It is an exceptionally warm summer in Iceland, and for ten days, at the beginning of August 2019, a group of twelve international volunteers is brought together in a small farm near the city of Reykjavik.
After facing the initial difficulties and confronting themselves with the huge differencies between each other, these guys finally become a true group and learn how to live together as a big family.
Many stories have been told during this workcamp, and some have gone untold, but a real bound was formed between these friends and this one story is far from being over.
After all, we truly are Worldwide Friends.
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HAFNARFJÖRÐUR
Volunteering in the viking village
The health clinic in
HVERAGERÐI
IMMIGRATION
How lives changes in Iceland
The settlement
of Iceland
A good place for childhood
or life after retirement
FASHION
in Iceland
Icelandic
Architecture
WATERFALLS
of Iceland
SOMETHING ELSE
in Iceland
HAFNARFJÖRÐUR
VOLUNTEERING IN THE
VIKING VILLAGE
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THE VILLAGE IN THE LAVA
Hafnarfjörður is a town only 10 km away from Reykjavík. With about 30 thousand inhabitants, it is the third most populated city of the island and it is surely a lovely place to visit. The best attractions of Hafnarfjörður – according to locals and visiting tourists – are the natural features, including geothermal fields, stunning seaside views, mountains, and pristine lakes. There are also three geothermal swimming pools to swim in and a lot of places to visit. These include the harbor (from which it takes its name: “Hafnarfjörður” means “the harbour fjord”) or the wildly shaped lava formations around the center. Culture is also a key element of this city. Hafnarfjörður hosts several annual cultural events, receiving appreciation from locals and visitors. One such event is the Vikings festival, which entertains thousands of people every June
It is possible to join a Worldwide Friends work camp just in the city, giving an opportunity to volunteer and experience the Icelandic culture first-hand. Working with Veraldarvinir/WF Iceland, you will gain an awareness of nature and environmental issues in an international atmosphere. Here, you can meet people from around the world with similar interests as you work together for the same purpose in an Icelandic town. The main activities vary within each camp, and could include cleaning the coastline, planting trees, taking down old fences, removing lupines or other
plants, and fixing hiking paths. Joinig a workcamp can also be a great way to get in contact with locals and observe their way of living, with the possibility to see the land’s majestic landscapes.
We took a visit to a camp and asked the participants some questions to better understand what the camp comprises of.
...
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Giorgio, one of the camp leader, welcomed us: “We are in the Hafnarfjörður camp - the village of lava -. We work for the community of Hafnarfjörður, so we are in touch with the council of the neighbourhood and we
ask them everyday what to do. Now we are removing garbage and plastics from the coastline. This camp is not only environment-related, it is also about neighbourhood reconstruction, maintenance and renewal.”
Kelly, the other camp leader, was very excited about the experience: “The best thing is learning how to manage and improve to stay with other people. Of course it’s very challenging but you can learn a lot about yourself and different cultures. Every day you don’t know what kind of challenges can happen.”
Then Giorgio told us about his experience of living with people from all over the world: “I like knowing people from different countries and traditions. We encourage people to bring their own stuff from their home, like food or toys, since we have cultural nights where everyone cooks something typical from his own country or shows a presentation if they want to. It is also very interesting because it makes people ask questions about the different nationalities, in order to understand how a country is seen in the rest of the world and try to extinguish
stereotypes.”
Finally, I asked them about the environment.
Giorgio said, “It is fundamental talking care about it, it’s not a thing that can miss. Everyone should know Earth is in danger right now. We need to understand the damage we made and the solutions to fix the problem. These camps are a great way to let people know more about this topic. I make the volunteers see videos and documentaries about the environment and I hope that they will left the camp with more awareness about what the problem is.”
Kelly added: “When you work directly picking up the trash someone else had thrown in the ocean, you start thinking that is not good and you will not do it again. It affects your vision of the environment, and encourages you to change your way of behaving. We are the ones who made the bad things, now it is time to change.”
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We also interviewed some of the volunteers.
Tommaso, 21, from Italy said: “A friend of mine suggested it and I took the occasion because I have always dreamed of going to visit Iceland. I like being here because I think that I can do my part to help to clean up and make the life of locals better but in particular you can became aware about the environment and understand that is necessary to live with more respect of the nature.”
Elia, 21, from Italy, said: “My teacher recommended this camp when I was in the high school but I went here thanks to Legambiente, an Italian association about environment and its issues. It is one of the most useful experience you can do, at first because you meet people from different nations with other culture. Moreover, I like the fact that I can help to make this place better.
