Some Particularly Choice Grapevine Articles

I’ll get my post about last weekend’s trip to the Westman Islands together as soon as possible, but in the meantime, let me share with you the joys of The Reykjavík Grapevine.

The Grapevine is an English-language newspaper that mostly exists for the tourists. Contrary to what you might think from reading the rest of this post, they do cover serious stories in a serious manner, but they also have a tendency to publish articles whose headlines sound more like something from The Onion.

Pagan Magic Worked Against British and Dutch

Sweeping Cat Legislation Passed in Kopavogur

Despite Unemployment, No Icelander Wants to Work in a Fish Factory

Crazed Raven Killed by Authorities I read a paper for my folk tales class that claimed ravens could attack and kill horses. I don’t think this is true. Regardless, ravens are not to be trifled with.

Breast Milk Turned Green After Sports Drink I would freak the hell out if that ever happened to me.

Iceland Competing In Elephant Polo Tournament "We need a sport that we can dominate globally."

And then there’s the saga of Jón Gnarr’s mayorship. Gnarr’s Best Party—a motley crew of comedians and musicians—won control of the Reykjavík City Council earlier this year, which really tells you something about the state of Icelanders' relationship with their government at the moment. They ran on a platform of having free towels at public swimming pools, putting a polar bear in the city zoo, and breaking their campaign promises. Imagine if Jon Stewart ran for mayor of New York City and actually won. That’s pretty much what happened here. There’s also a movie out about him now, that, in typical Gnarr style, is half actual documentary of his experience with the Best Party, half him just making stuff up to mess with people.

Mayor’s Internet Porn Use Discussed in City Hall

UPDATE: Mayor Was Kidding

Reykjavik Mayor Jon Gnarr Gets a Tattoo

UPDATE: Reykjavik Mayor Taken Ill By New Tattoo of City Logo

Mayor’s Polar Bear Project Still Ongoing

Mayor Apologizes for Breaking Campaign Promises Well, he did warn them.

Icelandic Alien Society: Jón Gnarr Is Not an Alien It’s like Birther-gate! On a GALACTIC scale!

For one last bit of Gnarr, here is his “Mayor’s Address” that appears in the front of some print editions of the Grapevine:

The odds of you being in Reykjavík are not great. The greatest part of mankind is elsewhere. It is scientifically proven. When I was little, I would often ask myself why I had been born in Reykjavík. Is it a coincidence where one is born? Is it subject to some universal law? Did I exist in any form before I was born? Did I have anything to do with where I was born? Why did Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler not bear any children? Did they not try to? Can it be that no child wanted them as parents? I don’t know, but I do not believe in coincidence. I do not believe that God plays dice, especially not when human lives are concerned. These thoughts inevitably lead one to consider Schrödinger's cat. He is probably one of the most famous cats in the world (maybe after Ninja Cat). Still no one knows what it was called? What was Schrödinger's cat called? Abracadabra? I don’t remember. Let’s call it Phoenix. That is a common name for cats. Phoenix was of the nature that it both existed and not. Therefore, it always existed, and even if Schrödinger killed his cat in a rather tasteless manner, it is still alive at Schrödinger's house, while Schrödinger himself has been dead for a long time.

Does this mean that I always existed, or that I never existed and do therefore not exist now? That can’t be! It would mean that all our existence was unreal and only existed in our own imagination. If I do not exist, then neither do you. I have a hard time believing that. The facts speak for themselves. If I am not real, then how could I fly to Finland, send myself a post card with a picture of Tarja Halonen, the President of Finland, fly back home and welcome the mailman that brought me the card? I don’t know. I am one of many Icelanders that believe in elves and trolls. I mainly believe in Moomin elves. It is more of a certainty than a belief. I have seen them and touched them. I know they exist. I have been to Moominworld in Naantali, Finland. I have evidence; photographs, video recordings and witnesses. I had a good talk with Moomin Papa. He told me that life in Moominvalley was much better after Finland joined the EU. He encouraged us Icelanders to join the EU. He also said that the Moomins had always existed, long before Tove Jansson “invented” them. The Moomins are eternal, at least in books.

I hope these thoughts shed some light on the history of Reykjavík and its culture. I hope you enjoy your time in Reykjavík, that you go swimming a lot and tell all your friends how fun Reykjavík is, and how everyone is always happy there and that you will never forget your hotel, Suðurlandsbraut and the eternally young cat Phoenix.