Happy New Year everybody!
I would like to take the opportunity and thank you all for the companionship during the year of 2005. For you kind words, the laughter you brought and pretending I am funny and witty. Overall it has been a great year for me, some set backs...but it wouldn´t be life if everything would be perfect.
I wish you all a prosperous New Year and look forward to meeting you all again in 2006. Be safe out there tonight!
As a little treat, mom wrote a couple of lines about how the two of us met. She would like to thank you for all the Christmas wishes and sure enjoys hanging around on my blog reading your wonderful comments. Just yesterday we talked about you guys as if you were all physical people in my life and I could tell her about Doug and TLP and Sar and Miz Bohemia and so on and she knew whom I was referring too. You all are more real in my life than one could have imagined.
"If you want to hear – and I imagine you want to hear, most people are curious, even if they say they aren’t – like me – here is the story of Monika and Mom. A quite simple one, really.
In some former life, we are sure about that, we decided that we would like to spend some more time together later. We planned it quite cleverly, there was my bitter need for her and her need for me and we got the connecting person, too (to go into that it gets complicated, ways of fate reaching a long time back). And this story includes two far away countries, poor girl was placed inside a plane, barely knowing what was happening to her and where she was going to land.
So, many lifetimes later, not so many, though, I get this unsecure little waif with tears in her eyes into our home and didn´t she take wonderfully care of our autistic son and I got air to breathe again. For thanks, I kicked her sweet little ass around: “Me? Driving a car? Never!!” “Me, going to university? They will never accept me!”
As everybody knows there emerged this genius, beautiful young lady, kicking the ass of life, now. The son in question has long left home, but luckily for us Monika needed not only kicking but a mom too, as she wasn´t too happy with the one birth gave her. So I became her mom of choice and she became my daughter of choice, a beautiful addition to the two daughters I gave birth to (and three sons - and daughters in law and grandchildren – but that is another story). And I think we will live happily together, at least in mind, ever after for many lifetimes to come. Maybe she will be my mom next time? I would love that!."
Mom
Friday, December 30, 2005
A true friend...
Yesterday I had a day off from work. About time. I took the opportunity and went with mom to the countryside where we visited family. My little friend Smari 5 (I have told you about him many times before) lives there too. We have been big buddies since the day he was born really. I rocked him to sleep, changed his nappies and read to him so many books so many times, that I know many stories by heart. He has rewarded me with such loyalty and unconditional love, that I count myself truly blessed.
Yesterday was a typical example of that unspoken trust that runs between us.
After we had arrived and halfway through my first coffee, I heard Smari´s mom laughing out loud. Not to miss anything funny, I went looking for her and there she was in the laundry room with a jar of cinnamon in her hands. I did not understand why that was particularly funny, although I wondered what cinnamon -get that stuff away from me- was doing in the laundry room. After a short explanation, she called Smari and asked him if he had put it there. He said: ´Cinnamon makes Monika sick, mommy. I hid it here so she couldn´t get to it and get sick´. He had chosen the laundry room because his mom puts all the stuff little children are not supposed to touch onto the top shelf there. The little angel hid the jar before I arrived, so I wouldn´t have an allergic reaction and would be safe.
We all had a great time together and while enjoying dinner, some of us burst out laughing for no particular reason at all. Smari was very curious about the reason for our laughter when I said to the table at large: "It is my nose, isn´t it?!" Someone replied: "Yes Monika, it is your nose and the fact that you are so weird." I put my face behind my hands pretending to be upset by the comment. Little did I know that Smari wouldn´t understand the pretence of it all and he looked furiously at the table and said: "No, it is you people that are weird!" and he turned to me and smiled a consoling smile. I later explained to him that we were just making fun and nobody meant anything they said. But imagine that little guy of 5 standing up infront of at least 6 grown ups and defending a friend that is so much bigger than him and should be able to defend herself. It really touched me.
Then, just before leaving and driving back to town, he came with a little bowl of sweets...something he had still left from Christmas. I know how important those sweets are to him, because he spend the entire dinner defending this bowl from his brothers. He held them up to me and said: "You may take as many as you like, so you have soemthing to eat when you get hungry in the car." I took one, I still haven´t eaten it yet...I just like to look at it. Brings a smile to my face.