In addition, there is a good atmosphere when you are on travel. I can find the motivation in my group, because we have the same interests, mainly focused on the environment. It’s a general awareness – rising work because,
once back home, I can tell about it to my friends, and make them interested about these
topics.”
Annaline, 22, from France: “I was looking for cheering project and I found this fantastic camp in Iceland because I wanted to see it and also to try to do something concrete. I think that my impact is not so big, but with the help of everyone we could change the situation we are living now. “
At the end of this trip we have understood how important it is to take care of the place where you are in order to live and respect the other, sharing interests and passions without doing something wrong for yourself and for the nature.
To sum up, there are no excuses: you must join this camp!
author: Giacomo
THE HEALTH CLINIC IN
HVERAGERÐI
... Among the various camps Worldwide Friends offers all over the country there is a very special one in the small town of Hveragerði, not far from Reykjavik. In this particular camp the volunteers stay in the Heilsustofnun Clinic, a Health and Rehabilitation clinic, and help the community harvesting vegetables in the greenhouses, taking care of the animals and brewing handmade tea.
THE VILLAGE:
Hveragerði is a town in the south of Iceland, located about 50 km to the east of Reykjavik on Route 1, Iceland’s main ring road. The first buildings date back to 1920, and could be related to the presence of a huge source of geothermic energy coming from the nearby hot water springs. The river Varmá runs through the town, and the entire area is part of the Hengill volcano.
The city is known for its greenhouses, that are heated by the geothermic energy from volcanic hot springs. Tourists can visit the
Sandhólshver hot springs and fumaroles, that were created by the violent earthquake South Iceland experienced in 1896.
THE CLINIC:
The Heilsustofnun Clinic is a very singular place for people that have just undergone surgeries or have cardiac problems and eating disorders. Their interventions are aimed at reducing disability and impairment and reintroducing the patients to a new healthy lifestyle through a combination of social, medical and psychological techniques. The Clinic offers 6 different treatments which can be adapted to the needs of each patient, as well as specialized rehabilitation programs to offer the maximum health benefits and optimal results. These programs offer a large number of activities, including lectures, discussion sessions, hiking, water gymnastics and back and neck exercises. Inside the clinic patients can make use of the beauty saloon and hairdresser, a SPA which includes both an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, hot tubs and steam baths, and a variety of treatments such as massages, acupuncture, mud baths and herbal baths.
Among others, the food is a big part of the treatment offered by Heilsustofnun, as everything served, except for fish, which is served twice a week, is vegetarian, and tends
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to be self produced. Processed food is kept to a minimum, while the diet is based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and dairy products. Along with delicious vegetarian meals, a variety of tea is served, among which Icelandic Mountain Grass tea, which is being studied for its alleged chemopreventive properties.
THE VOLUNTEERS:
We talked with Giulia, an Italian volunteer that has been working in the Health Clinic in August 2018, and asked her some questions.
Why did you choose this particular project?
I chose the project in Hveragerði because I liked the idea of working in a greenhouse,
which I had never done it before, and because it seemed very different from the other projects offered by Worldwide Friends.
What did your job consist in?
We spent 2 days a week harvesting and packing tomatoes and cucumbers, which were partly destined to the Clinic’s kitchens and partly sold. The staff taught us how to tell when the vegetables were ready to be collected and how to treat the plants. We were also in charge of taking care of the greenhouses, cutting thief leaves (that are bad for the plants because of the high oxygen consumption), gardening and cutting invasive weeds.
So the Clinic self produces its own food. Which kind of meals does it provide?
All the food is vegetarian, sugar and coffee free, and super healthy. They have a huge number of recipes, like veggie burgers, omelettes, beans stews and so on. They also serve many different kinds of tea and self made honey.
How is the accommodation in the clinic?
The accommodation is very clean and cozy. The many rooms can host two or three people, and there is a kitchen that allowed us to have Cultural Night, when people from a country would cook traditional dishes and talk about their culture.
Which kind of excursions and hikes can you do from the Clinic?
Visiting Hveragerði does not take too much. There are some typical houses and a stone museum, as well as a little waterfall. There are many paths in the area but the main attraction is the hot river. From the town there is a two hour walk that leads to a hot spring where you can finally take a rest from work and enjoy the warm water. The hike to the river is quite steep and tiring, but in the end the mountain landscape is beautiful and and a little effort makes you enjoy the bath even more.
Would you recommend this camp to other people? Why?
Definitely! I would recommend it because it's such a unique experience that allows you to meet people that are so different from you and work together with them to create a more beautiful and cleaner environment.
author: Anna
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IMMIGRATION:
HOW LIVES CHANGES
IN ICELAND 10 YEARS IN ICELAND
Have you experienced something special in Iceland?
What I have noticed about Iceland is that people are very kind and harmless.
