Raving Ravens

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

Arnarfjörður - My Happy Place!

 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!

 

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MusicMonday: Northern Lights Dancing to Eivør Pálsdóttir's "Den liuse dag forgangen er"

We had some spectacular Northern Lights dancing above Reykjavik this weekend. The season has started but you need to get the right weather - cold and clear skies. 

In pagan times we believed that the northern lights where reflections from the Valkyries' armour as they rode the black arctic sky. The Valkyries are powerful women who ride the skies searching for brave men. They were the ones who chose who would die and who would live in the battlefield and bring the bravest fighters to Valhalla, the palace of Odin, the mightiest of the Nordic Gods.  There they would become Einherjar, fight in the fields during the day and then party all night long. 

In the video below we see time lapsed images of northern lights from Salten in Norway (from National Geographic). Eivör Pálsdóttir sings her song "Den liuse dag forgangen er" (the bright day has passed) with her seductive Valkyrie like voice.

 

Hjörtur Smárason

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