God bless!
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
The Moment is Upon us...
No, I am not gonna predict the end of the world, but rather a wonderful thing happening in Iceland. We are about to be 300.000 people on this island in a few days. It doesn´t sound as much, but if you know many of them and you have to greet them everytime you see them in one of the two shopping malls, this number appears much bigger:) The countdown is on and you can check it daily on www.hagstofa.is. I checked a couple of moments ago and this was the status:
Day:
28.12.2005
Time:
12:45
Population:
299.828
there are only 172 people missing to make up the 300.000.
You have to realize that:
a) every two hours a baby is born in Iceland
b) there are about 5 people dying every day
c) we reached the 200.000 mark in 1966/67
ergo= I predict the middle of January to reach a population of 300.000.
Just for fun I checked the names in our National Register and there are currently 77 Monikas living in Iceland. There is no Doug. TLP..you are 8 times and 3 times as a second name. The rest of you, I just don´t really know your real names:)
What a mathematical post.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Back in the World of Blogging...
I spent the last couple of days back at Mom- and Dad´s place. There is nothing like spending Christmas with your family. I had a few bad tempers when, somewhere along the line, the internet connection decided to dissapear. But alas, what better time to focus on your family. I missed you guys though. And now you have not learned about the most horrid dish, and missed the last two Yulelads. I guess you have to stick around until next year ;) It always works out for the best, doesn´t it?
I would like to say thank you to my mom, who spent the last three days basically inside the kitchen...I am quite surprised she did not put up camp there. The food was delicious and prepared with love and I truly had my share of it *she says while unbottoning her pants to continue the flow of oxygen through her bloodstream*.
She made me my favourite present this year, but I am gonna post about it later. I noticed that some of you send her Chriostmas wishes and I past them on to her. She was furious about the missing internet connection as well, but she will relpy to those wishes in a soon-to-be post on my blog.
I would also like to thank you guys for your kind wishes and returning visits to my site. You are a big part of my fabulous Christmas! Hope you all survived Christmas in the best of spirits.
I better start thinking about my New Year´s resolutions...there are quite a few!
I would like to say thank you to my mom, who spent the last three days basically inside the kitchen...I am quite surprised she did not put up camp there. The food was delicious and prepared with love and I truly had my share of it *she says while unbottoning her pants to continue the flow of oxygen through her bloodstream*.
She made me my favourite present this year, but I am gonna post about it later. I noticed that some of you send her Chriostmas wishes and I past them on to her. She was furious about the missing internet connection as well, but she will relpy to those wishes in a soon-to-be post on my blog.
I would also like to thank you guys for your kind wishes and returning visits to my site. You are a big part of my fabulous Christmas! Hope you all survived Christmas in the best of spirits.
I better start thinking about my New Year´s resolutions...there are quite a few!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Doorway Sniffer and an efficient Mom
Doorway Sniffer came around today. No, there are no drugs involved! He just has a huge nose and yet: never catches a cold. He comes down from the mountain because he smells the Leafbread and Christmas foods we are preparing. His nose brings him straight to the sorce of these delicious holiday preparations. I totally understand that he will be gone tomorrow, ´cause we are preparing the most horrid dish you can imagine...(see post tomorrow!)
My mom has decided to dress our Christmas tree with Quality Street sweets this year. These sweets are so prettily and colourfully wrapped that the tree indeed looks lovely. But that is not the only reason for her un-conventional choice of tree decorations. There are a lot of kids around and they love to take sweets from the tree...you see where I am going with this? By the time she has to take the tree down (6th of January) all the sweets will be gone and...-yes, you got it!- the tree will be ready to dispose off without her having to do anything at all :)How efficient, Mom! She tries to deny her German blood, but I think it shines through now and then.So, what is your favourite sweet during the Holiday. Something you couldn´t live without?
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Gluggagægir
Window Peeper. Yes, it seems to be true. One of our Yulelads is somewhat of a modern-day pervert. But I figure as long as he does not wear night-vision goggles and a camera strapped around his neck...I´ll let it slide. I might close the curtains though and present him with a challenge. 