I like this atmosphere. There was no fighting. When I talked to Iceland people, they always listened to me. I have been living in England and sometimes when I searched for road or a place and asked the people there, they said they did not know the answer, and I thought they did not want to help me. But Icelandic people are very nice and have always helped me. Icelandic people are very open. They want to talk to you. When I came here, I was very new. I asked someone where I could take the bus and one guy said “I can show you“. I was only one kilometer away from the airport, but this man drove me to there. When I wanted to pay, he said “No, you are my friend”. So if I’ll have a chance to do it, I would love to help people too. When I saw people in need, I drove them for free. I have driven many people from different country. I listened people speaking, so I can talk a little bit German and other languages.
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In Africa it is always summer, in Iceland winter and summer are colder than in Africa. The food price is very high but I just buy what I know I can cover. I don’t need a very luxurious life, so I can keep living here. When I was young, having a television was very luxurious for a family, but now I can afford it. After studying and working, I got some money, and finally I can continue living here.
What did you study and what jobs did you do?
I have worked as a waiter, chef and manager in Africa. And then I studied politics and public relationships in England. Now I sell things for a charity and also teach football. Our organization has school and we support women’s fight for equality. A part of the profit will go to the poor people in Africa, so that they can have shoes to wear and food to eat.
What do you dream for your country?
Africa has experienced many conflicts, the government is very rich but the people are very poor. I want a world where there is no white and black. For example, people from Asia can come to my country, have their business and live. And then go back if they want to. From Africa it is very difficult to leave your country and go to Europe. I am looking forward a world where young people can decide what they want to do. I want to be free. I am looking forward for a world where women are respected. I love this world so much, I want all people to live together like brothers and sisters. People should respect one another. We are all human beings.
FROM TAIWAN TO ICELAND
What is something special and different about Iceland?
I have taken my master degree in England. Since the beginning I liked Europe a lot. Every European country has their own unique features and Iceland is very different from every other country. It has rich a nature and beautiful landscapes. The best thing in Iceland is that we can experience the different four seasons in all their characteristics.
Icelandic people are direct, and not really warm. For example, when someone needs help with their business, Icelandic people will directly ask questions,like “Could you please book….？“ instead of first asking how you are. Iceland is very different from Taiwan, and the weather is one of the biggest differences. Icelandic weather changes a lot. The most of time the wind is very strong, in winter there are many snowstorms, so it is difficult to take a bus. Darkness is long in winter and dailight is long in summer, so sometimes it’s difficult for me to fall asleep. I can not find Taiwanese instant noodles here, but I got used to Icelandic food very well. I think the biggest problem is that I miss my family and friends in Taiwan. Since I am not there with them, over time they stopped texting me and seemed to forget about me.
How did your story in Iceland begin?
I was living in England, but my husband (at that time my fiancé ) did not like it so much. We just wanted to choose another place in the world to live and work in. In fact taiwanese people can’t
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get an Icelandic working holiday visa, so I had to get it through my husband to move to here. In the beginning finding a place to live was a big challenging for us, and we had to stay in an air-bnb. It was very stressful, but after searching in a Facebook group, we finally found a house. We first lived in an office building, and many of our neighbours were seniors. The offices were rented out to different people. We thought that it was a little bit strange so we decided to leave. The second house’s owner wanted to move out of Iceland when right away and wanted us to pay a big amount of money in advance, but we we figured we were being scammed, so we gave up that house too. We found a part time jobs in about one week. It’s hard to apply for a job via email so we found our jobs by walking into places and giving out our CVs. We went to many restaurants and hotels, and finally got a job at an Italian restaurant in Reykjavík. Now we finally found a place too.
What is it like to work in Iceland?
I worked as a waitress in this restaurant. My colleagues aren’t icelandic people: most of them are European students from different countries. And it’s not so necessary to be able to speak Icelandic. If you can speak English then you can work as without any problem. Later I got a more formal work at a travel agency and I like it better because I love traveling. Sometimes me and my husband were able to get some discount or even get snorkeling tours. I have joined many tours in Iceland and suggest people participate too. It’s worth it.
How did your lifestyle change when you moved to here?
After moving to Europe, I have had more time to experience things that I had not experienced before. It was a great opportunity to see the world. When I was in England I thought I wanted to be a teacher, but now that I know myself more, I realize that it is maybe not so suitable for me. I gave up my job and moved to Iceland. Before moving to here, I used to spend a lot of time watching TV and always wanted to go to party and clubs. After moving to Europe, I started to feel less suitable for that kind of lifestyle, as I began to know what I loved to do. I like travelling with my best friends and living in the nature. With my husbands, I decided that our next destination will be Switzerland.
author: YenLing Lee
1000 years ago, Iceland was an entirely different place than we see and visit today. Throughout its robust history, Iceland has seen many different incarnations but none more interesting than the origin of the nation.
