Tagged With "Inspired by Iceland"
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Re: Iceland: 'No we're not Disneyland'
Now that Rekyjavik is on the European Budget Airlines destinations list its hard to avoid a rush. It was one of those places you wouldn't visit unless you had a business interest and an expenses account. They're still advertising Iceland on TV, so someone must be pleased with the extra income tourism brings.
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Re: Iceland: 'No we're not Disneyland'
Iceland is a great destination, but it has limited tourist facilities. The population of the entire island is about 300,000 and there aren't all that many hotel or B&B choices in smaller places. I think the lack of infrastructure is the main problem. They certainly have the space and ability to handle more tourists, but need to develop services for them outside Reykjavik.
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Re: Black Ancient Beach Lava, Iceland
You can visit Iceland with the Intrepid Berkeley Explorer's travel video, "Land of Lava, Waterfalls & Glaciers". Video plays at: http://www.adventurepics.com/I....aspx?VF=Iceland.MP4 Stills Picture Gallery at: http://intrepidberkeleyexplorer.com/Page38.html
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? # 9
Considering that F. Scott Fitzgerald's only play, The Onion, features a character who is "the Ambassador of Irish Poland," Romanian Bollywood should not be a big reach! However...not so puzzling. Just as Iceland is Greenland and several other places in the new Ben Stiller "Walter Mitty" film, the film industry of India shoots in unexpected places...although in the video whose link is HERE , there's no attempt to play it as somewhere else.
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Re: A journey around Iceland: 3) South Iceland
Undeniably Iceland is the most stunning place on earth and you will truly be fascinated by the clear blue lakes, natural geysers, rolling meadows, volcanic craters and abundance of wildlife. I have been lucky to have vacation in this beautiful spot when we have visited this place by the help of KosherTravelers. This place is rich with culture and history, having lots of eye catching sightseeing to visit that has truly become the amazing trip of my lifetime.
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Re: Wow! Iceland Express successor adds U.S. flights
I really am excited about hearing this.I was a big fan of Iceland Express, so I'm hoping Wow will offer the same consistent low prices to North America as they did.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec. 17, 2013: Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Montreal is multilingual, although most natives speak French as their primary language. You can easily get by here with only English and it's a great city to visit. That's not true in the smaller villages of rural Quebec where you might find it difficult to find someone who doesn't speak French. Canadian French split off from continental French 400 years ago, and the two versions of the language have diverged somewhat over the years. I don't speak much French so I really can't give you many...
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Re: January 19, 2018: Whooper Swans, Northumberland
Swans are such elegant birds. I'd seen Whoopers in Iceland before, but didn't know they made it all the way to Northumberland. Lovely photos, Ian, thanks!
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? #62
Reykjavik, Iceland. Images of the port show a building with the same window pattern.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? #62
I have never been to Iceland, although I've flown over it many times (usually covered in clouds), but looking at the Reykjavik Tourist wesite, the windows resemble those of the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre.
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Re: "Cruise Night", Thunder Bay, Ontario: The 1960's (Part 2)
Hi Ottoman. Cristobal was wonderful ! It went up to Iceland and brought the UK warm Caribbean air - and back into summer.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 23, 2015: Skógafoss, Iceland
Thanks for the comment, Garry, and a good question. The waterfall is almost a sea level and only a few kilometers from the ocean. So it is very moderated by the Gulf stream. So far as I could tell, the cliff and ground around it are caked in ice in January and February and hard to navigate. Flow is down, but the water continues flowing even in the coldest months. This photo was taken mid-September. It was a cold and windy day, but most days in Iceland are.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 23, 2015: Skógafoss, Iceland
Thank goodness for the Gulf Stream. Keeps me warm in the winter at 52' north. Unlike Calgary - also 52' north - who get quite a chill. Less than a thousand miles to Iceland and I still haven't been !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 23, 2015: Skógafoss, Iceland
Thanks you for your comments Garry and DrY. Garry, Iceland is worth a visit. It seems a raw land newly poured from the mold. Fascinating landscapes.
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Re: Viewing the Northern Lights: Tips and Techniques
Me, too! Spent 9 days in Iceland a few years ago waiting for the clouds to clear, and I realize that if they had, I had very little idea of how best to photograph them!
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Re: Iceland's newest museum: 23 full-size whales!
That's a lot of whales! Iceland also has a brilliant whale museum to the north, the small costal town of Husavik. An great place to spend a half day. Husavik also is home to the phallus museum (you read that correctly).
