Dec 24, 2007

Merry Christmas

I wish you a merry christmas and hope that you relax and eat a lot over the next few days!

I din't get my smelly fish, but I had Plokkfisk in stead so it was alright!

Dec 17, 2007

The story of the Icelandic Christmas Fish

Iceland has many traditions and specially regarding Christmas. As this will be my first Christmas far away from Iceland I made some special arrangements to get all the traditional food that is required. One of that is a fish called SKATA (not Wanda). This fish is traditionally eaten on the 23rd of December on the day of holy Thorlakur which is our only saint. When you cook the fish the whole house smells and when you eat it then it cleans your "guts", very good. After eating this fish you cook the meet for the 25th and get a nice smell again to your house.

Anyway back to my story. I made arrangements to get this fish. Friend of mine aggreed to take it to Copenhagen where Alfheidur's (my girlfriend) cousin would take it to Leiden. In all this master plan included four people, what could get wrong? Of course something went terrible wrong and my friend didn't get is baggages when he lended at Kastrup airport in Copenhagen. So now I don't know if I get my fish and my friend lost his Christmas food as well.

I'll keep you posted but at the moment it's not looking good...

Dec 16, 2007

Jólasveinninn - the yule lads

The Icelandic Jólasveinn (Yule Lads) have arrived to town - for further information go to this site.

Jólasveinar (Yule Lads) first appeared in the 17th century as the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, who themselves had appeared in the 13th century and had earned a reputation for stealing and eating naughty children.

The Jólasveinar were tallied at either nine or thirteen, but their names are at least 70.

Thirteen of the most commonly accepted names of the Jólasveinar are:

December 12th Stekkjarstaur - Gimpy
December 13th Giljagaur - Gully Imp
December 14th Stúfur - Itty Bitty
December 15th Þvörusleikir - Pot Scraper Licker
December 16th Pottasleikir - Pot Licker
December 17th Askasleikir - Bowl Licker
December 18th Hurðaskellir - Door Slammer
December 19th Skyrgámur - Skyr Gobbler (Skyr, an Icelandic yoghurt-type)
December 20th Bjúgnakrækir - Sausage Snatcher
December 21st Gluggagægir - Window Peeper
December 22nd Gáttaþefur - Doorway Sniffer
December 23rd Ketkrókur - Meat Hooker
December 24th Kertasníkir - Candle Beggar

Dec 13, 2007

the Dutch way

Being a foreigner in a country gives you a new perspective of that nation. I thought that the Netherlanders where free spirt and would allow anything. What I learned the past four monthes is that is not the case. They allow anything but they put a limmit to it and think that by that they will manage to control the issue. For example the prostitution is allowed after 10 pm, Marhijuana is allowed in Coffee shops but you frequently meet people smoking on the street and so on. It turnes out that the Dutch way of doing things is not the best! What is the best way then? What they do in Iceland is to forbidd everything and that is not working either!

Dec 9, 2007

Thinking about going to Romania?

I would think twive. Those guys managed to wander around the airport in Buckarest as they wanted. This video is unbelievable!!!