DATELINE ICELAND - April/May 2001

A periodic look at news and events from the home of the Vikings. Brought to you by the Icelandic Tourist Board.

> Receive Star Treatment in Iceland
> Bovine Beauties on Parade
> Coolin' It
> Have A Whale Of A Time
> Go Soak Yourself
> Don't Forget The Kids
> Slaves To Fashion
> Paint the Town
> Mid-Summer Night's Green
> Puffin' Away
> Iceland's Fourth of July is in June
> Is That a Fish in Your Back Pocket?

Receive Star Treatment in Iceland

It may be only the beginning of spring, but Iceland is hot, hot, hot. Time magazine (Mar. 26) calls Iceland "one of the world's hottest winter vacation spots." Says one traveler quoted in Time, "This is one of the few places I've ever been where you're planning to return even before you leave." More than 53,000 Americans visited in 2000, up 20 percent from the year before, and a few of them were some of the brightest stars in the universe.

Mick, Elton, Kevin, Paul, Claudia and Jerry have recently been sighted basking in the glory of the Land of the Vikings. Rumor has it that every woman looks like Uma, and every third man is a Brad look-alike. Intimidating? Well, maybe, but Iceland has the elements, naturally of course, to make even us mortals feel special. Between the cerulean waters of the Blue Lagoon, the steaming, mineral-rich geothermal pools, the spas, the fresh food, and the good healthy living, Iceland has the resources for all of us to look like stars. First names only, please.

Bovine Beauties on Parade

In an effort to moo-ve Icelandic farmers into the Internet Age, the Icelandic Farmers' Association, the National Federation of Cow Farmers, and Aco (the computer company that imports Gateway Computers - the ones with the cow logo) will host a bovine beauty pageant in April, when the Gateway Cow for 2001 will be crowned.

The ten, split-hoofed finalists will be judged on their lineage, physical proportions, and future agrarian output. Happily, however, there's no swimsuit category.

The crowned bovine will receive beauty and culinary treats, and its owner will receive a Gateway computer,'natch. All the entrants and their owners are winners, and no one will be put out to pasture. Runner-ups - those mad cows that don't win - will be prohibited from moo-ning the winner. The contest promises to be an udderly entertaining, only-in-Iceland event.

Coolin' It

Iceland is a hopping place, and Reykjavik is the Capital of Cool, offering visitors numerous places to get in the groove. One of the biggest club events in Reykjavik is Rymi (meaning Space), which takes place the first Saturday of each month at Gaukur a Stong. Featured artists have included "808 State." During the past 13 years, they have released countless club hits and albums, as well as working with Bjork and UB40, to name a few. Gaukur a Stong is located at Tryggvagata 22 in the Reykjavik City Center.

Have A Whale Of A Time

Even the most stalwart landlubber will flip at the chance to see some blubber by whale watching in Husavik. Anticipation grows, as one boards one of the 51-ft. oak vessels in this quaint fishing village in northeast Iceland, in the hopes of spotting whales. The chances are excellent: last year, out of 505 trips, these marine mammoths were seen on 501 trips. Minke's, small grayish baleen whales with a whitish underside, were seen on all but of few of the excursions. No two trips are ever the same, (and no two whales are either!), and the whales are not shy about getting up close and personal. The season runs from May through September, and further information can be sighted at www.nordursigling.is.

Go Soak Yourself

Why are Icelanders among the healthiest people in the world? It must be something in the water. Bathing and swimming outdoors in hot spring water, surrounded by clean, fresh air, strengthens the heart. The combination of hot water and cold air seems to have a very positive effect on the human body. Residents of Reykjavik, and visiting travelers, have access to seven geothermally-heated public swimming pools with an average temperature of 84�F. The hot water is an excellent stress-reliever, especially when progressing from one small pool - called a hot pot - to another one that's just a bit warmer. For more information: SPA City Reykjavik Sport and Recreation Council, (+354) 510-6600; [email protected].

Don't Forget The Kids

Not that you really need to have children to bring out your inner child. But Iceland is the ideal destination for a family holiday, where there's a new adventure around every corner. Iceland offers a kaleidoscope of entertaining and educational activities for youngsters and the young-at-heart.

There are water slides at some of Iceland's popular thermal pools; surprisingly smooth rides on specially-bred Icelandic horses; and plenty of shopping opportunities, including a mall in Reykjavik - Kringlan - that rivals anything in the States.

