Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

Visit from Iceland. December 18th

For several years I have followed Mo´a and especially her blog around Christmas about the Icelandic tradition with the visiting Jolasveinar. In 2008 she let me use a couple of her photos in one of my posts, and now I have asked Mo´a to be a guestblogger here at The House in the Woods. To my delight she said yes :-). So today I have the pleasure to introduce..........

Guest blogger Mo´a

Thank you Britt-Arnhild, for the opportunity you have given me to share the story of the Icelandic  Jólasveinar, here on your blog.
I have been counting down to Christmas for several seasons on my blogs. First on Leikur and List http://moaromigboyles.blogspot.com/ and now on my current blog,http://www.moaromigboyles.com/  telling the story of the 13 Jólasveinar and the adventures they have along the way.

Their story starts on December 12th, as that is the day the first of the 13 Jólasveinar,( variously called Yule Goblins, Christmas Men, Christmas Elves or Christmas Lads in English) , arrives down from the mountains.

The first to arrive is Stekkjastaur …Stiff-legs, followed by his brothers, the last one Kertasníkir … Candle- beggar arriving on the 24th, Christmas Eve. Then they leave for the mountains one by one, in the order of their arrival, the last one leaving on 12th night, January 6th.

These charmers were first mentioned in print in the 17th century and were known by various names, which differ from region to region, with up to 80 names recorded. 
Most of the names reflect the tricks they played. The Jólasveinar coveted things people found hardest to do without during the lean times and the blackest Arctic nights, food and light.

Their parents were real charmers, their names are Grýla (Ugly) and Leppalúði (one who wears tattered clothes). It was said that Grýla and Leppalúði liked to feast on misbehaving children and were used as bogeymen to terrify children into obedience. 
The family pet was an enormous Black Cat who had the same culinary habits as Grýla and Leppalúði.
Today’s generation of Icelandic children, do not have to worry about Grýla, Leppalúði and the Cat's former culinary habits, as now they probably prefer a Pizza or a Hamburger with a Coke

In the 20th century the 13 Jólasveinar have mellowed and evolved from bogeymen into benevolent beings. They are now entertainment for, and friends to children. Each night when the children go to bed they leave their shoe on the window sill. If they have been good, they will receive a gift from each of the Jólasveinar, as they arrive from their mountain home. If they have been bad, they will find a potato in their shoe.

Embla, her mother, and Iceland......again

filming Embla Gabriela

music Fabula

text and photos britt-arnhild

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My 12 year old niece Embla has done it again - made a music video with her mother´s song and singing.

Enjoy and share!

 

The photos makes me miss Reykjavik.

Below is a repost from February 1st 2010

 

 
My brother Børge and his family live in a penthouse flat in the middle of Reykjavik. With a view you can only imagine. My camera has been so busy these days. Not only taking pictures of the kids indoors, but on long walks I have done outdoors. In this area near the shopping street Laugarvegur, but also in other parts of the city.

 
When travelling, which I do often, one of the things I love the most is to walk around in local neighbourhoods, looking at houses, at doors, looking in windows making up stories of life inside.

 
A thousand years ago this island west of Norway was inhabited by Norwegians. Since then the two countries have strong links. Like brother and sister. Though I am not very satisfied with the Norwegian lack of support during the fatal financial crisis Iceland is living through these days.

 
I reflect on this while walking around in the area Reykjavik 101. There are so many similarities between Norway and Iceland, and also so many differences. Like sister and brother. Like me and Børge.

 
Børge was 20 when he moved to Reykjavik for what he had planned to be one year. He had met a girl from Iceland. This first "love story" didn't lead to anything, but once here he met Stina, and two years later our whole family came over for the wedding. This was in 1985, Torgeir was 3, Øystein 18 months that summer. Sweet memories. I remember I sewed and knitted for the boys not only for this wedding, but also for the wedding of my oldest brother Frode the same summer, up north in Lofoten. Light blue boys for the Lofoten wedding, pink and beige for Iceland. What a proud young mamma I was.......where has time gone?

 
My walk continues. My first visit to Reykjavik and Iceland was for the wedding in 1985, since then I have been back several times. The whole family of six on our way to USA to visit friends in Chicago in 1997, alone on my way back to Norway after spening two weeks in New York at the UN General Assembly in 2001, Embla's first birthday, Agúst's baptism........this is my 7th visit here.

