Raving Ravens

Alert for Seismic Activity in Hekla Volcano

The police in Hvolsvöllur has issued an alert advicing hikers and travellers to stay off Hekla volcano because of unusual seismic activity. That does not have to mean a volcanic eruption, but it increases the changes of it. 

Volcanic eruptions in Hekla volcano are common and usually "tourist friendly" meaning they do not pose any danger to flights, travellers nor homes near the mountain. 

Here is the alert from the police:

The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police (NCIP) and the Police commissioner at Hvolfsvöllur declare an uncertainty phace (lowest level of warning), because of seismic activity in mount Hekla.

The Icelandic Met Office has informed the Civil Protection and Emergency Management of NCIP about unusual seismic activity in mount Hekla. The Icelandic Met Office has raised the ICAO aviation color code to yellow concerning air traffic, which means that mount Hekla is showing an unusual activity.

Uncertainty phace means that supervision has been raised on that course of events that may threaten public health and safety, or that environment or inhabited area may be threatened. To declare an uncertainty phace is a part of work process in the setup of public safety to secure a formal communication between response teams and to secure dissemination of information.

In light of all of this the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police and the Police commissioner at Hvolfsvöllur would warn people from hiking on mount Hekla while this uncertainty phace is in force.

 

Hjörtur

South or North Iceland?

I got an inquiry via Facebook which I couldn't reply to, so I decided to reply to it hear. The question was as follows:

Hello! 

I'm going to Iceland in late March and I have a few questions. I cannot decide if my father and I should visit Hofn and the south or go to Akureyri. He wants to do this vacation without renting a car and driving, and I want to do as much as possible and see scenery that looks like where Game of Thrones is filmed. Any advice?

I assume the weather is difficult to predict, but which location do you think would have a more moderate climate?

Hope to hear from you,

Liz

And here is my reply:

Hi Liz

If you want to see the landscape from Game of Thrones, you should go to Höfn. However, though you can get to Höfn by bus and pass the mountains and glaciers seen in Game of Thrones, you can not access those places without a car. You can take the bus to Jökulsarlon which is between shooting locations and very similar by bus. The scenery along the way is fantastic with glaciers, volcanoes, black volcanic sands and lava fields covered with soft green moss.

Akureyri is a beautiful, friendly town and if weather is bad, Akureyri is a much better choice. From there you can also get to Myvatn which is interesting and where part of the third series of Game of Thrones was shoot last November. The exact locations are a secret though until after the episodes showing them have been aired.

So, I recommend renting a car. There is very little traffic at this time of the year. You can risk bad weather, so ask about the weather predictions before hitting the road and bring a phone. If anything does go wrong, you can simply call 112 and you will be picked up. Rescue is fast, effective and free in Iceland.

I hope this is helpful. Feel free to send me any further questions you might have.

Cheers
Hjörtur

Gully Gawk, The Second Yule Lad in Iceland

The second mischievous yule lad arrives tonight, called Giljagaur or Gully Gawk. He sneaks into the cow barn to steal some milk. Here's my version of his poem: 

Gully Gawk came second

his hair as grayish yarn

He crept down from the mountain pass

and broke into the barn.

 

Hiding inside the cattle cribs

milk foam tried to snap

while the milkmaid sat herself

in the cowherd's lap

 

Hjörtur Smárason

Naughty Little Yule Lads from Iceland - Sheep-Cote Clod

Tonight my kids put their shoe in the window. That's a tradition in Iceland. Not like everyday, but the last 13 days before Christmas.

You see, here in Iceland we don't have A Santa Claus. We have 13 yule lads. The first one comes the night of the 11th - 13 days before Christmas and then they arrive one by one until the last one comes on the 23rd (Christmas is celebrated on the eve of the 24th in Iceland). And they all give the children gifts - someting small that they get in their shoe in the window - if they behave ;)

 

The thirteen yule lads who have now upgraded into the red coca cola suit weren't always this nice. They used be naughty pranksters that annoyed farmers in the winter months. Their pranks and mischievius character is described in a classical Icelandic poem simply called Yule Lads (Jólasveinarnir). It's probably been translated already into English, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. Here is the poem about Sheep-Cote Clod, the first of the thirteen:

 

First to come was Sheep-Cote Clod

stiffer than a crag

He sneaked up to the farmers house

to find some sheep to shag

 

Clod was craving milk to suck

- but all he got was buck

the stiff legged bastard couldn't much

- running out of luck

 

There are twelve more to come - so stay tuned ;)

 

Hjörtur

There are still trolls in Iceland!

Hvitserkur was a troll who lived in Strandir, west of the bay. He was very annoyed by the church bell in Þingeyrar, so much that one night he lost his patience and waded the bay to smash the bell. On his way back the sun came up and he turned into stone where he still stands till this day.

Hvitserkur is only about 15 minutes drive from ring road 1, between the towns of Hvammstangi and Blönduós. 

Hjörtur

A little trip to Iceland - The winners' video

Remember the SAD cars competition we were running in June where you could win a trip for two to Iceland with a tent, a rental car and some excursions? Well, the winners were two sisters from Belarus who had a lively video and loads of likes. 

This August they travelled around Iceland for two weeks covering just about every corner of the island. They had a lot of fun exploring the oddities of Iceland, dance around the hot geothermal springs, jumping, running and singing. They even went snorkling between the continents, cave exploring, river jetting and whale watching. Not a bad little trip - and all free thanks to SAD cars :)

Here is their fun video from their great little trip to Iceland:

 

 

Wanna go? It can't fail. No matter what goes wrong, as long as you get home in one piece it's always an adventure :)

Hjörtur

Russell Crowe and Patti Smith's surprise concert in Reykjavik

As I told you last Monday Russell Crowe spent the summer here in Iceland shooting not only a new movie, but also a music video with Alan Doyle. In August there was a festival in Iceland called Reykjavik culture night and the day before Russell tweeted about his desire to perform at the festival. 

