Podcasts about Icelanders

It was a true honour to speak with Icelander and academic, Dr. Gísli Már Gíslason. A man who grew up around the legendary lifting stones of Latra, and both witnessed and heard firsthand tales of their use as tests of strength for the local fishing communities. Yes, that is correct, communities (plural) as contrary to our understanding, there was also a southern fishing village at Latra whose Fullsterkur testing stone has been lifted by many absent an understanding that it was in fact a "full strength" test! He also expands on the lore and stories of many other Icelandic lifting stones and shares his incredible passion for celebrating and preserving their history!!!

Learning Icelandic can honestly feel overwhelming. If you've ever tried to learn the language, you probably already know that there are a lot of scattered resources online, different classes, private tutors, apps, YouTube videos, grammar books, and random websites that may or may not help depending on your learning style. One of the questions I get asked the most is how to actually learn Icelandic and what resources are worthwhile. Why I Wanted to Try Icelandic AI When I first heard about a program called Icelandic AI, I was really intrigued. Not because I thought it would magically make anyone fluent overnight, but because I was curious whether there was finally one platform that could bring many of these learning tools together in a more organized and comprehensive way. Just for some context, I've been living in Iceland since 2016, so almost 10 years now. I'm at an intermediate level in Icelandic, and over the years I've taken multiple Icelandic classes, worked with private tutors, studied on my own, and I regularly speak Icelandic with my boyfriend and his family. So while I'm definitely not claiming to be fluent, I do feel like I have a good understanding of what makes a language-learning resource actually useful. I also want to be transparent that I am collaborating with Icelandic AI in the sense that I reached out to them because I wanted access to the platform to test it out and share my thoughts with my audience. However, this is not a paid review, and I do not benefit financially if people sign up through the platform. I genuinely just wanted to see if this was a resource worth recommending because I know how difficult it can be to figure out where to even start with Icelandic. First Impressions of the Icelandic AI Platform Overall, I have to say that Icelandic AI is one of the more comprehensive Icelandic-learning platforms I've seen so far. The platform was created by Sandra, and the “AI” part of the name is actually referring to her AI twin or clone. So instead of it being like ChatGPT or Claude where the AI is actively learning you and responding dynamically, it's more that Sandra has created an AI version of herself that guides you through the lessons using her voice and likeness. There are also additional AI characters named Monica and Oscar who help throughout the platform as well. At the time of recording this episode, I've completed about 55% of Level 1, which has already taken me around 49 hours, and I've also started Level 2. Even as someone who already has background knowledge in Icelandic, I've still found it useful as a review tool and as a way to reinforce concepts I've already learned. One thing I also appreciate is that the platform doesn't feel rushed or surface level. There's a lot of depth built into it, and you can tell that a huge amount of work went into organizing the information in a structured way. It's not just random vocabulary words thrown at you. There's an actual progression to how concepts are introduced and built upon over time. Now let's get into the pros and cons. The Pros of the Icelandic AI Learning Platform 1. The platform is extremely comprehensive All of the core things you need to learn Icelandic are included: grammar, conjugation, sentence structure, pronunciation, vocabulary, and the four Icelandic cases. There is a lot of depth to the lessons. 2. It's easy to access and flexible You can work through the lessons on your own time and from anywhere. Right now it works best on a computer, but they mentioned they are working on a mobile-friendly version as well. 3. It can potentially be reimbursed through Icelandic unions If you live and work in Iceland and are part of a union, there's a possibility you can use your educational reimbursement funds toward the course because it has educational certification. 4. There's a community section The platform has a community tab where you can ask questions and interact with the Icelandic AI team, which is helpful when you need clarification. 5. There are pronunciation checks You can record yourself speaking into your microphone and the platform gives feedback in the form of a percentage score from 0–100 based on pronunciation accuracy. I actually found this surprisingly useful. 6. The platform is visually engaging The lessons are interactive, visually appealing, and easy to follow. There are a lot of graphics and clickable elements that make it feel more engaging than just staring at blocks of text. 7. The lessons are well organized The progression makes sense. You start with greetings and introductions, then move into present tense and foundational concepts before building into more advanced grammar and sentence structure. 8. There is a huge amount of material Honestly, there is a lot in here. It can feel a little overwhelming at first, but in a good way. You're definitely not going to run out of things to study anytime soon. 9. There are quizzes and flashcards The platform includes quizzes, review sections, and flashcards to help reinforce what you've learned. 10. You receive a certificate of completion At the end of the levels, you receive a certificate showing you completed the coursework, which is a nice touch. One thing I kept thinking while going through the lessons was that I really wish something like this had existed when I first started learning Icelandic years ago. Back then, I felt like I was constantly piecing together resources from all over the internet. This feels much more centralized and organized, which can make a huge difference for beginners who don't even know where to start. The Cons of the Icelandic AI Learning Platform 1. It's not conversational AI This is probably the most important thing to understand going into the platform. The AI is not actively talking back and forth with you the way ChatGPT or Claude would. Sandra's AI twin guides you through lessons, but it's not a live conversational experience. 2. You still need conversation practice outside the platform If your goal is becoming conversational, you'll still need to practice speaking with real people outside of Icelandic AI, whether that's friends, tutors, classmates, or language exchange partners. 3. The pronunciation feedback could be improved While the pronunciation checker is helpful, I do wish it played back your voice or directly compared your pronunciation to a native speaker's recording. I think that would make the feedback even more useful. 4. You need to be self-motivated Because this is self-paced, it requires discipline. Unlike in-person classes where there's accountability and scheduled meetings, you have to consistently show up for yourself and stay committed. 5. Advanced learners may need to wait for more content Right now the platform includes Levels 1 through 3, and I've heard more levels are coming. But if you're already intermediate or advanced, you may move through the current material fairly quickly and have to wait for additional content. My Overall Thoughts I've genuinely enjoyed using Icelandic AI, and I plan to continue going through the lessons because I think it's a really valuable review tool even at my current level. At the same time, I still don't believe there's one perfect resource that can fully teach you Icelandic on its own. I think learning this language usually requires a combination of resources, consistency, practice, and patience. But as far as comprehensive platforms go, Icelandic AI is definitely one of the better ones I've personally seen. I also think it's important to remember that learning Icelandic is a long-term process. This is not an “I studied for two weeks and now I'm fluent” type of language. It takes repetition, exposure, practice, and patience. So having a resource that keeps everything organized and accessible in one place can genuinely be really helpful. If you want to check it out for yourself, here is the link to Icelandic AI. As always, it's completely up to you, but hopefully hearing my experience gives you a better idea of whether it might fit your learning style and goals. Random Fact of the Episode One random fact about the Icelandic language is that Icelandic has changed so little over time that modern Icelanders can still read the medieval Icelandic sagas written hundreds of years ago with relatively little difficulty. Compared to English, which has changed dramatically over the centuries, Icelandic has remained incredibly well preserved, which is one of the reasons why the language is both fascinating and challenging to learn. Icelandic Word of the Episode The Icelandic word of the episode is “Æfa sig”, which means “to practice.” And honestly, I think that's one of the biggest lessons when it comes to learning Icelandic. There's no perfect app, no perfect teacher, and no perfect method. A lot of it really comes down to consistently practicing, even when the language feels difficult or awkward. Share this with a Friend Pinterest Facebook Email Let’s Be Social Youtube Instagram Tiktok Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.

I sat down with an inspiring Venezuelan-born entrepreneur, Valenttina Griffin, who has made Iceland her home. Through a lively conversation, Valenttina shares her experiences of navigating different cultures, thriving in the tech industry, and her entrepreneurial journey that spans multiple continents. Join us as we explore her insights on leadership, the power of community, and the importance of personal growth. Valenttina’s Journey Across Borders Valenttina's journey began in Venezuela, where she enjoyed a tropical, sun-filled upbringing surrounded by strong women and positive role models. She fondly recalls the freedom of her childhood and notes the cultural contrast when she moved to Norway as an exchange student in the early 2000s. Her adventurous spirit and curiosity led her to embrace this transition. Learning the Norwegian language and culture opened doors for her, eventually helping her adapt quickly when she moved to Iceland. https://youtu.be/O2q2l8V1bdU Save 25% on Your Stay at Center Hotels in Reykjavík The sponsor of this episode is Center Hotels, a collection of nine stylish hotels located throughout downtown Reykjavík. Whether you want to stay close to the harbor, shopping streets, restaurants, nightlife, or some of the city's most iconic landmarks, there's a location that fits your travel style. I've partnered with Center Hotels to offer my audience an exclusive 25% discount when booking directly through their website using the code ATI25 at checkout. The code is valid through May 2026, making it a great opportunity to save on your stay while experiencing some of the most conveniently located hotels in Reykjavík. Adapting to Icelandic Culture Life in Iceland was quite different. Valenttina immersed herself in the local culture, learned the Icelandic language, and embraced the insular lifestyle. She reflects on the warmth of Venezuelan interactions, marked by hugs and close personal contact, contrasting sharply with the reserved nature of Icelanders who value personal space. Yet, the support she received from the Icelandic community has been invaluable, helping her form a deep connection with her new home. Women in Tech: Establishing a Supportive Network* As a woman in the tech industry, Valenttina shares her personal experiences and challenges in navigating a male-dominated field. She is part of Women Tech Iceland, an organization that provides a platform for women to feel safe and share their stories. Valenttina emphasizes the importance of recognition for women in tech and the need for creating role models for future generations. The group facilitates events that foster community support and networking opportunities, bridging the gap between Icelandic and foreign professionals. Cultural Insights and Leadership Challenges Valenttina Griffin discusses the nuances of working in Icelandic companies and how she manages cultural differences. She has witnessed firsthand the challenges of integration for foreign women in the workforce, highlighting language as a significant barrier. Despite these challenges, she credits her success to the Icelandic language skills and cultural understanding, which have helped her build trust and rapport in leadership roles. Valenttina’s Approach to Embracing Personal Growth and Neuroplasticity Beyond her professional achievements, Valenttina is passionate about neuroscience and neuroplasticity. She believes in the power of personal growth and continuously adapting to change. Her advice to women, and to anyone seeking growth, is to love themselves, set healthy boundaries, and not ignore red flags in personal or professional relationships. These principles guide her as she navigates her entrepreneurial journey and raises her family in Iceland. Launching UGrow: Revolutionizing the Service Industry in Iceland Valenttina’s latest venture,  UGrow, focuses on optimizing recruitment processes within the Icelandic service industry. This initiative aims to streamline seasonal hiring, ensuring that both employees and employers are well-matched and meet legal standards. By doing so, Valenttina hopes to improve the experience for foreign workers and support the thriving tourism sector in Iceland. A Vision for a Diverse and Welcoming Iceland Through her work with Women Tech Iceland and You Grow, Valenttina is helping shape a more inclusive and diverse Iceland. She envisions a future where international talent is integrated seamlessly into Icelandic society and where everyone is encouraged to embrace change and growth. This conversation is not only a testament to Valenttina's strength and adaptability but also an inspiration for anyone looking to explore new horizons and make a difference in their communities. Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Threads Let’s Be Social Youtube Instagram Tiktok Facebook