The Family Park and The Farmyard Animal Zoo is a theme park. What theme? Vikings, of course! Children experience Iceland's past, complete with Icelandic farm animals. Contact Laugardalur Park: 104 Reykjavik, Tel. (+354) 553-7700.

What would a trip to The Land of the Midnight Sun be without a spin 'round the rink at The Skating Hall, also in Laugardalur Park. Contact: (+354) 568-5533.

For a peak into Icelandic history, visit the Arbaer Open-Air Folk Museum at 110 Reykjavik, where buildings and artifacts from different periods come to life with re-enactments by actors. Tel. (+354) 577-1111; www.Reykjavik.is.

Slaves To Fashion

Laugavegur has become Reykjavik's very own high-style catwalk, the place not only to be seen, but to see what's "in" fashion. Iceland is experiencing a creative fashion boom, especially on Friday nights when trendsetters strut down the streets exhibiting the latest in Icelandic haute couture. No all-black threads for these folks! These PYT's (Pretty Young Things) are the country's clothing inspirations, for there are no fashion schools in Iceland. The designers travel the world, returning home and creating clothing from their innate and individualistic sense of style. Check out their work at Spakk Manns Spirrar Boutique and Svo's Outlet Boutique, both on Laugavegur, and don't forget to pick out something for Friday night.

Paint the Town

Iceland offers front row seats to many world-class cultural events. From June through August, the night shines bright with live theater and audiovisual performances featuring Icelandic Sagas, folklore, music and historical interpretations. There are shows every evening at 9 p.m. except Sunday. Call the Tjarnar Theater in Reykjavik. Contact: (+354) 561-0280.

Soak up local culture at The National Theater of Iceland, which brought audiences to their feet with last year's 50th anniversary celebration. Performances this year promise to be four-star. Contact: (+354) 551-1200; www.leikhus.is.

Big voices in the smallest (400 seats) and northernmost opera house in the world, can be heard at Iceland's very own Opera Company. Contact: (+354) 511-4200 for more information.

Keep in tune with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, whose recent debut at Carnegie Hall brought the house down. Concerts are weekly, featuring a variety of international conductors and artists, including in May: Dmitri Shostakovich, Bedrich Smetana, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Hector Berlioz, Charles Gounod and Maurice Ravel under the baton of conductor Bob Bernhardt and soloist Elizaveta Koppelman. Contact: (+354) 562-2255 or www.sinfonia.is.

Mid-Summer Night's Green

Tee-off, internationally, and participate in the Arctic Open International Golf Tournament, June 20-23. This four-day 36-hole championship battle of the clubs, is open to professionals and scratch players alike. No matter what your handicap, you won't be able to beat the venue, chipping among the par-for-the-course view of the majestic snow-capped mountains surrounding the event's sponsor, northern Iceland's Akureyri Golf Club. Play through the night and watch the midnight sun set. Fore more information: see www.arcticopen.com; [email protected]; Tel. (+354) 462-2974.

Puffin' Away

Spring hasn't sprung until the puffins have. They're the most common bird on the island and number about 10 million (out of about 15 million worldwide). Every spring, these "Parrots of the Sea" (so named because of their colorful triangular-shaped beak), return to Westmann Islands, 20 miles off the southern coast of Iceland, along with flocks of bird watchers and nature lovers. And, if you miss meeting these non-endangered birds upon their return, you can see them on the menu at most Icelandic restaurants. Tasting them, however, is up to you.

Coincidentally, the Westmann Islands are the temporary home of the most famous whale in the world, Keiko, of "Free Willy" fame. Keiko, who was transported to a seapen in Klettsvik Cove in September of 1998, will live there until he's ready to be released back into nature.

Iceland's Fourth of July is in June

Icelandic Independence Day is June 17, a great time to visit the country - especially Reykjavik which will host parades, street theater, sideshows and dancing. In 1944, Iceland declared full independence from the Danish crown. June 17 was chosen as the official holiday because it was the birthday of Jon Sigurdsson who is regarded as Iceland's champion to the nationalist cause.

Is That a Fish in Your Back Pocket?

Iceland's economy is fish-dependent ... almost 60% of all exports are made up of seafood products. The Icelanders catch fish, cook fish, sell fish and make fish wallets. Fish wallets? Yes, this unique and environmentally-friendly wallet is handmade of specially-cured fish skin, (salmon or leopard fish), with no two fish, or shall we say wallets, exactly alike. Handmade in Iceland, you can hook one for not a lot of bait at $34 at www.icenews.is.