Dateline Iceland

Enjoy the spectacle of cosmic wonder as the Aurora Borealis dances across the sky in majestic sheets, curtains and spikes. The heavens ripple with light as our planet meets ions born on our Sun. The sightseeing alone is worth the trip, and don’t forget to bring a swimsuit and towel for the Blue Lagoon. Trips depart now through April 30, 2007. $655*, click here for more details.

Party In Iceland For A Weekend

Take advantage of a long weekend and jet-set to Iceland. By day, sleep in and enjoy afternoon sightseeing or outdoor adventure our natural wonders, by night party in some of Europe’s best clubs and pubs with half the flight time. This package includes all the ingredients for a fantastic holiday: three nights at a hotel in Reykjavik, breakfast daily, tours, and a visit to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. From $769* Click here for more details.

*Prices quoted are exclusive of applicable taxes and official charges by destination of approximately $100-$180, per person including the Sept. 11th Security Fee of $2.50 per U.S. enplanement.

Something to Smile About

A recent Reuters story listed Iceland as the fourth happiest country in the world. The results were based on data from 178 countries and 100 global studies from the likes of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Denmark was named the happiest country on Earth, with Switzerland, Austria, Iceland and the Bahamas following. Alas, the United States was named 23rd.

Iceland was also one of the top three least corrupt countries in the world, in a three-way tie, according to the 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), launched by the Berlin-based Transparency International (TI).

The main factors that affected happiness were health care, wealth and education, according to study author Adrian White, an analytical social psychologist at the University of Leicester in central England. White’s research had produced the “first world map of happiness.”

Christmas in Iceland is in many ways similar to Christmas in the United States. Families get together, enjoy good food and exchange presents. It is Iceland’s longest holiday – everything is closed from noon on Christmas Eve until December 27.

One major difference between Christmas in Iceland and in the U.S. is that kids look forward most to Christmas eve when presents are opened. The family gets together in the evening for the exchange of presents. During the following two days everyone goes to Christmas parties and meets with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends.

Iceland is also a treat for grownups in the beginning of December when restaurants around the country lay out their lavish "Christmas Buffets." These elaborate smorgasbords often involve fierce competition between the restaurants for holiday business. The Christmas buffets carry traditional Icelandic goodies such as succulent lamb, Hangikjot (smoked lamb), venison, goose and other game bird, ocean-fresh seafood, and laufabraud (paper-thin bread). The dessert tables overflow with Christmas cookies, delicate tortes and cream-laden cakes. Just one more reason close out 2006 with a trip to our far-away isle in the North Atlantic.

New Year's Eve in Iceland is one spectacular celebration. Celebrations start with a dinner, followed by bonfires where people sing traditional Icelandic folk songs accompanied by trolls, elves and other strange beings. At midnight the sky erupts with a spectacular display of fireworks as well as bonfire parties in many communities.

This is an amazing moment for those who spend this special evening in the capital city of Reykjavik, something to remember for the rest of their lives. But this is only a start of the night. Parties, club outings and fireworks continue into the early morning hours welcoming in the New Year the Icelandic way.

Want to get the lowdown on the Icelandic travel experience? Well, we have a blog entry for you from Iceland Review. The author talks about plane flights, booze rules, and socializing the Icelandic way. One recent piece of advice: “As anyone who has been in a bar in Reykjavík a Saturday night can attest to, the concept of personal space is different here. People are always nudging and reaching around you in ways that can be unsettling or, if you’re used to it, kind of human and nice.” Check it out and get a leg up on the leg over. (link)

Portfolio, the magazine that started out for yuppies and now serves anyone who likes good news, good arts and good humor, apparently loves Iceland now. The November issue features a story mainly about Laugar Spa, the new, modern five-star health and spa resort located right in the heart of Reykjavik. Basically they loved it. Read the whole article here, but first, check out this quote:

“Iceland’s attractions – and there are many – include its unique geography which resembles the surface of the moon. The country is known for its fresh, clean air and pure water. There are glaciers to be scaled, usually in four-wheel-drive vehicles, small Icelandic horses to be ridden, geothermal pools providing outdoor swimming opportunities the year round, and, of course, Reykjavik’s burgeoning night life.” Sums it up nicely, we think.

Anita Briem is Iceland’s new “it-girl.” The 24-year-old Icelandic actress recently had her first big break starring in the upcoming Hollywood adaptation of Journey to the Center of the Earth, opposite Brendan Fraser, in which she plays the team’s tour guide in Iceland.

The movie, currently filming in Iceland, is based on the classic science fiction novel of the same name, written by Jules Verne in 1864, but is being shot in High Definition-3D, making it the first film ever to use the technology. An actress since the age of nine, Briem moved to London at age 17 to pursue her career and enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

After graduating in 2004, she got her first role in a movie, a Spanish produced thriller called The Nun. Later she had a role in an episode of Doctor Who, the popular British TV series produced by the BBC. In 2005, Briem landed a role in the ABC -TV series The Evidence, with Orlando Jones, Rob Estes and Martin Landau. For more on Anita, log onto her IMDB page at www.imdb.com/name/nm1715194.

Iceland is no stranger to big guys doing battle on its shores, but this time, they’ll be pulling trucks and lifting logs. The IFSA “World’s Strongest Man” championships will take place in Reykjavik, November 18th-25th 2006. Iceland has produced Jon Pall Sigmarsson and Magnus Ver Magnusson who have each won four world titles - a total that no other country has come close to matching.

“It is only fitting that the 24 strongest men in the world descend upon Iceland to contest the 2006 IFSA Strongman World Championships for the Jon Pall Sigmarsson Memorial Trophy as this is the land of Vikings that has spawned some of History's bravest and strongest warriors,” says the IFSA statement. For more information, log onto www.ifsastrongman.com.

“This year’s Iceland Airwaves Festival was a new experience for me. Islands … were unbelievably great … but it was Wolf Parade who stole the entire festival with their set, creating (sic), for the first time as far as I was aware, people to actually go mental. Songs, such as ‘I Believe in Anything’ and ‘Shine a Light,’ whipped up such a commotion that some members of the crowd weren’t even touching the floor for most of it but flying in a utopian trance-like state. Iceland Airwaves is something special. Everyone who attends forms a close-nit(sic) community and familiar faces become friends by the close. If you can bare(sic) the wind, stomach the fish and not miss car pollution, I’d definately recommend it to anyone.” - David McGuire, Glide Magazine,October 31, 2006

“Although not many have broken out into spontaneous performances, a lot of celebrities – entertainers, sports stars, jet-setting captains of business and industry – have discovered Iceland and are now stopping over there while traveling to or from the Continent. Some, in fact, are making Iceland their primary destination. Reykjavik, it seems, has become très chic.” - Dawson Mills, Portfolio Magazine, Nov. 7, 2006