And due to popular demand: here is that unflattering picture of me. Please bear in mind that I had my face over steaming tallow for an hour or so...that should explain the ghost looking at you. Yes, I am vain and if anybody dare so much as make an unnecessary comment in regard to the lack of beauty...I know where your blogs are!FYI: Today is the shortest and darkest day in Iceland. From tomorrow onwards the sun will climb higher and higher and we have more light and stuff. There was some daylight today, but than I had to blink and I kinda missed it.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Laufabrauð
Leaf bread!-this one Idid make :)This is an Icelandic tradition that goes way back. Iceland is such a small island in the big Atlantic ocean. The weather can be harsh and few things grow here. Everything needs to be shipped from Europe. In the winter season with its severe weathers, no ships sailed at all in the olden days. Commodities such as flour, sugar, salt and tobacco were considered a luxury. The poor could only afford these things on very special occasions, like Christmas.
It was thought a neccesity to serve bread with the Christmas food. The poorer households couldn't afford to buy much flour and to make sure that each member of the family got his share of bread, the cakes had to be rolled out really thin. It is actually mentioned that "if you can read the Bible through a cake it is thin enough." Patterns are cut into the cakes to make them more beautiful. Afterwards they get fried in very hot tallow and become hard and brown. Today, the decorating and frying of leaf bread is a family event and part of the Christmas preparations. As you can see: my mom is very fond of these little cakes made of flower, baking powder, margerine and water. Today we made ours and I am frightened that if mom is around them for much longer, there won´t be any left on Christmas Eve!
Monday, December 19, 2005
Culture, a Quiz and a Laugh
1.
Now this one is very much to my liking. Being born in Germany you get the love for sausage with the breast milk. I actually went down to the store and got a salami sausage. In case he should check in - I am willing to share. He climbs up to the roof, has a little hook on a rope and fishes careflully all the meat drying above the stove.
2.
The Quiz for today is about the pic to the right. What is it and why is it so thin. I really wonder what Santa would think if I put out that instead of the obligatory milk and cookies?! Anyways, these things are delicious and with a bit of butter and pork fit for a King. I haven´t made any this year, am patiently waiting for mom to call me and order me to come to her place and help her with this stuff. I mean Christmas without these...is like Santa flying without Rudolf.
3.
And this is for tickling your toes: Some of you might know why I in particular find this very funny...
Now this one is very much to my liking. Being born in Germany you get the love for sausage with the breast milk. I actually went down to the store and got a salami sausage. In case he should check in - I am willing to share. He climbs up to the roof, has a little hook on a rope and fishes careflully all the meat drying above the stove.
2.
The Quiz for today is about the pic to the right. What is it and why is it so thin. I really wonder what Santa would think if I put out that instead of the obligatory milk and cookies?! Anyways, these things are delicious and with a bit of butter and pork fit for a King. I haven´t made any this year, am patiently waiting for mom to call me and order me to come to her place and help her with this stuff. I mean Christmas without these...is like Santa flying without Rudolf. 3.
And this is for tickling your toes: Some of you might know why I in particular find this very funny...
Sunday, December 18, 2005
A weekend without my computer
and I feel I am so far behind. I have to get to all your blogs and see what you have been up to. With my luck, all the fun happened this weekend, prizes were given and I missed all of it. But alas, I have some catching up to do, so here are the wicked trolles that came through the last two days:
"Bowl Licker, the sixth one,
was shockingly ill bred.
From underneath the bedsteads
he stuck his ugly head.
And when the bowls were left
to be licked by dog or cat,
he snatched them for himself
- he was sure good at that!"
"The seventh was Door Slammer,
a sorry, vulgar chap:
When people in the twilight
would take a little nap,
he was happy as a lark
with the havoc he could wreak,
slamming doors and hearing
the hinges on them sqeak."
"Skyr* Gobbler, the eighth,
was an awful stupid bloke.
He lambasted the skyr tub
till the lid on it broke.