 
There are strong bonds in our family. It is a challenge to live so far apart, especially when you don't see the children for months.....even years. But we know we are there for each other. Always.

 
 I am flying back to Norway today. Back to The House in the Woods. Back to Terje and Marta. Back to my job. Enrichened by my days in Reykjavik, my days with Børge, Stina, Embla and Agúst.

 
Once home, I will put the Iceland books into the shelves, and make a pile of books for the planning of my next travel........

 

 

The Creation of New Land in Iceland. Guestblogger brother Børge

My sister Britt-Arnhild invited me to contribute to her blog with a scenario of the volcanic activity in Iceland.

As a geologist living here at the volcanic island, exactly on the border between the North American and European tectonic plates it was of great excitement when the volcano Eyjafjallajökull woke up from his sleep last week, burst into life for the first time in 190 years, and started to erupt lava and ashes.

I decided straight away when I learned that the eruption was happening that I had to see this with my own eyes (and cameras). The weather forecast for the week-end was good with clear sky, however, with cold wind from the north. I first considered to walk up the mountain, but realized that cold wind, toxic gases and 12 hours of return walking was not for me this Saturday. Instead I ordered a trip with a helicopter.

Driving down to Skógarfoss (meaning; the forest waterfall), where my airlift started took me about 2 hours from Reykjavik through the changeable landscape of Iceland. The Skógafoss is one of the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls of the country with a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters. Due to the amount of spray the waterfall consistently produces, a single or double rainbow normally visible on sunny days.

Boulders covered with ice at the bottom of Skógarfoss.

  

 
 

After a nice stroll around Skógarfoss, I was all set for the thrill of my life, a helicopter tour for a close up view of the erupting volcano.

In the front seat with the pilot, I had the best view you could expect, and my expectations increased as we started to climb the mountain.

The amount of bright white snow increased as we gained attitude, however, the snow soon turned into grey due to the ashes from the eruption. And then suddenly we reached the top and the eruption revealed itself in all its glory. Surprisingly, I was not the only person around, hundreds, even thousands of people had walked, used their snowmobiles, or mountain trucks, to reach the mountain that day.

The lava fountain reaching 100-200 meters up in the air was a sight difficult to explain. The lava, originally around 1200^oC cools down on the surface, but keeps very hot just underneath the surface of the newly created lava layers.

 

 
  

After the ride with the helicopter, reaching the lowland again, I needed to calm down to digest all the huge impression from the helicopter ride. I could glimpse the shoreline in the horizon of the huge delta south in Iceland. I drove my car some kilometers and started to walk. However after 20 minutes, I realized that I have not approach the shore at all. Distances got a new perspective within this landscape. So I just laid down there in the middle of nowhere, with only sand plains around me for tens of kilometers and reflected over the meaning of life. It was nice to be lonely. I made considerations of the creation of the world and the previous experience of the birth of new land. My conclusion; we human are important, but we are small in this huge masterpiece!

Travels then and now. Do you have a memory to share?

I have a wonderful, huge collection of travel books (Journeys Around the World, The Silk Roand and Burton Holmes' Travelogues are the favorites)......and when I need some extra dreaming time I love to look through one of them, or read from one of the many books with words only......I have a passion for female travel litterature, Dervla Murphy, Freya Stark, Alexandra David-Neel, Vita Sackville West..... My own travel books, the travel section of my blog, I have alot of places to nurture my dreams. The past days I have added strong, lifelong memories from my days in Reykjavik. I have blogged about many of them, now I will need to sit down with my Moleskin and write it all down.