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Re: Books That Sent You Packing (your bag, that is)
Detectives and espionage thrillers. George Simenon in France, Eric Ambler all over and especially in Istanbul, an expanding list of Scandinavians going back to Maj Sjovall/Per Wahloo and including Mankell, Nesbo and Larsson; Arnaldur Indridadsen and others in Iceland, Brunetti and Montalbano in Italy...the list is endless and appears to be a real driver of our travel. I've tried to think why, and I think it is in part because detective and spy novels, when well done, are of their time and...
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Re: Icelandair adds Montreal as 5th Canadian city
I've flown Icelandair several times. The fares are reasonable but there's nothing exceptional about the flight experience except the opportunity to visit Iceland at no extra charge. THAT is well worth doing!
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Re: Possible second Viking site found in Newfoundland
I wouldn't be surprised if they made their way up the St. Lawrence River some, and down the coast past New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and to the Northeastern state regions of the USA. It seems their earlier explorations were at a time of warmer weather and that what might have limited their travels and caused them to pull back was the beginning of a spell of cold weathers, perhaps even a mini-ice age. Iceland used to be a forested country, but it didn't take but 200 years or so until the Vikings...
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Re: February 2: 2017: Northern Lights. Shetland Islands. Scotland.
It is a great photo and in a part of the world where you see the Northern Lights best. Don't be intimidated by that Arctic Circle. Remember that much of Iceland likes just south of it and this country has some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe.
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Re: Liverpool - What do you mean. It has a Beach ?
No - no more Fish. Fish like Cod and Haddock like the colder waters of the UK. Too much heat and they go further North to Iceland. The Gulf Stream often gets caught in a pattern. Its been stuck for months now, bringing us warm water to raise temperatures. At this time of year we get an overnight frost and cool days. But we've had 50f at night and over 60f during the day. My outdoor Tomato's are still healthy and near ready for picking! Thanks to the Gulf stream ! The warmer waters hit the...
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
A lot of questions! Let me try a few answers... Absolutely I'd say stop in Iceland. Every place in the world is unique, but Iceland is more so, geographically, in climate, and in history. Half a week (or even a week) won't do more than scratch the surface, but you'll be able to visit incredible waterfalls, climb on glaciers, see evidence of recent volcanic activity, and realize that under it all is a huge pool of thermally heated water that provides over 70% of the nation's energy. If that...
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
Well, I said so much about Iceland, I decided to leave the rest for another post. Getting from Barcelona (or Madrid) to Lisbon: the only practical way is to fly. Train takes too long for this one, and costs more! From Barcelona to Lisbon, flights on Vueling, Iberia, TAP, etc. run from $35 one-way to about $80 before you hit the high-priced ones. I just looked in May; Vueling and Iberia have $68 in the morning and $35 at 7:30 pm. Madrid-Lisbon, there's a $40 mid-day flight, but most other...
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
PHeymont has given you some excellent advice, Travel Luver. By all means, spend some time in Iceland. If you can fit it into your trip, 4 days would be my minimum stay here. As Paul pointed out so well, Iceland is unique. It is also very sparsely populated, with only 300,000 people on the island and two thirds of those living in Reykjavik. And it is a newly form volcanic land with tons of glaciers, waterfalls, and geothermal events. So by all means, see it. When you land at Keflavik airport...
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
Hey, I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but no matter how cold it is, they keep the outdoor pools open in Iceland with underground hot water. We went to the Blue Lagoon in February, and it was funny...usually people get OUT of a pool because they are getting cold, but there we stayed IN to keep warm!
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
Hot springs are to die for. You always see pictures of the Blue Lagoon. Are there other places to go for a warm swim in Iceland ?
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
Originally Posted by voyager: Hot springs are to die for. You always see pictures of the Blue Lagoon. Are there other places to go for a warm swim in Iceland ? There are lots of places to go for geothermal swims in Iceland, Voyager. Almost every small city and town has a public geothermal pool. The most famous is the Blue Lagoon, but it's also quite pricy, especially if you go for a family. This website gives you some idea of all the pools you can access in Iceland. Here's that link.
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
I never knew that there are public geothermal pools all over Iceland. No one has mentioned this before. This is terrific to know. thanks
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
Well, thanks everyone. You've been great and this has all been very helpful. So yes, I will go to Iceland for 4 days. I will base myself at a hostel in Reykjavik (all I can afford), and I'll do 2 day trip tours, still researching which ones but those recommended look great. And I love hot springs, so I plan to soak the evenings away after enjoying the "youth scene" over there. I need to check out a good Icelandic beer. Any recommendations. And I will visit Iceland at the of my trip, rather...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Sept. 29: Reflections on Reykjavik's Tjornin
That's a great photo, Pheymont! Guess I'll have to add Iceland to my trip of destinations -- after Portugal, that is!
