Jökulsárlón (which literally means “glacial river lagoon”) is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland, on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park. Situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökul l …
The new Ben Stiller film, the Secret Life of Walter Mitty, has focused new attention on Iceland as a venue for film-making. It’s a surprising country with a wide variety of scenery…but up to now it has mostly played “somewhere else” in the movies….
Elves are an important part of Icelandic tradition; surveys show perhaps 60% of the population believes in them or in the possibility. While some say “elf” is from “alfar” or ancestor spirit, many believe in the little people. Now the Icelandic…
This week Gumbo looks at Reykjavik in our Capital of Culture spotlight. In 2000, for symbolic reasons, 9 European cities were chosen to be designated a European Capital of Culture. One of those was the city of…
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…
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…
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…
Dramatic light and landscape mark the beach at Vik, Iceland, famous for its black sand, which is composed of basalt, worn down over centuries from volcanic lava. The day of our visit, fog moved in and out, shrouding the beach in fog and turning the…
Winter skies create dramatic reflections on Reykjavik’s Tjornin (the name means “lake” or “pond.”) Tjornin is in the center of Reykjavik’s history and development with many government buildings around it, as well as…
I’ve still got a pretty thick head of hair but nothing compares to the lush wind-blown mane of these Icelandic horses! V-e-r-y cool looking animals! Their hair is the envy of every 1960s Rock’n’Roll band I really enjoy seeing…
Jökulsárlón (which literally means “glacial river lagoon”) is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland, on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park. Situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökul l …
The new Ben Stiller film, the Secret Life of Walter Mitty, has focused new attention on Iceland as a venue for film-making. It’s a surprising country with a wide variety of scenery…but up to now it has mostly played “somewhere else” in the movies….
Elves are an important part of Icelandic tradition; surveys show perhaps 60% of the population believes in them or in the possibility. While some say “elf” is from “alfar” or ancestor spirit, many believe in the little people. Now the Icelandic…
This week Gumbo looks at Reykjavik in our Capital of Culture spotlight. In 2000, for symbolic reasons, 9 European cities were chosen to be designated a European Capital of Culture. One of those was the city of…
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…
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…
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…
Dramatic light and landscape mark the beach at Vik, Iceland, famous for its black sand, which is composed of basalt, worn down over centuries from volcanic lava. The day of our visit, fog moved in and out, shrouding the beach in fog and turning the…
Winter skies create dramatic reflections on Reykjavik’s Tjornin (the name means “lake” or “pond.”) Tjornin is in the center of Reykjavik’s history and development with many government buildings around it, as well as…
I’ve still got a pretty thick head of hair but nothing compares to the lush wind-blown mane of these Icelandic horses! V-e-r-y cool looking animals! Their hair is the envy of every 1960s Rock’n’Roll band I really enjoy seeing…