Although unverifiable, it is said that the island had been originally inhabited in the second half of the seventh century by Gaelic monks from the region that is now referred to as Ireland and Scotland. But, its confirmed settlement did not occur until 874 by the legendary Ingólfur Arnarson, who is considered the first settler of Iceland. No first-hand accounts survive of the original settlement, but manuscripts detailing the landing of Arnarson at Reykjavik have been discovered from the 12th and 13th century, named the Book of Icelanders and Book of Settlements, respectively. These manuscripts have given us an insight into the birth of a permanent Icelandic population. In the Book of Settlements, written in 1270 AD, it is said when Arnarson reached land, he threw a pillar off his boat and wherever it washed ashore he would settle, which was how Reykjavík came into existence.
The lands Arnarson discovered varied greatly from Iceland today. Overgrown with birch forests and walrus breeding grounds, the
ecological diversity was much more prominent pre-settlement. As humans do, the new inhabitants gradually over-consumed the land’s resources leading to depletion of said resources. An example would be the Great Auk which was hunted to extinction throughout the history of Iceland. Once numbering in the millions, by the 1800s there were only a few remaining, and the species of birds finally went extinct in 1852. Though the loss of ecological diversity was detrimental to the environment, Iceland’s inhabitants adapted and even flourished, as settlements grew larger and more numerous.
Archeological discoveries from the time, especially artifacts found in various dig sites, have given us an idea of the lifestyle Arnarson and his compatriots experienced. One of the first longhouses built in Iceland was discovered under the heart of Reykjavík and was the home of up to twenty inhabitants, possibly even his grandson. A farm was also unearthed in Garðabær where Ingólfur Arnarson is said to have lived. These two discoveries alone have given researchers major insights into the way of life these people lived. Through the discovery of rudimentary fishing hooks, stone tools and animal remains,
16 we have been able to presume the occupations and lifestyle of early Icelanders. We can see that they were primarily fishermen, herders with flocks of sheep, and farmers who worked hard to sustain the ever-growing population during the early days. However, other occupations included stonemasons, tailors, blacksmiths and butchers who helped establish the original economy. All of these professionals would use their respective trades to establish a domestic economy through their prowess in their skills. With the tools they left behind we can investigate the way of life of these ancient people.
An example of how scholars have deduced settler practices is the discovery of intact sheep bones with holes in them to reach the marrow, which showed that early Icelanders would boil their meat instead of roasting it, as roasted bones shatter when drilled into. Their technological prowess was also exemplified in the metal keys and locks for their major public buildings, which were a relatively new invention. Other discoveries show steel nails, the most common artifact found at dig sites, were used to build houses and the foundation of early Icelandic buildings. Although this sort of evidence seems minute, the understanding of day-to-day life is crucial to discovering the secrets of an undocumented era. With the aforementioned technology, Icelanders went from being a state of mostly farmers and traders barely sustaining the ever-growing population, to a country of flourishing culture.
Import and Export were both important parts of the early Icelandic economy given the farmlands were not fertile enough to entirely sustain the growing population, many cereal grains and other commodities had to be
Part of key and lock
imported from what is now Norway and other northern European States. These were traded
for exports such as walrus ivory, wool and glass necklaces. Although international trade was not the biggest industry, it helped build a culture that would become Iceland today.
A key to uncovering the secrets of this old civilization is the understanding of the language spoken over 1000 years ago. Surprisingly, ancient Icelandic varies little from the current language. With the island being so isolated and invaders, such as the Norse and Scandinavians, not enforcing successful changes, the language remained relatively unaffected by any other influences. Thus, while vowel pronunciation has evolved, the general structure of the language has remained the same as the Western Norse dialect if originated from. It is said most contemporary Icelanders could read and comprehend the old Sagas written in the twelfth century, although this fact may be a slight exaggeration. In this way, the Iceland we see today is quite similar to the way it was a millenia ago even with all the technological and cultural changes that have taken place.
Through discoveries made by archeologists and scientists, we can deduce that Icelanders lived a very different lifestyle than contemporary inhabitants of the island; however, we still have gained a deep understanding of a people who lived a millennia ago through the manuscripts and archeological evidence left behind. Though Iceland does not have one of the oldest of histories, it is still ripe with fascinating and robust details.
author: Seiji
Shard of glass from necklace
A GOOD PLACE FOR CHILDHOOD OR LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT All of us knows about spectacular views of local nature: powerful waterfalls, majestic volcanoes and endless expanses of the glacier, but it is not enough for a comfortable living in the country. Let us see if there are good facilities to live in the young age, when you want to be in a center of every party, and in old age, when you are retired and want to have a calm life.
