Flood and eruption to come

A flood has started from Grimsvotn in Europe's biggest glacier, Vatnajokull in Iceland. The flood isn't too big and there is no danger. The scientists say on the news that there will almost certainly be an eruption in the area in a few days.
There have been some bigger earthquakes in Iceland recently, over 3,0 on richter, so I am not surprised that something is happening. This is our everyday life! :)

Women celebrate their anniversary

Icelandic Women had a big festival today to celebrate 35 years since they organized their first day off walking out of work at 2.25pm insted of 4.00pm or 5.00pm.

The calculations show that women in Iceland only get 2/3 of what the men get for the same job. Equality? Icelandic women think there is much to be done yet. They are still fighting for equality.

The women gathered in front of the church Hallgrimskirkja and walked down the street Skolavordustigur to the hill Arnarholl in the centre of Reykjavik. There women made speaches with music and singing.

The Icelandic nation is 320.000 individuals. In this gathering in Reykjavik around 50 thousand women came downtown. Women in other parts of the country gathered in their hometowns so this was BIG!

See pictures from the gathering in Reykjavik:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24033&id=100000754157133&l=35cfa3b10e

National Geographic reminded me

Interesting to see and read National Geographic Volcano-issue. While reading it I was reminded of many things during the eruption. It was a busy time for me. During the first half I was active as a tourist guide taking people to the area to see the fire from the volcano. During the second half I was working as a journalist for media abroad articles and news stuff every day so I was practically living in the zone.

I got to know this from two sides! It was an interesting time and of course a lot of fun for a person who likes busy times.

Snowing in Iceland

It is getting colder in Iceland now, snowing in the north and east and snow in the mountains here in the south. We are expecting storm on monday. September and October were exceptionally warm so this is quite a difference.
Last winter was very warm in Iceland with almost no snow here in the south (in the capital, Reykjavik) except on the mountains of course but we had a cold period with a quite some snow in October last year. I remember that I thought at that time that probably it would be a cold winter. It wasn't.

Christmas Hikings in Iceland

Mt Esja in Reykjavik, iceland is the home of the Icelandic Santa Claus so during October-December we will be adjusting our tours to this fact. We will be making special Christmas hikings with information about the Christmas Traditions and stories about the family of the Santa Claus in Iceland.

Yoko Ono coming to Iceland

Sometimes when we are standing on Mt Esja I point out the island Viðey between us and Reykjavik and tell the people on my tours that that's where the John Lennon peace monument is. Yoko Ono comes to Reykjavik every autumn to turn the light on and it makes a fantastic living monument showing us a light pillar up into the sky for a few months or until the light is turned off.
Anyway. Yoko Ono is coming to Iceland again this week to turn on the light and with her is coming the new Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band. They are going to have a concert in Reykjavik next weekend and I am sure it is going to be a fantastic evening.

For more information check this out: www.imaginereykjavik.is.