Then he stood there gobbling
- his greed was well known -
until, about to burst,
he would bleat, howl and groan."
source: here
However, I would like you guys to check out this Lady´s page. She has made the Yulelads herself and they are depicted so lovely on her page. It sure is a treat for all of you who wanna see more;)
It has been a rough weekend. I have basically been avoiding life and hiding under my blanket back at mom and dad´s place. In the last couple of months things changed so quickly, that I am finding myself confronted with things I couldn´t even have imagined back then. Everything is pretty confusing right now and I am just trying to keep my head above water. But I am a pretty good swimmer and none of you should worry. Life can get so complicated though and it demands a strong breast-stroke to figth those waves.
I hope all of you have a less emotional Christmas and that you are dealing just fine with the stress of getting those last presents.
"Bowl Licker, the sixth one,
was shockingly ill bred.
From underneath the bedsteads
he stuck his ugly head.
And when the bowls were left
to be licked by dog or cat,
he snatched them for himself
- he was sure good at that!"
"The seventh was Door Slammer,
a sorry, vulgar chap:
When people in the twilight
would take a little nap,
he was happy as a lark
with the havoc he could wreak,
slamming doors and hearing
the hinges on them sqeak."
"Skyr* Gobbler, the eighth,
was an awful stupid bloke.
He lambasted the skyr tub
till the lid on it broke.
Then he stood there gobbling
- his greed was well known -
until, about to burst,
he would bleat, howl and groan."
source: here
However, I would like you guys to check out this Lady´s page. She has made the Yulelads herself and they are depicted so lovely on her page. It sure is a treat for all of you who wanna see more;)
It has been a rough weekend. I have basically been avoiding life and hiding under my blanket back at mom and dad´s place. In the last couple of months things changed so quickly, that I am finding myself confronted with things I couldn´t even have imagined back then. Everything is pretty confusing right now and I am just trying to keep my head above water. But I am a pretty good swimmer and none of you should worry. Life can get so complicated though and it demands a strong breast-stroke to figth those waves.
I hope all of you have a less emotional Christmas and that you are dealing just fine with the stress of getting those last presents.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Two quizzes today!
Hmm...what does this one do again? Yes, it is pretty obvious, so why don´t you guess his name?! 
The picture to the right depicts an Advent wreath - yes, I made it myself:). Each Sunday before Christmas Eve we light a candle. Now: each of the four candles has a name, which would be...? The prize for solving this quiz? Fame for a day, no fortune and a little bit of diversion :)
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Þvörusleikir and Advent
To make up for yesterday´s short-comings, the next troll around is Ladlle Licker. He is so thin and tall that he resembles the ladles which he licks. He grips them with both hands tightly and tries to get as much food as possible. I think he represents the child within all of us. Who can´t remember back in the days, when moms -who used to be actually at home once upon a time- were standing over the oven making some delicious chocolate cake (not the Betty Crocker version!)and you were standing anxiously by her side, waiting for her to drop that laddle into your hands?! Ah...memories and luckily, I still get to do that sometimes:)
Anyways, to spice things up a little: here is a quiz -of course about Christmas, *Duh!* What is this triangle shaped wooden thingy and why -for all Santa´s reindeers- are there seven candles on it? In all fairness, I had to research the seven candles...the number always puzzled me and just so you don´t get side-tracked: there are no Jewish influences in this device-as far as I know. Come on you guys, be imaginative and Mom -don´t give the answer right away! :)
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Stufur
No children have been harmed during the coming of the last two trolls. This third one should be a piece of cake. Let´s just say he is somewhat vertically challenged."Stubby was the third called,
a stunted little man,
who watched for every chance
to whisk off a pan.
And scurrying away with it,
he scraped off the bits
that stuck to the bottom
and brims - his favorites."
Yes Shorty-as he is also called- likes dirty pans and steals them when noone is watching. He smacks his lips over the leftovers in the cooking pans, especially if they are burnt or gone bad. So I figure he is actually very convenient:
a) he is only gonna bother untidy people (TLP-you are safe!)
and b) we safe some dish-washing and water, and nobody can be mad about that. All in all: This one scares me the least. Although people keep telling me that size doesn´t matter! ;)
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Giljagaur
Since I have not been snatched away by Grýla or Leppalúði, the Christmas cat has not eaten me and Stekkjastaur did not frighten me to death last night...let us continue our countdown of the Icelandic Yule lads. Tonight this troll to the left is coming down the hills. His name is Gully Gawk or Gully Guy. He loves to lick the froth on the milk and always sneaks around where cows are close by. So, I think we all should be pretty safe tonight. The last cow I have seen in Reykjavik was ...well, never.
