| WHEN THE WEATHER WARMS, ICELAND SPRINGS ALIVE
It may not feel like it now, but spring and summer will soon be coming to the top half of the world. In fact, once June 21 rolls around, the days don't get much longer than they do in Iceland. But Iceland? What's wrong with the Hamptons? Disney World? If you've been there and done that, read on to learn why Iceland should be on your radar screen this spring, especially if you like music. VISIT BLUES AND GOSPEL FESTIVAL, APRIL 3-6 
Looking for an interesting event around Easter break? Are you a fan of blues and gospel music? Be a part of the annual Blues Festival in Reykjavik, a spring tradition in Iceland. Watch blues artists from Europe, Iceland and North America perform together in some of the most unique jam sessions in the Northern Hemisphere. Also catch performances from young and promising blues artists of the future. It all culminates with an international gospel concert at the historical Free Church of Iceland. Cost is from $679* per person double occupancy. (For more information click here ). Kurr - Amiina on tour in the US and Canada Amiina started life playing strings with Sigur Ros. Somewhere along the line they put down their violins, viola and cello and cast around for other stuff with which to make music. Never making it far from the house on their way to the equipment shop, they picked up wine glasses, a wood saw and other assorted bits and bobs which have primary functions unrelated to the creation of pleasing sounds. With these and other real instruments the four young women set about imagining something from the clear blue Icelandic sky. With no guitar, bass, keyboards or drums to speak of the music arrived by different, obscure channels, but seemed to share a delicacy and simplicity redolent of spooky childhood musings. Spellbinding might be the word. Amiina will be touring the US and Canada. To find out more details about the tour and the new CD Kurr, please go to: www.amiina.com
Save money and extend your stay with this offer. One extra day gives you the chance to enjoy more of Reykjavik's culture and the outdoor adventure and natural beauty of an Icelandic winter.Valid through Mar 31, 2007 (subject to availability). Double: $589* per person (extra night $49). Single: $685* per person (extra night $85). (For more information: click here). If you book your April trip by the end of March, Icelandair is also offering a $100 per person price reduction for various packages. Check www.icelandair.com for more details. CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY WITH THESE FARES Icelandair is kicking off their 70th anniversary celebration with a special spring sale featuring a $100 discount off four of their most popular packages to Iceland. In addition to low fares to Iceland, and for a limited time only, you will also receive two nights free at the Hotel Loftleidir. You can use the money you'll save on awesome day tours like the Golden Circle or South Shore Adventure, or treat yourself to a great night on the town. Departures are limited to certain days and availability is limited too, so act fast. Learn more about Icelandair's Lucky Fares program by signing up at Icelandair.com. March and April departures from Boston, Baltimore/Washington, Minneapolis/St. Paul and New York are cheaper than ever on Icelandair - just take a look: -
Baltimore/Washington to Reykjavik from $318*, starting March 8 RITE OF SPRING 2007
SHIP AHOY British actor Jude Law arrived in
Visitors circumnavigating Iceland on its popular Ring Road, and cruise ship passengers visiting northern Iceland have discovered an oasis just below the Arctic Circle. Opening June 1 for the season, the Akureyri Botanical Garden, the world's most northerly, functions both as public gardens with decorative plants and as a botanical garden with a noteworthy collection of specimens of every type of Icelandic flora. New species are constantly being added to some 2,000 imported flowers, trees and shrubs on display, making this a great escape from the stress of daily life (www.akureyri.is/English). FISH DOESN'T GET FRESHER THAN THIS Want to tour a vineyard, go to France. Interested in seeing how beer is made, check out Germany. But if you want to see how the world's number one food staple is processed, we've got the place for you. West Tours is offering a visit to a working fish factory. This tour will take you through the biggest tunnel in Iceland, over to the green, luscious, narrow fjord Sugandafjordur. Your destination is the Original Fishing Village, Sudureyri. Upon your arrival, you will get the rare opportunity to visit a fully functioning fish factory, where you can witness the process that turns a fresh fish into a fillet. Take a stroll with your guide through the village and visit the folks who prepare the bait for the fishing boats. After you've seen all this, your guide will take you to Talisman, the seafood restaurant in the village. During lunch, watch a slide show with detailed information about regular life in an Icelandic fishing village. Your last stop is the cod lagoon where you can feed cod that come so close you can pet them. Tours leave from Ísafjörður, the West Fjords' largest town. (www.westtours.is). HOW MUCH IS THAT WORTH? Here's a quick tip: want to know how much that item is in pounds or dollars (or seven other world currencies)? Log onto the Glitnir Bank's currency converter at http://www.glitnir.is/English/. The site will even tell you the local time in Reykjavik. 
THE WORD IS ICELAND: SPREAD THE WORD The word is getting out about Iceland as a travel destination. Passenger numbers are up at the Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal in February. The number of passengers passing through the Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal rose by nearly 11% in February over the same month last year, from nearly 93,000 in February 2006 to just over 103,000 this year. The number of passengers to and from Iceland has risen by nearly 12% from last year, and the number of transatlantic passengers stopping over in Iceland has risen just over 3%. By the way, the shops at Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal offer a wide selection of international brands as well as exclusive Icelandic products. Prices for goods and services at the Duty-Free Stores compare very favorably with those at other European airports. So give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your trip. Keflavik International Airport (www.airport.is) is one of the best airports in the world to spend your time while waiting for a flight, according to an assessment by msn.com. The main reason why Keflavik Airport ranks in 7th place is the availability of leisure pursuits in close proximity to the airport while waiting for a connecting flight. By far the most popular thing to do is visit the world-famous Blue Lagoon (www.bluelagoon.com). ICELAND IS A CLICK AWAY A new player in the online booking game is Hotels Iceland where you can book flights, accommodations, and car rentals in one place, with user reviews thrown in for good measure. The site has all of the features common to other booking services like hotel pictures and descriptions, price guarantees, and top-notch security measures. Hotels Iceland offers booking options throughout the country (not just the capital area), and customer reviews so that travelers know what kind of service they can expect to receive. In addition, there are links to car rental agencies and the country's international airport. (www.hotels.is). REQUEST A BROCHURE OR DVD For information on other exciting activities in Iceland, be sure to visit:
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Iceland recently with his three children and was spotted taking a swim in the Laugardalur pool in Reykjavík. Laugardalur (Hot Spring Valley) is a center for sports and recreation in the capital. It features the largest outdoor thermal pool in Reykjavik, Laugardalslaug, in which you can swim all year-round in hot geothermal water. The outside pool is 50 meters long, and there are also three other pools, three hot tubs (called hot pots), a steam bath, sun benches, massage services, and cafeteria. Come on in, the water's fine. (For more information: www.spacity.is). 
