Iceland
Hákarl: when in Iceland, eat as the Icelanders generally don’t
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
iceland, food, yum nyam, best of cafebabel.com, gastronomy, lifestyle, spécialités
Travel: five things not to do in Iceland
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
iceland, money, reykjavík, copenhagen, accommodation, expensive, björk
Olivia Pedroli: 'Icelanders are lucky to come from a country so far from everything'
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?
iceland, switzerland, music, björk, concert, folk music, classical music
Sea Shepherd: tuna fish pirates hiding in a stretch of sea near you
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
iceland, japan, biodiversity, norway, development, fisheries, ecology
Birgitta Jonsdottir, Iceland's woman politician blogger
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’
iceland, democratisation, reykjavík, civil society, internet, e-government, european media
Comedian and new mayor Jon Gnarr spoofs politics in Reykjavik
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
iceland, music, politics, corruption, reykjavík, beppe grillo, satire
Gogo Paris, go go digital? Ditching European travel guidebooks
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
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
iceland, eucrisis on the ground, money, paris, berlin, accommodation, warsaw
EU press criticise air travel regulations as ash cloud lingers
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, politics, eurotopics, economy, european press, travel, press review
Iceland volcano: climate to survive natural, as well as man-made phenomena?
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, carbon footprint, economy, euweek, aeroplane, barack obama, natural disaster
Iceland could strip Europeans of their savings
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...
iceland, financial crisis, economy, economical crisis, referendum
Ólafur Arnalds, Trail of Dead and Turin: your music for September
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
iceland, album, italy, music, ólafur arnalds, and you will know us by the trail of dead, label
Sweden's Cecilia Malmström: 'I'm a politician. It’s not my task to impose an identity on people'
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, european identity, identity, globalisation, turkey, northern eu, euroscepticism
Iceland in the EU: 'Only on our terms'
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, malta, fishing, candidate countries, altiero spinelli, european union
Iceland elections: next stop, Brussels?
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
iceland, politics, nationalism, enlargement, green parties, economy, socialist
Lisbon treaty and recession Europe, give us a kiss
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
iceland, currency, economical crisis, european elections 2009, eudebate2009, eurozone, european union
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