Today I got the best hug I have ever gotten. At work a woman that suffers from Alzheimer found herself all of a sudden in the living room alone. She got frightened. All our staff was somewhere busy bringing people to bed. She screamed.
Plagued by constant nightmares and memory loss the tiniest thing can upset her so very much. She must have been screaming for quite a while when I ran out of the room I was in and towards her, when she saw me her face lit up and she almost flew in my arms and hugged me. It was such a warm embrace and a relief on her face that we stood there for almost two minutes until she calmed and stopped shaking. She told me that she was so relieved to see my pretty face (her words not mine!-but I agree :) and that I was always so good to her. I put her to bed, sat at her bedside and talked to her about Christmas until she finally dozed off. I still feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Stekkjastaur
Yep, this one is due tonight. He is the first of the 13 Icelandic Yule lads to arrive and his name translated is Stiff Legs or Sheep-Cop-Clod. He loves to suck milk from the sheep, but his stiff legs always get in the way. It is cold and wet and dark outside... So along the way he probably figured that it would be easier to just steal a little milk from us humans and tonight he will come and try to get that sip he so desperately wants. Hope it is not my fridge he is gonna roam, but just in case: I went down to the store and bought fresh milk. Always good to be on the safe side. For all concerned, it is better that I am off to bed now, because it is almost midnight and I have no intentions of coming between a troll and his milk.
Iceland takes it home again!
For the third time the Miss World is from Iceland. Miss Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir made us ever so proud tonight.
Considering that we have 300.000 people living on this island, that only about half of them are female, only a tiny portion of those are around 17-25, and from those few left, only a few are pretty enough-I think that deserves some credit! I am not really one to be interested in these kinda competitions, but if you would live on this island and everywhere you´d go, people would talk about it; TV shows the show over and over again and you atcually know somebody that is friends with her - well, you can´t help but be happy for her. Iceland rocks and our ladies sure are pretty :)
On another note, I spent the day Christmas shopping with Tryggvi. He managed in three hours to purchase all his gifts. Now that is efficiency if ever I saw it. But it was so painful and tiresome. There are two big shopping malls in Reykjavik. The first one we tried, we turned around ´cause we couldn´t get a parking spot. The second one we actually managed to get in, but you couldn´t stop and look at things, becasue the people behind you were pushing you forward. But there is always one store where you have time to dwell and look around...the bookstore :) so I purchased a book The Cronicles of Narnia for, well...myself. It is coming to cinema soon, so I wanna read it before the film makers steal my imagination. I also bought Twister and I am going to give it to three little guys that come visit me a lot and so I get to play it as well. So both of my purchases were really for me.
The countdown of Christmas movies has started. This Christmas is not so merry and bright for me, so I have decided to watch lots of teary movies to bring love and spirit into my heart. Now, as I read this over again it sounds so sad. But it really isn´t. Life hands you all sorts of things! I have a warm home, people who love me, enough to eat and Christmas movies. I can make it as special as I want. It will just be different! I am desperately trying to see A Charlie Brown Christmas, but I haven´t tracked it down yet, so keep your fingers crossed.
Hope all of you are having a fantabulous weekend and remember how fortunate we all are!
Considering that we have 300.000 people living on this island, that only about half of them are female, only a tiny portion of those are around 17-25, and from those few left, only a few are pretty enough-I think that deserves some credit! I am not really one to be interested in these kinda competitions, but if you would live on this island and everywhere you´d go, people would talk about it; TV shows the show over and over again and you atcually know somebody that is friends with her - well, you can´t help but be happy for her. Iceland rocks and our ladies sure are pretty :)
On another note, I spent the day Christmas shopping with Tryggvi. He managed in three hours to purchase all his gifts. Now that is efficiency if ever I saw it. But it was so painful and tiresome. There are two big shopping malls in Reykjavik. The first one we tried, we turned around ´cause we couldn´t get a parking spot. The second one we actually managed to get in, but you couldn´t stop and look at things, becasue the people behind you were pushing you forward. But there is always one store where you have time to dwell and look around...the bookstore :) so I purchased a book The Cronicles of Narnia for, well...myself. It is coming to cinema soon, so I wanna read it before the film makers steal my imagination. I also bought Twister and I am going to give it to three little guys that come visit me a lot and so I get to play it as well. So both of my purchases were really for me.
The countdown of Christmas movies has started. This Christmas is not so merry and bright for me, so I have decided to watch lots of teary movies to bring love and spirit into my heart. Now, as I read this over again it sounds so sad. But it really isn´t. Life hands you all sorts of things! I have a warm home, people who love me, enough to eat and Christmas movies. I can make it as special as I want. It will just be different! I am desperately trying to see A Charlie Brown Christmas, but I haven´t tracked it down yet, so keep your fingers crossed.
Hope all of you are having a fantabulous weekend and remember how fortunate we all are!
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Icelanders beware!
Yes, they are getting ready. Grýla and Leppalúði -oh, say it however you want!- feel the Christmas spirits in the air. Their thirteen sons -our Yule lads- are preparing to come from the hills and create a little havoc around us people. The Christmas cat is getting ready to take every child that does not get new clothes during the Christmas time and Grýla and Leppalúði can´t wait to snatch little naughty children away. Sounds horrible? You are quite right. Christmas here in Iceland is frightening. From the 11th onwards we will have each day until Christmas Eve one of Grýla and Lepplúði´s sons come to us and play pranks.
But over the years the 13 Yule lads have become quite lovely creatures and have adapted their behaviour quite a lot. They are still a little naughty, but each of them fills every child´s Christams shoe. Yes, do your math!
That is right! 13 Yule lads, each day a present ... starting on the 11th! And on Christmas Eve (24th!) Santa also comes and gives us those huge Christmas presents. We know how to combine cultures to get the best out of each ;)
Anyways, on the 11th I will start to introduce to you the thirteen Icelandic Yule lads and explain what they do and tell you which of them left something in my shoe!
picture from jolamjolk.is
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Nikolaus!
Today, the 6th of December is a very special day in Germany.
Yesterday evening almost every child in Germany brushed and cleaned their shoes, put them on the window sill and waited anxiously. Desperately trying to stay awake and catch a glimpse of St.Nikolaus. During the night he comes and fills your shoes with something sweet, a toy and nuts and oranges.
He was born somewhere in Turkey and was a bishop in his time. He was very nice to children and often gave them treats. When he died, people remebered him and named a church after him and ever since he has rewarded their belief with little treats for the kids on the 6th. The bishops bones were stolen at some point and brought to Italy where they are now at rest in the Niklas Basilika.
I loved that guy when I was a kid. He has been good to me. Mostly because he never punished children, Santa used to scare the living daylight out of me! This morning when I woke up, I checked my shoe and NOTHING! Was sad all day until mom rang and told me that Nikolaus had gotten the adress wrong, he thought I already had moved. Something was in my room at their place and she saw a man with a white beard and a bishops hat coming through the window. :)
Gosh, and I almost gave up believing in his existence...
Yesterday evening almost every child in Germany brushed and cleaned their shoes, put them on the window sill and waited anxiously. Desperately trying to stay awake and catch a glimpse of St.Nikolaus. During the night he comes and fills your shoes with something sweet, a toy and nuts and oranges.
He was born somewhere in Turkey and was a bishop in his time. He was very nice to children and often gave them treats. When he died, people remebered him and named a church after him and ever since he has rewarded their belief with little treats for the kids on the 6th. The bishops bones were stolen at some point and brought to Italy where they are now at rest in the Niklas Basilika.
