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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2013 14:47:16 GMT
Welcome to the Iceland thread. I am an Icelander who used to work in the travel industry (currently employed as a translator). I'm willing to answer questions about my home country.
Also welcome are your impressions of Iceland, photos, weblinks and useful tips for people planning to visit.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2013 17:25:44 GMT
Well, I do have a question, but it isn't about tourism. There was an article in the newpaper the other day about Iceland "freezing" its application to become a member of the EU now that the economy is doing better. Do you think that Iceland will finally join the EU or will it prefer to stay out in the end? (From what I read, one of the main sticking points is the usual one -- fishing quotas.)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2013 9:33:23 GMT
Kerouac, they're slowing down the process because we have a general election coming up - at least that's the official explanation. The truth is that many members of one of the parties in power are against Iceland joining the EU and have probably been using pressure to slow things down.
As for whether we will join: it is highly likely that the current government parties will be voted out of power and replaced by parties that are altogether against entering the EU. Whether they will simply stop all talks or let the nation vote on it is anybody's guess. My feeling is that we will not be joining the EU, at least not any time in the foreseeable future, vote or no vote.
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Post by bjd on Jan 28, 2013 10:06:08 GMT
Icy, is it because of a feeling of independence and self-reliance by the public, or are the fishing quotas an important part of it?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2013 11:07:28 GMT
bjf, both. A lot of people feel that we would be giving up our independence, and the thought of having to allow other nations access to "our" fish (either by direct fishing or ownership in Icelandic fishing companies) is abhorrent to many, especially those old enough to remember the cod wars with Britain. The fear is that the EU will probably not let us keep our fishing grounds to ourselves after accession (an important economic issue), whatever promises they might be making now.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2013 23:03:03 GMT
I thought that this was a very odd article about Iceland. Was it really in the news there or is this the sort of fluff the foreign news organisations dig up when there is not much to report?
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Post by htmb on Feb 1, 2013 3:52:00 GMT
A very surprising article indeed. I had no idea Iceland had a list of approved names that must be used when naming a child.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2013 6:42:39 GMT
France used to have a list of approved names, too, but it was relaxed a decade or two ago. Now it is very rare for a name to be refused and only if it falls into the "ridiculous or harmful" category.
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Post by bjd on Feb 1, 2013 12:30:16 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 1, 2013 16:43:23 GMT
Icy, if you were to plan itinerary showcasing the most variety -- in geography, culture, whatever -- within Iceland, how would you do it?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2013 10:28:09 GMT
About the name thing - yes, there is a list, but new names do get approved if they fall within the rules, i.e. have no foreign letters (C, Q, Z, W), are not likely to cause embarrassment or public outrage (Satania and Lúsifer (= Lucifer) were rejected), are given to the wrong gender or do not fit into the grammar system. Blær (the name of the girl in the article) is masculine word and exists as a male name, but she declines it in the feminine mode (Blær-Blæ-Blæ-Blævar, rather than the male form Blær-Blæ-Blæ-Blæs) so I really don't see it as a problem. Besides, the masculine name Sturla is declined like a female word and has been in use since settlement times.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2013 10:31:07 GMT
Bixa, how many days itinerary? You can see a lot in a three day weekend by basing yourself in the right place, but for optimum coverage you need at least a week, preferably two.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2013 20:07:22 GMT
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Post by joanne28 on Jun 4, 2013 15:55:46 GMT
We're booked for a four day stopover in Reykjavik this September on our way to the UK. We're flying IcelandAir as it turns out to be about $150 a head cheaper than other airlines. Quite honestly, I'm also looking forward to the breaks in the flights. That 8 hour flight is getting sooooo tiring to me. It's 5 hours to Reykjavik from Toronto, then 3 hours from Reykjavik to London. That breaks it up nicely.
We are hoping to do a Golden Circle tour, hit the Blue Lagoon (or similar hot spring), see where the tectonic plates are splitting and perhaps a whale watching tour. Or at least some of the above. I'm still researching the possibilities.
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Post by rikita on Jun 5, 2013 9:52:28 GMT
oh, iceland! that is a country i have always dreamed of visiting. on the one hand for the landscape, on the other hand because i was one of these "crazy for horses" girls as a kid, and would like to see/ride iceland horses in the area where they are from....
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Post by joanne28 on Jun 5, 2013 16:34:24 GMT
I was thinking of our doing a horse riding trek but unfortunately DH was thrown from a horse when a young lad and didn't get right back on again. I am currently pitching it as a "do it once and tick it off the list" sort of thing.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 5, 2013 17:00:37 GMT
joanne28 - I fell off a very frisky stallion. I also had a horse run away with me at a fast gallop until I shouted "WHOA!" and pulled the reins up smartly! Was a miracle the poor horse understood the word because it belonged to an African man who must have had his commands in Zulu or Xhosa...
Never-the-less....I have got back on other horses and would advise you to make sure they give your husband an old well ridden horse. A horse used to children say... that plods along and won't take off like a rocket when he gives it the 'Go' by GENTLY squeezing his heels into it's tummy. You see the cowboys in movies giving their steeds a real kick in the ribs....That is NOT the way to do it!!