Before the day was over he had booked three gigs in Reykjavik during the festival. In two of them he brought a surprise guest - Patti Smith. Here is a recording from one of the attendants to one of the concerts:

 

Hjörtur

Iceland's foreign minister sends a message to Netanyahu, Ahmadinejad, Syria and the UN

In a speech Mr. Össur Skarphedinsson, foreign minister of Iceland gave at the UN General Assembly yesterday, he was very direct on the situation in Syria, in Palestine and the relations between Iran and Israel, as well as on gender equality and the human rights of homosexuals.

Skarphéðinsson criticized the security council for having become and obstacle to international effort. 

"We must reform it, so as to make it a tool, not a hindrance, for progress in situation such as in Syria this year, or - as we saw last year - concerning the Palestinian application."

And his message to Mr. Netanyahu and Ahmadinejad was clear:

"Last year I brought you the message that my Government would propose to our Parliament that Iceland recognizes Palestine as a sovereign and an independent state.

I'm happy to tell you today, that we have fulfilled that promise. What's more, not  single member of the Icelandic Parliament voted against the recognition of Palestine.

 

Mr. President,

The United Nations have recently estimated that Gaza will no longer be "livable" by 2020 unless urgent action is taken to improve water supply, power, health and basic education. The deplorable living conditions described in the UN report demonstrate only too well that the situation in Palestine is unacceptable to anyone who respects human dignity.

I have visited Gaza. I met with fishermen who are not allowed to go fishing in the waters out of Gaza. I met the children of Gaza whose lives are made impossible by poverty, violence and a blockade that by others than myself has been described as an open door prison.

I have seen for myself how the human rights of the people of the West bank are violated every day by a man-made barrier cutting through their roads, their lands, their lives.

When I was in Qalqilya the words of a former statesman we all know rung in my head.

Mr. Netanyahu - tear down this wall!

I also know that the Israeli people are just like the rest of us. They just want to live in peace, and so they deserve. The best way to ensure that, is a two state solution, that would not only be to the benefit of the Palestinians, but to the Israeli people as well.

 

Mr. President,

I listened to Mr. Netanyahu's speech on Thursday, and I have a comment to make on behalf of the Icelandic people: Don't bomb Iran. Don't start another war in the Middle East. At the same time I say to President Ahmadinejad and the Iranian leadership: Don't build a bomb. Let diplomacy work, not rabblerousing or fearmongering. Let's work for peace together."

 

Iceland may not be a big nation. Iceland may not have an army. But Iceland can still be an inspiration. 

"Small countries can be global pioneers. Iceland demonstrated that by breaking the ice of recognition for the Baltic countries, by introducing geothermal as an alternative in the world's quest for clean power, and we have led by example in the fight for gender equality."

Skarphéðinsson announced at this opportunity that Iceland has secured funds with the World Bank to develope geothermal projects in the East African Rift Valley producing renewable energy for 150 million people in 13 African countries.

Mr. Skarphéðinsson concluded by stating the Icelandic situation after the economic collapse:

"Times have been tough in Iceland. In the recession in Europe we were the first country down, but we were also the first country up. If there is any lesson to be drawn from the Icelandic recovery it is that austerity doesn't work on it's own. Iceland certainly went through her share of austerity, but we also raised taxes, especially on the wealthy, and used the revenue to stimulate growth and ensure the welfare system was intact. Today, we have some of the lowest unemployment in Europe, and robust economic growth. The Icelandic model works.

Perhaps the best sign that Iceland is back in business is the fact that whilst the global recession has sadly led to a decline in international support for the developing countries Iceland is bucking that trend. We are increasing ours - substantially."

Maybe someone will be inspired by Iceland when it comes to foreign policy as well.

Hjörtur

The speech can be read in whole here: Mr. Skarphéðinsson's speech to the UN General Assembly

Caught in the storm - farmers amazing rescue work in Iceland

Two weeks ago, a fierce snow storm hit Iceland unexpectedly. At this time of the year we occasionally get the first snow, specially up in the mountains. The storm that hit Iceland Monday two weeks ago was a full blown winter storm with heavy snow fall in the North of the country. As the gatherings of sheep had not yet started tens of thousands of sheep got cought in the storm and thousands got killed. In the following days farmers and rescue squads where in the mountains searching for life sheep.

The sheep is well dressed in their warm wool and can withstand some really bad weather. If the get frozen stuck under a thick layer of snow they don't stand much chance though. Here are some amazing images from the rescue work:

 

 

A snowmobile transporting sheep and rescuers through the storm. Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

The snow was a few meters deep in some places. Photo Erna Erlingdsóttir.

Dogs and avalanche poles where used to search for the sheep in the snow. Here is one freed after 6 days and still able to run! Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

We have a live one! Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

Three sheep. One life, two dead. Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

Refueling. Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

People, dogs and vehicles were pushed to the extreme. Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

The sheep had seeked shelter under this rock. 22 found, 15 dead, 7 alive. Photo: Erna Erlingsdóttir

A river of sheep that have been rescued from the storm. Photo: Gísli Haraldsson

They are still finding life ones, after two weeks, though most found now are dead. Farmers and rescue workers have done an amazing jobs there.

Hjörtur

Testify - Alan Doyle and Russell Crowe's new music video from Iceland

Russell Crowe spent the summer in Iceland shooting a new movie called Noah. After seeing the great landscape Russell got his friend Alan Doyle over to shoot a music video to the song Testify. And it looks good :)

Enjoy: