The government of Iceland has taken over the country's largest bank, after snatching up two others earlier this week. And in London, frightened investors are buying up dollars, the last refuge for Europeans looking to keep their assets at least somewhat safe.
In travel terms, that means going to Europe has just gotten way cheaper for people spending dollars.
In the past, we've had no qualms about saying we like the blog of budget airline Iceland Express. Who wouldn't be pleased to get tips on getting a date with an Icelander or making your own sock movie?
But now this crazy gang have gone too far. In a recent post, they very strongly recommended that we buy a Lopapeysa to wear while we're visiting Iceland (and to proudly show off at home, too). A Lopapeysa is a traditional Icelandic sweater, but take one look at the picture and you know why this hasn't caught on around the world.
Worse than that, they're usually priced from €100 to €200 (US$150-$300) which we think is kind of a high price to pay to look this out of style.
Related Stories:
· Five Things to Remember When Visiting Iceland [Iceland Express Blog]
· It's Official: Iceland Socks [Jaunted]
· Iceland Express Impresses [Jaunted]
[Photo: jillhudgins]
Old is new again with this week's pick, "Journey to the Center of the Earth." Based on the classic Jules Verne novel, the coolest thing about this one is that it was filmed for viewing entirely in 3-D. So grab your retro glasses and hit the theater for an action-packed flick.
An outcast science professor (Brendan Fraser) and his nephew are backpacking across Iceland when they come across a secret cave leading them into... the center of the earth! Determined to find out what happened to his missing brother, the professor and his young companion journey on and encounter all sorts of scary characters and never-before-seen adventures.
It's a family film (so no sex, drugs or violence) but we hear it's wildly entertaining and that the whole 3-D shtick really works. As parts of this one were actually shot in Iceland, here's some cool things to check out there:
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by sedona
If the summer heat has already gotten you down, then why don't you consider a trip to Iceland? Even in the capital of Reykjavik you'll be treated to coolness--expect temperatures in the 50s--as you experience a great deal of urban cleanliness--not to mention the country's green initiatives.
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by kjb
If you're one of those travelers who thinks museums are boring, you obviously haven't swung by the Icelandic Phallological Museum, 300 miles northeast of Reykjavik. It's admittedly a bit out of the way, but this is the world's largest collection of phallic specimens.
Wherever you look in this museum, you'll see a penis. They have samples from whales and walruses, hamsters and seals, but as yet, no humans. However:
It should be noted that the museum has also been fortunate enough to receive a legally-certified gift token for a future specimen belonging to Homo Sapiens.
Apparently the guy who gave the gift token is a 93-year-old and a plastic replica is standing in until he's ready to hand over the real thing.
Related Stories:
· Iceland's Penis Museum Pulls in the Crowds [Vagabondish]
· Icelandic Phallological Museum [Official Site]
· Iceland Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Ollie Palmer]
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by amandak
You might remember that Robbie Williams is particularly unpopular in Iceland, but they certainly love their own pop stars. Sure, they don't have too many, but the eccentricity of singer Björk alone makes up for that.
If you love Icelandic singers too, you might want to check out a big event on June 28, when Björk and Sigur Rós will play a free outdoor concert for anyone who happens to be in Iceland at the time.
Iceland Express will have extra-cheap flights over the week of the concert, so getting there from other parts of Europe will be easy--and relatively cheap, with return tickets from €195 ($300), all in. If nothing else, spending a summer vacation at an Icelandic pop concert is different from what you did last year.
Related Stories:
· Iceland Express Hates Robbie Williams [Jaunted]
· Iceland Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Straight Lines]
0 Comments - Add Yours by amandak
Americans may be frantically trying to shed gas-guzzling SUVs, but over in Iceland, they've already got the alternative fuel thing figured out. With eighty percent of the nation's energy supplied by pollution-free hydrothermal power, Iceland may be he easiest place on earth to plan a carbon-neutral vacation. (Just don't think about the flight there.)
In 2003, the world's first hydrogen fuel station opened in Reykjavik, and Iceland has set an ambitious goal of converting the country's entire transportation fleet to hydrogen power by 2050. Now, Hertz Iceland is the world's first company to offer hydrogen-fueled rental cars. You'll have to be lucky to nab one of the converted Toyota Priuses--Hertz only has three, though more are on the way.
There's no reason to start burning fossil fuels when you head out to sea, either. Just catch a whale watching tour on the good ship Elding, the very first hydrogen powered commercial vessel, which started sailing in April. Whale watchers say the €43 ($66) trip is among the best going, as the crew can shut the hydrogen engine down so passengers can easily hear the whales swim and blow--hard to do over the roar of a diesel engine.
Related Stories:
· Iceland Moves to Hydrogen Power for Ships, Cars [ABC]
· Hertz Iceland [Official Site]
· Elding [Official Site]
· Iceland Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: rooreynolds]
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by BS
It's less than a month to go until the big Arctic Open Golf Championship so you'd better practice your swing and get used to playing at midnight.
Yep, up in Iceland they like to do things a little differently, and from June 26 to 28 you'll be able to take part in--or be a spectator for--the world's only golf tournament that takes place in the middle of the night, thanks to the almost endless daylight they get in northern Iceland in the summer.
The Akureyri Golf Club is the host for the unusual event, and we're thinking this might be the only time in our lives when we have half a chance to play well: Since the game's held at midnight, maybe our opponents will have trouble too.
Related Stories:
· Arctic Open [Official Site]
· Land of the Midnight Sun [Jaunted]
[Photo: Arctic Open]
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