Álftanes

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER: Guðmann þór Bjargmundsson

This gorgeous seaside scene was taken by filmmaker and photographer Guðmann Þór, known as Mummi, out at Álftanes, a small district of about 1800 people just southwest of Reykjavik. Be sure to check out his website where you'll find many more stunning images of our lovely land.

Álftanes is an amazing place for nature walks, and has a very rich and colorful history starting from the Settlement era twelve hundred years ago. There is actually a very nice book highlighting easy nature walks in the Capital region which I was asked to translate into English called 25 Beautiful Walks - Walking Trails of the Greater Reykjavík Area (if you click on the red "Smelltu hér"link under the large image of the book, you will get a PDF preview. The book can be purchased here.)

I agree with this Iceland Review book review that additional info could have been added for non-locals, but I also agree that it is overall a very informative and enjoyable trail guide for just about anyone, local or intrepid guest.

If it's ICESAVE info you're looking for, here's a video recap from 2010 and here is a statement from the Government of Iceland to the world.

p.s. I'm really happy with the big new photo size on Iceland Eyes! Unfortunately, I can't increase the sizes of past posts without losing comments readers have made, unless someone at Flickr (ahem! Kevin : ) finds a way to make it so.

Happiness..

is when I get to do everything I have wanted to...

Darts tomorrow :)

Historischer Keller Restaurant

On Day 1, I had my first lunch in Trier Germany in a restaurant serving German food. Im letting the pics do the talking this time.

A moose

Plenty of wildboar heads hanging around the restaurant given that their specialty was wildboar meat

The specials which I cant read but I think I order the first special on the list

The name of the restaurant

The drink I was recommended to try - apple soda

meet my aunt and uncle - the cheerful duo

My meal - wildboar meat with white asparagus and fried mashed potatoes covered with white sauce. it was delicious.

My aunt had salad

Fish and chips

Rice with bolognaise chicken

The interior of the restaurant

My cousin

its customary for European ppl to have a cup of coffee after their meal. 

Their theory for drinking cofee was so that the caffeine kicks in and they dont feel so sleepy after lunch.

McD

McDonalds is still called McDonalds regardless of which part of the world we are in :)

McRibs found in Trier, Germany. A favourite of many people here.

Mouth-watering pork ribs from McDonalds in Trier, Germany and they eat their french fries with  Mayonaise

Trier, Germany - The area

I was brought to Trier in Germany after arriving at Luxembourg. Trier is an older part of Germany. It was a 30minute drive from Luxembourg Airport. It has a University located so high up in the mountains that the people up there hardly needed to travel to other areas as it was like their own little town up there.

I was told that Trier was a shopping haven for most from Luxembourg and surrounding areas as there were plenty to buy and most importantly, reasonably priced. I visited this historic building called Porta Nigra.

Porta Nigra behind me

We also went on a train ride tour around Trier. I fell asleep while sitting in the train as it was really hot. Also, the tour guide was repating everything in three languages - German, Dutch and English. The English explanation was last, so yea.. I had a good nap. Took some pictures which were n ot very good given that the train had really horrible glass windows...

More to come in the next post....

Dictionary required

Currently in a place where English is not their first nor secod nor third language....
It felt awkward to be the one having to wear the headphones to get everything translated to english.

Also, everything sold on the shelves were not written in english too. Its always either french, luxemburgish, german or sometimes dutch. Needed help choosing a cleanser and buying groceries XD

Went to a milk/cheese/butter/yoghurt making factory and was back to wearing labcoats ;)

Climb

At the Reykjavik Zoo and Family Park on a beautiful spring day. (I'd rather not mention that the kid's pirate ship play feature is now sponsored by an oil company, with no less than five white signs posted along the ship's side, for all the spaced-out moms and dads to see...)