Along with hearing about volcanoes, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and gorgeous landscapes, one of the biggest things people associate with Iceland is how expensive it is. And honestly, that conversation comes up constantly. It's one of the most common questions when I am helping travelers planning their first trip here. Iceland has built a reputation online for being adventurous and fascinating, but also very expensive. And to be fair, it absolutely can be. Publications like Travel + Leisure have even ranked Iceland among the most expensive travel destinations in the world. From my perspective as someone who has lived in Iceland since 2016 and helped thousands of travelers through my podcast, social media channels, private consultations, and my in-depth video course, The Savvy Traveler's Guide to Iceland, what stands out to me is this: most people don't create a realistic budget for Iceland. Inside This 5-Day Iceland Budget Guide Knowing where to start with Budgeting for 5-days in Iceland Why the Season You Visit Changes Your Entire Budget What Kind of Iceland Experience Do You Want? Flights to Iceland Accommodations: The Biggest Budget Variable Rental Cars & Iceland’s New Road Tax How to Save on Renting a Car and Camper Van in Iceland The Hidden Iceland Expense Most Travelers Forget: Parking Fees Food Costs in Iceland Activities & Tours: What to Expect Use Discount Codes Strategically to Save Money Unexpected Costs Realistic 5-Day Iceland Budgets by Season Winter Budget Breakdown Shoulder Season Budget Breakdown Summer Budget Breakdown Knowing Where to Start with Budgeting a 5-day Trip for Iceland I think that people don’t always create a realistic budget for Iceland because they don’t know where to start. Travelers are often unsure about  how much to set aside for accommodations, activities, rental cars, food, parking, or even how much the season changes everything. So instead of just throwing random numbers at you, I want to walk you through how I would personally budget for a 5-day trip to Iceland depending on your travel style, the season, and the choices you make while you're here. Because the reality is that a 5-day trip to Iceland could cost one person around $1,300 and another person over $4,000 — and both of them could still have incredible experiences. The Season You Visit Iceland Changes Everything If there's one thing I really want travelers to understand before budgeting for Iceland, it's this: the season you visit impacts almost every single part of your trip. That includes accommodations, rental cars, flights, activities, and even how you spend your time while traveling. I'm honestly not exaggerating when I say that the exact same hotel room can literally double or triple in price depending on the month. For example, a hotel room that costs around $120 per night in winter can easily jump to $250–350 per night in summer. Same room. Same location. Same hotel. The only thing that changed is the season. Now, I don't say that to scare anyone. There are also unique events that can create unusually high prices, like the 2026 total solar eclipse in Iceland, where some accommodations are charging thousands of dollars per night because demand is so intense. That's not the normal reality for Iceland travel, but it does show how much seasonality and demand affect pricing here. Rental cars work exactly the same way. In summer, demand skyrockets, and travelers are often shocked by how quickly prices increase if they wait too long to book. What Kind of Iceland Experience Do You Want? Another huge part of budgeting for Iceland is understanding the type of trip you actually want to have. I think social media sometimes makes this harder because people see inspiration online and accidentally start comparing their budget to someone else's completely different trip. Maybe you want to see the Northern Lights, but you're planning to come in summer, which, by the way, isn't possible because the sun barely sets. Maybe you want to base yourself in Reykjavík and do day trips, or maybe you want to road trip around the country and stay in multiple places. Perhaps you want to rent a camper van or stay in luxury hotels for part of the trip because you're celebrating something special. All of those decisions affect your budget. One thing I regularly help people understand during my private video consultations is that Iceland often looks much smaller on the map than it actually is once you start driving around it. For example, if someone wants to stay in Reykjavík the whole trip but also drive to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, I explain that this is about a five-hour drive one way. That's ten hours of driving in a single day before you even stop at waterfalls, black sand beaches, or anywhere else along the route. That's why route planning matters so much in Iceland, not only for your sanity but also for your budget. Flights to Iceland – Cost per Season Flights to Iceland fluctuate constantly depending on the season, where you're flying from, how early you book, and global fuel prices. For winter, flights are often around $400–700 roundtrip, while summer flights can range from $600–1,200 or even higher. And honestly, airfare pricing lately has become even harder to predict because of global fuel market instability and international conflicts affecting energy prices. Those things trickle into airline pricing too, so whenever I give ranges for Iceland travel costs, I always want people to understand that these numbers are based on averages and trends, not guarantees. One thing I personally recommend is signing up for airline email lists, like Icelandair or Delta Air Lines, because they regularly send flight sales. I also use Google Flights to track pricing trends, and you'd honestly be surprised how much prices can fluctuate from one week to another. Accommodations in Iceland: The Biggest Budget Variable Accommodation is usually where people underestimate costs the most. For budget accommodations like hostels, guesthouses, smaller rooms, or shared bathroom situations, you're generally looking at around $400–700 total for five nights in winter and about $700–1,400+ in summer. For mid-range accommodations, such as private hotel rooms, apartments, or guesthouses with private bathrooms, winter pricing is usually somewhere around $700–1,400 for five nights, while summer can jump to $1,200–2,000+. And yes, summer pricing really can get that high. If you're considering a camper van, that can sometimes help reduce accommodation costs, though prices vary dramatically depending on the vehicle and the season. I always recommend booking accommodations as early as possible for summer travel. Honestly, if you can plan a year in advance, that's ideal. Six months minimum is usually what I suggest if possible. Rental Cars Cost & Iceland's New Road Tax If you're planning to leave Reykjavík, I strongly recommend considering a rental car because it gives you so much flexibility. Winter rental prices for a smaller car are often around $120–150 per day, while SUVs are closer to $170–180 per day. In summer, smaller cars can easily be $150–200+, and SUVs can go even higher depending on the size and capability of the vehicle. For a five-day trip, many travelers spend somewhere between $600–1,200+ once you include gas and insurance. And there's another thing travelers now need to budget for. Starting in 2026, Iceland implemented a kilometer-based road tax system that applies to vehicles, including rental cars. Iceland Kilometer Fee Information Most travelers won't calculate this themselves because rental companies typically include it either as a per-kilometer fee or as a flat daily charge. For example, Go Car Rental Iceland currently charges approximately €10.50 per day as a flat mandatory road tax fee. Fuel prices in Iceland have lowered somewhat since the road tax was introduced, but global events still impact fuel pricing significantly. How to Save on Renting a Car & Camper Van in Iceland Through my discount links with Go Car Rental Iceland and Go Campers, you can save 7% on your rental. Go Car also includes free 4G WiFi, while Go Campers includes a free sleeping bag. And honestly, the WiFi is incredibly useful because you can check weather, road conditions, maps, email, WhatsApp, and social media while driving around Iceland You can head to gorentals.is/allthingsiceland Once you enter your travel dates, the 7% discount is automatically applied. For Go Car:When you get to the extras section, select 4G WiFi. You'll see the price stays the same, even though it has been added.  For Go Campers:Choose a sleeping bag under the “extras” section, and same thing, the total price won't increase. And just so you know, using my link gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's one of the ways you're supporting All Things Iceland and the content I create. So thank you for that. The Hidden Expense in Iceland that Most Travelers Forget: Parking Fees Many waterfalls, black sand beaches, scenic viewpoints, geothermal areas, and hiking spots now charge for parking. This is especially in popular areas like the Golden Circle, South Coast, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and downtown Reykjavík. I've seen this change a lot over the years since I moved here in 2016. There were many places that used to have completely free parking, but because of the increase in tourism, road maintenance, parking lot maintenance, and of course landowners wanting to make money, parking fees have become much more common. I usually recommend budgeting around $80 USD total for parking during a 5-day trip depending on how much driving you're doing. You can also use the Parka app to look up parking fees in advance, which can help a lot with planning. If you're unsure where to go or how to organize your route efficiently, I highly recommend checking out My Iceland Map on Rexby. It includes 350+ personally recommended locations around Iceland that I've visited and enjoyed myself. Food Costs in Iceland Food absolutely adds up in Iceland if you eat every meal out. A casual restaurant meal is usually around $20–35 per person, while a nicer dinner can easily be $40–80+. Coffee and a pastry are often around $10–15, and cocktails in Reykjavík can easily cost over $20 each. For five days, I'd say a budget traveler who cooks some meals or makes sandwiches could probably spend around $150–300, while a mid-range traveler who eats out more regularly could spend around $300–700+. One of my favorite budget hacks is booking accommodations with breakfast included. Then you can eat a larger breakfast, make sandwiches or grab snacks for later, and only pay for dinner out. For groceries, Bónus is generally the cheapest option, while Krónan is another great alternative. And surprisingly, IKEA Iceland is one of the cheapest places to sit down and eat a full meal in Iceland. I’m not suggesting that you eat at IKEA every day but I just think it is fun to share that random information. What to Budget for Activities & Tours in Iceland This category really depends on what type of traveler you are. Some people are perfectly happy exploring waterfalls, scenic drives, geothermal areas, and hiking trails, which can keep costs relatively low. Others want glacier hikes, snorkeling, whale watching, ice caves, and snowmobiling. All of these activities can add up quickly. The Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon are generally around $100–150+, glacier hikes are around $100–200+, whale watching tours around $118–150+, and ice cave tours can range from $150–300+ depending on the experience. One of my favorite lower-cost alternatives to the major lagoons is going to a local swimming pool like Laugardalslaug. It has Olympic-sized pools, hot tubs, a cold plunge, slides, and it gives you a chance to experience Icelandic swimming pool culture alongside locals for a fraction of the cost of the lagoons. And if you love museums, there are actually certain times of year when you can visit many for free during events like Winter Lights Festival in February and Menningarnótt (Culture Night) in August. Use Discount Codes & Links to Save Money in Iceland One of the easiest ways to save money in Iceland is by not paying full price when you don't have to. My free Iceland Discount Code Bundle includes discounts for rental cars, camper vans, tours, activities, hotels, outerwear, and more. Most tour discounts are around 10% off, and when you apply those savings across multiple activities, it really does make a noticeable difference in your final trip budget. Always Leave Room for Unexpected Costs This is honestly one of my biggest Iceland budgeting tips overall: always leave room for flexibility. Weather changes quickly in Iceland, and road conditions can shift plans unexpectedly. That could mean rerouting, staying somewhere an extra night, changing accommodations, or adjusting activities because of storms or warnings. Whenever possible, I recommend keeping a few hundred dollars of flexibility in your budget if you can. It just makes the trip feel significantly less stressful. Realistic 5-Day Iceland Budget by Season For winter travel between November and March (excluding holidays), a budget traveler is usually looking at around $1,300–2,000, while a mid-range traveler is closer to $1,800–2,700. Winter tends to be cheaper because hotel demand is lower, rental cars are less expensive, and there are fewer crowds. The trade-off, of course, is less daylight and more unpredictable weather. For summer, budget travelers are usually spending around $1,800–3,000, while mid-range travelers are closer to $2,500–4,000+. Summer costs rise because of peak tourism demand, midnight sun season, easier travel conditions, Highlands access, and limited accommodations. The biggest reason I wanted to make this episode was honestly to help people manage expectations. Iceland can absolutely be expensive. But once you understand how seasonality works, where your biggest expenses are, and how to budget realistically, it becomes much easier to create a trip that works for your finances and travel style. And honestly, being informed ahead of time makes Iceland feel so much less overwhelming. The Random Fact of the Episode Did you know that Iceland has around 41 active volcanic systems — including volcanoes beneath the ocean? According to Náttúra Íslands (Natt.is), a volcano is considered “active” if it has erupted within the last 11,000–12,000 years, which is actually pretty recent in geological terms. The most active volcanic system in Iceland is called Grímsvötn, located in Southeast Iceland. It has erupted on average about once every decade over the last thousand years. Meanwhile, Iceland's largest volcanic system is Bárðarbunga, and many of the country's enormous lava fields were created from eruptions there. What's also fascinating is that volcanic systems in Iceland are often made up of: a central volcano, plus a fissure swarm, all connected to a shared underground magma chamber deep within the Earth's crust. Which honestly explains why Iceland can sometimes feel like you're standing on another planet. Icelandic Word of the Episode ferðakostnaður — travel expenses or cost of travel Pronunciation: FEHR-tha-kost-na-thur This felt like the perfect word for this episode because honestly… that's exactly what we've been talking about the entire time.  In Icelandic: ferð = trip/journey kostnaður = cost/expense So together: ferðakostnaður = the cost of traveling. Example: “Ferðakostnaður á Íslandi getur verið hár á sumrin.” “Travel costs in Iceland can be high during the summer.” And trust me… Icelanders definitely understand this too, especially when traveling around their own country during peak season. Share this with a Friend Facebook Pinterest Threads Email Let’s Be Social Youtube Instagram Tiktok Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.

SOMETHING SHOT BACK! | During the Korean War, an American soldier opened fire on a strange craft hovering over his regiment — and what happened next left an entire company of men hospitalized, and one man permanently changed for the rest of his life. | #WDRadio APRIL 05, 2026==========HOUR ONE: In 1882 the Ma'amtrasna murders, the brutal killing of several members of the Joyce family in rural Galway, caused outrage in Irish society and remains one of the most notorious homicides in Irish history. However a few years later Cork was rocked by an equally heinous case which has largely been forgotten. We'll look at the brutal murders of four family members that took place in Castletownroche, Ireland. (The Castletownroche Murders) *** An Arizona family encounters a creature from the dark side of a Navajo legend. (The Arizona Skinwalker) *** John Blair liked to keep things “in the family”. But in his case, it wasn't just a saying. It was literal. Because John was infamous for being bigamous. (Bigamous Blair) *** Dozens of Korean War GI's claimed an unidentified flying object made them all sick. Theories range from high-tech Soviet death rays to extraterrestrials studying how we engage in battle to combat-stress-induced hallucinations. What actually happened? (The Korean War UFO)==========HOUR TWO: In 1761, a young Frenchman died violently. This tragedy would lead to what is still one of that country's most famous cases of judicial injustice. Assuming, of course, that it truly was an injustice at all. (The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas) *** Most know them as “The Hidden Folk.” The elusive and magical residents of Iceland, who live inside rocks and sometimes play games with unsuspecting passers-by. Are they real? That's a complicated question, if you ask Icelanders. (The Elves of Iceland) *** As two boys were walking back to the house on their farm, a small stone rolled past them. Then a second one. They immediately thought some other boys were hiding in the scrub and throwing stones for a joke.  They couldn't have been more wrong. (Stone Throwing Spirits) *** Belle Gunness lured numerous suitors to her Indiana farm. Not to entertain them or to be courted by them. She simply wanted to kill them in cold blood and dump their bodies in her hog pen. (Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest) *** "They're going to steal your organs!" screamed Sabina Eriksson, before running toward oncoming traffic on the M6 highway, having already been hit head-on by a Volkswagen. Her twin sister, Ursula, legs crushed by the truck that had just run her over, was spitting and screaming at paramedics on the side of the road. Now, many years after these events, we're still no closer to understanding the chaos that occurred over two days in 2008 involving psychotic twin sisters on a UK highway. (The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins)==========SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Were people ever really tortured in Iron Maidens? (The Iron Maiden)==========SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT'S SHOW:“The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins” by Harrison Tenpas for Graveyard Shift: https://tinyurl.com/r6cbnxf“The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/rrs89rx“The Elves of Iceland” by Rob Schwarz for Stranger Dimensions: https://tinyurl.com/u4bcw6v“Stone Throwing Spirits” from The Fortean: https://tinyurl.com/qnuf7sd“Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest” by Steven Casale for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/tqyceby“The Iron Maiden” by Karl Smallwood for Today I Found Out: https://tinyurl.com/t2y6vj6“The Korean War UFO” by Natasha Frost for History.com: https://tinyurl.com/y765nsgm“The Castletownroche Murders” by Fin Dwyer for the Irish Examiner: https://tinyurl.com/y9fhagfb“The Arizona Skinwalker” by Stephen Wagner for Live About: https://tinyurl.com/yxkdh9vv“Bigamous Blair” from London Overlooked: https://tinyurl.com/y9qpo54x==========(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)=========="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46==========WeirdDarkness®, WeirdDarkness© 2026==========To become a Weird Darkness Radio Show affiliate, contact Radio America at affiliates@radioamerica.com, or call 800-807-4703 (press 2 or dial ext 250).