When I reread my blog, I am enjoying to read your comments over again, and also emails you fill my mailbox with. A few days ago I got an email from Margaret where she tells about her 8th birthday which was celebrated in Italy in 1960. Thank you Margaret for sharing a lovely memory, and than you for allowing me to post it here for everyone to read:

My grandmother had a very good travel agent in Tampa, Florida, where she was living at the time. The agent put together a very customized itinerary, just for us. Yes, my mother decided to take me as I was an only child, she had no place to leave me and assumed that the Europeans had children, so I wouldn't be to much of an oddity!
It was actually a lifelong benefit for me! We spent from late May to August touring and were met in each city by an escort. Transportation varied from trains, to a bus tour on the coast of Italy and an elegant chauffeured Bentley through France, Monaco and Lichtenstein. We sailed on the two Cunard Queens: Mary and Elizabeth.
The Hotel in Genoa, where I happened to be on June 3rd, had been a private palace built in the Beaux Arts style of the late 19th century. Our room was enormous, as was the beautifully maintained vintage marble bathroom.
The dining room was oval, very French. The walls were upholstered in pink silk damask, and the chairs were upholstered to match. Of course there was plenty of gilt embellishment, crystal candeliers and 9 waiters for the 3 of us and one other couple in the dining room. Mother had thoughtfully brought candles and asked the chef for a special dessert for me....Everyone sang, with the waiters all lined up in a row, then I blew out the candles. And that is the story of why I felt like a Princess for my 8th birthday!

I had my own chauffeur in and around Reykjavik, my brother Børge of course. Not driving a Bentley, but a very posh, stylish Jaguar! Sunday after lunch, Børge took me around the city for several hours. Down to the harbour where the old whale ships caught my interest, up on tops to get the best view of the city, new areas where the building stopped abruptly in January 2009 when the financial crisis stuck like lightning from a clear sky, out on an uninhabited island where the roads were so bad they were almost impossible to drive on.

 I am sure all of you have strong travel memories, from sometime, somewhere. I would love to hear them, will you please write about them in the comment section? I have a nice little surprise for one of you, something I bought in Reykjavik.........

 
  No, I haven't forgotten the postcards. I even bought a few more on the busstation before leaving Reykjavik, so:

Penelope, Merisi, Dagmar,Anne, Marilee, Marilyn, Lieselotte....I have for all of you :-) I'll let you know if I don't find your address.

101 Reykjavik, houses and windows

My brother Børge and his family live in a penthouse flat in the middle of Reykjavik. With a view you can only imagine. My camera has been so busy these days. Not only taking pictures of the kids indoors, but on long walks I have done outdoors. In this area near the shopping street Laugarvegur, but also in other parts of the city.

When travelling, which I do often, one of the things I love the most is to walk around in local neighbourhoods, looking at houses, at doors, looking in windows making up stories of life inside.

A thousand years ago this island west of Norway was inhabited by Norwegians. Since then the two countries have strong links. Like brother and sister. Though I am not very satisfied with the Norwegian lack of support during the fatal financial crisis Iceland is living through these days.

I reflect on this while walking around in the area Reykjavik 101. There are so many similarities between Norway and Iceland, and also so many differences. Like sister and brother. Like me and Børge.

Børge was 20 when he moved to Reykjavik for what he had planned to be one year. He had met a girl from Iceland. This first "love story" didn't lead to anything, but once here he met Stina, and two years later our whole family came over for the wedding. This was in 1985, Torgeir was 3, Øystein 18 months that summer. Sweet memories. I remember I sewed and knitted for the boys not only for this wedding, but also for the wedding of my oldest brother Frode the same summer, up north in Lofoten. Light blue boys for the Lofoten wedding, pink and beige for Iceland. What a proud young mamma I was.......where has time gone?

My walk continues. My first visit to Reykjavik and Iceland was for the wedding in 1985, since then I have been back several times. The whole family of six on our way to USA to visit friends in Chicago in 1997, alone on my way back to Norway after spening two weeks in New York at the UN General Assembly in 2001, Embla's first birthday, Agúst's baptism........this is my 7th visit here.

There are strong bonds in our family. It is a challenge to live so far apart, especially when you don't see the children for months.....even years. But we know we are there for each other. Always.

 I am flying back to Norway today. Back to The House in the Woods. Back to Terje and Marta. Back to my job. Enrichened by my days in Reykjavik, my days with Børge, Stina, Embla and Agúst.

Once home, I will put the Iceland books into the shelves, and make a pile of books for the planning of my next travel........

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I have a couple of Reykjavik postcards left over. Who wants? (With a Norwegian stamp.....)