The first thing which you will notice
But, if you are young, full of energy and
when you go to a supermarket is working
live near to Reykjavik – you have all the
teenagers, especially in the summer.
opportunities to have a fast pace of life.
Education in Icelandic public universities
There are lots of places to visit from
are free with the exception of starting fee
museums until night clubs. You can
100-600 euro, but if you want to go to
choose what is for you.
private university, you need to pay much
Let’s now talk about life after
more. To pay these tuition costs,
retirement. Who of us don’t what to
teenagers works during holidays. But,
spend the last years of your life in
locals perceive it not as obligations but
comfort in the middle of beautiful
as an opportunity, because this way
landscapes? It is not so easy though,
teenagers get an experience of working
because not every local pensioner has
and get used to earning money by
enough money to live here without any
themselves.
other income except pension. Some of
The lifestyle in which the youth of Iceland
them move to other countries in Europe,
lives varies depending on whether they
for example, Spain, and have a more
live in Reykjavik or not. People who live in
affluent life there for the same money;
the countryside have a very quiet and
however, if money is not of concern –
calm life, and although there lacks cafes
Iceland serves as a fantastic place to live
and night clubs, it doesn’t make life there
after retirement.
boring. Being near to nature make them
In conclusion, if you can’t imagine your
more responsible to keep it untouched.
life without nature outside your window
And if you don’t have an organized party,
and have a good amount of money to
you can make it yourself (see an article
spend, Iceland is waiting for you. Pack
about graffiti).
your bags and hop on a plane, because
A lot of people stay in the place where
adventure waits!
they are born, to be farmers like their parents.
author: Nastya
FASHION IN ICELAND What do people wear in Iceland? Is it all woollen sweaters and rubber boots? Or does the famed creativity of Icelanders extend to their clothing, as well as their design of said clothing?
The name Iceland might just as well refer to the coolness of modern day Icelandic design. Icelanders are a creative bunch, and blissfully unrestrained by tradition. This has resulted in a creative scene that will make your shopping in Iceland both enjoyable and full of surprises. There are many trends going on in Iceland, but you can also meet people who have their personal style and some of them just choose clothes in which they feel more comfortable. If you are a person who like to follow the fashion you shouldn’t worry as you can find top trendy shops in Reykjavik.
Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur are shopping streets in Reykjavik.They are filled with upscale design houses, featuring the lastest in world fashion, mixed with small hole-in-the-wall stores featuring local designes. You can find almost everything in this shops: souvenirs,jewelry, different kinds of clothes. There are also shopping malls Kringlan and Smáralind which offers up to 150 stores under one roof.
BEST 5 DESIGN HOUSES IN REYKJAVIK
1. KRON by KRONKRON
Though they make a wide variety of women’s clothing, including dresses, shawls and leggings, the husband-and-wife team that make up Kron are known primarily for their shoes. Their colourful, often floral patterns make their work instantly recognizable, and they’ve received worldwide acclaim for their consistent quality of their output. Launching in 2008, they gained instant recognition for their vibrant style, their attention to detail and their original ways of combining fabrics and textures. Defying tradition and going their own way, they immediately marked the course that would lead them to where they are today… and what a place it is.
Address: Main outlet KRONKRON: 63 Laugavegur, 101 Reykjavík Shoe outlet KRON: 48 Laugavegur. 101 Reykjavík
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2. KIOSK
KIOSK has become something of an institution on the Reykjavík fashion scene. Coowned by four Icelandic designers, each of whom takes turns behind the counter, it is an elegant boutique filled with premium designs from a carefully curated set of labels. On offer: a wide variety of dresses, sweaters, shirts and trousers, mostly skewing female, but sporting some unisex pieces as well. EYGLO’s irreverent, colourful and frequently humorous designs mix with11Milla Snorrason’s sleek striped black-andwhite numbers, while Kyrja’s gracefully minimalistic pieces sit next to Sævar Markús’s mystically infused designs. For any fashion enthusiast visiting Reykjavik, KIOSK is one of the muststops. Address: 6 Ingólfsstræti, 101 Reykjavík
3. Farmers Market
Started in 2005, Farmers Market (known to most through their store names, “Farmers and Friends”) is a parade of contrasts: according to their own manifesto, they position themselves “on the crossroads between past and present, national and international, country and city.” True to that creed, they are a fascinating combination of new and old, mixing classical Nordic design themes with more modernist touches.
