After a month of scorching sun the heavens have finally broken and I am actually pleased to feel rain in the air. At least for a little while.
News here is dominated by bank scandals and it fills my thoughts too often, leaving me feeling a great sense of indignation. There is little a foreigner with no voting rights can do, however. Although I think the economic future of Iceland will be distinctly gloomy for Iceland and for Icelanders (and those of us non-Icelanders who live here) for the foreseeable future I do think that these crises and bad times have brought a friendlier, more open attitude to the community. I hope things improve and that this togetherness feeling remains. I can´t comment much on the news since I don´t know much about economics or politics, other than to suggest that those of you who are not Icelandic speakers should keep your eyes on the Iceland Weather Report as a good source of updates, rather than on Iceland Review or IceNews which seem to me to be mainly aimed at keeping Iceland looking attractive as a tourist destination - which of course it is, and you get more for your foreign currency these days too.
My folks were just visiting and my Dad commented on how many Icelanders he had met this time and how many people spoke to him in Icelandic and were happy to let him try out his Icelandic. Perhaps the ratio of Icelanders to tourists is higher than usual, even though some say that there are more tourists here. Certainly, more locals are taking their holidays here instead of abroad. I´d say that the weather has improved everyone´s mood and perhaps folk are realising the attraction of the Icelandic nature which they have not appreciated for some time in their search for southern sun, beaches and cheap beer.
This summer we have enjoyed a camping trip to Strandir, blueberry picking already (all this sun has ripened the blueberries and crowberries far more than usual,... I´d say that they will be just perfect here in the south west in about 2 weeks, some 2-4 weeks ahead of usual) and barbecues on our balcony. I´ve also been to yoga classes with other women with bumps and taken a tour of the hospital with Óli.
So, this week is week 36 and there is perhaps only 1 month or so to go. Perhaps less, perhaps more. I´ve been washing baby clothes we have been kindly given and the cutest little knitted jumpers and booties my Mum arrived with in her suitcase. We are almost ready. Still no idea of a name, particularly for a girl but I suppose something will come to us. As an international family I had no idea how complex it would be to pick name(s) and to work out what might be best. For a start I feel I have to rule out all the Icelandic names that I can´t pronounce to the satisfaction of Icelandic ears, which doesn´t leave such a big choice!
Lulls in the reporting of the economic crisis and related scandals have been filled with speculation about the next eruptions of Katla and Hekla. Relatively small earthquakes around Eyjafjallajökull and in the Katla caldera have reminded folk of the linkages between the two volcanoes and that intrusions in Eyjfjallajökull might result in an eruption in Katla, its larger and more flamboyant neighbour. So far all is quiet. People are on semi-alert for the next eruption of Hekla and hikers have been asked not to venture onto the ridge. If you are thinking of going hiking of Hekla please don´t: the warning time of 30 minutes in the year 2000 was insufficient to allow people to make the 4 hour trek from summit to car and then to safety. Perhaps it was lucky that the last eruption was in bad weather in February, rather than on a glorious sunny summer day.
So far, no eruptions.. but maybe we should be considering Hekla or Katla as baby names. Not the nicest of characters.. Hekla has reminiscences of Hell and Katla was a bad tempered witch with a tendency to murder. Good strong names for a child nobody will mess with at school?