I loved that guy when I was a kid. He has been good to me. Mostly because he never punished children, Santa used to scare the living daylight out of me! This morning when I woke up, I checked my shoe and NOTHING! Was sad all day until mom rang and told me that Nikolaus had gotten the adress wrong, he thought I already had moved. Something was in my room at their place and she saw a man with a white beard and a bishops hat coming through the window. :)
Gosh, and I almost gave up believing in his existence...
Monday, December 05, 2005
Museum and another museum
bleikdalsá
Some time ago a friend of mine and I decided to get our heads around Icelandic culture and art. So lately we have been giving museums, shows and theatres the pleasure of our presence.
This weekend we decided to start with an exhibition of Russian history and clothing during the Romanov period. This family ruled Russia for 304 years(1613-1918). Names one should know Peter I/Peter the Great. He was apparently over 2 meters (I think that makes nearly 7 feet tall!) and he and his wife Katarina were very interested in art and collected many paintings from all over Europe. Their palace was pretty amazing as well. Most importantly, Peter build the town St. Petersburg and declared it the capital of Russia through his reign. He got a French architect to design it. It is said that St.Petersburg is a very beautiful city with so many different European influences.
Moving on...today we went to see the Kjarval house. Jóhannes S. Kjarval (1885-1972)is one of the most known Icelandic artists. And he is just amazing. He is soo Icelandic and his paintings reflect its people and landscape. He also belived in hidden people, elfs and spirits and in some of his paintings you can see a face in the mountain and the closer and longer you look there is always something hidden.
Can´t wait to discover more of him!
Bored you enough? Here is a little fact about Christmas: Christmas cards!
In december 1843, some guy called Henry Cole, realized that he had forgotten to write Christmas letters to friends and relatives. There was little time left, so he asked his painter-friend if he could draw him some sort of card that expressed the proper sentiments "A merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" And so they were born and now it is a must. In Iceland you could get Danish and German Christmas cards around 1890. 1905 or so Icelandic Christmas and New Year cards appeared on the market.
check this link if you wanna see the first Christmas card!
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Björgvin Halldórsson
Yesterday night I spent a fantastic evening in Broadway/Reykjavík. Christmas buffet and a show afterwards. Björgvin was great, the dance show amazing and at the end the whole crowd was standing and applauding. I have eaten way more than my stomach can stretch and my throat is feeling worse again. Might have been all that screaming last night when I shouted the few lines of texts that I knew.
But yet again it was a true testiment to the Icelandic Friday-night mentality. Since it was a huge buffet with all those delicious Christmassy stuff we eat here (i´ll post about that soon), people hadn´t eaten much on arriving. For many, the first trip is to the bar and we all know the influence of alcohol on an empty stomach. So by the time one was standing in line for the food, people were stumbling over you, talking to you in a language only they can understand and the odd potatoe decorated the floor. But you have to give it to them...Icelanders know how to have a good time (with a sufficient amount of lubrication) and once the alcohol has done its work, you can see their natural shyness lifting and they start to party and so it became an amazing night.
"Ef þú vilt biða eftir mér,
á ég margt að gefa þér
Alla mina kossar, ást og trú
Engin fær það nema þú."
What a night indeed!
But yet again it was a true testiment to the Icelandic Friday-night mentality. Since it was a huge buffet with all those delicious Christmassy stuff we eat here (i´ll post about that soon), people hadn´t eaten much on arriving. For many, the first trip is to the bar and we all know the influence of alcohol on an empty stomach. So by the time one was standing in line for the food, people were stumbling over you, talking to you in a language only they can understand and the odd potatoe decorated the floor. But you have to give it to them...Icelanders know how to have a good time (with a sufficient amount of lubrication) and once the alcohol has done its work, you can see their natural shyness lifting and they start to party and so it became an amazing night.
"Ef þú vilt biða eftir mér,
á ég margt að gefa þér
Alla mina kossar, ást og trú
Engin fær það nema þú."
What a night indeed!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Hase am PC
source:google images
It is past Midnight where I am. It is December 1st and I have bought two Pezes now, she says ever so proudly!
A Santa and a "Little Chicken" one - orange, strawberry and lemon flavour!
With that I think I have earned the right to say: "Rabbit, Rabbit everybody!"
Hope the Pezes don´t mind... *worried*