Icelands first television sets were installed after the US base in Keflavik was established and they started broadcasting the kind of stuff the USAnians are served by their broadcasters. Iceland did not produce until much later, and this is probably an important factor shaping the Icelandic culture. They are much more "americanised" than the rest of the Nordic countries, and differs greatly from Norway when it comes to experiencing nature. Where we would walk, they drive.
rush our traffic jam in the mountains ... Click the images!
Gunnar Birgisson - my kind of guy!
Why walk when you may race?
ATV fun x 2
Paul Olai-Olssen dressed up.
Welcome to the Machine
Horse power is the magical word. Monster trucks. Big wheels. ATV's. Their complete fascination for these noisy machines is in total contrast to the love of the Icelandic horse, which is more up my alley. Conflicts between these two groups of "horselovers" are frequent, as far as i experienced, the situation is rather clear cut. You love the animal or the machine. In this episode, it is all about the machine.
Gunnar Birgisson is totally local!
Stripped of their engines and horse powers...
Icelandic men...
... are not men at all. I mean, they love to play. They are surprisingly childish and do not take themselves very seriously. At least none of the numerous guys I was lucky to get to know.
As always, men behave more relaxed and are generally more fun when women are not around, that is a universal fact, but the interesting thing about these fellows, is that they may look like a bunch of brutes at first glance, which they soon prove not to be at all. Just overgrown kids, basically. Great to be around. Helpful, caring and considerate. Experimenting, daring and drinking. Problem solving and self ironic.
Atop Tindfjöll the easy way.
Paul Olai-Olssen in a leaking outfit.
Gunnar Birgisson the cave man.
Gunnar as cave man
Gunnar Birgisson had more to show me. Let me explain that I first met him on the Faroes, where he and a bunch of guys arrived by zodiacs, after crossing from Iceland. A mad venture, obviously. He told me that he could fix and arrange whatever I wanted to in Iceland, if I wanted to come. I wanted to come. He fixed things. And we naturally became good friends. Gunnar is a one-of-a-kind kind of person.
"I have more to show you," he told me. "Come on, it is going to be fun!" I knew Gunnar by then, so I was naturally sceptical. My death wish is very, very weak, and the expression in his face made it clear that what he had in mind was more than a walk in the park. Have a look at the video below. I am not going to tell where it is, as people are not encouraged to go there. If you do, please bring rope, helmet and a non leaking dry suit!
And that was all for for now. Next episode next week. Here's the sunset over Vestmannaeyjar:
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