Trip addendum -- An unlikely weather trifecta

During our most recent trip to the north we hit a most unlikely weather trifecta. On the first day of our trip we were in the Árnes area which recorded the day’s highest temperature in the country. The next day we were in Húsavik, which also recorded the day’s highest temperature of the country. The next day we were in Siglufjördur, which also happened to reach the day’s highest temperature in the country.  I thought that some enterprising travel operator could develop a tour around the concept of chasing the highest temperature in the country – a variation of American storm chasers.

Reykjavik Pride Festivities 2013

This week witnessed Reykjavik’s world famous Pride festivities, a series of events meant to celebrate and promote LGBT rights. This year, the U.S. Embassy was a recipient of the Festival’s Human Rights Award from Samtökin ‘78 for its work in raising the profile of LGBT rights in Iceland and the rest of the world. It was an honor to receive this award and we are deeply grateful to the organizers of these festivities. On Saturday, as it has become our tradition, we participated in the parade where we saw many of our friends lining the streets.

We also partnered with the organizers of Reykjavik Pride to screen two films.  At the beginning of the festivities, we screened “Brother Outsider:  The Life of Bayard Rustin.” At the final event on Sunday, we screened “Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement,” a moving story about a couple’s long struggle.  One of the stars of this film, Edie Windsor, launched a lawsuit that led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.   The directors of this film, Susan Muska and Gréta Olafsdóttir participated in the screening and a discussion afterwards.  It was a full week that put on display the values shared by Icelanders and Americans and a demonstration of what our partnership can accomplish.

Blönduós-- an interesting crossroads

On our way back to Reykjavik we stopped in Blönduós to see Bjarni Stefánsson, the District Commissioner (Sýslumaður)--an important official in Iceland's legal system. We had a good visit to discuss the latest developments in the area; we also had the opportunity to taste Hrefna's fabulous rhubarb and blueberries cake. The town also hosts very interesting textile and sea ice museums.

Skagaströnd marches on with optimism

During our third visit to Skagaströnd we found optimism and a thriving community.Tourism visits are 30% higher this year, geothermal hot water and fiber optic Internet service are arriving later this fall and the NES art residency program continues to attract talented young artists from all over the world.  We gladly accepted the opportunity to have a taste of modern cod fishing and went out into the bay with captain Sigurjón, who let us pull a few fish and gut them!  In the evening, we attended a fascinating presentation of the work of many of the artists in residence and were intrigued by their concepts and creativity.

The Northern Coast - A place of immense beauty and magic

Siglufjördur on the north coast epitomizes a great blend of Iceland's history and natural beauty. The Herring Museum brings it to life eloquently. The town's fortunes are improving and its future is bright thanks in large part to the efforts an American-Icelandic investor.

Driving along the coast on the way to Sauðárkrókur one comes across Lónkot--an idyllic spot on the coast across from Drangey (an imposing island in the middle of Skagafjördur). There we met Pálína, an effervescent and multi-talented designer/chef/classical dancer, who prepared a fabulous Arctic char dish and introduced us to the work of Sölvi Helgasson an Icelandic artist from the 19th century.  We never cease to be amazed at the wonderful surprises hiding all over Iceland.

Akureyri -- Iceland's Arctic capital

We paid a visit to three institutions in Akureyri which are dedicated to either the study of the region or to the advancement of Iceland's interests in the Arctic. The venerable Stefansson Arctic Institute continues to make great strides in advancing Arctic studies and strengthening links to other academic institutions. The newly established Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network is building a platform to bring together all Icelandic entities engaged in Arctic matters.

The most recent addition is the Arctic Services/Eyjafjordur Business Development Agency which is a consortium of some of Iceland's top business and engineering firms dedicated to establishing a base of services in support of Arctic investments. The United States is ready to partner with all these institutions.

Húsavík prospects looking up

My first official stop on my trip to the north was a visit to Húsavík's Mayor, Culture Museum, and Whale Museum. The Mayor was cautiously optimistic about the region's future in light of possible investments by European firms. He noted the continued growth of whale watching and interest in further investment in tourist infrastructure. The Culture Museum recently received a national award for its exhibits highlighting the connections between nature and the Icelandic way of life over the last 100 years. The
Whale Museum was thriving with tourists interested to learn about these noble giants.

We love their recent addition which teaches and engages children on the preservation of these gentle and beautiful creatures. There is no question that whale watching is an enormously important industry in Iceland. It is thriving and generating much needed jobs and other economic activity.  I am pleased to note that the U.S. National Science Foundation has partnered with the Culture Museum Director to teach children about archeological research in the area, and that an American couple donated a significant amount in support of the Whale Museum.