Tips

Welcome back to another weekly report! We were reporting last week about lower temperatures in June, though our judgment was based only on the eye test. Now we have the official confirmation from meteorologists: current June is the coldest in three decades! Thankfully, in the last few days, temperatures have bounced back, and we can finally hide the winter clothes deep in our wardrobes. Today is +15.5⁰C and it’s almost tropical!

Whale hunting is a polarizing subject in Iceland. In the latest discussion on the topic, the Icelandic Tourist Board stated that this practice is damaging to the country’s reputation and therefore has a significant negative impact on tourism. Earlier this year Iceland announced its plans to end whaling in 2024. 

A new warning light system is to be installed at Reynisfjara Black Beach, where several tourists have drowned in recent years. The new safety measure will be placed by the footpath leading to the beach. Officials are hoping flashing red lights will draw more attention to the warning signs that are already there. The system will be installed within 3 weeks along with cameras to monitor the area and will hopefully stop people from walking to the shoreline.

Even though we are halfway through summer, there are few interior roads still waiting to be open. Some assume the authorities are being overcautious here, but if you check the latest photos of the road F208 for instance you’ll see that the only vehicle which can get there is… a snow plow. For all updates about the road conditions please visit road.is. 

Any earthquakes this week?  The strongest one was a 3.3 magnitude and took place on Monday morning on the rim of the Bárðarbunga caldera – which is located in the northwest region of the Vatnajökull glacier. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office earthquakes of that magnitude occur frequently in the area. 

The destructive lupine, the purple background of any picture taken in Iceland during summer has its darker side. The rapid spread of the plant is difficult to control. Recently lupine has invaded the Krossanesborgi nature reserve. If the plant won’t be stopped it will kill the native plants like peatland vegetation and mosses.

Famous actress Jodie Foster is coming to Iceland to shoot the fourth season of the “True Detective”. Fun fact – Icelandic landscapes will “play” Alaska in the show. By the way, the first lupine plant was brought to Iceland from Alaska in a suitcase in 1945.    

Talking about celebrities, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson gave a lecture in front of a full house at Háskólabíó in Reykjavik. This wasn’t the first time Peterson has been invited to Iceland, although Icelanders’ opinions about his beliefs are strongly divided. Icelandic national tv station RÚV recorded an interview with Peterson in which he elaborates, in his typical edgy way, on several socially sensitive topics. 

On Tuesday (28th) the Ultra-endurance cycling race in the Westfjords began. The route challengers are facing is 480 miles long. If you have ever driven in the Westfjords, you know how mountainous and difficult the roads are there, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for the brave competitors. The race continues for 6 days.

Unusual police intervention in the capital. An accordionist was asked by police to take his talents elsewhere after complaints from dissatisfied listeners. Unofficially, it is said that the accordionist played out of tune the same melody over and over again. Well, Icelanders have a sensitive ear for music.

The word for Today is Úlfabaunir, which means ‘Wolf Beans’ but the more telling translation would be “lupine”.