What can we say, people? The camera loves us. Hollywood seems to be filming here every month, and now we see (just in time to coincide with your latest issue of Dateline) the March issue of National Geographic has a 28-page article on Iceland � complete with triple fold out photographic spreads. Don�t hate us because we�re beautiful, dear readers. But our comeliness is more than skin deep: we also have art, music and a special invitation for those celebrating that most culturally rich of yearly activities, spring break. Read on, and see how deep we go.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Iceland and Icelandophiles around North America are buzzing with news that the first-ever live action digital 3D movie will focus this summer on the classic Jules Verne novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth. This remake of the 1959 film starring James Mason and Pat Boone, features Brendan Fraser (Crash, The Mummy) as a science professor whose untraditional hypotheses have made him the laughing stock of the academic community. But on an expedition in Iceland, he and his nephew stumble upon a major discovery that launches them on a journey deep beneath the Earth's surface, where they travel through never-before-seen worlds and encounter a variety of unusual creatures.
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D is directed by Academy Award-winning visual effects veteran Eric Brevig (Total Recall, Pearl Harbor). Keep an eye on www.journey3dmovie.com for the official trailer, which is expected to be posted sometime this month.

Tee Off at Midnight

Here�s your chance to really up the ante in bragging rights about where you�ve played golf. Golfers from around the globe are invited to participate in the annual Arctic Open, which takes place over the longest days of the year, June 26-28, in the northern Iceland town of Arkureyri. It�s a 36-hole tournament, played under the Stableford point system over two days (including nights), 18 holes a day, at the Akureyri Golf Club. The tournament, which attracts golfers from around the world is open to both professionals and amateurs alike.
No need to worry about playing in the dark; this time of year the sun barely slips below the horizon at what is one of the world�s northernmost golf courses. (For more information: www.arcticopen.is/arcticen).

Expose Yourself To Art

The Reykjavik Arts Festival, from May 15 through June 5, will feature more than 30 exhibitions and works by over 60 native and international artists. Most of the city�s exhibition spaces will be used for the festival, including the Reykjavik Art Museum, where the Experiment Marathon, a laboratory in which artists, architects, filmmakers, academics and scientists will create a series of installations, screenings and performances. Other exhibitions include �Reflection � Icelandic Contemporary Photography,� a group show at the National Gallery of Photography in the National Museum of Iceland; and public installations across the city like �Atlantis� in which the artists Tea Makipaa and Halldor Ulfarsson will submerge a house in a local pond to explore the theme of survival. A complete schedule will be available at www.artfest.is by the end of the month.

The Festival of the Sea

The Festival of the Sea is held on the first weekend of every June on the wharf by Reykjavik Harbor. Tug of war, boat races and a collection of unusual sea creatures will be part of the festivities this May 31 � June 1. All the ships are in the harbor for this celebration and the sailors all have the weekend off.

They Said It

�I split up with my boyfriend in July and, yeah, it was pretty rough and was very sad. My parents asked if I wanted to go away with them. My mother asked me where and I said Iceland; I�m very interested in nature and there were so many different things to see there, geysers and glaciers for example. � After the trip I felt much better, mentally but also physically.�

Travel Deals of the Month

Reykjavik Rocks (x10)

�Rock and roll ain�t noise pollution/rock and roll ain�t gonna die�� and Iceland Airwaves lives on for its tenth year this October. Hear the hottest bands from Iceland, Scandinavia, the U.K. and the States in the coolest setting in Earth. Venues are all in the downtown area, so you can hop from one performance to the next. Get your sleep in now. This package is priced based on two nights' stay. Expand your Iceland Airwaves experience and add in extra nights from as little as $49 per person per night. Add a Blue Lagoon visit to your Iceland Airwaves Package from just $54 per person. From $795* per person based on double occupancy. Click here for more information.

Spring Break Party In Reykjavik

Hit the Ice Bar, a bar made of� well, ice, of course, and then join the �runtur,� Iceland�s weekend version of a street party. Be prepared to meet an international cast of characters and leave with enough wild stories to fill your very own Saga. It�s a no-holds-barred weekend, brought to you by Europe�s �it� party destination. For travel in March and April, the Blue Lagoon will provide you with your very own complimentary take-home towel to remember its surreal blue waters and the memories of a lifetime. Departures: Wed., Thu., Fri. through April 25, 2008. From $929* per person based on double occupancy. Click here for more information.

Saga Sites Tour

CThe fly and drive �Saga Sites� package takes travelers along the serene southern coast of Iceland and presents a relaxing tour of spectacular proportions: majestic sea cliffs, cascading waterfalls, caves, black lava beaches, and ocean views that stretch almost forever. The package lasts for six days and is available for departures May 15 - Sep 30, 2008. From $1,249* per person based on double occupancy. Click here for more information.

*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.

For information on other exciting activities in Iceland, be sure to visit: