Game of Thrones was shot partly in Iceland for season two, that starts airing April 1st. The world North of the Wall is shot in Iceland and for about three weeks the film crew was in various locations in South-Iceland shooting. And yours truly was part of the cast :)
HBO has released the first video with footage from the set in Iceland:
The snow, frost, wind and the winter is all very real in Game of Thrones this season. Nothing had to be faked. I'll be sharing more as it is released. And some real trucks needed to be used to get to and from location, like the huge Man truck you see in the picture above.
Hjörtur
ps. I've been nominated for the ShortyAwards for travel, so if you like my posts, my tweets and my pics, your support would be higly appreciated: ShortyAwards - Hjörtur
Everybody loves a day at the beach, right? Well, a beach is not always the same as a beach. Today is #FriFotos and SAND is the theme, so I decided to pick a few pictures of sand and beaches in Iceland to share with you :)
Here's what a day at the beach looks like in Iceland:
The sand is black and the sea is frozen. No swimming on this beach, my friend. At least not in February :)
A Viking ship waiting outside a beach in the Westfjords of Iceland.
The Icelandic "Baywatch" to the rescue!
Since I was a kid I've heard the 1.000 year old legend about the Viking that was supposed to be buried here in the sand bank by the beach. It wasn't until 4 years ago that someone took a look - and found a Viking chief buried in his ship with his Viking sword!
The famous Reynisdrangar seen from the black beach in Vik, South Iceland!
I just love this place. Again, this is Arnarfjordur in the Westfjords. The view is from the old farm Bakki and inwards the fjord over the golden beach.
Hjörtur
ps. I've been nominated for the ShortyAwards for travel, so if you like my posts, my tweets and my pics, your support would be higly appreciated: ShortyAwards - Hjörtur
This video of what looks like a monster worm was made at Lagarfljót, where legends say a giant worm or a monster of some sort lives. I've never seen it myself, but I remember when I was in school for a few weeks in Hallormstadarskogur, a forrest village by the lagoon, I used to stare out to the lagoon in the hope I'd see the worm monster.
A few years back I took my kids sailing there and we visited the captain in the bridge. We watched the monitors to see if there was anything unusual and at one moment, there was something on the screen that was very much out of the ordinary, a little bit like a monster. It never surfaced though so we couldn't tell for sure if it was the monster or not.
This week someone finally managed to get a video of the alleged monster. You can view the video here:
The video is no fake, however it is debated what it is we see there. Looks a lot like a giant worm!
What do you think? Could it be the worm monster?
Hjörtur
ps. I've been nominated for the ShortyAwards for travel, so if you like my posts, my tweets and my pics, your support would be higly appreciated: ShortyAwards - Hjörtur
Driving in the winter time can be tricky in Iceland. We've had a lot of snow in the last few weeks and roads have been closing down frequently due to snow and storms.
I've been travelling quite a bit in the last few days as I've been teaching my course in Social media marketing in both Isafjordur in the Westfjords and Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the east. The roads were icy, I caught storms and on the mountains there was a lot of snow on the road. But I was well prepared and really enjoyed my trips. Though I was driving in the dark all the time I used the opportunity to take a few photos of the northern lights and the beautiful winter scenery :)
The right vehicle I recommend you rent a 4x4 with studded tires and take into account that you might need a few extra hours for the trip.
Be prepared For safety you should also make sure you have extra food and drinks in the car and a warm blanket in case you get stuck somewhere. Have a full tank of fuel and let someone know at the hotel or where you're staying when you expect to arrive, so arrangements can be made if you don't show up. You can call 1777 for updates on traffic conditions before you head out into the country side in winter time.
The sign in Seltún, Krýsuvík where you can find geothermal springs. The wind was over 20 m/sec, snow and very little visibility.
An angelica standing in the ice by Seljalandsfoss waterfall.
A fishing boat in safe harbour in Súðavík, in the Westfjords.
Better not drive too fast on the icy roads. This one had lost control and rolled over in the snow. Luckily, no one got injured.
A charming old farm in Hestfjordur in the Westfjords with the northern lights dancing above it.
