cafebabel.com

Hákarl: when in Iceland, eat as the Icelanders generally don’t

('Kris Anderson',) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:11:04 -0000

The name of this traditional dish of fermented shark meat translates as 'rotten' shark. While some Icelanders do eat the traditional dish, many think it’s disgusting and therefore an appropriate and amusing tourist attraction. Tourists – particularly those seeking some fabricated notion of ‘the real Iceland’ – agree

Travel: five things not to do in Iceland

('Kris Anderson',) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:21:44 -0000

Iceland is a tourist’s Eden: pounding waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, white sand beaches, milky-blue hot-springs, glaciers, volcanoes, and wildlife galore. But its tourist infrastructure needs some spit-and-polish. Here are a few tips to get by

Olivia Pedroli: 'Icelanders are lucky to come from a country so far from everything'

('Naomi R',) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:00:00 -0000

From her beginnings in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Olivia’s talent led her to Reykjavik where she has bloomed under the mentorship of Bjôrk’s producer. Coming out of her trance, Olivia guides us through the mélange of folk, classical and experimental influences that make up her new album 'The Den'. Will you come in?

Sea Shepherd: tuna fish pirates hiding in a stretch of sea near you

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:30:00 -0000

The American conservation society are preparing a ‘No Compromise’ campaign against illegal whale fishing in the Antarctic. Now the ecological pirates are back to fight against tuna fish hunters in the Mediterannean

Birgitta Jonsdottir, Iceland's woman politician blogger

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:30:00 -0000

The politician, blogger and Wikileaks ‘friend’ from Reykjavik, 43, proposed a law which aims to convert the island into a model of digital transparency and safe haven for journalists; it was passed in June. Interview with a mother-of-one who is ‘everything but your traditional politician’

Comedian and new mayor Jon Gnarr spoofs politics in Reykjavik

('Nicola Potter',) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:30:00 -0000

It's made an impact - The Best Party won the local elections on 29 May with 34.7% of the vote! We talk to party number two Einar Orn Benediktsson, a former singer and trumpet player who has collaborated with Björk and the Sugercubes

Gogo Paris, go go digital? Ditching European travel guidebooks

('Tim Mac an Airchinnigh',) — Wed, 12 May 2010 19:02:44 -0000

In Europe, we don’t go on city breaks any more. We ‘pop over’ to foreign capitals like we pop downstairs to get a pint of milk. So where does that leave the traditional travel guide? One Paris-based webzine is pioneering a new species of travel guide with Europe’s new jet-setting, PDF-ing urbanites in mind

Volcano: travelling Vilnius to Paris by train

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:19:15 -0000

Once upon a time, in the space of six days, airline companies lost 1.7 millions euros - and they weren't alone. I don't know exactly how many million euros Iceland 'owes' to the world aviation sector. With little sleep and lots of beer, it certainly owes me two days of my life by train across 2, 000 km of Europe

EU press criticise air travel regulations as ash cloud lingers

('euro topics',) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:57:30 -0000

Since 15 April, Europe's airports have been forced to stay closed after a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland has obscured EU airspace. The flight ban that many of us are experiencing shows just how dependent the economy is on air traffic - but Europe can co-operate much better too. The Italian, Swedish, Dutch and Austrian press react

Iceland volcano: climate to survive natural, as well as man-made phenomena?

('Sofia Belegrinou',) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:12:47 -0000

When Iceland's Eyjafjoell volcano erupted on 15 April, it halted flights in European airspace but also led to conspiracy theories about reducing CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and cooling off the planet. cafebabel.com Athens blog about the priorities

Iceland could strip Europeans of their savings

('euro topics',) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:48:47 -0000

On 5 January, president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson refused to sign a law controversial among Icelanders that stipulates the repayment of around 3.5 billion euros to foreign depositors who have been unable to access their savings since the Icelandic bank failure. Now the people will decide on repayment in a referendum, a plan which has not gone down well with the foreign press. The Danish, British, Dutch and Icelandic media say...

Ólafur Arnalds, Trail of Dead and Turin: your music for September

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

We’ve rattled up the format of our monthly music tips for the autumn. Catch our Iceland-flavoured album of the month, the top five tracks in September as voted for by our boys and girls in Turin, and an album tip from a correspondent from our network. This month, we hear from Berlin

Sweden's Cecilia Malmström: 'I'm a politician. It’s not my task to impose an identity on people'

('Pierre-Anthony Canovas',) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:00:00 -0000

The Gothenburg-based politician, 41, has been EU affairs minister since 2006. We talk institutional reform, economic crisis and Turkey in part III of a special edition marking the six-month Swedish presidency of the EU, which began on 1 July

Iceland in the EU: 'Only on our terms'

('Sarah Meleleu',) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:58:26 -0000

In a pub in Reykjavik, three young Icelanders discuss the possible membership of their island to the European Union. With less than 10% growth, they are not showing “euro enthusiasm”, but pragmatism

Iceland elections: next stop, Brussels?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:26:23 -0000

On 26 January 2009, Iceland’s conservative-led government collapsed, the latest victim of the international financial crisis that has capsized the tiny island-state. Current percentages of the possible winning coalition are 31% for the socialists and 24% for the green-leftists

Lisbon treaty and recession Europe, give us a kiss

('Andrew Christie',) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0000

In these times of economic crisis Europe is able to laugh and is supposedly stronger for it. Even the Lisbon treaty gives a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. 2009 will be a decisive year

Hidden wonders

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 02:00:00 -0000

Iceland, summer 2006