Iceland is a place many travellers dream of visiting; if, like me, you've been lucky enough to see Iceland, you probably desperately want to return. In this Chats with Locals episode, I talk with three Icelanders about their country: why they like living there, what Icelanders are really like, and all about their favourite Icelandic traditions. I also ask them what surprises visitors to Iceland, why they think it's such a popular place for travellers, and what important information we need to know before we go. The Chats with Locals series, sponsored by Slowly, a global penpal app, is something I've been wanting to do for ages: some of the best moments of our trips come from speaking with local people, learning about what's the same or different where they live compared to us, and getting the unexpected stories that you don't know about (for me in this episode, it's about the fame of cats in Reykjavik - there's an intriguing reason!). Since Iceland is one of my all-time favourite places, it seemed a great place to begin! A huge thank you to my three guests Ragnhildur, Alda and Halli for so openly and warmly sharing information about their home country, Iceland. Links: Thanks to sponsor, Slowly - download Slowly to start building genuine friendships today -available for free on the App Store and Google Play - https://notaballerina.com/slowly Ragnhildur Jóhanns, artist - https://www.instagram.com/ragnhildur_johanns/ Ragnhildur's shop The Heart of Reykjavik - https://www.hjartareykjavikur.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theheartofreykjavik/ Alda Sigmundsdóttir - https://aldasigmunds.com/ Alda's books about Iceland - https://amzn.to/4s8cXYC Alda's new book The Shape of Silence, coming soon Haraldur (Halli) Thorleifsson - https://www.haraldurthorleifsson.com Halli's Ramp Up - https://www.rampup.team Iceland reading list on Amazon https://amzn.to/4dpAyR3 Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/388 *Full disclosure: Amazon Services LLC Associates Program NotABallerina.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: The Reykjavík Grapevine Was In The NewsThe Reykjavík Grapevine was in the Icelandic news this past week because of layoffs at its editorial office. The layoffs, which are both sad and difficult for such a small, tight-knit workplace, were undertaken to ensure the future publication of the magazine. Give us a hand at support.grapevine.isDavíð Oddsson, Former Prime Minister Of Iceland, Dies At 78Davíð Oddsson, former Prime Minister of Iceland, Mayor of Reykjavík, Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland, and Editor-in-Chief of Iceland's daily newspaper Morgunblaðið since 2009, passed away yesterday, Sunday, March 1. He was 78.Reynisfjara beach Is Not Closed And Has Not DisappearedReynisfjara beach was in the news recently for having “disappeared” and for being “closed”. Neither of which is true. The Reykjavík Grapevine went on location yesterday (video report forthcoming) to investigate.Half Of Tourist Say That Portrayal Of Icelandic Landscapes In Movies And TV Shows, Affect Their Decision To Visit IcelandA recent report reveled that half of all tourists that visit Iceland cite portrayal of Iceland's landscapes in popular culture as affecting their decision to visit.46% Of Icelanders Worried That The US Might Take Over GreenlandA recent poll reveled that 46% of Icelanders are worried that the USA will take over Greenland, while 36% said they didn't worry much about it, and 18% neither worried much nor little.Iceland's Main Hospital Stops Using Icelandic ButterThe main hospital in Reykjavik announced last week that it had exchanged the locally supplied dairy based butter Smjörvi in its cafeterias for the Italian Bertoli alternative. This caused some outrage.Keflavik Bound Flights Rerouted To Other Icelandic Airports Due To WeatherBad weather around Keflavik Airport last week led to flights to Iceland being rerouted to Akureyri and Egilsstaðir Airport.Support the show------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://grapevine.is/high-five-club/Or donate to the Grapevine here:https://support.grapevine.isYou can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store:https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

From icy seas to fire-lit longhouses, Dan heads to Iceland to trace the birth of one of the world's most unique medieval cultures — at the very edge of the known world. He joins experts across the country to discover how those early Vikings survived brutal winters in total isolation, save for their tight-knit communities and (surprisingly) warm turf houses. He explores the remarkable medieval chronicle Book of Settlement (Landnámabók) and the dramatic stories preserved in the Sagas of Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) that tell us who the first settlers were, where they came from, and how they carved out a new society on a raw volcanic island.Produced by Anne-Marie Luff and edited by Dougal PatmoreYou can see Dan's adventures in Iceland in his brand new documentary on History Hit. Sign up to watch the mini-series Icelandic Vikings here: https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.If you'd like to explore Iceland yourself, head to https://www.visiticeland.com/You can email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Terrible Air Quality in Reykjavík The last few days, with cold and still weather, saw air quality in Reykjavík plummet.ADHD And Driving In IcelandAn Icelandic attorney wanted to bring it to the attention of the public that every so often people in Iceland loose their driver's license because they are taking ADHD medication. The reason, they don't have a prescription.Horse And ToothA person that bought a 13 year old horse wanted to return the horse because it had an extra tooth. The case was taken to consumer court, where the buyer lost. The court pointed out that the horse seems to have lived with the extra tooth for at least a decade without issue, and therefore the extra tooth was not enough ground for returning the horse.Progressive Party Votes New ChairmanOver the weekend the Progressive Party, on of Iceland's oldest political parties, voted for a new chairman. The winner was Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, a former MP and minister.Man. United Owner Says UK “Colonized by Immigrants”Jim Ratcliffe, billionaire owner of Manchester United, said publicly that the UK had been “colonized by immigrants”. The comment received a lot of pushback in the UK, for various reasons. One of which is that Ratcliffe doesn't even live or pay tax in the UK, but in Monaco. The comments were thought to be quite ironic to Icelanders because Ratcliffe is the single biggest landowner in Iceland, after the state, municipalities and the church, having thus, in his own way, been “colonizing” Iceland.The Last Week In HealthcareThe past weeks have been rough for the good name of the Icelandic Health Care system and Icelandic health in general. The emergency room in Reykjavík is so full that it pretty much doesn't function. On top of that it turns out Icelanders are way too fat, and the minister is pondering to propose a tax on sugar. Lastly, a poll revealed that 83% of Icelanders want to put ban energy drinks,Support the show------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://grapevine.is/high-five-club/Or donate to the Grapevine here:https://support.grapevine.isYou can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store:https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

We assume our title will send tens of you dashing to Google Translate or similar to check Joe's [Jesus!] pronunciation, so spoiler alert, he's spot on. Or not. Apologies to Icelanders. So.... 120's out. That's a thing we finally did. With it, season six concludes and begins its long trudge toward inevitable oblivion. But with goats, so it's not so bad. Stay tuned for a special announcement at the end, and no, I'm not going to tell you here or even give you a hint. LISTEN TO THE SHOW. That's why we made it. Sheesh! I will give you one spoiler, though: the volcano is a red herring. For now. You've been listening to: Eric Perry as Joe, Howard, Dr. von Haber Zetzer, and Mr Southers. Bonnie Brantley as Donna and Jessie Sarah Golding as Mrs Sheffield Chrisi Talyn Saje as Julie All the Space Monkeys in our Discord for providing the yodeling goats David S Dear as Dr Theo Bromae and Tiberius Kevin Hall as Greg and Felonius Pete Barry as Bob and Me Sarah Rhea Warner as Pipistrelle Shannon Perry as Olivia and Madeline Tim Sherburn as Colin and Emily June Clark Eubanks as herself Aaron Clark as himself Lee Shackleford as himself Richard Cowen as himself Kyle Jones is your Narrator Two And Chris Nadolny Gourley is your Narrator John Faley is our music director, and our artwork is by Lucas Elliott. Sarah Golding is our dialogue editor, and Mark Restuccia is our sound designer. Oz 9 is written by Shannon Perry. Oz 9 is a proud member of the Fable and Folly Network. Please check out our sibling shows at fableandfolly.com and support our sponsors. Until... I dunno, late springish? Early summerish? Keep your eyes on the stars and it's pronounced phal-OM-eter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by guest host Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Handball, Handball, HandballThe European Men's Handball Championship took place during the last two weeks of January in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, with the final matches being played in Herning, Denmark. The whole of Iceland seems to have been watching, with local media publishing pictures of empty Reykjavík streets during televised broadcasts of the Icelandic team playing. Iceland came 4th overall, loosing to Croatia in a match for the third place. Icelanders In The Epstein FliesThe latest batch of Epstein files released by the US Justice Department, led to some newsprint being spent on the few Icelanders that appeared there, such as former First Lady Dorrit Moussaieff, her husband former president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former CEO of DeCode Genetics, Kári Stefánsson, and cab driver Kristján Jón Karlsson. As far as we know, non of these Icelanders had any real ties with Epstein.Iceland's Laufey Wins A GrammyLaufey Lín Jónsdóttir, the Icelandic musician and singer, took home her second Grammy for her latest LP A Matter of Time. The also received an Emmy for her 2024 album Bewitched. Gas Prices & InflationInflation in Iceland is now at 5,2%, which is “too damn high”. This may have the result of nullifying recent collective bargaining agreements, which in turn might tip the generally fragile Icelandic economy into turmoil.Iceland's New Defense Policy.Icelands new defense policy was published last week, being immediately criticized for not taking into account the ongoing changes to the global world order. And what is the defense policy you may ask? It's the same as the old defense policy, basically non-existent.Tesla's Fail To Pass InspectionsThe 2021 model of Tesla's are now due for their first law stipulated inspections, which they've been failing, specifically the Y model, of which 30% didn't pass inspection in Iceland, whereas in Denmark 45% of that type of Teslas didn't pass.Support the show------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://grapevine.is/high-five-club/Or donate to the Grapevine here:https://support.grapevine.isYou can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store:https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, Grapevine Editor-in-Chief Bart Cameron, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Prime Minister Says She Can Work With Icelandic Populist PartyIn an interview with Heimildin this weekend, PM Kristrún Frostadóttir discussed many issues, but the attention grabbing issue was her statement that she could work with Miðflokkurinn (Center Party) on immigration issues.Greenland Discussion ContinuesIceland's Prime Minister, US. President and almost everybody else has done little but talk about Greenland during the past week. We try to catch up on that.Icelanders Are The Fattest Of The NordicsIn a survey conducted for 2024 and released last December, it turns out that Icelanders are the most overweight of all the Nordics. And out of the 80.000 Icelanders categorized as obese with a BMI over 30, more than 20.000, or 25% are taking GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy. We weigh in on the discussion.The US sizes a Tanker In Iceland's Exclusive Economic ZoneLast Wednesday, the US Navy apprehended an oil tanker, presumably on its way to Russia, within Iceland's Exlusive Economic Zone, but not within its territorial waters. Icelanders Won't Be Required To Undergo Medical Exam To Renew Drivers License Until They Turn 75A new law has been proposed by the People's Party to move a required medical exam for renewing Icelandic driver licenses from 70 years old to 75 years old. The Icelandic Word Of The Year Is Paid Parking (i. Gjaldskylda)We discuss the annual choice of “word of the year” in Iceland, which this time around was the word Gjaldskylda, or paid parking, which has led to numerous misunderstandings on social media.Support the show------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://grapevine.is/high-five-club/Or donate to the Grapevine here:https://support.grapevine.isYou can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store:https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: The Icelandic Annual End-Of-Year Skit ShowThe last joint cultural event all of Iceland collectively enjoy, to various degrees, takes place on New Years's Eve. We try to explain what it is. Greenland and Venezuela Last night Iceland's PM Kristrún Frostadóttir wrote on her Facebook “Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Nothing about Greenland without Greenland. Iceland stands in full solidarity behind our friends.” This morning, Iceland's Foreign Minister, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, wrote an Op-Ed on visir.is saying, opening with “It is clear that the international system we have lived with since the end of the Second World War is shaking at its foundations. At work are what can rightly be called the threatening forces of history, generating uncertainty far beyond what we have been accustomed to and creating dangers that would have seemed implausible only a few years ago.” Both of these statements are responses the USA's seizure of Venezuela's president, and Trump's subsequent comments about taking over Greenland.Gas Prices Drop By A ThirdThe price of gas dropped by a third on the first day of the year, subsequent to changes in how the Icelandic state collects tax from automobiles. An Icelander Dies On The Front Lines In UkraineA 51 year old Icelander, Kjartan Sævar Óttarsson, died on the front lines in Ukraine  in and around the 20th of December, according to the man's brother. Kjartan had travelled to Ukraine on December 7th from Gothenburg Sweden, and neither what he was tasked with on the front lines, nor what lead to his death, has been reported on as of yet.What's Coming Up In 2026?The show's host ponder what this new year will bring us.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://grapevine.is/high-five-club/Or donate to the Grapevine here:https://support.grapevine.isYou can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store:https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Saga Thing returns after a much-needed holiday to pick up the story of young Glúm Eyjólfsson, better known to history as Víga-Glúm. When last we left you, Glúm's father (Eyjólf, who some called Lump) had passed away. Seeking any advantage they could get in the district, Thorkel the Tall and his son Sigmund claimed the best land at Thverá for themselves, pushing Ástrid and Glúm to the margins of the property. With no help coming from her eldest son Thorstein, Ástrid is forced to rely on her youngest, Glúm. Unfortunately for her, Glúm is a known coalbiter who prefers laying by the fire to working or pursuing justice for his family. As the situation worsens, Glúm heads to Norway hoping to gain some experience and recognition from his maternal grandfather Vigfús. Of course, things don't go exactly to plan when he arrives. How does this family reunion go for Glúm? Does grandpa Vigfús the hersir embrace his Icelandic grandson and raise his status? And who will help Ástrid deal with increasing pressure from Thorkel and Sigmund to leave Thverá? All the answers are in this episode of Saga Thing. Along the way, we talk about the place of religion in Víga-Glúm's Saga, highlighting some places to look for signs of pagan influences in the text. For example, is old Vigfús a figure of Óðin? Does this saga explore a tension between cults of Óðin and Frey? Is it all about fate? Or is this simply a story about human beings who make their own choices and have to live with the consequences. Speaking of pagan influences, we go on a brief tangent to talk about the dísablót, a special holiday and sacrifice to honor the household gods. As always, we dig into some genealogies. Please have a look at the family tree Andy's been building for Víga-Glúm's Saga on FamilyEcho. And if that's not enough, we also share some interesting stories about corpses getting dug up to face legal consequences for their actions. If you're into that kind of thing, you'll definitely want to check out the episode on Pope Stephen VI from our friends at Pontifacts. If you're interested in reading Víga-Glúm's Saga for yourself, you can find the 1866 translation by Edmund Head for free on the sagadb. We're using the John McKinnell translation, which is available in the Complete Sagas of Icelanders collection and as a stand alone text from The New Saga Library. As with most modern scholarship on this saga, much of what we have to say about this text begins with the edition by Gabriel Turville-Petre. Listen and let us know what you think on our various socials: Sagathingpodcast on Facebook Sagathingpodcast on Instagram Sagathingpodcast on Bluesky Saga Thing's unofficial official Discord Music Credits Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Poetry Music - "Dark Times" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