A picture can never do the northern lights justice, but they simply filled the sky right above me, and were reflected below on the semi-frozen sea. It was impossible to capture the scale of it, but here is a glimpse. To realize the size of it, the mountain in the picture is about 3-400 meter high.
The northern lights were so bright that you could have driven with the headlights off. I don't recommend it though ;)
In the Westfjords of Iceland the mountains are high and the fjords are narrow, meaning that even though the sun does come up during the shortest days, it never gets high enough to peak above the mountains and light up the towns.
In Isafjordur, which is just below the Arctic circle, the sun is gone for about 2 months but today, January 25th, is a big day. This is the first day the sun is visible again in Isafjordur and that is a day to celebrate. Eythor Jovinsson in Vestfirzka verslunin in Isafjordur got this picture of the moment the sun appeared again in Isafjordur:
Looks like the people of Isafjordur will have to wait an additional day or two to see the sun...
Hjörtur
Update Jan. 26th: Eythor Jovinsson sent me this update of his second attempt to see the sun this year:
This post is inspired by today's FriFotos theme on twitter, Happy Place.
Standing by a Viking grave overlooking the Arnarfjörður fjord in the west fjords of Iceland, my happy place!
The first years of my life I lived in less then optimal conditions in downtown Reykjavik with my mom. There was drug abuse and alcohol. When I was six years old, my mother was offered a summer job in fishing village in the Westfjords, in the town of Bildudalur located in the beautiful Arnarfjörður - Eagle fjord.
It was a complete change in my life in many ways. Not only was it the change my mom needed to wake up and quit using drugs and alcohol, I was also entering a fascinating fjord with beautiful mountains and white beaches, charming old houses and tales of adventure, Vikings and sea monsters.
Enjoying a swim in a pool that just like pops up by the road, filled with warm water from a hot spring just a few meters away, with the midnight sun in the mouth of the fjord. The perfect way to end the day.
I loved growing up there with the freedom of exploring the fjord, riding my bicycle 20 km in fjord to be able to swim in a geothermal swimming pool that just is there for anyone to enjoy, or ride my bike 8 km in the other direction to run on the white sandy beach and swim in the freezing ocean. Every fall I would run the mountains herding sheep and even after I went away at the age of 15 I'd come back for the sheep.
The home of the free!
For a few years I didn't come back, I was busy with work, family and university in Reykjavik. After I moved to charming, but very flat Denmark I started to crave for the mountains, the smell of arctit timian and blueberries, the fresh sea breeze and the freedom of being in the middle of no-mans land. I tried to get to Iceland and hike in the Westfjords once every year.
After I moved back to Iceland I worked on started a hiking festival, offering a week of guided hikes mixed up with cultural events, plays, poetry, food and fairytales, all for free. It never became big, but very much appreciated by all those participated. And I got to know the environment in a new way digging deeper into the stories of Vikings, sea monsters, witch trials and strange people who had lived in the area.
The sand beach in Hvesta, Arnarfjörður.
For one thousand years there have been stories about the Vikings that lived there, fought there and died there. Stories of where they fought and where they were buried. Archeological finds have been confirming the stories that were thought to be myth and folklore. Research have even shown that the wildlife in the see in the fjord is unique, with species that are only found in the fjord. And a sea monster institute has been opened. Those stories aren't just fairytales...
Yes, this is a real sign by the road!
This is a place of amazing natural beauty, rich history and fascinating mythology. This is my happy place!
Hjörtur
ps. Someone wrote "Happiness is only real when shared", so I share. This summer I'm planning a 4 day Viking hike, sailing around the fjord in a Viking ship exploring the amazing stories of Vikings and sea monsters, magic and mythology. Wan't to know more? Stay tuned!
Björk, the Icelandic singer and musician which everyone loves so much. Or do they?
There's no doubt she is Iceland's most famous person and loved by many, but her innovative, experimental, scientific music isn't for everyone to like. So this is the take on Björk's biophilia concert in Áramótaskaupið - a comedy show that is aired on New Years Eve every year in Iceland mocking the major events of the year. Enjoy:
Yep, I said Urban Skiing! That is skiing in urban settings, as you'd maybe already guessed. Two chaps, Nick Martini and Rory Bushfield visited Iceland and with a full size payloader accompanying them they could create the most awesome tracks for urban skiing in Akureyri, the capital of Northern Iceland.
