So......Iceland?

[Sauron]

Has anyone been?


I need a place to go this year, and I don't want to spend a bundle. I was thinking with their economy imploding that it might be a good place to go. I've always been a fan of Norse legends and sagas, and I've been exploring some B&Bs online.

Anyone with real-world experience?

:viking:

[godfry n. glad]

You're sure you are not up for Cheney, Washington?

I hear northern Idaho is nice at this time of year....if you're not Jewish.

But Iceland? Nope...As much as I wish I could help, I've never been.

[Deadlokd]

One of my Irish sisters went last year and had a ball. She heartily recommends it.

My envy, you haz it.

[Stormlight]

I'll be in Iceland next week for a few days. :pleased: After that, Norway and back home.
I'll post pictures when I'm back.

[godfry n. glad]

I'll be in Iceland next week for a few days. :pleased: After that, Norway and back home.
I'll post pictures when I'm back.

:mememe:

YAY!

O Dark Lord, pay attention. Make sure you take your camera, take good pictures, and post them up here. Since you've posted up some beauteous Cascade pictures, you have no excuse; we already know you are capable.

Now I hear they are getting Luxemburgers...what more could you ask?

I'm looking forward to your Iceland pix, Stormy!

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

I've read that Reykjavik has an amazing nightlife. Go on a pub crawl with the hot locals, maybe?

[Doctor X]

If you are an Anti-Semitic Whack-Job who flaunts international sanctions they will welcome you with open arms.

--J.D.

[Qingdai]

Huh?

If you like sweaters, Iceland is pretty nice.

My ex-landlord is there. It seems to be pretty well wired and she said she's having a great time. She likes to hike.

The postcard she sent had the name as Island. :snicker:

[mulebear]

I love Iceland, but it's not cheap. Yes, their currency is tanking, but it's still an expensive place to visit.

When you do go, do not pass up on the Skyr. Especially the Pear Skyr. Damn fine stuff.

We had a very good meal at this place (http://www.3frakkar.com/). If you get a chance, try the puffin.

Things to do:

Gullfoss
Þingvellir
Walk around Reykjavik
Visit Olafsvik
Drive out to the countryside at night to see the Aurora Borealis
The Blue Lagoon

[mulebear]

Huh?

Bobby Fischer

The postcard she sent had the name as Island. :snicker:

It's pronounced Eez-land.

[Qingdai]

Ah, obscure chess reference. I thought he was talking about their urge to go whaling.

[godfry n. glad]

Bobby Fischer is/was an anti-Semitic whackjob?

I just thought he was a reclusive chess whackjob.

Man...The things I learn here.

Not that I'll ever get to use something like that....
I wonder how long the good doctor waited for that opportunity to roll around, just so he could impart that tasty little tidbit to the crowds?

[Doctor X]

Not very obscure.

--J.D.

[Sauron]

Ah, obscure chess reference.

Is there any other kind?

:rimshot:

[Sauron]

I'll be in Iceland next week for a few days. :pleased: After that, Norway and back home.
I'll post pictures when I'm back.

:mememe:

YAY!

O Dark Lord, pay attention. Make sure you take your camera, take good pictures, and post them up here. Since you've posted up some beauteous Cascade pictures, you have no excuse; we already know you are capable.

Now I hear they are getting Luxemburgers...what more could you ask?

I'm looking forward to your Iceland pix, Stormy!

If I get to go I'll have loads of pictures.

I would also like to try the Tallinn - Helsinki - St Petersburg trip I mentioned before...only that's about 3x as expensive as the Iceland trip I've been researching.

I just need to win the lottery...all my problems would be solved.......:chin:

[godfry n. glad]

Yeah...I know.

At this point, I'm looking to kick off my retirement (from my current employer, at least) with a cross-Europe trek via barge again. This time, starting in Amsterdam and following the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Rumania...North Sea to the Black Sea.

If I had my druthers, I'd do Amsterdam to the Black Sea and then hop over to Istanbul to start a tour of the Aegean littoral, with the Dardanelles, Greek islands, Turkish coastline, Ephesus, and then Crete, Athens, Eleusius, and Delphi. Temple-touring, actually.

So, yeah...I could use lottery winnings. But I hear you have to actually buy a ticket before you get a chance slimmer than that of being struck by lightning; I'm reluctant.

Everything I've heard about Iceland has been good...oh, wait...there is one thing. Bjork, bjork, bjork!!! So, just one bad thing on their slate.

And...Are you sure they don't operate under the same paradigm that the Scandinavian nations (of which they are one), what with huge high costs for everybody, including visitors? It seems everything around the north edge of the Baltic is hideous in terms of cost of living (and thus travelling).

[Qingdai]

I don't know about the cost of Iceland, but the sweaters were around $100. So my ex-landlord didn't get me one.
:cry:

[maddog]

My bff is of Icelandic descent. He went to Iceland a year or so ago ... even with family there, he said they ran out of interesting stuff to do pretty quickly.

#2218

[Miisa]

Yeah, go for a few days, a weekend, maybe, but not much longer. It'll leave you with enough to do yet hungry for more.

[erimir]

And...Are you sure they don't operate under the same paradigm that the Scandinavian nations (of which they are one), what with huge high costs for everybody, including visitors?Nope.

Sweden and Norway are the only countries on the Scandinavian peninsula, however Scandinavia refers to both of them and Denmark.

The Nordic countries include those, plus Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland (the latter two being largely independent parts of Denmark). Estonia, which has close cultural ties to Finland (its language is closely related) and has at times had significant parts under Danish or Swedish control, wishes to be considered a Nordic country, but as of now it is only the Estonians who consider themselves Nordic.

The countries where Nordic language are spoken are the same, but without Greenland, Finland and Estonia (although Finland does have a significant Swedish speaking minority).

Previously, Shetland and Orkney would have been included in the latter two categories (they used to be part of Denmark/Norway, and spoke Norn for a long time after they became part of Scotland).

Nitpicking, I know :P

[mulebear]

I could have easily spent a month in Iceland. I loved every minute I was there and I didn't even make it to the North East side of the Island.

If you are interested, you can find some pictures of our vacation here (http://s788.photobucket.com/albums/yy162/icelandwilliam/).