In this centennial episode of Eerie Iceland, we uncover the strange life of an Icelander who declared himself ruler of the lost city of Atlantis.  From Seyðisfjörður to Copenhagen, myth and reality blur in some wild ways! Like what you hear?  Give us 5 Stars!  And follow for more... Checkout our website: Eerie Iceland  Follow us on: Instagram  Find our page on: Facebook  Email us: hello@eerieiceland.com Sources & Extras: Source 1 Source 2 Vestdalsfossar Hike & Monument Episode & Editing By: Ann Irene Peters (Iceland Wedding Planner)

Rachel shares how Icelanders turned giving and reading books at Christmas into a cozy national pastime, and how families today can continue the Christmas book flood tradition.BookwormRead-Aloud RevivalJolabokaflodClose Reads podcastReady Player One by Ernest ClineA Tale of Two Cities by Charles DickensThe Lightning Thief by Percy JacksonThe Silmarillion by J.R.R. TolkienThe Wingfeather Saga by Andrew PetersonAn Elephant & Piggie Biggie by Mo WillemsMike's Personal Retreat Planner

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne单词提示1.nephew 侄子、外甥原文Chapter 9: The Last TunnelHans brought the boat to the end of the beach where the cave was.We tied it to a rock in the water and took our bags to the cave."Are we going to use the boat again?""I don't know. Maybe, if we come back this way. But, who knows where this new tunnel will take us."We needed the boat sooner than we thought.We walked about twelve feet inside the cave, then we saw a huge rock blocking the tunnel.We couldn't understand it."How could Arne Saknussemm get around this rock?"The professor thought for a moment, and then he looked at the rock."Maybe it fell after his journey, in the last two hundred years, probably after an earthquake or a terrible storm.""There's only one way to find out."We still had some extra gun powder with us for the guns.Hans made a hole in the rock with his pickaxe, then we put the gunpowder inside.We used the rope to light it, but we made it very long to give us time to move back and hide.The three of us got into the boat and moved fifty feet out to sea.We had no idea how big the explosion was going to be.Waiting for it made us very nervous."Maybe it won't work.""Axel!Don't say those things."We waited.Suddenly,the rocks on the beach opened like two curtains.The earth shook and everything fell into a huge hole.We fell back in the boat, and the final explosion made the sea rise in a huge wave which pushed us back to the beach.We were in the air, on top of the water, and the hole was below us.It looked big enough to take in all the world!"We're going down into the hole!""That's what we want!""Not this way!"We shouted because the noise of falling rocks was all around us and we couldn't hear each other.The boat moved like a train through the tunnel, then we crashed into a new river of fresh water.The boat went under and came back up so fast that there was very little water init.I don't know how we stayed in it.We held onto the sides of the boat with all of our strength."Professor,where are we?""I don't know, but the water is taking us somewhere. We have no choice but to follow it.""It's getting hot!"The temperature was high.The walls had the red color of lava."Are we under another volcano?"When I finished my sentence, we heard aloud roar from behind us.Water and air pushed us forward faster.The walls began to shake and rocks began to fall."Professor!"Then it was clear.We were inside a volcano and it was going to explode.I could see the blue sky through the round hole at the top of the volcano.There was one more terrible roar and we were flying up into the air!The volcano threw us into the sea.Hans saved us again with his amazing strength.But where were we? It looked like the surface of the earth.There were small boats in the water and olive and fruit trees on the land.Behind us was the huge volcano.We saw a little boy.We tried to go near him, but he was afraid of us.After all our underground adventures, we looked horrible.The professor spoke to him in German, French and English, but he did not understand.Finally,the boy spoke in Italian."What did he say?""He said we're in Stromboli, Italy.""You mean we went in one volcano in Iceland and came out of another in Italy?""Yes,and that one there is Mount Etna."And that was how our journey ended.The professor was not happy that he didn't get to the center of the earth, but when we got back to Germany, he felt better.Martha told everyone in Hamburg about our journey, and when we arrived, there was a big celebration for us.Everyone in Hamburg was at the train station when we arrived, but the only person I looked for was my Grauben.And I saw her, like a white light, moving past the others, until I could hold her."Oh,Axel, I'm so glad you're back. I thought of you every day and sometimes I was afraid, but somehow I knew you were all right.""Well,I never felt that I was safe, but I did want to come back to you, every minute of every day."There was a stage set up in the station, and the journalists who were there asked the professor to talk about our journey.Uncle Otto was tired, but he agreed."My nephew, Axel, and I are now back from an incredible journey."We saw things that scientists still do not know about.There is life in the heart of this planet.There is water and beaches and trees.Arne Saknussemm, a famous scientist from the sixteenth century, was the first to travel under the earth.We are the second.I do not know if others will try this dangerous adventure in the future.If they do, they need someone like our guide Hans with them, or I'm afraid they will not survive.For a moment, I thought I saw a smile on Hans' face as the people clapped and cheered.But,as usual, the quiet Icelander didn't say a word.翻译第九章：最后的隧道汉斯把船开到海滩尽头山洞所在的地方。我们把它绑在水里的一块石头上，然后把我们的包带到山洞里。“我们还要用这条船吗？”“我不知道。也许吧，如果我们从这边回来。但是，谁知道这条新隧道会把我们带到哪里呢？”我们需要船的时间比预想的要早。我们在洞里走了大约12英尺，然后我们看到一块巨大的岩石挡住了隧道。我们无法理解。“阿恩·萨克努塞姆怎么能绕过这块石头呢？”教授想了一会儿，然后看了看那块石头。“也许在他的旅行之后，在过去的两百年里，可能在地震或可怕的风暴之后，它就倒下了。”“只有一个办法能知道。”我们还带了些火药来装枪。汉斯用鹤嘴锄在岩石上挖了一个洞，然后我们把火药放进去。我们用绳子点燃它，但我们把绳子弄得很长，以便有时间后退躲起来。我们三个人上了船，向海上移动了五十英尺。我们不知道爆炸会有多大。等待它让我们非常紧张。“也许这行不通。”“阿克塞尔!不要说那些话。”我们等待着。突然，海滩上的岩石像两扇窗帘一样打开了。大地震动了，一切都掉进了一个大洞里。我们倒在船上，最后的爆炸使海面上升，形成一个巨大的波浪，把我们推回到海滩上。我们在空中，在水面上，洞在我们下面。它看起来大得足以容纳整个世界！“我们要到洞里去了！”“这就是我们想要的！”“这边不行！”我们大喊大叫，因为我们周围都是落石的声音，我们听不见彼此的声音。船像火车一样穿过隧道，然后我们撞上了一条新的淡水河。船沉下去又浮上来，速度很快，船上几乎没有水了。我不知道我们是怎么熬过来的。我们用尽全力抓住船舷。“教授，我们这是在哪儿？”“我不知道，但水把我们带到了某个地方。我们别无选择，只能遵循它。”“天越来越热了！”温度很高。墙壁是熔岩的红色。“我们是不是在另一座火山下面？”当我说完话时，我们听到身后传来一声响亮的吼声。水和空气推动我们前进得更快。墙壁开始摇晃，岩石开始掉落。“教授!”然后事情就清楚了。我们在火山里，火山马上就要爆发了。我可以透过火山顶上的圆洞看到蓝色的天空。又是一声可怕的吼声，我们飞上了天空！火山把我们扔进了海里。汉斯又用他惊人的力量救了我们。我们说到哪了？它看起来像地球的表面。水面上有小船，陆地上有橄榄树和果树。我们身后是一座巨大的火山。我们看见一个小男孩。我们试图靠近他，但他害怕我们。在经历了所有的地下冒险之后，我们看起来很可怕。教授用德语、法语和英语对他说话，但他听不懂。最后，男孩说了意大利语。“他说什么？”“他说我们在意大利的斯特隆博利。”“你是说我们去了冰岛的一座火山，又从意大利的另一座火山出来了？”“是的，那座就是埃特纳火山。”我们的旅程就这样结束了。教授因为没有到达地球的中心而不高兴，但是当我们回到德国时，他感觉好多了。玛莎把我们的旅程告诉了汉堡的每一个人，当我们到达时，那里为我们举行了盛大的庆祝活动。当我们到达时，汉堡的每个人都在火车站，但我唯一要找的人是我的格劳本。我看见她，像一道白光，从其他人身边走过，直到我能抓住她。阿克塞尔，真高兴你回来了。我每天都在想你，有时我很害怕，但不知怎么的，我知道你一切都好。”“嗯，我从来没有觉得我是安全的，但我确实想回到你身边，每时每刻都想。”车站里搭了一个舞台，站在那里的记者请教授谈谈我们的旅程。奥托叔叔很累，但他同意了。“我的侄子阿克塞尔和我现在结束了一段不可思议的旅程。”我们看到了科学家们仍然不知道的事情。在这个星球的中心有生命。那里有水、海滩和树木。阿恩·萨克努塞姆 ，一位16世纪的著名科学家，是第一个在地下旅行的人。我们是第二。我不知道将来是否有人会尝试这种危险的冒险。如果他们这样做了，他们需要像我们的导游汉斯这样的人陪着他们，否则我担心他们会活不下去。有那么一刻，当人们鼓掌欢呼时，我觉得我看到了汉斯脸上的微笑。但是，像往常一样，这个安静的冰岛人一句话也没说。