Starting in a school where they said they found some excellent rails (or maybe just some excellent looking audience... ) they got bolder as it kept snowing, finally going for the 35 feet drop!
It has been an adventurous year. It's been a tough year fighting the consquences of the recession, illness and a death in the family, but it has also included many exciting trips and projects. This year I have travelled to the north, west and east of Iceland, and to the south and west coast of Greenland. I have even travelled to a fictive world beyond the Wall. That is one journey I can not tell you about. Not yet at least.
Here are a few pictures from my adventures in 2011:
Akureyri theater in the snow.
The first trip of the year was to Akureyri where I was running a course in the use of social media for the travel industry. To my luck, I got a blizzard and the heaviest snow day for years in Akureyri. What a beautiful, beautiful town.
Akureyri harbour in the blizzard. Seen from Hof culture center over to Akureyri church in the distance.
Greenland - Vikings
In the spring I went to the Viking trails in Greenland organized by Greenland Sagalands. Exploring some of the remains like these church ruins in Hvalsey. The last thing heard from the Vikings in Greenland is a wedding that took place in this church September 14th 1408. Since then, noone has heard anything from the thousands of people that lived in Greenland, and noone knows what happened to them.
There are no roads in Greenland. It is a huge country with just steep cliffs and glaciers, so it's no place for roads. To travel you have to use boats, dog slegdes or helicopters. Above is an iceberg with a giant polar bear and her cub that I saw while sailing from Narsaq to Qaqortoq in Greenland.
This is the world's oldest operating Sikorsky helicopter which was my transport from Qaqortoq to Narsarsuaq.
Greenland - Nuuk
My explorations in Greenland continued and next destination was Nuuk, the capital of this amazing country. Though it is only a town of about 15.000 people, this is where you find most service in Greenland, including the only swimmingpool, the only cinema etc.
And I highly recommend a trip to the National museum where you can look at 600 year old mummies found buried in the tundra in North Greenland, and some interesting clothing like this seal skin thong below.
The Westfjords
The Westfjords are a must every summer. Chosen one of the top areas to visit by Lonely Planet last year it is a truly authentic place with mountains, fjords and small fishing villages. The picture above is from the main square in Isafjordur, the biggest town in the Westfjords.
On the fjords you can find interesting things, like this Viking ship in Dyrafjordur (above) and sea monsters in Arnarfjordur (below).
In Greenland I met a Canadian film maker and we've now started a new adventure. The quest for the first Viking grave in America. The plan is to make a documentary about the search if we manage to get it financed. We started some demo shots and the picture above is from such shootings in Arnarfjordur, over looking the fjord from a legendary Viking grave at the top of a mountain there. Who knows where this adventure may lead in the new year :)
In the summer 2012 I plan to offer Viking trips around the legendary Viking locations in Arnarfjordur in the West fjords. So stayed tuned for more info on that.
A truly unique opportunity came in November when I got offered a role as an extra in HBO's TV series Game of Thrones, which was partly shot in Iceland. It ended up being shooting for almost three weeks in various locations in the mountains and glaciers of Iceland, creating the legendary land beyond the wall. I'm not allowed to give any details or show any pictures from this adventure, so you'll just have to watch the show when it airs in April and see if you recognize me ;)
The Sportdiving Club of Iceland had it's Christmas party last Saturday. This sportdiving club takes sportdiving very seriously so when they throw a party, it is of course underwater. The Christmas party is no different.
With a fully decorated and lid Christmas tree they had their party in Silfra in Thingvellir, Iceland. Silfra is one of Iceland's most popular diving spots with one of the world's clearest water you can dive in. You can check out the video :)
All the sound is recorded on location but the Christmas songs are played with underwater speakers. This is how scuba divers celebrate Christmas in Iceland :)
Hjörtur Smárason, an anthropologist, an internet junkie and a traveller seriously infected with insatiable curiosity. A father of five and a marketing specialist in my daily life. You can also read my blog about internet marketing: Marketing Safari.
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