the best to quote another singer.
I am not over doing it or exaggerating.

This is simply the best place in town to have lunch.

Ostabúðin (the Cheese store in english), has a cellar used as a restaurant.
There is only few tables and chairs.

During lunch time, they propose 4 dishes
A salad with duck gizzards
The soup of the day (mushroom or tomato for example)
A fish soup with lobster and salmon
and the best of the best
The fish of the day.

Don´t bother to try to take the salad or the soups... do not waste your mouth. If you go to this place, just take the fish of day.
Just do it.
The fish of the can be anything.
Anything delicious.
It´s different every day.
I would even say.
This is better everyday than the day before.
This is all time extremely well cooked.
Very fresh.
Extremely ingenious
And most important
Totally affordable.
It only cost 1215 Icelandic kronur
(about 16 dollars /10 euros).

For such good food.
For fresh food, this is nothing !!!
Believe you want to spend your money on this.

Óstabúðin is the best lunch place in town and probably one the biggest secret of this town.

Virgile

"Bonne bouff II" Icelandic Fish and Chips

Today´s meal : Iceland fish and chip.
Fish is a big part of the Icelandic Culture. Fish made Iceland.
The fish in Iceland is extremely good fresh and delicious and there is plenty of place where you can get very good fish to cook at home at a very affordable price.

Unfortunately, there is not so many places to eat where you can get very good dishes with fish. fishes were the first victims of the burrito invasion. Poor fishes.

Fortunately, there is some restaurant in town who are striking back. The one of today is one of those. fighting back.

Let me introduce you to...this place...

They serve excellent fish and chips.. but not in a greasy style... this is an organic bistro. They serve delicious fresh fish....

No greasy french fries.. they serve Icelandic small potatoes fried on a pan with herbs....all this on a bed of fresh salad and accompanied by sauce make of Skyr, an Icelandic dairy speciality.

I went there few days ago and i have to say they are getting better and better.

Virgile

"Bonne Bouff " 1 : Ísbuðin

I have decided to make a week dedicated to food.
Here is the first entry.

There is many treasures in Iceland. Finding them is very hard and it appears to be a challenge when it concerns food. Gastronomy in Iceland is in bad shape. Not because they don´t have one. (They have one REALLY) but because there is an invasion of "foreign food". Almost every restaurant in Reykjavík propose burritos...unfortunately this is very popular... and local stuff are replaced by it. I recall one restaurant down town.. who had the most amazing Iceland fish and chips...Fresh fish... fresh hand cut potatoes... fresh salad...They replaced it by burritos...soaked in what seems to be a Japanese barbecue sauce...

I don´t have anything against a small exoticism...don´t mistake me...

There is so many marvellous foods to enjoy in this city. The one of today is the Ice cream store on Hagamelur. (Ísbuðin on Hagamelur.. you can´t miss it). This little store serve the most amazing Ice cream in the country (from my humble point of view build on many hours of tasting...the second best can be found in Akureyri, in the North).

Okay.. it doesn t seem to be wonderful .. the neon like light.. the colors.. But be aware... Hidden treasures are... as their names says.. hidden...
This little store... who look in the inside like the inside of a fridge propose Old Ice cream... this is just milk & cream...This is simply delicious and not expensive.

This is a very popular place. The picture has been taken at 23.00.. and when i went to get my weekly shot.. euh sorry Ice cream.. i had to wait for about 30 minutes...It was a line starting outside..(cold and windy...). But that so worth it. As you can see on the picture.. there is a lot of people.

This is a very popular place for teenagers. Hanging around.....

Going there to pick up ice cream there when you are on a date is like.. going to Mecca...Believe me ! If you ever come to Iceland.. and If an Icelander propose to you...Ísbíltúr(Ice Cream car ride.. typical dating stuff in Iceland..)...He or She might have some idea in mind....Just say yes and enjoy the ice cream.

If you don´t have a date... and you are just with your friend...this is like being in Babylon... Get whatever you want... and as much you want (did i say that the portion were gigantic? for a small price?)

If you are alone and you don´t like it (for any reasons)... well just go there...Just do it... This is scientifically proved.. Ice cream on Hagamelur makes people happy...(it works better than all the comfort food of the world).

To conclude....one word about the people running this store...they are just... extremely nice (and they make very good Ice cream which make them super extra maxi nice).

This is just a real feel good place !

Friday´s snack ....

Here is Friday´s snack....: Lamb Head...

Boil it and enjoy it.

Does it not look like delicious ?

Hmmm take one more bite and taste the real taste of Iceland.

Yummy

Why do we eat lamb head ?

Because it´s good ?

Maybe

Because once upon a time we were so poor that we were ready to eat anything?

Yes

Because whale´s head couldn´t not fit in school bags as a snack ?

Maybe

Because we like food that smiles back ?

Maybe

This is today´s snack.
It´s Friday you deserve a little treat


Bonus of the day. A video of Iceland. Where you can see how to eat a lamb´s head.

Virgile

Let´s go to the pool (Spring strikes back vei !!!)

Spring strikes back. Vei !!!!... kicking out winter.

Here is a picture of the biggest swimming pool of Iceland: Laugardálslaug. As you can on the picture. This is an outside pool. Most of the pool of Iceland are outside pool. Open all year long, those pools are warmed up with geothermal water. When i took the picture today it was about 7°c.

Warm day in Iceland. Sunny day in Iceland Vei !!!!