When you arrive in Iceland in December, the first thing you notice is the quiet. Snow sits on the hills like a thick blanket, steam rises from hot springs, and the cold air feels crisp but clean. Towns look small against the vast landscape, and most homes glow with warm lights by mid-afternoon. The short daylight makes every window feel like a beacon, and families across the country lean into these warm touches to brighten the long season. Walking through Reykjavik or any of the small towns, you see people with bags of baked goods from local shops, children bundled in thick coats, and families gathering indoors before the evening chill settles in. Icelanders handle winter with simple routines that make the season feel friendly. Nothing here rushes. People enjoy the slow build toward Christmas, with lights, books, treats, and old traditions that help them get through the cold months. December in Iceland feels like an invitation to slow down and enjoy the season alongside everyone else... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/christmas-traditions-iceland/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal  #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/christmas-traditions-sweden/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal  #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips

If you're searching for the perfect Christmas gift for that Iceland-obsessed friend in your life, I've got you covered. As someone who lives in Iceland and shares all things Icelandic year-round, I've rounded up a curated list of meaningful, cozy, and delicious gifts that will make any Iceland lover light up this holiday season. Here are some wonderful Iceland-inspired ideas (links included): 1. A Traditional Icelandic Sweater (Lopapeysa) Nothing says “I love Iceland” quite like a beautifully hand-knit lopapeysa. Made from Icelandic wool, it's warm, breathable, and naturally water-resistant. Plus, each pattern carries a piece of Icelandic heritage—making it a functional and sentimental gift. 2. Jólaöl – Icelandic Christmas Ale This seasonal favorite ale is only available around the holidays and has a comforting malt-forward flavor that Icelanders adore. It's a festive, fun, and very Icelandic way to toast the season. 3. Icelandic Chocolate Iceland's chocolate makers craft incredibly smooth and flavorful treats, often using local ingredients. Whether it's classic milk chocolate or artisanal small-batch bars, this gift never fails to impress sweet-toothed Iceland enthusiasts. 4. Iceland Christmas-Themed Mugs Perfect for cozy winter mornings, these mugs let your Iceland-loving friend enjoy their coffee or tea with a little nod to their favorite country. They're great for holiday decorating too! 5. Icelandic Coffee Blends Coffee culture is strong in Iceland, and local roasters create rich, aromatic blends inspired by the island's landscapes and traditions. It's a thoughtful gift for anyone who starts their day with a warm cup in hand. 6. Icelandic Beer & Spirits From craft beers to unique Icelandic spirits like Brennivín, these beverages offer a fun taste of Iceland's brewing and distilling traditions. It's a great way to share a little Icelandic cheer from afar. 7. A Book by an Icelandic Author Iceland punches far above its weight in literature! Whether your friend loves mysteries, folklore, poetry, or Icelandic sagas, gifting a book from a local author is a beautiful way to connect them to Iceland's storytelling roots. 8. Outerwear from an Icelandic Brand Icelanders know how to stay warm, dry, and stylish in unpredictable weather. Jackets, hats, and other outerwear from local brands, like 66 North, make incredible gifts—practical, high-quality, and authentically Icelandic. 9. A Music Record from a Local Icelandic Artist Music is a huge part of Icelandic culture, and gifting a vinyl record or album from a local artist is a beautiful way to share the country's creative spirit. Whether it's ethereal vocals, indie rock, contemporary pop, or traditional Icelandic sounds, this gift connects your friend to Iceland through artistry and emotion. Random Fact of the Episode It’s my first Christmas as a mom and I’m so excited!  Icelandic Word of the Episode Today's Icelandic word is: “Jólagjöf” (yo-la-gyöv) — which means “Christmas gift.” You'll hear Icelanders using this word everywhere in December. So now, when you're picking out that perfect jólagjöf for your Iceland-obsessed friend, you can throw in a little Icelandic too. I hope this episode sparks some great ideas for thoughtful, meaningful Christmas gifts inspired by Iceland. If you want links to any of the items I mentioned, check the show notes for this episode at allthingsiceland.com/iceland-christmas-gift-ideas If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who also loves Iceland. And of course, you can follow me on social media @allthingsiceland for more Icelandic content, tips, and inspiration. Share this with a Friend Pinterest Facebook Email Let’s Be Social Youtube Instagram Tiktok Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Icelandic Made A Must For Hospital StaffAll staff at Landspítali are expected to be able to speak Icelandic according to the hospital's newly approved language policy. These requirements will first be applied to nurses, nursing assistants, and medical residents. Better Icelandic proficiency means higher pay.New Hospital Being Built, But Will There Be A Helipad?The most expensive building in Iceland's history, a new hospital in Reykjavík, will be opened in 2030 according to plans. However, issues remained unsolved regarding a helipad for said hospital. In an interview this weekend, minister of Health Alma Möller told RÚV that the plan is either to build a helipad on top of one of the buildings of the new hospital, or to acquire a plot of land near by the hospital, probably near the BSÍ Bus Terminal, for that purpose. Two Tourists Rescued  North Of Torfajökull On Saturday night two tourists, driving god-knows-how  north of Torfajökull in the Icelandic highlands, got their Suzuki Jimny stuck in the river Dalakvísl. The two SARS teams sent to rescue them took eight hours to do so.40 Years Of TV News On Weekends OverSýn, which used to be known as Stöð 2 until recently, announced Friday, that the TV news on their station would be no more. The network, founded in 1986 as the first non-state owned TV station, has been facing financial troubles recently, as have many media companies. The announcement , that also brought with it news of layoffs, added to an ongoing discussion about the dire financial straits media companies in Iceland find themselves in.Thanksgiving Is Becoming Popular In IcelandRÚV reported that more turkey is being sold at this time of year than before and that celebrating Thanksgiving seems like it is becoming something Icelanders do, along with celebrating Halloween. Dorrit Moussaief Mugged In LondonFormer First Lady of Iceland, Dorrit Moussaief, was, according to her own instagram #mugged in #London, this weekend, calling the incident, appropriately, a #crime. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

We're thrilled to kick off our first episode of Víga-Glúms saga, the last of the sagas of Eyjafjörð. Víga-Glúms saga is one of the great character-driven Íslendingasögur, often drawing comparisons to Egils saga. Now, whether that's because it also happens to be a biographical saga or because it's of a similar quality will have to be sorted out on the podcast across the overview and judgments. But we're excited to start this new saga either way, and this first episode sets the stage beautifully for the arrival of the man who comes to be known as Killer-Glum. Like so many sagas, Víga-Glúms saga opens not with the hero himself but with the adventures of the generations that came before him. These early chapters give us a sense of the family dynamics, the local tensions, and threads of fate that Glum will inherit and inevitably wrestle with as his saga develops. Cast of Characters: I'm going to try and include a cast of major characters in the show notes for each episode to help listeners keep track of things. In this first episode, we get to know Glum's formidable ancestors, including: Helgi the Lean, Glúm's great-grandfather and the most prominent settler in Eyjafjörð Ingjald Helgason, Glúm's grumpy grandfather Eyjólf, Glúm's mild-mannered but calculating father Of course, this wouldn't be Saga Thing without a few memorable supporting characters to make things interesting. This episode introduces some pretty interesting Norwegians: Hreiðar, a Norwegian merchant with a heart of gold Ívar, a Viking with a heart of red (also Hreiðar's brother) A berserk with a notably low sense of self-worth, whose attempts at intimidation don't quite land the way he hopes Vigfús, a powerful Norwegian hersir with a lovely daughter named Ástrið And then, there are the Icelanders who will make Glúm's life more interesting, and challenging: Þorkell the Tall, father-in-law of Glúm's recently deceased brother Sigmund, son of Þorkell the Tall, and wannabe goði Víga-Glúms saga is definitely a fun one that we've been saving for a while. We hope you enjoy this first episode! Texts Discussed in This Episode Andersson, Theodore M. “Creating Personalities: The Saga Age Icelanders.” In The Growth of the Medieval Icelandic Sagas (1180–1280), 60–85. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2006. Johnston, George, trans. Viga-Glum's Saga. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999. McKinnell, John, trans. Viga-Glums Saga: With the Tales of Ögmund Bash and Thorvald Chatterbox. The New Saga Library / UNESCO Collection of Representative Works, Icelandic Series. Edinburgh: Canongate/UNESCO, 1987. North, Richard. “Sighvatr Sturluson and the Authorship of Víga-Glúms saga.” In Analecta Septentrionalia, edited by Wilhelm Heizmann, Klaus Böldl, and Heinrich Beck, 256–80. Berlin and New York: De Gruyter, 2009. Turville-Petre, Gabriel, ed. Viga-Glúms Saga. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960. Listen and let us know what you think: Sagathingpodcast on Facebook Sagathingpodcast on Instagram Sagathingpodcast on Bluesky Saga Thing's unofficial official Discord Recent Interview Links As promised, here are the links to our recent interviews: Relevant or Irrelevant - "Podcasts and Teaching" (KALA broadcast portion) Relevant or Irrelevant - "Podcasts and Teaching" (KALA podcast portion) Vikingology - "It's a Saga Thing" Music Credits Intro Music – “Prelude and Action” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Outro Music – “Stormfront” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Grapevine Editor-In-Chief Bart Cameron, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Too Few Physicians In North IcelandIt was reported before the weekend, that the Akureyri hospital in north of Iceland was hardly operational because too few physicians currently work there. Three doctors quit because they were overworked. The situation is also connected to how hospitals and health clinics have been staffed over the past decade or so, which is to hire doctors as  short term contractors, a practice which has turned out not to be strictly legal. Staffing generally is a problem in the Icelandic health care system, and the Reykjavík hospitals have been running in an emergency mode for over a year.Half of Municipalities In Iceland Without Policy Towards Disabled PeopleFifteen years ago, municipalities in Iceland took over responsibility for services to disabled people. Since then, only half of them have even taken up a policy regarding those services. This has in legalistic terms, not been a problem, but just recently Althingi ratified the UN's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which in turn will make some of those lackluster policies regarding disabled persons, illegal.55% of Icelanders Want An Investigation Of The State's Special Prosecutor The office of Special Prosecutor, setup after the 2008 economic collapse, has had tumultuous moments, and now 55% of Icelanders want that particular office, to be investigated. This recalls some parliamentarians interest in investigating the investigation committee that wrote a report for Althingi in 2010, on the reasons for the economic collapse. Investigate the investigation is a perpetual motion machine, of sorts.CEO Of Beloved Hot Dog Stand Shares Questionable Videos On TikTokLocal news outlet Heimildin reported on Bæjarins Bestu CEO having reposted a TikTok video which defends the actions of one Adolf Hitler. The CEO in question said he did not remember reposting the video.North Korea Is A Prosperous Country According To One IcelanderLast week it saw a report on Icelander Kristinn Hannesson, who visited North Korea for the 80th anniversary of that country's communist party. The former socialist------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Icelandic Language DayTook place on November 16th. The celebrations sometimes felt a bit like a premature wake. Former PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir said in an interview - in English - with The Guardian, “Having this language that is spoken by so very few, I feel that we carry a huge responsibility to actually preserve that. I do not personally think we are doing enough to do that,” her co-author Ragnar Jónasson, in the same interview said “We are just a generation away from losing this language because all of these huge changes”. Organized Crime Doubles In A DecadeA new report released Friday on organized crime in Iceland. So Groups that engage in organized crime are now twice as many as they were ten years ago. These groups often have international connections,  they pray on immigrants, refugees and young people and engage in prostitution, human trafficking, theft, money laundering and drug trafficking.Pets Now Legal In Apartment BuildingsBefore, if you wanted to keep a pet in an apartment building, you had to ask permission from other residents. This is no longer the case after a new law was passed, leaving many an allergic person, scratching more than their respective heads.Mosquito takeover continuesLast week it was reported that more mosquitoes had now been found in Iceland. This time in South Iceland, in a horse stables, and off a different type than those found earlier this fall in Hvalfjörður. Centre Party embraces “Great Replacement Theory”Snorri Másson of The Centrist Party wrote an Op-Ed for Viðskiptablaðið stating that Icelanders were facing an imminent threat of being replaced by immigration. An article on Visir.is with a picture of Snorri holding one of his kids by at the podium of a Center Party event, then caused a stir. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Something amazing happens in Iceland's Westman Islands each summer. Baby puffins — or pufflings…

Something amazing happens in Iceland's Westman Islands each summer. Baby puffins — or pufflings — are thrown from cliffs to save their lives. The Iceland population of Atlantic puffins is...