Their choice of fabrics is old school, with a focus on sustainability, and their entire aesthetic right down to the environs in their two boutiques is charmingly rustic, with wood and wool featuring prominently. Their textiles are always prime grade, not just Icelandic but from places as far-flung as India and Australia. With their uncompromising attention to detail and quality, this is one design house you won’t regret shopping with and regardless of what you get, you’ll most
likely own that garment for the rest of your days.
Addresses:
37 Laugavegur, 101 Reykjavík 2 Hólmaslóð, 101 Reykjavík
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4. Herrafataverzlun Kormáks & Skjaldar
Another institution, Kormákur & Skjöldur have long ago ensured that in the hearts and minds of any even remotely traditionally fashion conscious male in the greater Reykjavík area, they are the one, the only and the ultimate. And with good reason: entering the store itself is like a rite of passage.They gently ask you what you’re looking for today. If you say a bow tie, you will be gently directed towards the bow ties. If you say a suit, you will be gently directed towards a cavernous space where choice paralysis will soon overtake you; there is simply too much beautiful clothing on offer for you to parse it properly.
Address:
59 Laugavegur, 101 Reykjavík
Icelandic Sweaters
Icelandic knitwear is famous for its quality, incomparable warmth, and classic style. Icelandic pullovers are the perfect workwear, sportswear, or outdoor garment due to their superb heatretaining properties. Icelandic jumpers are characterized by their uniquely light and breathable texture, as well as their beautiful traditional yoke patterns.
Typically featuring geometric zig-zag and diamond shapes, Icelandic wool sweater knitting patterns have a chic look that never dates. Known as Lopi sweaters, the distinctive natural colors of the Icelandic sheep's wool are utilized to create stunning Icelandic knitwear in earthy tones of gray, brown, heather blue, and white. Icelandic wool has an unrivaled softness that is gentle on the skin and remains fluffy even after repeated wearing. The density of the Icelandic sheep's wool comes from the two very different fibers contained within the yarn. The inner fibers are soft and fine and provide insulation. The outer fibers are long and glossy and repel water to keep you dry. Moisture is able to pass away from the skin for outstanding breathability, making Icelandic hand knit sweaters distinctively easy to wear in any conditions.
author: Zara
ICELANDIC ARCHITECTURE Located in the north Atlantic Ocean, Iceland is a mountainous island nation. Today the land of fire and ice almost represents everything you ever read on the internet about Iceland as it is known for its natural phenomena, where adventure enthusiasts come to play hard.
Iceland's most distinctive features are the glaciers,which covers over 11. 5% of the total area of the country. Those glaciers are a reminder of Iceland’s proximity to the Arctic Circle, which nearly touches its northernmost peninsula.
However, It is highly geologically active with many volcanoes at the same time, leading to Glacier ice and cooled lava each covering approximately one-tenth of Iceland. Also it has a surprisingly mild climate and countless geothermal hotspots and hot springs volcanoes. （reaching deep into the unstable interior of the Earth, are explained by the fact that Iceland is located on top of the MidAtlantic Ridge. It is estimated that since the year 1500 about one-third of the Earth’s total lava flow has poured out of the volcanoes of Iceland.）
As a result, The weather and environment has always influenced building construction in iceland. Local architects would try to create
durable structures to withstand the Icelandic natural environment and dramatic landscape, all the while not fully abandoning the fusing together of different styles. And they still add their own stylistic methods.
In the 1860 corrugated steel traded by the British ships turned out to be an excellent building material for the harsh weather in Iceland.
Following a massive fire in 1915, city officials in Reykjavik ordered all houses to be covered in fire proof materials to prevent future fires. Corrugated steel once again proved to be the best solution because it was strong, lightweight and cheap with excellent insulation properties.
It is universally accepted along the architects in iceland that the international methods of functionalism couldn’t be blindly applied, but had to be done with care and flexibility for the environment. For instance, This was evident from a project of Einar called Freyjugata 43 , where the architect realised that a flat roof, although practical elsewhere, wouldn’t agree with the harsh Icelandic weather.
Einar is striving to create highly functional and durable buildings as he Found that the local scene is still
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... dominated by Nordic influences and got acquainted with the merits of functionalism—a non-period-specific architectural style in which a building's purpose dominates its design.
Throughout the 1930s and onwards,it would become the prevailing trend in the structuring of Reykjavík City and the rest of the country with some tweaks and variations.
After Icelanders started studying architecture, most them often had to get their education abroad. When they return,the architect who gets his/ her degree in Italy or other countries will bring in different cultural influences and emphasis from various corners of the world.