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Post by joanne28 on Jun 5, 2013 17:54:08 GMT
It's still a possibility, tod. It's a short lay-over so we'll have to see what we have time for.
And definitely I would be requesting placid, slothful plodders. ;D
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Post by Berny on Jun 5, 2013 20:38:03 GMT
Hey i'm the writer of the blog mentioned earlier! ;D It is accurate as far as i am aware. Any questions let me know or just message me through my blog. Berny from www.bernyeatstheworld.blogspot.co.uk/
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 5, 2013 23:31:03 GMT
Hey, Berny. I just looked at your blog, which is great. Keep eating the world & writing about it, please.
Icy, who started this thread, has a blog on Icelandic cooking, recipes, & food which you should find interesting. Just click on the little house in her mini-profile.
And drop in here anytime!
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Post by rikita on Jun 6, 2013 10:09:36 GMT
sorry, a little off-topic:
tod, your post reminded me of something - i had horses running off with me on top of them lots of times. was always scary at the time and kind of fun in retrospect (when i knew i survived) - the riding school where i took lessons as a kid was near a race track and we sometimes rode in their outside training area, not on the training track itself, but on the neverending meadows that followed the track... so there was a lot of space for the horses to run, and the school horses knew right away who was an insecure rider and woud take off on a little race themselves... ah and once i rented a horse in chile that ended up taking off with me when some stray dogs barked at it, and galopped through the whole village until it stopped in front of a hut in the poorer part of the village. a woman came out and offered me some water, which i didn't take though as i had been warned not to drink tab water...
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Post by lugg on Jun 6, 2013 19:33:03 GMT
Icelandics - although known as horses of course they are not in terms of size, so one good thing if you fall off it is not as far from saddle to ground. ;D
Berny/ Icy - I would love to know if it is true the reason that Iceandics are referred to as horses is because there is no Icelandic word for pony ?
Berny - very interesting blog
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Post by Berny on Jun 9, 2013 15:10:19 GMT
Thank you very much. I am afraid I don't know the answer to that one. They are very proud of their horses as it has a unique gallop but that is all I know!
Berny
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Post by rikita on Jun 13, 2013 19:32:19 GMT
well in german there is also the term "kleinpferd" (small horse) for horses that are between ponies and horses in size, and icelandics fall into that category (though some people refer to them as "islandponies" and others as "islandpferde" here...
as it is forbidden to import horses into iceland (or even return any horse that once left), i'd guess the distinction between horse and pony was never necessary there, there being only one type? btw, that makes me wonder, are there icelandic riders participating in international dressage or jumping competitions, or in horse races? if so, how do they do that, since icelandics aren't really typical for those sports...?
in fact, they even have two extra gaits... ah and icelandics can get really old, 30 years or more... but they can't be ridden as early as other horses, only when they are four or five years old...
(sorry for all the off topic, you can tell i am still a bit into horses)
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Post by debc on Oct 12, 2015 1:50:51 GMT
Hi Icy, I am hoping that this thread is still going as the posts are a couple of years old. My question is, we are going to Iceland next July and are unsure whether to take a tour as everything then is booked for you and you can see the sights whilst travelling and not worry about the road or to hire a car? Hiring a car means independence but then having to book accommodation, worry about driving in unfamiliar territory, finding places to eat etc. Both are incredibly expensive and will be the highlight of our trip because of this.We are planning for about a week. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 12, 2015 2:18:24 GMT
Hi Icy, I am hoping that this thread is still going as the posts are a couple of years old. My question is, we are going to Iceland next July and are unsure whether to take a tour as everything then is booked for you and you can see the sights whilst travelling and not worry about the road or to hire a car? Hiring a car means independence but then having to book accommodation, worry about driving in unfamiliar territory, finding places to eat etc. Both are incredibly expensive and will be the highlight of our trip because of this.We are planning for about a week. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Hello Deb and welcome to Anyport! I'm so glad to see this thread revived. @a year ago I was thinking of going to Iceland and did a little research. At that time I found a few deals wherein the car, accommodation, & maps were all included. I'll see if I can find that info again. Apparently there is a road that goes around the perimeter of the island, so not easy to lose your way. Fingers crossed that somebody with solid information will weigh in here. I am most interested as well!
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 12, 2015 2:26:20 GMT
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Post by fumobici on Oct 12, 2015 3:10:21 GMT
If I had a week I'd totally rent a car and drive the ring road, but I'm not really a "tour person". Tell them you're doing the ring road when you book the car if you choose to go that way, I don't think you want to tackle it in a standard little FWD econobox like you'd rent for putting around Reykjavik in. You may not even be allowed to.
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Post by debc on Oct 12, 2015 8:39:58 GMT
Ok thanks will check them out. Be interested to hear from anyone who has done either a tour or self drive
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Post by debc on Oct 15, 2015 9:38:43 GMT
Bumping this back up to see if we can get anymore responses
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