On the bottom left of the picture you can see one of the numerous hotpot that this pool offers. Hotpots are very popular places in Iceland. It´s kind of a social place. People go there and chat.

If you ever come to Reykjavík you have to go to the pool. This one is the biggest one and this kind of the best one. Nevertheless, there is one that must see. The oldest swimming pool in Reykjavik, built 1937 (will take few pictures).


Today´s bonus: Iceland "pop" band.

Merzedes club is a band that formed for the Eurovision contest. They compete with this song.



Few days ago they release a second song "Meira Fresli". The music video became the 8th most seen video on youtube.




This was today´s Bonus. I think the world should really discover this new Icelandic wonder....

Winter Strikes Back

There is saying in Iceland. A saying about Icelandic weather:

If you are not happy with the weather... just wait few minutes.

The weather in Iceland is very unstable. As you can see on the picture...There is snow It snowed last night...Today it was cold.. The temperature yesterday was about 10°c...Quite warm i was outside in a simple shirt.. no more sweater or winter clothing(yes .. 10°c this is warm for me...Once you have lived quite some times in Iceland.. your nerves ending, the ones detecting cold.. die... so you don´t feel anymore when this is freezing.. just use to it and wear a shirt when "normal" people wear winter clothes)...

Snow that melted couple weeks ago....Before today... it was getting warmer... as you could have read on my post of yesterday...Spring was kicking in... Birds were singing... Flower blossoming... and Icelanders running... Bla Bla Bla...Well this is over...Winter is striking back. No more blossoming... No more singing.... No more running....Back to basic...Back to cold and snowy...What´s next ? Xmas? coming back....Oh no... I could not stand it...

Anyway... The picture has been taken in the park in the center of Reykjavik. You have a very view of the Tjörnin (lake) downtown Reykjavík, the City Hall (grey building on the left), the parlement on the middle of picture... just next to the City hall (brownish building with the green roof) and the Fríkirkja ("the liberal church), on the right, green and white building.

Virgile

Running after the Sun

It´s srping time in Reykjavik.

Flowers are blossoming, Birds are singing, Icelanders are sport-ing.

There is something very cool in Reykjavík and in general in Iceland this is sport. Icelanders are very keen to do sports and most of them exercise regularly.

let´s face it. The city of Reykjavik is build for cars and rare are the bike lanes.. but if you are a runner...there is plenty of nice place to run to as for example the north coast of Reykjavik. If like, those two brave runners... you are willing to put you shoes on and with bravery and courage burn those nasty carbs, i advice you to go run there. This is amazing... a bit of sun... fresh wind... the smell of the see and most important a great view over the city and the Fjord boarding Reykjavík. This is one of the best running path in the city. So come Here...put you shoe on.. Burn carbs and enjoy the view !

Virgile

Warming Guest

This is where the Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and the First Lady Dorrit Moussaieff live. The place is name Bessastaðir and this just outside Reykjavík, on a peninsula. As you can see, you can get very close. I was very close.. so close that i could see that one of the window on the second floor was open and i have seen what kind of shampoo is probably using Dorrit. I don´t want to make any publicity but i just want to say that Dorrit, elle le vaut bien :-)

A warming guest, Al Gore was visiting today his great friend the president of Iceland, the great Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and his even greater wife Dorrit Moussaieff.

Al Gore came to Iceland to make a presentation about global warming at the University of Iceland (It doesn´t mean that it was full of student... turn out to be the place to be seen... and i am quite disappointed to the fact that the University of Iceland is turning into a pseudo fancy must be seen there party place for investment banker that doesn´t have anything to do with global warming...Simple phew !!!).

I was quite amazed to see Al Gore makes a small speach for the news, explaining that he is a great friend of Ólafur that he probably calls Óli in intimacy and that they have worked a lot on project together to fight global warming. He also explained that Iceland was one of the leading country in term of fight against global warming... double phew!!!

I am not contesting at all that they are great friends. They can do whatever they want during their free time... But Iceland... one of the leading country in the fight against global warming... triple phew !!!

Ok...we might get a good grade for energy producing because of the geothermal energy...but saying that we are a leading country is simply wrong. Iceland is not a clean country. Not at all.. I am sorry to disappoint all of those who considers Iceland as a green and natural place... This is not.. Icelander have a very low environmental concern. Pollution management in Reykjavik is almost nonexistent. There is a system for detecting pollution... and they use it to give warning alert for people with asthma . There is no system telling people to not use their car to reduce pollution.

Reykjavik ( the bay of smoke translated literally in English) is nicknamed the smokeless city...Because there all time wind... Wind that blows exhaustion gases away...

With 230 000 cars for 312 000 inhabitants... Iceland is far away of being a clean country. A very limited number of people use public transport in Reykjavik. A lot among us.. drive 4 wheels cars and lives down town Reykjavík.

There is (was) an hydrogen project...There is even few buses working on hydrogen... Nothing more.. Hydrogen cars are ready... Norway is using a lot of them.. Nothing in Iceland..

Recently ... down town Reykjavik..Has been installed electric born for electrical cars with special parking spot for them...You can count electrical cars in Iceland on the finger of a hand..Okay this is a beginning and i salute the initiative... Every time that i walked by those parking places...They were occupied by badly parked bug 4 wheels..

Iceland a clean country ? don´t think so...Reykjavík a green city ? Certainly not. Iceland has a lot of work to do on the subject and Reykjavík city has to work a lot on its green-itude.