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne原文Chapter 3: IcelandIt was very early in the morning when the boat got to Iceland.We could see the round body of the Sneffells Yokul volcano going up into the sky through the clouds.It had snow near the top, and it looked like an angry monster waiting for someone to try and climb it.The boat stopped at Reykjavik.It was a small town with small brick houses.Mr. Fridriksson, a professor from the university there, met us at the boat.He looked very friendly and smiled when he saw us."You must be professor Lidenbrock.""And you must be professor Fridriksson. This is my assistant, Axel."We shook hands."You got my letter, then.""Oh,yes, professor, and everything is ready for you. Please, come with me."My uncle did not tell anyone the real reason for our journey.But we needed someone to go along with us as we didn't know the area, and the ice and snow around the volcano was too dangerous.So, Mr. Fridriksson found us a guide.His name was Hans and he looked perfect for the job.He was tall and very strong.He had small blue eyes and long red hair.He almost never smiled or spoke.Mr. Fridriksson introduced us."Professor Lidenbrock, this is Hans. Hans, professor Lidenbrock and his assistant, Axel."Hans moved his head just a little to say hello."Hans is a very quiet man, like most Icelanders, but he is the strongest and best climber in Reykjavik."My uncle smiled at Mr. Fridriksson's words."He's just perfect, Mr. Fridriksson."Mr. Fridriksson let us stay at his house until we were ready to leave.We needed many things for our adventure.We took four horses to travel to the mountain.The professor and I each rode one, but Hans walked.The other two horses carried our bags.We took a lot of things with us: rope for climbing, tools, lights, guns, medicine and enough food for six months.The only problem was we could only carry enough water for one week.The professor believed there was water under the volcano, but what if there wasn't?We left Reykjavik on the 15th of June, early in the morning.We travelled along the sea and it was a wonderful journey.The land had a dark color from the explosions of the volcano, and the beautiful blue sea next to it made it look fantastic.The journey to Sneffels took us six days, and each day we stopped in a different village for the night.The villages were small and very pretty, built at the foot of the volcano, next to the sea.The villagers were very nice, but, like Hans, they did not talk much.When we got closer to the top of Sneffels, I thought of something."Uncle,what happens if the volcano explodes again?""No,that's impossible. This volcano had its last explosion in 1229. I checked the ground.It's impossible.""But...""Axel,I am a scientist. This is a fact. There is nothing more to say."It was now eleven o'clock at night and we were at the top.We stopped and found a small place inside the opening of the volcano where we could sleep.That night, I had a dream.I saw that I was alone inside the volcano.I was lost and very scared.Suddenly,the volcano exploded and I was shot out of it stop like a rock!翻译第三章：冰岛船到达冰岛时，天还很早。我们可以看到斯奈菲尔·尤库尔火山的圆形火山体穿过云层直插云霄。山顶附近有雪，它看起来像一个愤怒的怪物，等待着有人试图爬上它。船在雷克雅未克停了下来。那是一个有小砖房的小镇。那里一所大学的教授弗雷德里克森先生在船上迎接我们。当他看到我们时，他看起来很友好，微笑着。“你一定是利登布洛克教授吧。”“你一定是弗雷德里克森教授吧。这是我的助手，阿克塞尔。”我们握了握手。“那么你收到我的信了。”“噢，是的，教授，一切都为您准备好了。请跟我来吧。”我叔叔没有告诉任何人我们旅行的真正原因。但是我们需要有人和我们一起去，因为我们不熟悉这个地区，而且火山周围的冰雪太危险了。弗雷德里克森先生给我们找了个向导。他的名字叫汉斯，看起来很适合这份工作。他又高又壮。他有一双蓝色的小眼睛和一头红色的长发。他几乎从不微笑或说话。弗雷德里克森先生介绍我们认识。“利登布洛克教授，这是汉斯。汉斯，这是利登布洛克教授和他的助手阿克塞尔。”汉斯微微摇了摇头打招呼。“汉斯是一个非常安静的人，就像大多数冰岛人一样，但他是雷克雅未克最强壮、最好的登山者。”叔叔听了弗雷德里克森先生的话笑了。“他太完美了，弗里德里克森先生。”弗雷德里克森先生让我们住在他家，直到我们准备离开。我们的冒险需要很多东西。我们骑了四匹马去山上旅行。教授和我各自骑着车，但汉斯是步行的。另外两匹马驮着我们的行李。我们带了很多东西：登山用的绳子、工具、灯、枪、药品和够六个月吃的食物。唯一的问题是我们只能带够一个星期的水。教授认为火山下面有水，但如果没有呢？6月15日一大早，我们离开了雷克雅未克。我们沿着海边旅行，这是一次美妙的旅行。火山爆发后，大地呈现出一片黑暗的颜色，旁边美丽的蓝色大海使它看起来非常迷人。去斯奈菲尔的旅程花了我们六天的时间，每天我们在一个不同的村庄停留过夜。这些村庄很小，但非常漂亮，建在火山脚下，紧挨着大海。村民们都很好，但是，像汉斯一样，他们不怎么说话。当我们走近斯奈菲尔山顶时，我想起了一件事。“叔叔，如果火山再次爆发会怎么样？”“不，那不可能。这座火山最后一次喷发是在1229年。我检查了一下地面。这是不可能的。”“但是……”“阿克塞尔，我是个科学家。这是事实。没什么可说的了。”现在是晚上十一点，我们已经到了山顶。我们停下来，在火山口里找了一个小地方睡觉。那天晚上，我做了一个梦。我看到火山里只有我一个人。我迷路了，非常害怕。突然，火山爆发了，我被射了出来，像块石头一样停了下来！

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Snowpocalypse, Iceland VersionTuesday saw a record snowfall in Reykjavík, for October that is, breaking a record from 1921, with 27 centimeters of snow in one day.  The snowfall resulted in massive traffic disruptions in Reykjavík, both because of the copious amounts of snow, and because  not all drivers had managed to change to winter tires. We used to think Icelanders could drive in snow. That myth has now been shattered.National Police Commissioner Spends 160 Million ISK On “Advice” From A Single PersonThe National Police Commissioner, Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, has found herself in potentially job ending circumstances, after RÚV revelled she had been buying the services from a single company over the past 5 years, for 160 million ISK, which is roughly 2.7 million ISK a month.  The company in question, Intra, is a single person operation whose only employee is a Þórunn Óðinsdóttir. The tasks she did ranged from buying office furniture to introducing “lean management” to the police offices, to helping move the office of the Police Commissioner between locations. Government Announces Housing Policy PlansAs often discussed on this podcast, the Icelandic housing market is fucked. Last week the government announced their ideas to “fix” the market. These include; Building 4000 apartments in a new suburb in Reykjavík, deregulating building regulations, giving funding to non-profit, housing companies. The government also plans to tax empty building plots, decrease AirBnB availability, increased taxes on rent and sell of copious amount of state owned real estate. Fewer Sheep Than Humans In Iceland, For First Time EverThe Icelandic sheep population has dropped by a 100.000 in the past 10 years, meaning that there are now “only” 350.000 sheep in Iceland. This also means that there are fewer sheep than people in Iceland, which has never ever happened before in the history of Iceland.Former Prince Andrew And Naming Royals In IcelandicIceland has the somewhat idiosyncratic policy of giving foreign royals Icelandic names. This means that King Charles III is Karl III in Icelandic ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are:Snow And Ice Expected All Over IcelandConsider this a weather warning. We're expecting a lot of snow in Iceland in the next 24-48 hours, with snowfall up to 20-30 centimeters, in the south and east of Iceland, including ReykjavikStuck In The Highlands (With Your Mom)A mother and son, who arrived in decent weather at Landmannalaugar in the Icelandic highlands this Saturday, woke up yesterday in deep snow, rendering them stuck, far from civilization. They had to be towed from there by SARS. The Last Criminal Case Following the 2008 Economic Collapse, Resolved.The last Icelandic criminal case in relations to the 2008 banking collapse was resolved in 2021. However, one case in Luxembourg remained and that case was finally finalized with a settlement in a Luxembourg court last week. The case in question, called the Lindsor case, had been under investigation for 15 years and had to do with the bank Kaupthing buying up bonds from Kaupthing's employees, just days before the bank collapsed in October 2008.The Icelandic Housing Market Freezes OverFollowing a recent Supreme Court ruling on inflation indexed housing loans, all the major Icelandic banks stopped issuing such loans. The result is, at least temporarily, that very few Icelanders can actually take out a hosing loan.Police raids the wrong address, Twice. Twice this year, the police entered the wrong house to perform a search.00:34:30 Question TimeWe respond to some listeners questions.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine, bringing you all the news and views on Icelandic society, music, travel, culture and more. Grapevine.is #rvkgrapevineJ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: 00:00:55 Overview Of This Weeks Stories00:04:00 Strange Place Names In IcelandicWe discuss a random assortment of strange names of places in Iceland00:11:00 A Drunk Man Arrested For Taking A Nap On A Coast Guard ShipThe police arrested a man who had “taken up residence” in the the Icelandic coast guard ship Thor (Þór) this weekend. No further details were given about the incident.00:16:50 Iceland And Germany Sign A Defense AgreementOn Sunday, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Boris Pistorius, Germany's Minister of Defense,  signed a bilateral declaration of intent on defense matters in connection with Pistorius' visit to Iceland. According to the declaration Iceland will build up infrastructure to accommodate military submarines and aircraft as a part of Iceland's membership in NATO. 00:21:40 Julian Assange Visits IcelandJulian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, visited Iceland this weekend and was spotted at Vitabar, having a burger and fries. Assange, who was more or less in detention for 15 years was set free a year ago and now lives in Australia. 00:24:30 Drugs On A FerryThe only ferry to sale to Iceland on schedule, Norræna, which harbors in Seyðisfjörður, east Iceland, has been in the news recently for drugs. At the beginning of September, 7 kilos of cocaine were apprehended in a car on the ferry and two men arrested. Later in September, 15 kilos of Ketamine and 5 kilos of MDMA war found in another car on the ferry. Three people were arrested in the latter case.00:29:00 52% Think Church And State Should Be SeparatedA poll conducted recently tells us that 52% of Icelanders think that church and state should be separated. 27% are neither for nor against the motion, and 21% are opposed to separation. 00:39:40 Women's Strike 50th AnniversaryThis Friday, October 24th the famous 1975 Women's Strike turns 50. Tens of thousands are expected to celebrate this with a strike, and gather in downtown Reykjavík. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: 00:03:50 Overview Of This Week's Stories00:04:50 Man Drinking Alcohol At City Library Kicked OutA man was evicted from a library in Reykjavík for drinking alcohol in the library's bathroom on Friday. The police said that drinking in the library was not good “library etiquette”.00:10:45 Laxness On His Way Out Of Icelandic College CurriculumNovels by Halldór Laxness, the only Icelander ever to win a Nobel prize, will soon no longer be taught in Icelandic schools 00:26:20 Icelanders Can Now Be Named MohammedThe Icelandic Naming Committee decided on five new names that Icelanders can use this past week. The names in question were Tenchi, Ivy, Ýri, Meryem and Múhameð, which is the Icelandic spelling of Mohammed.00:33:40 Former Icelandic Popstar And Activist Arrested On The High Seas By IsraelMargrét Kristín Blöndal, arrived in Amsterdam this past weekend after having been released from custody by the State of Israel. Margrét, or Magga was arrested last Wednesday along other members of the so called Freedom Fleet, trying to get aid to Gaza by way of the sea. A ceasefire has been declared in Gaza. Also, the foreign minister of Palestine, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian, happened to be in Iceland when the ceasefire was announced.00:39:30 Two Thirds Of Icelanders Think Iceland Should Not Participate In Eurovision, If Israel Is Allow To ParticipateA recent poll, conducted this September, 67% of participants said Iceland should rather stay out of Eurovision next year if Israel participates. Younger people were less likely to want Iceland to withdraw in that scenario, while people from outside Reykjavík were likelier than the inhabitants of Reykjavík, to want Iceland to boycott the competition.00:41:00 The Murder Case That Never RestsIn 1974, two men disappeared within 10 months of each other. These men were named Guðmundur and Geirfinnur. The case led to numerous arrests, and finally long time prison sentences. Much doubt has been cast on whether those charged and sentenced were actually guilty. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

We are joined by a big friendly giant - Icelander turned Londoner, Jón Valgeir Williams. Jon is the founder of ‘Valgeir Strength Trips', a Personal Trainer & Strongman Coach based in London & the father to a very strong 18 year old son - Erik. Jon was a competitor at the Worlds Strongest Man competition in 2002 & 2003 & was also the mentee & training partner of 4 x WSM & former Health Oddity guest Magnus Ver Magnusson. We discuss training, competing, travelling, stone lifting & what a lifetime of being incredibly strong (& the injuries that come with that) has taught Jon about training the general population & being ‘strong for life'.

In Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland (Indiana University Press, 2019), Árni Heimir Ingólfsson provides a striking account of the dramatic career of Iceland's iconic composer. Leifs (1899–1968) was the first Icelander to devote himself fully to composition at a time when a local music scene was only beginning to take form. He was a fervent nationalist in his art, fashioning an idiosyncratic and uncompromising 'Icelandic' sound from traditions of vernacular music with the aim to legitimize Iceland as an independent, culturally empowered nation. In addition to exploring Leifs's career, Ingólfsson provides detailed descriptions of Leifs's major works and their cultural contexts. Leifs's music was inspired by the Icelandic landscape and includes auditory depictions of volcanos, geysers, and waterfalls. The raw quality of his orchestral music is frequently enhanced by an expansive percussion section, including anvils, stones, sirens, bells, ships' chains, shotguns, and cannons. Largely neglected in his own lifetime, Leifs's music has been rediscovered in recent years and hailed as a singular and deeply original contribution to twentieth-century music. Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland enriches our understanding and appreciation of Leifs and his music by exploring the political, literary and environmental contexts that influenced his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland (Indiana University Press, 2019), Árni Heimir Ingólfsson provides a striking account of the dramatic career of Iceland's iconic composer. Leifs (1899–1968) was the first Icelander to devote himself fully to composition at a time when a local music scene was only beginning to take form. He was a fervent nationalist in his art, fashioning an idiosyncratic and uncompromising 'Icelandic' sound from traditions of vernacular music with the aim to legitimize Iceland as an independent, culturally empowered nation. In addition to exploring Leifs's career, Ingólfsson provides detailed descriptions of Leifs's major works and their cultural contexts. Leifs's music was inspired by the Icelandic landscape and includes auditory depictions of volcanos, geysers, and waterfalls. The raw quality of his orchestral music is frequently enhanced by an expansive percussion section, including anvils, stones, sirens, bells, ships' chains, shotguns, and cannons. Largely neglected in his own lifetime, Leifs's music has been rediscovered in recent years and hailed as a singular and deeply original contribution to twentieth-century music. Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland enriches our understanding and appreciation of Leifs and his music by exploring the political, literary and environmental contexts that influenced his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

In Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland (Indiana University Press, 2019), Árni Heimir Ingólfsson provides a striking account of the dramatic career of Iceland's iconic composer. Leifs (1899–1968) was the first Icelander to devote himself fully to composition at a time when a local music scene was only beginning to take form. He was a fervent nationalist in his art, fashioning an idiosyncratic and uncompromising 'Icelandic' sound from traditions of vernacular music with the aim to legitimize Iceland as an independent, culturally empowered nation. In addition to exploring Leifs's career, Ingólfsson provides detailed descriptions of Leifs's major works and their cultural contexts. Leifs's music was inspired by the Icelandic landscape and includes auditory depictions of volcanos, geysers, and waterfalls. The raw quality of his orchestral music is frequently enhanced by an expansive percussion section, including anvils, stones, sirens, bells, ships' chains, shotguns, and cannons. Largely neglected in his own lifetime, Leifs's music has been rediscovered in recent years and hailed as a singular and deeply original contribution to twentieth-century music. Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland enriches our understanding and appreciation of Leifs and his music by exploring the political, literary and environmental contexts that influenced his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

In Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland (Indiana University Press, 2019), Árni Heimir Ingólfsson provides a striking account of the dramatic career of Iceland's iconic composer. Leifs (1899–1968) was the first Icelander to devote himself fully to composition at a time when a local music scene was only beginning to take form. He was a fervent nationalist in his art, fashioning an idiosyncratic and uncompromising 'Icelandic' sound from traditions of vernacular music with the aim to legitimize Iceland as an independent, culturally empowered nation. In addition to exploring Leifs's career, Ingólfsson provides detailed descriptions of Leifs's major works and their cultural contexts. Leifs's music was inspired by the Icelandic landscape and includes auditory depictions of volcanos, geysers, and waterfalls. The raw quality of his orchestral music is frequently enhanced by an expansive percussion section, including anvils, stones, sirens, bells, ships' chains, shotguns, and cannons. Largely neglected in his own lifetime, Leifs's music has been rediscovered in recent years and hailed as a singular and deeply original contribution to twentieth-century music. Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland enriches our understanding and appreciation of Leifs and his music by exploring the political, literary and environmental contexts that influenced his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

In Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland (Indiana University Press, 2019), Árni Heimir Ingólfsson provides a striking account of the dramatic career of Iceland's iconic composer. Leifs (1899–1968) was the first Icelander to devote himself fully to composition at a time when a local music scene was only beginning to take form. He was a fervent nationalist in his art, fashioning an idiosyncratic and uncompromising 'Icelandic' sound from traditions of vernacular music with the aim to legitimize Iceland as an independent, culturally empowered nation. In addition to exploring Leifs's career, Ingólfsson provides detailed descriptions of Leifs's major works and their cultural contexts. Leifs's music was inspired by the Icelandic landscape and includes auditory depictions of volcanos, geysers, and waterfalls. The raw quality of his orchestral music is frequently enhanced by an expansive percussion section, including anvils, stones, sirens, bells, ships' chains, shotguns, and cannons. Largely neglected in his own lifetime, Leifs's music has been rediscovered in recent years and hailed as a singular and deeply original contribution to twentieth-century music. Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland enriches our understanding and appreciation of Leifs and his music by exploring the political, literary and environmental contexts that influenced his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music

In Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland (Indiana University Press, 2019), Árni Heimir Ingólfsson provides a striking account of the dramatic career of Iceland's iconic composer. Leifs (1899–1968) was the first Icelander to devote himself fully to composition at a time when a local music scene was only beginning to take form. He was a fervent nationalist in his art, fashioning an idiosyncratic and uncompromising 'Icelandic' sound from traditions of vernacular music with the aim to legitimize Iceland as an independent, culturally empowered nation. In addition to exploring Leifs's career, Ingólfsson provides detailed descriptions of Leifs's major works and their cultural contexts. Leifs's music was inspired by the Icelandic landscape and includes auditory depictions of volcanos, geysers, and waterfalls. The raw quality of his orchestral music is frequently enhanced by an expansive percussion section, including anvils, stones, sirens, bells, ships' chains, shotguns, and cannons. Largely neglected in his own lifetime, Leifs's music has been rediscovered in recent years and hailed as a singular and deeply original contribution to twentieth-century music. Jón Leifs and the Musical Invention of Iceland enriches our understanding and appreciation of Leifs and his music by exploring the political, literary and environmental contexts that influenced his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: ✨ Three AI robots have started “working” for the Icelandic container company. Their job is to sort garbage. ✨ Morgunblaðið has been  going nuts about the profitability of drilling for oil on the ocean floor north east of Iceland, in an area generally referred to as “Drekasvæðið” or the Dragon Zone. What do you guys think is driving this discussion, and does it really make sense to drill for oil — underwater — at this point in history?✨ Four out of ten Icelanders say they have faith. Down from just over half of the population 10 years ago. 25% claim to be atheist, compared to about 15% in 2014. We see the trend of young men being more religious that women, with a third of men saying they have faith, while only a fifth of women report the same. ✨ A Reykjavík city council member of Viðreisn, suggested during a city council meeting last week, that the school summer recess would be shortened. The minister of education announced he'd be willing to discuss the proposition. ✨ On Friday, Estonia announced they were putting article 4 of the NATO charter into effect, initiating a consultation among the member states. This happened after Russian airplanes entered Estonian airspace.✨ Political parties meet over the weekend. Viðreisn, one of the three political parties of the majority coalition government was re-elected chairman of that party over the weekend. The Pirate party also met over, decided to take up the status of chair and co-chairman as a part of their party's hierarchy, but nobody really seemed interested in becoming chairman of the party.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine, bringing you all the news and views on Ice------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Iceland is so much more than the Golden Circle and Northern Lights—there's a vast country that exists beyond the tourist hotspots. On this episode of Unpacked, join host Aislyn Greene as she speaks with travel writer Ali Wunderman, who has been exploring the country for more than a decade. Ali shares how to connect with authentic Icelandic culture, avoid the crowds, and discover the spots that most visitors miss. From traditional lopapeysa sweaters to remote West Fjords adventures, learn how to experience Iceland like a local. In this episode, you'll learn How to avoid crowds at Iceland's most popular destinations Why the West Fjords and East Fjords offer Iceland's most authentic experiences The cultural significance behind Iceland's tourism boom and economic recovery How to respectfully engage with Icelandic hot spring etiquette and local customs Don't miss these moments [03:00] The tourism video that changed everything and launched Iceland's boom [08:00] Why dating an Icelander is the ultimate travel hack (and passport strategy) [15:00] Iceland's transformation from a place left off maps to overtourism destination [20:00] The real story behind Icelandic cuisine beyond fermented shark [25:00] How WWII American soldiers accidentally created modern Iceland's progressive culture [30:00] Essential Icelandic words and cultural tips for connecting with locals Meet this week's guest Ali Wunderman, travel writer for National Geographic, Vogue, and Afar, and author of an Iceland guidebook Resources —Read the transcript of this episode —Read Ali's Afar.com story about off-the-beaten-path Iceland —Explore Afar's guide to Iceland —Browse Ali's Iceland guidebook —Follow Ali's travels and writing on Instagram —Explore her ex-boyfriend's Icelandic music playlist. "He often shares this with foreigners to get a deeper taste of Iceland's music beyond the stuff that makes it to the USA," Ali says. Where to Stay Find your dream Icelandic hotel Where to Eat, Drink, and shop Shop for traditional Icelandic sweaters at the Handknitting Association of Iceland Eat Icelandic cuisine at Dill restaurant (Iceland's first Michelin star) Try local Thai restaurants (a surprising Iceland specialty) Eat the famous hamburger with fries inside at Leirunesti in Akureyri Activities Horseback riding with Eldhestar Sheep herding during réttir season (September) Iceland Airwaves Music Festival (November) Þorrablót winter festivals (January) West Fjords photography expeditions Highland four-wheel-drive adventures Bonus Opportunity: What's one tricky travel topic you want us to unpack? Send us a voice message here, for a chance to weigh in and be featured in an upcoming episode. Stay Connected Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode.  Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us. Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iceland is one of the last remaining Western countries where a substantial proportion of the population believes in the presence of other beings - The Hidden Folk. For centuries, and until fairly recently, ghosts, revenants, trolls and elves were regarded as an integral part of everyday life. Their stories were shared during the long nights of winter gatherings, and they felt just as real to Icelanders as the people sitting beside them.  Ethnologist Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir came to the Bureau to talk about the role of these mythical and supernatural beings in Icelandic society and landscape. Her book 'Ghosts, Trolls and the Hidden People: Icelandic Folktales' opens the door to the astonishing and eerie world of folk legends in the various settings of farm, wilderness, darkness, church, ocean and shore. We hear about her own family's ghost, how to recognise a magical being, how to scare off a troll and how construction projects in Iceland can still be delayed or rerouted in order to take account of the Hidden Folk. #folklore, #iceland, #icelandicfolklore, #trolls, #elves, #ghosts, #supernatural, #supernaturalbeings, #sorcery #ghoststories, #counterculture  

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: ✨Three caravans/trailers were blown up by strong winds on Holtavörðuheiði, a mountain road between the north and west of Iceland. Nobody was hurt, but SARS also had to help a group of motorcyclists off the mountain road, due to heavy winds. The weather on Friday also brought a thunderstorm to the west of Iceland. A rarity. ✨Egilsstaðir, a town in east Iceland saw the the thermostat reach 29,8 celsius on Saturday. That is the highest temperature recorded in Iceland this century, though it still does not pass the all time record of just over 30 degrees, recorded - also in the east - in 1939.✨A boulder fell on the the ring road road south of Eyjafjallajökull, in south of Iceland on Sunday. This spring, in the same area, a boulder hit a car, killing a woman who was visiting Iceland. The locals have for long complained about the safety of that stretch of road, but so far nothing has been done to amend it.✨Third of Icelanders pay for Spotify and the platform is almost responsible for 100% of streaming in Iceland. The Chairman of STEF (Composers' Rights Society of Iceland), Páll Ragnar Pálsson says STEF is not planning on withdrawing the the catalog of Icelandic music from the service, and points out individual artists can do that. He says that STEF is working with other composers' rights societies abroad in order to try to put some pressure on Spotify. But because of what? There are three reasons, first, the extremely low revenues that artists get for streaming. Second, the numerous fake artists that also skim money from streaming on Spotify, and which in some cases seems to have happened with Spotify's consent, and third, the recent move of Spotify's CEO into weapons development and manufacturing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

We have had many older, distinguished gentlemen and young passionate ladies.Countless Distinguished authors, iconic modern living legends that have paved the way of our fly fishing knowledge. The Brits, The Scottish, Irish, Norwegians, Icelanders, Canadians and our American ground- zero roots. Tons of knowledge bombs have come across our airwaves if you go back and listen and learn.But now this young gent : an ER Nurse, approached me and I listened and liked.He believes in time on the water and having a plan with a purpose- to learn, improve and be open- minded.And for a young age, he sees the whole spectrum- may I  present Nick Sage. Millennials are the new future icons of our passion. Do you enjoy the show? Please take a moment to like and leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! It will help take our terrestrial bug crazed crusade even further around the world!!We would love to hear from you. Drop us a line at hallowedwaterspodcast@gmail.comhallowedwatersjournal.comhallowedwaterspodcast@gmail.comEdited at Jupiter Sound Studio - www.JupiterSound.studio