The Icelandic forerunners of development saw the world's different architectural styles as something of a buffet to choose from. That meant, for instance, that when a church was to be built, the designer might have chosen a Gothic style, but for a bank, they may have decided on a Neoclassical approach, and so on.
As one of Reykjavik‘s greatest and most distinguished landmarks, Harpa concert hall is a cultural and social centre in the heart of the city and was designed by Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects in cooperation with Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. The architect was Inspired by the beauty of aurora and icicles,leading to the structure consists of a steel framework clad with geometric shaped glass panels of different colours . Guðjón Samúelsson designed icelandic national theater inspired by European modernism as he have studied housing design in Copenhagen. Appointed to design new architecture in capital, Samúelsson prefer to use local stones such as Obsidian, quartz and Icelandic crystals affected by icelandic natural environment --- glacier and volcano.
Besides,If you are visiting Iceland then you must notice that Icelanders have a creative and unique style across the disciplines,especially in architecture—they're not afraid to take a risk. ( It makes the perfect introduction to
... Iceland as a country, with its architecture and some of its natural features.) From ancient turf houses to cutting-edge industrial projects, this place is full of creation for those with an eye for buildings. Architecture and design are sources of pride and identity in Iceland.
When it comes to travel around Reykjavik, it is most certainly the first point of contact with Iceland for foreigners and visitors will explore more of the nature side of Iceland but at the same time enjoy what the city life have to offer. Icelanders add their own aesthetic flairs and stylistic approaches,therefore, visitors can travel everywhere by foot and won’t find the same generic shops, restaurants and bars that most major cities possess.
In addition,every corner invites you to learn more about Icelandic culture and it’s a city that takes pride on skirting away from the norm.
From turf houses to geometrically designed concert halls, the history of Icelandic architecture is a short one, but each building has a story to tell. By exploring local architecture , you instantly gain a deeper understanding of the very roots of Icelandic culture through that story.
Although it is only a small city, what it lacks in size it makes up for in character and colour. At last, we interviewed Yiwei who holds an MBA in Design from Iceland Academy of the Arts. Color also play an essential part in Her work of photography we added in the article. Also,Iceland's summer midnight and deep winter days is her favorite for shooting as everything is very gentle. She explained that They are orange, pink, blue-violet. Besides,in her photos the loneliness is indeed the actual feeling that Iceland brings to people. Icy cold gives a very clean feeling, and heavy snow can cover a lot of the unbearable.
The vast and empty space also makes people's soul return to the childhood of human beings. The beginning of human civilization is full of respect and envy of nature. Under the congested modern life, you can breathe a sigh of relief and have a glimpse of the future.
author: Bao
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... In Iceland the frequent rainfalls and the melting of the snow in the area close to the Arctic and great glaciers generates a multitude of waterfalls all ofer the country.
In Spring the glaciers feed the flowing of lots of rivers, housing a big amount of powerful and big falls. Lots of them falls in the highlands of Iceland, located above 400/500 meters above sea level, and are mainly in the volcanic desert, that in the past was submerged by the ocean, with big marine cliffs.
Gullfoss:
literally called “Golden Falls”, this waterwall is located in the large channel of the Hvitá river, which flows to the south of the country. Along with Geysir and the Þingvellir National Park it is part of the famous Golden Circle, one of the most visiter touristic routes of Icelans It turns sharply at a kilometer from the waterfall, falling into three curved steps. It forms two different waterfalls, of 11 and 21 meters, and a pool which is 32 meters deep, 20 meters wide and 2,5 kilometers long.
The average flow of this waterfall is of 140 cubic meters per second in the summer and 80 in the winter. During the first half of the XX century, there were many speculations about the idea of taking advantage of this waterfall to generate electricity.
During this period, the waterfall was rented to foreign investors by its owners, Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson. However, their attempts failed due to the lack of funds. Later, the waterfall was sold to the Icelandic State. Even then, some plans were devised to exploit the resource, what would had changed Gullfoss forever. Fortunately, none of this plans were carried out and nowadays Gullfoss is protected.
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Dettifoss:
this huge waterfall is located in the National Park of Jökulsárgljúfur, in the north east of Iceland, close to the Mývatn lake. Its waters come from the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which is generated by the Vatnajökull glacier and flows to the north.
With a flow of 500 cubic metres of water per second, it is considered the most powerful waterfall of Europe. It is 100 meters wide and it has a 44 metres tall fall. The waterfall is visitable on both the west and east sides, but the gravel roads to the site are usually not accessible during the winter because of the weather conditions. Skógafoss:
this one is famous for the double rainbows that are formed around it when the sun shines through the thin fog created by the water. It is located in the south of Iceland and its waters fall from ancient cliffs, that were in touch with the sea in the past. It is also one of the highest waterfalls of the county: 60 meters high and 25 meters wide. Beyond the waterfall tourists can follow a beautiful path to multiple tinier falls, that form sort of a canyon. Skógafoss is in fact only one of the many waterfalls created by the Skógá river: there are more than 20 other smaller waterfalls above it, and it’s possible to explore them by taking a stairway made of 527 steps.