Agúst and Oliver Twist, my excuse for coming :-)

Many months ago Agúst took part in an audition with several hundred children from Reykjavik. He wanted to play in the Icelandic National Theater's Oliver Twist. Icelandic Television was there to report from the audition, Agúst, one of the youngest kids, was interviewed, Børge sent us the link through an email, and in Norway we could watch Agúst and the others talking about why they wanted to play. We don't understand Icelandic, but watching is a world language, and I was in no doubt. If Agúst got a role I would go to Iceland!

Then you know what happened. He got a role as the youngest orphan in the play. My brother Børge phoned me late one afternoon one week before Christmas to let me know, and half an hour later my flight was booked!

We were seated in the first row last night, which gave us an amazing view. I was not allowed to take photos of course, but sneaked in this one before the performance started.......

.......and this one afterwards. I love the fabric in these theatre chairs. A few years ago the theatre sold some of the old ones and Børge and Stina has one in their kitchen.......making me green with envy. I want one!

After the performance Agúst came out though, and my camera finally got busy.

Can you see I am happy :-)

I didn't understand the words last night, but I have just read the book so the story was well known to me. And the wonderful acting, by Agúst and by all the other actors used the heart language which I very well understand!

Today is Agúst's 8th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY young man......

........and THANK YOU dear brother Børge for making my days here so very special!

A full day in Reykjavik

I have brought my cup of tea with me out on the roof terracce, memorizing yeaterday, enjoying the morning, the promise of a new day. No, as several of you mentioned in yesterday's comments, there is no snow here. Actually there is seldom snow in Reykjavik during the winters. We can see some white dusting on the mountains right over the fjord, but not here in the city.

From the balcony I look into the kitchen......and the bathroom.....

Memories of music, smiles and laughter from yesterday flow through me, I feel thankful, blessed, happy, for my family.

 
Outdoors, I walk around for hours, stopping for coffee, for lunch, taking photos. I don't need a map, I know the city well enough from previous visits, and anyway, the center is not very big.

I can take you with me on so many different tours, and might do so, eventually, but today I have some great wall art to show you. I don't think I have seen a city with so much wall art anywhere: on my travels around the world.

 

signs of spring in front of the wall.... 

My favorite.........

......and then the last photo today; shopping with Embla, which she and I did for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. The Pet Shop wall was her favorite, she had a hard time choosing one box when I wanted to buy her a gift :-)

First morning, Hallgrimskirkja

From Lonely Planet: Reykjavik's most attention-seeking building is the immense concrete church Hallgrimskirkja, star of a thousand postcards and visible from 20km away.

I have visited the church before, for the baptism of Ágúst, for the ordination of Stina's father to become a preast, and have been looking forward to go there again for mass on Sunday. Then I learned that the whole of the inside of the church is being repainted and the church  is closed. So the exterior is all I will be able to see this time.

I went out right after breakfast this morning, ready to explore Reykjavik. It is many years since my last visit, and I have never been here in January before. It was still dark when I left the penthouse flat where Børge and his family live, good light for fairy tale photos.

 More from Lonely Planet: The church's radical design caused huge controversy, and its architect, Gudjon Samuelsson, never lived to see its completion - it took a painstaking 34 years (1940-74) to build. Those sweeping culumns on either side of the tower represent volcanic basalt

I couldn't go inside, but I got a glimpse of one of the painters through the window.

Outside the church is a statue of Leiv Eriksson, the Norseman (Norwegian and Icelandic) who was the first European to discover America. The statue was given as a gift to Iceland from USA in 1930, the 1000th anniversary of the Icelandic Allthing.

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I had my morning coffee right across the street, but that's a story for Caffe Avec. Now I am back home, watchng Iceland - Norway playing handball for the European Championship. Exciting to watch it on an Icelandic channel.

I can still see Hallgroms kirkjan though, from the window here where I stay:

In Reykjavik, ready to explore

I am in Reykjavik with brother Børge, his wife Margret Kristin (Stina), niece Embla 10 and nephew Ágúst 7 + 363 days. Came right after noon yesterday, and since then life has been a whirlwind of a dance.

It is morning, Embla has already left for work, Ágúst is playing harmonica while brushing his teeth.....yes, this boy can do everything, most of all stealing his aunt's heart.

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........the photo is from Børge and Stina's livingroom. I am now on my way out to capture tons of Reykjavik photos. See you later.