As
I mentioned several blogs back, when my husband was assigned to the Naval Air
Station in Keflavík, Iceland, it was not only the beginning of a great
adventure for our little family, but it sparked my interest in the Viking Age.
This ultimately led to my penning the HEART
trilogy.
In
future blogs, I’ll write more on the Viking connections and inspirations from
our days in this fascinating land — a glimpse “behind the scenes” of some of
the things that went into the creation of those books. Before diverting in that
direction, however, I’d like to share a few more fun reminiscences of my life
as a Navy wife in Iceland during the years 1972 to 1974, and some photos that we’ve
retrieved from our archives.
Courtesy Bill Large
Upon
arriving in the country, there were a few things to quickly come up to speed on
(no pun intended):
Driving: Iceland had recently
converted from driving on the left side of the road(British style) to the
right side of the road (American style). On the face of it, that was great for Americans
– no adjustments needed on our part. On the other hand, we were advised that in
the event of a mishap, an Icelander’s instincts might still be to swerve in the
direction he’d formerly employed to avoid accidents (while driving on the left
side of the road) – in other words, opposite to the direction now needed. Thus,
they would swerve toward, rather than
away from us!
Then
there were the traffic circles we encountered in Reykjavík. Did I mention I
hate traffic circles? According to Icelandic law, the person on the inside of
the traffic circle has right of way because (as the story goes), once two young
swains were rivals for the same girl’s hand. The one man trapped the other man
in the rotary as they drove round and round for hours, not letting him out! Hence
the law was changed. So now, we had to watch out for the guy on the inside of
the traffic circle who might want out, remembering that the Icelanders were
driving in the opposite direction they were used to and that their instincts
might be to swerve in the wrong direction – in other words, straight into us!
Did I mention I hate traffic circles?
Drinking and Driving: Laws are extremely
strict in Iceland. Consumption of three Icelandic pilsners would put you just
below the limit. However, consumption of only one American beer or a single glass of wine put you over the
limit. Designated drivers were a must!
Sheep and Driving: Don’t hit! These animals
roam freely and are protected. They are extremely important for their wool,
milk, meat and other by products (rugs, coats, etc.) If a sheep is hit and
killed, a large fine is levied. If memory serves, when a female (ewe) is
killed, the offender must pay for the value of at least three generations of
sheep and the goods they would have produced in their lifetime. Bottom line –
give the sheep the right of way and let the critters pass!
Um
… did I mention that roasted leg of Icelandic lamb (mutton really) is
delicious? I was instructed to use just a bit of garlic salt to season the meat
and the results were amazing. The taste was not at all strong or “lamby” as
here in the States.
Courtesy Bill Large
Shopping: We lived off base
during our first year and it was delightful in so many ways. Our apartment at Túngata
13 was just off the main street which was lined with individual shops. There
were no department stores or “Five-and-Dimes” as we knew them. Bread and baked
goods were found in the bakery (the cardamom pastries were heavenly). Meats,
milk, cheeses, and other food items including such things as blood pudding, were
found at the small grocers’. Here I hunted down the different forms of milk
(mjólk) I needed for the family: undanrenna (skim milk, recommended for the
baby – it came in pouches at the time) and nýmjólk (closest to what we are used
to in the States). For a fascinating breakdown on the varieties check out this
article: Got Mjólk?
Hardware could be found in its own
interesting little shop, and a little further down the street, fabric could be
purchased by the meter. This puzzled the American wives at first who arrived
armed with their dress patterns. Were we getting more, or less fabric by the
meter than by the yard? Happily, we received three extra inches by the meter –
no need to adjust those patterns!
Mr.
KK with the little ones in Reykjavík
There
was wonderful shopping to be had in the capital city of Reykjavík and factory
tours were offered that were well worth taking advantage of for the discounts
and a fun day’s outing. These included the wool factory (yarn for knitting
Icelandic sweaters, rugs), cheese factory (wonderful creamy white cheeses – I
preferred the one with lobster in it and Mr. KK liked the caraway), pewter
items including jewelry and drinking vessels, volcanic ceramics and more.
The
Icelandic population is nearly 100% literate. Hence, bookstores abound with
many titles in English as it is readily spoken in Reykjavík, Keflavík,
Akureyri, and other population centers.
Our
favorite restaurant in Reykjavík was the Naust. Memories of the finest fish
dishes still linger. While pulling together this blog, I discovered that,
happily, the Naust is still in business. Should you be passing through be sure
to stop by the restaurant on Vesturgata.
Sleeping: As mentioned in my
previous post, Iceland’s year is divided
between six months of darkness and six months of daylight. I arrived in summer
when the sun still burned brightly at midnight. One of the first things I
learned was the Navy wives’ trick to put foil over the bedroom windows so the
children would sleep at night. Happily, it worked!
During the winter months, darkness
reigns and snow falls with regularity. It’s a time to tuck in, sip some warm
tea (or in my case, hot coffee) and enjoy a good book. OR, assuming weather
conditions are favorable, the opportunity should not be missed to bundle up, head
out and take in the magnificent view of the Northern Lights as they dance in
the sky.
Next blog: Iceland’s amazing spectacles
— Aurora Borealis and volcanoes
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