According to an interesting legend this waterfall even enshrines a golden chest, that the viking settler Þrasi Þórólfsson hid there with a magic spell in the beginning of the second millennium. It is said that the first traveller to ever find the chest will be awarded with great treasures and good fortune.
In front of the waterfall there is a camping site where you can sleep if you want to hike to the highlands, to where you can take a path called Fimmvorduhals, that starts right next to the waterfalls and goes all the way to Thorsmork.
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Seljalandsfoss:
located very close to Skogafoss, it is formed where Seljalandsá river, the “liquid river”, falls for over 60 meters from a spur that delimits the highlands from the rest of the country. The waterfall hill can be climbed in order to have a view of the landscape from the place where water starts to fall, and, a rocky path walks all the way behind it to offer a majestic view of the plateau filtered by the
flowing water. Only a few hundred meters away it is possible to visit the misterious Gljúfrabúi, a hidden waterfall located in the inside of a cave. Because of its effective ‘hiding place’, Gljúfrabúi is overlooked by most travellers, even if thousands of people visit the more famous Seljalandsfoss every day, but with the open sky above, mossy walls, silver mist and black lava, it is one of Iceland’s most breathtaking gems.
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Goðafoss:
the waterfall of the gods, located in the north east of Iceland right off the ring road, is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland. The water of the river Skjálfandafljót falls from a height of 12 metres over a width of 30 metres. This waterfall is neither particularly tall or powerfull, but its separate cascades form an elegant semicircular shape and the contrast between the drizzling white water and the black lava highlights the silouette of the boulder in its middle, creating a picturesque landscape, seemengly from a fairytale.
Godafoss is closely connected with one of the most important event in Icelandic history, the conversion to Christianity from heathendom or "the old custom" in the year 1000. That year Iceland's legislative assembly was debating which religion they should practice between the Norse paganism or Christianity. Þorgeir Þorkelsson was then the law Speaker of the Alþingi, the Icelandic Parliament, and lived in a farm located only 2 km from the waterfall. When asked to take the important decision he crawled into his tent, buried himself beneath a stack of hides and fur blankets and did not emerge for three days. Despite being himself a pagan priest and chieftain, Þorgeir. decided in favor of Christianity. According to a myth, it is said that upon returning from the Alþingi, Þorgeir threw his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall, thus giving it it’s modern name. He then converted to Christianity himself and became a priest, and his decision about the fate of the country didn't meet one objection from the rest of the parliament.
Hraunfossar:
not a single waterfall, but a series of waterfalls formed by rivulets streaming over a distance of about 900 metres out of the Hallmundarhraun, a lava field which was originated due to a volcanic eruption of the volcanoes located under the Langjökull glacier.
This beautiful scenery, located in the west of Iceland, on the course of the Hvitá (Borgarfjörður) river, is not as popular as others touristic spots, but its colors and shapes are very unique and can hardly be compared to any other Icelandic landscape. Its name comes from the word "hraun", that means, “lava” in Icelandic.
Dynjandi:
hidden in the remote Westfjords, not far from Arnarfjörður, this magnificent waterfall is formed by a series of cascades flowing down a 100 meters slope, in the characteristic shape of a bridal veil. On top, it is 30 meters wide and widens up to 60 meters at the bottom. The site can only be reached with a 15 minutes hike and is therefore less contaminated by humans. The Icelandic term dynjandi means thunderous, and the name was obviously givent to the waterfall because of its loud, resounding flow.
authors: Maya and Mairin
SOMETHING ELSE
IN ICELAND
There is a lot of things you can occupy yourself with in Island, but one distinctive feature I always look for in any place I go are graffiti pieces. You can find national and traditional-themed pictures in nearly every corner.
What strikes me the most is that the graffiti are born from pure imagination. The narratives seem to be taken from another planet
Of course you can’t walk past pieces of graffiti that was made with reference to contemporary and conceptual art
...
But what’s really rooted into my memory is stories written right on the walls. Reading them tells you about frightening murders that took place here, in Island, where for the last year only one case of felony was registered. Of course that doesn’t mean there wasn’t more.
... And last, but not least, I can’t omit the remarkable work with calligraphy, which is as genius as it is tasteful.
In conclusion, I want to say that there is so much
more to see on the island than just geysers and waterfalls.
author: Alec
08/08/2019