Iceland Tourist Board

“The principal industry (in the Westman Islands) is commercial fishing, and the wharf is lined with unassuming seafood restaurants. ‘They’re packed during lunch and dinner,’ Zimmern says. ‘I’d walk down the row and pick a different one for each meal.’ The just-caught fish—cold-water species like cod and halibut—are usually prepared in a traditional European style, sautéed in brown butter. ‘In the States, cod gets kind of a bad rap,’ says Zimmern. ‘But here, it’s the most pristine, beautiful, flaky white fish.’”

– Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, a Travel Channel series devoted to exploring local cuisines that keeps Zimmern globe trotting for about 30 weeks each year. Source: Beth Collins, writing in Budget Travel magazine. (See the story here: http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2010/05/25/AR2010052501812.html)

“From the summit ridge on Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s highest peak, the world dropped away to a blanket of clouds. It was late May, and I’d come from far below, a daylong climb up from near sea level to Hvannadalshnúkur’s 6,922-foot ridge in the sky.

“As mountaineering adventures go, the climb on the hard-to-pronounce Icelandic peak is a slog. But what a beautiful slog it is, including an ascent from misty highlands, past waterfalls, and up a rock ridge.

“You pass through the clouds, then onto the snow. Finally, on a high plateau, snow stretches miles in all directions, a glacial scene unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

– Stephen Regenold, editor of gearjunkie.com, in the Redding, Calif. Record Searchlight, June 19, 2010. (See the complete story here: http://gearjunkie.com/highpoint-climb-in-iceland)

“Volcanoes are at the heart of this remarkable country, which lies only about five hours from New York’s JFK. With its hot springs, snow-covered mountains and lunar-looking rocks, Iceland offers one of the most dramatic natural landscapes on earth. Meanwhile, the capital city of Reykjavik appears to have been assembled from colored Lego blocks and has a legendary weekend nightlife that goes way past dawn (note: when you’re this far north, dawn can arrive at 2am.).”

– Everett Potter, “Closer Than You Think: Iceland”, Everett Potter’s Travel Report, June 24

Every culture sees its share of trends. Even yogurt. And as yogurt hipsters know, the days of fruit-on-the-bottom and pina colada-flavored puddings are so passe.

An explosion of yogurt options has given Americans bold new choices, from goat’s milk to Greek-style to soy and even coconut milk yogurts. And have you tried the Icelandic-style brands like Siggi’s? It’s a stick-to-your-ribs product that Errol Schweizer, senior global grocery coordinator for Whole Foods Market, describes as “sort of like Greek yogurt for Vikings.”

– Michelle Locke, Associated Press, May 27, 2010
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hC36e0V3jTfkmHgzvv3rtxmSCdkQD9FVC85O0

The fact is, volcanic sites are among the most fertile places on the planet. Volcanoes helped form our planet – its water, air and soils – and their eruptions continue to nourish us, bringing up huge payloads of elements in the form of lava, rock and ash that eventually break down into plant-nutritive forms.

– Barbara Damrosch, The Washington Post, May 20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051804093.html

My journey around Iceland rolled north from Reykjavik along the west coast. I cycled around Hvalfjordur and over a small pass to the next fjord, Borgarfjordur, under clear skies with grand views over mountain and water. I wandered over a level landscape dotted with lakes under heavy skies in a chilly rain. I turned west and pushed into the wind along the south side of the Snaefells Peninsula. The cloud lifted, the sun returned. Beside me ran a rampart of thousand-foot cliffs sliced by waterfalls. Along their base were bucolic farms with white buildings and red roofs. Far ahead was the broad white cone of Snaefellsjokull, a 5,000-foot volcano. It was lofty, windswept and covered in permanent ice. It was also where Arne Saknussemm found his way to the center of the earth.

– Matthew Cull, The Vail Daily, May 29 http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100529/AE/100529577/1078&ParentProfile=1062