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Re: Cruisers: American Cars in Stockholm
I bet Iceland is a little kinder to most cars--since I doubt there's enough salt in the world to make a difference on their roads in the winter, right?
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Re: Iceland's Secret Life as a Film Star (Really!)
Anyone who has traveled to Iceland wouldn't be surprised by this. It's a country of amazing rugged beauty, just made for cinema. And with Icelandair, it's quite easy to do get there now both from North America and Europe. I suggest people look at some of the scenery in the Golden Circle and South Iceland to understand what I mean by this.
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Re: Fjorubordid restaurant, Stokkseyr, Iceland
Thanks,exactly the review I was looking for!And what great photos!I tried to find unique restaurants in Iceland that incorporated their seafood and somehow I missed those. I'll definetly go there upon my return to Iceland
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Re: Iceland's Keflavik airport aims to become major global stopover
I hope they succeed...Reykjavik is great...but I'm doubtful they can do this. Certainly it will make the airport a nicer place to be, but how will they get planes to stop there, when most people just want to one-hop it across the ocean? I can't see European or U.S. airlines stopping there routinely, although many of them have flights to and from Iceland.
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Re: Iceland's Keflavik airport aims to become major global stopover
Traffic at the airport has about doubled in the past 10 years. Who would have guessed that the UAE airports would be so successful. After all, very few people actually get out there, We'll see what happens. Iceland is beautiful and unique. I'm fond of Icelandair's deal where you can stop at the Island for up to a week without extra cost enroute between Europe and North America. If they keep expanding their routes, that alone will cause significant increase in traffic.
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 23, 2015: Skógafoss, Iceland
Iceland is a land of dramatic rugged scenery, especially along its south shore. There are lots of great sites here, one of my favorites being Skógafoss . Located in the pretty little town of Skogar, this...
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Ottawa – NOT the coldest Capital in the world!
Ottawa is a vibrant and charming small city — so pleasant that it’s hard to believe it’s home to soooo many politicians. Of the national capitals I've visited, Ottawa seems the most livable to me (ie. if...
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The Valley Island of Maui: 3) Central, Upcountry and South Maui
The largest stretch of (relatively) flat land on Maui is the valley between the two volcanoes, Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains. This area is commonly called “Central Maui” and it’s here most locals live....
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Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
A number of you have helped me plan a trip to Portugal and Barcelona. I've decided to go on this trip next May when I'll have a few more days of vacation. Checking out different airline websites, I came across Icelandair, which flies...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 18, 2013: Strokkur Geysir, Iceland
Geysers got their name in Iceland sometime in the 12th century. Iceland has abundant geothermally heated water, many homes not even having a hot water heater, just naturally hot water pumped in. While it's no longer very...
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Wow! Iceland Express successor adds U.S. flights
The headline's not a pun; Wow Air is the company that bought budget carrier Iceland Express in 2012. The carrier will now re-enter the U.S. market with roundtrip Boston-Reykjavik-London Gatwick flights, connecting in Reykjavik with its other European...
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Iceland's new attraction: tunnel into a glacier
As if Iceland didn't already have enough to attract tourists and keep them busy, a new tunnel, dug deep into the heart of a glacier, will open in June. The tunnel, the world's first on an ice-cap glacier, goes into the western side of...
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Viewing the Northern Lights: Tips and Techniques
When you see the Northern Lights for the first time, they seem unreal. Almost magical, maybe even scary to some. The Aurora Borealis is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena you can observe and well worth a journey to the northern parts of the...
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Move over, Siri: Guðmundur has Iceland answers.
What Iceland is billing as "the World's First Human Search Engine" has been launched. Seven Icelanders, each named Guðmundur or Guðmunda, and each expert in his or her home region of Iceland, are taking questions via social media and...
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British Air adds year-round Iceland flights
British Airways will be flying Heathrow-Rekyjavik three times a week, starting October 25, becoming the first mainline trans-Atlantic carrier to offer year-round service. BA and others have operated summer services, but the winter has been largely...
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Iceland's newest museum: 23 full-size whales!
Iceland has another new attraction—Whales of Iceland, a permanent exhibit of 23 full-size whale models near Reykjavik's harbor. It's the world's largest whale exhibit. Photo: Whales of Iceland Whales are popular everywhere these days, and...
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Amsterdam on JetBlue? Orlando on Icelandair? Codeshare coming!
JetBlue Airways and Icelandair, which already have an interline partnership, have asked for U.S. government permission for a codeshare agreement. If approved, JetBlue would place its code on seven Icelandair routes from the U.S. to Iceland, and eight...
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Arctic Tern Colony, Long Nanny, Northumberland
Ian Cook shares a gallery of photos and detailed natural history of this fascinating bird, which has the world's longest migratory routes.