Reykholt

October 20, 2009

Reykholt was the home of Snorri Sturluson (c. 1179-1241), one of Iceland's most important historical figures. He was a powerful politician and landholder, but he is perhaps most famous for his writing--The Prose Edda and possibly Egil's Saga. He was eventually assassinated in a raid. He hid in the cellar, but the intruders found him and stabbed him in spite of his famous last words: "I shall not strike."

One of Jeramy's professors arranged a field trip and invited me along. We explored the grounds (including the replica of Snorri's hotpot, where he often engaged in political discussions); toured the museum curated to highlight Snorri's life and the area of Reykholt; looked through the library and scholar's quarters; and ate delicious soup and waffles.

After our trip, Jeramy applied to the scholar's residency at Reykholt and was accepted for the month of September, 2010. It looks like we'll be going back to stay for a while and to bathe in the historic hotpot.

Snæfellsnes

October 15, 2009

Day 3 of Three-Day Trip Around Iceland

October 14, 2009--Mývatn to Reykjavík

Day 2 of Three-Day Trip Around Iceland

October 13, 2009--Skaftafell to Mývatn

Day 1 of Three-Day Trip around Iceland

October 12, 2009--Reykjavík to Skaftafell

I have a lot to tell of this trip around Iceland with Angela Rawlings--a fellow Canadian poet who has been in Reykjavik for the past three months. Jeramy and I didn't have a camera yet, so all the included pictures are Angela's (thank you, darling).

Stay tuned for the details, but I thought I'd get started by posting the pictures (finally!).

Háskóli Íslands

I usually meet Jeramy up at the university a few times a week and we work on the main floor or in the basement of the central building (the first 9 pictures above). The windows are a nice remedy to those in our apartment, and the university café, Háma, has cheap sandwiches and decent coffee.

The red building is the library, and we work there sometimes as well. But I like Háma better because of the chaos. When the students around me speak Icelandic, I'm not distracted from reading the way I am when I can eavesdrop on English conversations. Jeramy and I started Icelandic lessons this week though, so maybe soon I'll be listening in, trying to figure out what people are saying. For now, I can only manage, "Góðan daginn, ég heiti Brecken. Talar þú ensku?"