April 2003
Postcard
I don’t know if I am getting lazier or time flies by so much faster. April in MH means student council elections. I can’t make any political statements or anything and yet I was asked to appear for moral support I guess. Work is keeping me out of trouble. We had to upgrade the photocopiers. Actually I had worn one out, it was made to take 2 million copies, and I managed to keep it alive until it had taken nearly 3 million copies. We also bought a few other copiers for the teachers to use so maybe they will not rely on me as much.
I continued my cultural ways and attended a play at the school. It was kind of Gay but still a lot of fun. When I bought my newer Blazer I knew it needed some work so I finally got that done. It was kind of expensive but it sure improved things. Lots of power and a totally improved gas mileage. It will pay off at the pumps in no time. Newly fixed and ready to rumble, Shawn, a friend from Nanaimo BC and I headed to Þórsmörk. There was a group that had left from the school earlier on Friday but I stayed and worked and headed after work. The weather was fantastic and I truly love visiting Þórsmörk. I didn’t cross the mighty Krossá, river but I did cross quite a few. We had a great time with the IB, International Baccalaureate students from the school. I had thought about staying an extra night but the weather did not cooperate so we headed back to Reykjavik but not before visiting my friend Þórður at Skogar. I think Shawn got a kick out of visiting the museum, he sure was not afraid to sit in front of one of the old pump organs and play a few songs.
Ingibjörg was operated on the 8th, she had a birth defect in her hip that had just come into light and they replaced her hip in the operation.
April 11th was the last day of school before Easter Break. It was also the day that a group of Western Icelanders came in. They were kind of family and I picked them up at the airport. We did the touristy thing on the Saturday, The Golden Circle with my extra jaunt into Hvalfjörður. The weather was fantastic, a little cool but nice and bright. Sunday after a little tour downtown I headed for the first of two confirmations I was invited to. Of course they were both at the same time. The first was for my cousin, Iðunn Garðarsdottir. It was a nice get together and unfortunately I couldn’t stay too long. The next one was the grandson of my friends and landlords. His name is also Guðmundur. It was at their house but still a great event. Ingibjörg was able to attend and Guðmundur and I drove her back to the rehab center in Hveragerði.
Monday the 14th packed up the Palson Group and headed for Höfn I Hornafjöður. The weather was fantastic and the sights unbelievable. I don’t remember the weather ever being that good on my travels east by the glaciers. We stopped lots on the way for photos and to explore. We ended up staying at the residence where I stayed 20 some years ago when I worked on the fishing boat in Höfn. It was an ideal location for us to explore and have coffee with the fishermen. We explored lots and were able to visit the farm that their father spent the first couple years of his life on.
The weather on the way back was not as good but as we had seen most places already it was OK. Click here for Photos from Iceland, April 2003
Thursday the 17th Guðmundur drove me to Keflavik and I was off to Copenhagen. The flight was great and I found the hotel easily. After a fantastic Danish Breakfast I did the touristy thing and took a Grand Tour of the City. I saw the changing of the guards and many other interesting things. After the tour I headed to a giant flea market. I didn’t buy much but it was still something to see. No rest for the wicked, early the next day I headed of on a Vikingland Tour. It was great and the tour guide Hans was superb. The feeling in the countryside was the greatest. I know I will return and next time I think I will spend my time in the communities surrounding Copenhagen. I saw the burial places of Kings and Queens, hundreds of Viking Burial Mounds and the Viking Ship Museum. It was all unbelievable and well worth the visit. Some information from the tour; there is a little over 5 million people living in Denmark and 1.5 million live in Copenhagen. There were as many as 20,000 burial Viking mounds each containing 2 or 3 bodies. there are some 14,000 remaining. Click here for Photos from Denmark
Easter Sunday, I took a canal tour. Later I was thinking of what to eat, I stumbled on an East Indian Place. The food was fantastic and cheap. I then spent 4 hours touring and photographing Tivoli. It was a little cool but I had a great time. Click here for More Photos from Denmark
Monday it finally warmed up, just in time for me to catch my flight back to Iceland. Actually I had a few beers at my favorite bar and then headed for the airport. As I didn’t have a bag to check in the check in was quick. You would have thought that I was just getting on a train or something.
Returned to work the next day but kind of weird, worked 2 days and then another day off. We did a show for John Palson promoting Hideaway Outfitters. It would have been nice to get a few more out but you have to start somewhere. Sumardagurinn fyrsti, the first day of summer, the Palson Crew headed home. Dimission and Grad breakfast happened on the 25th. Dimission is always interesting, various skits and entertainment put on by the graduating students. No rest for me, I had to work on the Saturday, the Symphony was practicing in the school for their upcoming Abba Concert.
The end of the month brought the onset of the Exam rush. Other than that the month ended uneventful. There was one news item that happened that I must mention though. On the TV news there was clip about poetry reading and recital in an elementary school. One of the kids was asked to recite a poem he knew. The only one he knew was one of Stefan G. Stefansson´s, I thought that was kind of neat.
Well until next month,
Kent Lárus