When Swedish twins Ursula and Sabina Eriksson suddenly began throwing themselves into speeding traffic on a UK motorway—captured on camera by a reality TV crew—it was only the beginning of a shared psychotic break that would lead to superhuman strength, psychiatric hospitalization, and ultimately murder.==========HOUR ONE: In 1761, a young Frenchman died violently. This tragedy would lead to what is still one of that country's most famous cases of judicial injustice. Assuming, of course, that it truly was an injustice at all. (The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas) *** Most know them as “The Hidden Folk.” The elusive and magical residents of Iceland, who live inside rocks and sometimes play games with unsuspecting passers-by. Are they real? That's a complicated question, if you ask Icelanders. (The Elves of Iceland) *** As two boys were walking back to the house on their farm, a small stone rolled past them. Then a second one. They immediately thought some other boys were hiding in the scrub and throwing stones for a joke.  They couldn't have been more wrong. (Stone Throwing Spirits) *** Belle Gunness lured numerous suitors to her Indiana farm. Not to entertain them or to be courted by them. She simply wanted to kill them in cold blood and dump their bodies in her hog pen. (Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest) *** "They're going to steal your organs!" screamed Sabina Eriksson, before running toward oncoming traffic on the M6 highway, having already been hit head-on by a Volkswagen. Her twin sister, Ursula, legs crushed by the truck that had just run her over, was spitting and screaming at paramedics on the side of the road. Now, many years after these events, we're still no closer to understanding the chaos that occurred over two days in 2008 involving psychotic twin sisters on a UK highway. (The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins)==========HOUR TWO: In 1882 the Ma'amtrasna murders, the brutal killing of several members of the Joyce family in rural Galway, caused outrage in Irish society and remains one of the most notorious homicides in Irish history. However a few years later Cork was rocked by an equally heinous case which has largely been forgotten. We'll look at the brutal murders of four family members that took place in Castletownroche, Ireland. (The Castletownroche Murders) *** An Arizona family encounters a creature from the dark side of a Navajo legend. (The Arizona Skinwalker) *** John Blair liked to keep things “in the family”. But in his case, it wasn't just a saying. It was literal. Because John was infamous for being bigamous. (Bigamous Blair) *** Dozens of Korean War GI's claimed an unidentified flying object made them all sick. Theories range from high-tech Soviet death rays to extraterrestrials studying how we engage in battle to combat-stress-induced hallucinations. What actually happened? (The Korean War UFO)==========SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Were people ever really tortured in Iron Maidens? (The Iron Maiden)==========SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT'S SHOW:“The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins” by Harrison Tenpas for Graveyard Shift: https://tinyurl.com/r6cbnxf“The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/rrs89rx“The Elves of Iceland” by Rob Schwarz for Stranger Dimensions: https://tinyurl.com/u4bcw6v“Stone Throwing Spirits” from The Fortean: https://tinyurl.com/qnuf7sd“Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest” by Steven Casale for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/tqyceby“The Iron Maiden” by Karl Smallwood for Today I Found Out: https://tinyurl.com/t2y6vj6“The Korean War UFO” by Natasha Frost for History.com: https://tinyurl.com/y765nsgm“The Castletownroche Murders” by Fin Dwyer for the Irish Examiner: https://tinyurl.com/y9fhagfb“The Arizona Skinwalker” by Stephen Wagner for Live About: https://tinyurl.com/yxkdh9vv“Bigamous Blair” from London Overlooked: https://tinyurl.com/y9qpo54x==========(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)=========="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46==========WeirdDarkness®, WeirdDarkness© 2025==========To become a Weird Darkness Radio Show affiliate, contact Radio America at affiliates@radioamerica.com, or call 800-807-4703 (press 2 or dial ext 250).

What would it be like to live in a world where magic is still alive? Not weird, not woo-woo, just ordinary. 400 years ago, consulting a magician in downtown London was as unremarkable as calling a plumber today. Even now, there are places where magic never died – like Iceland, where 54 percent of the population believes in elves, or thinks they might exist. Original Air Date: October 12, 2024Interviews In This Hour: Why do Icelanders believe in elves? — Deborah Harkness uncovers the real history of witches — Practical magic and the 'cunning folk' of Tudor EnglandGuests: Nancy Marie Brown, Deborah Harkness, Tabitha StanmoreNever want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: ✨ Last Saturday 40 pilot whales swam ashore in North Iceland by the town of Ólafsfjörður. They were all successfully pushed back out to sea. ✨ A third of Icelanders have an account on chess.com - Icelanders are also the most active users on there, and the in fourth place when it comes to total points.✨ Last Saturday it was reported that the Kattholt cat shelter was full. So if you need a kitten….✨ We discuss the ongoing filibuster on the new fisheries resource rent bill✨ The Police's special forces broke their way into a house in Raufarhöfn, a remote town of 180 people in North-East Iceland. A man living in the house is thought to be linked with organised crime and the manufacturing illegal substances.✨ Seven Icelanders were trying to leave Israel last week, and had contacted the ministry of foreign affairs for that purpose. Nine Icelanders had requested similar aid to leave Iran. ✨ The woman suspected of a double homicide of her husband and daughter at the Reykjavík Edition hotel will be detained for at least another two weeks, it was reported on Friday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin editor Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: ✨We discuss an upcoming storm warning for the whole island. Iceland is expecting strong winds with near freezing temperatures and snow expected in the north and east of the island.✨ We discuss the parking fees in and around popular tourist locations in Iceland, also known as the habit of charging people for nothing. ✨ From June 1, 2025 swimming pools in Reykjavík will be open until 22:00 in the evenings until August 31, adding a welcome hour to the hot tub soaking of the many pool fans of Reykjavík. The pools had historically been open until 22:00, but those hours were cut by the city in April 2024 in order to save money. Since it is estimated that the extra hour will cost the city just 7 million ISK, keeping the pools open for the extra hour for a whole year would cost 28 million ISK. A puny amount of money in a city of almost 150.000 inhabitants.✨ On the last day of May a concert was held at Laugardalshöll stadium to commemorate a 14 year anniversary of a popular radio show called FM95BLÖ. The show, which featured numerous popular pop artists including Jóhanna Guðrún of Eurovision fame, Prettyboytjokkó, Birnir and Herra Hnetusmjör, to name a few. Around 10.000 people showed up, and due to a mixture of overcrowding and organisational failures, numerous people had to seek medical help, though nobody is reported to have been badly injured.✨A protest took place in Austurvöllur in front of Iceland's parliament this Saturday. “We are not racists” said the organizer of the protest, Sigfús Aðalsteinsson. We discuss.✨An Icelander in his early 40s was stopped by the police in the last week of May while driving in Akureyri. A breathalyser test indicated that the man was under the influence of alcohol, yet the man claimed to have never drunk alcohol in his life. After an argument with the police officer who conducted the breathalyser test, the man was allowed to rinse his mouth of the sourdough sandwich he had been consuming. The subsequent test showed that he had not been drinking and according to the driver this annoyed the police officer somewhat. This is news to most - if not all - lovers of a good sourdough sandwich, who have until now remai------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport the Grapevine's reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: https://steadyhq.com/en/rvkgrapevine/You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a Reykjavík Grapevine podcast.The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free alternative magazine in English published 18 times per year, biweekly during the spring and summer, and monthly during the autumn and winter. The magazine covers everything Iceland-related, with a special focus culture, music, food and travel. The Reykjavík Grapevine's goal is to serve as a trustworthy and reliable source of information for those living in Iceland, visiting Iceland or interested in Iceland. Thanks to our dedicated readership and excellent distribution network, the Reykjavík Grapevine is Iceland's most read English-language publication. You may not agree with what we write or publish, but at least it's not sponsored content.www.grapevine.is

Alda Sigmundsdóttir is a journalist, author, and independent publisher who has built a thriving literary life outside the traditional system. From blogging about Iceland to launching her own press, Alda has published over 11 books and grown a loyal global readership—while staying in full control of her creative work.We discuss: Alda's early writing career and transition to self-publishingWhat she learned from being traditionally publishedThe freedom and responsibility of going indieHow she built and nurtured a global readershipHer approach to writing about people, culture, and the pastLessons from promoting across genres and writing memoirMindset shifts and skills that supported her success *ABOUT ALDA SIGMUNDSDÓTTIRAlda Sigmundsdóttir is a writer, speaker, and independent publisher based in Reykjavík, Iceland. She's the author of over 10 books exploring Icelandic culture and society, and the memoir Daughter. She writes two popular Substack newsletters (Letter from Iceland and The Recovery Salon), runs her own publishing house (Little Books Publishing), and teaches a course on going indie.*RESOURCES & LINKS:

Nebrasketball is going to be big in Reykjavik, next season!

Jón Arason was the last Catholic bishop in Iceland before it became a Lutheran country. His story involves a lot of gory details in this story including a pretty gruesome beheading. Research: Buck, Thomas. “An Icelandic Martyr: Jón Arason.” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, vol. 46, no. 182, 1957, pp. 213–22. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30103574. Accessed 8 Jan. 2025. Cunningham, Jack. “Jón Arason, ‘the last Icelander’ and the Coming of the Reformation to Iceland,” Reformation & Renaissance Review, 11:3, 245-273, DOI: 10.1558/rrr.v11i3.245.” Gunnarsson, Gisli. “Question: Is it really true that all Icelanders are descended from Jón Arason, the last Catholic bishop of Iceland, who was executed in 1550?” The Islandic Web of Science. 3/5/2005. https://www.why.is/svar.php?id=4789 Ker, W.P. “JÓN ARASON.” Saga-Book, 1913-1914, Vol. 8 (1913-1914), pp. 149-171. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/48611694 Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn. “The Dissolution of the Monastic Houses in Iceland.” Religions 15: 771. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070771 Oleson, Tryggvi J. “A Note on Bishop Jón Arason.” Speculum , Jul., 1954, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Jul., 1954), pp. 535-536. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2846795 Oleson, Tryggvi J. “Bishop Jón Arason 1484-1550.” Speculum , Apr., 1953, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Apr., 1953). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2849686 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HOUR ONE: In 1882 the Ma'amtrasna murders, the brutal killing of several members of the Joyce family in rural Galway, caused outrage in Irish society and remains one of the most notorious homicides in Irish history. However a few years later Cork was rocked by an equally heinous case which has largely been forgotten. We'll look at the brutal murders of four family members that took place in Castletownroche, Ireland. (The Castletownroche Murders) *** An Arizona family encounters a creature from the dark side of a Navajo legend. (The Arizona Skinwalker) *** John Blair liked to keep things “in the family”. But in his case, it wasn't just a saying. It was literal. Because John was infamous for being bigamous. (Bigamous Blair) *** Dozens of Korean War GI's claimed an unidentified flying object made them all sick. Theories range from high-tech Soviet death rays to extraterrestrials studying how we engage in battle to combat-stress-induced hallucinations. What actually happened? (The Korean War UFO)==========HOUR TWO: In 1761, a young Frenchman died violently. This tragedy would lead to what is still one of that country's most famous cases of judicial injustice. Assuming, of course, that it truly was an injustice at all. (The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas) *** Most know them as “The Hidden Folk.” The elusive and magical residents of Iceland, who live inside rocks and sometimes play games with unsuspecting passers-by. Are they real? That's a complicated question, if you ask Icelanders. (The Elves of Iceland) *** As two boys were walking back to the house on their farm, a small stone rolled past them. Then a second one. They immediately thought some other boys were hiding in the scrub and throwing stones for a joke.  They couldn't have been more wrong. (Stone Throwing Spirits) *** Belle Gunness lured numerous suitors to her Indiana farm. Not to entertain them or to be courted by them. She simply wanted to kill them in cold blood and dump their bodies in her hog pen. (Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest) *** "They're going to steal your organs!" screamed Sabina Eriksson, before running toward oncoming traffic on the M6 highway, having already been hit head-on by a Volkswagen. Her twin sister, Ursula, legs crushed by the truck that had just run her over, was spitting and screaming at paramedics on the side of the road. Now, many years after these events, we're still no closer to understanding the chaos that occurred over two days in 2008 involving psychotic twin sisters on a UK highway. (The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins)==========SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Were people ever really tortured in Iron Maidens? (The Iron Maiden)==========SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT'S SHOW:“The Disturbing Case of the Eriksson Twins” by Harrison Tenpas for Graveyard Shift: https://tinyurl.com/r6cbnxf“The Mysterious Death of Marc Antoine Calas” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/rrs89rx“The Elves of Iceland” by Rob Schwarz for Stranger Dimensions: https://tinyurl.com/u4bcw6v“Stone Throwing Spirits” from The Fortean: https://tinyurl.com/qnuf7sd“Belle Gunness – The Black Widow of the Midwest” by Steven Casale for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/tqyceby“The Iron Maiden” by Karl Smallwood for Today I Found Out: https://tinyurl.com/t2y6vj6“The Korean War UFO” by Natasha Frost for History.com: https://tinyurl.com/y765nsgm“The Castletownroche Murders” by Fin Dwyer for the Irish Examiner: https://tinyurl.com/y9fhagfb“The Arizona Skinwalker” by Stephen Wagner for Live About: https://tinyurl.com/yxkdh9vv“Bigamous Blair” from London Overlooked: https://tinyurl.com/y9qpo54x==========(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)=========="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46==========WeirdDarkness®, WeirdDarkness© 2024==========To become a Weird Darkness Radio Show affiliate, contact Radio America at affiliates@radioamerica.com, or call 800-807-4703 (press 2 or dial ext 250).