Episodes

The Icelandic horse is a breed like no other, with a history that is deeply intertwined with the island nation itself. Brought to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, these horses have remained a pure breed for over a thousand years. The isolation of Iceland has played a significant role in maintaining the purity of the Icelandic horse. No other horses have been allowed into the country since the original stock arrived, and once an Icelandic horse leaves the island, it can n...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. Who is Hallbera the Icelandic Ghost? There is an old Icelandic folklore tale about a ghost named Hallbera. It is said that she resides in the Scouts Cabin. She specifically occupies one of the bunks. Hallbera is known for her mischievous nature, playing pranks on those who sleep in one of the bunks. She might push the unfortunate sleeper onto the floor or give them unsettling dreams. An...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. The Toddler’s Transformation One summer on a farm when everyone else where collecting hay, a woman and her child, a toddler, were in the house because she was doing chores. The child was well behaved, spoke fluently and, in general, didn’t make much of a fuss. At some point in the day, the woman needed to clean the milk troughs. Instead of taking him with her, she sat him on the steps ri...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. What Makes a Nykur Different than a Normal Icelandic Horse? Nykur is a water horse that is a gray color but it can shape shift into other things, living or dead. However, it’s said that it can’t take the shape of lambswool or peeled barley. In most stories, when the Nykur shows up it is normally around water. It lures people in to ride it. The Nykur specifically hangs out around rivers ...

This is the fourth episode for my segment “Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland”. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. If you want to submit a question, you can do it here. You can check out previous Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland episodes here. Answers to the Questions That Were Submitted 1. Stephanie J. asked: “What is the tipping culture in Iceland?” Tipping in Iceland is not expected, nor is the service you get dependent on it. While you can tip if you want to, it is certainly...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. A Tale from Grímsey Island I’m sharing about a man and a polar bear in Grímsey, which is the northernmost inhabited island in Iceland. It is the only part of Iceland that is the Arctic circle. I’ve not been there yet, but I have heard it is beautiful. This story takes place many years during a harsh winter. On this day, no one on the island could keep a fire lit. It seems that they were...

At the beginning of 2025, a new travel authorization system called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) will come into effect. This new requirement aims to bolster security across Europe, addressing concerns related to terrorism and the influx of migrants and refugees. Non-EU visitors who previously didn’t need a visa will now have to apply online for ETIAS, which will screen applicants against a database for criminal activities, prior overstays in the EU, and other secu...

This is part of my Folklore Friday Series, where I am sharing an Icelandic folklore story every Friday in 2024. A King’s Decree Leads To Iceland’s Land Spirits Being Discovered In the Heimskringla saga of King Olaf Tryggvason, there is a captivating tale of King Harald Bluetooth’s failed attempt to invade Iceland. According to the saga, Harald tasked a sorcerer who transformed into a fearsome whale, with finding the island’s vulnerabilities. However, each time the whale-sorcerer tried to land,...

Iceland straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. This unique geographical setting has led to some fascinating geological features and dynamic landscapes. In this episode, I go over the geology a little bit, the main reason why Iceland does not split in two even though the tectonic plates are slowing moving apart, and where in the country you can enjoy seeing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the country. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Iceland’s Unique Po...

This is part of my Folklore Friday Series, where I am sharing an Icelandic folklore story every Friday in 2024. A Magical Woman from Norway Migrates to Iceland In the book of the Icelanders, or Landnámabók, is a person named Þuríður syndafyllir and her son Völu-Steinn. They immigrated from Northern Norway and settled in Bolungarvík in the Westfjords of Iceland. It was rumored that Þuríður had incredible powers. One story about her when she lived in Norway was that she cast a spell that filled...

Rökkvi Vésteinsson was born in 1978 in Iceland. He had a multicultural upbringing, living in Chicago at age 11, and spending summers in Denmark and Sweden during his teens. By age 20, he was fluent in four foreign languages, thanks to his travels and a stint as an au pair in Germany. Rökkvi began his professional journey guiding one-day tours from Reykjavík to Kulusuk, Greenland at 23, leveraging his language skills in English, German, and Danish. He simultaneously embarked on a career in stand...

Where Iceland’s Loch Ness Monster Lives Lagarfljot, nestled in eastern Iceland, is not just a lake but a river channel flowing from the majestic Vatnajokull glacier to the sea. This secluded area carries a mysterious aura, providing fertile ground for local folklore. Visitors from the east of Iceland or those who have journeyed to Reykjavik might share tales of a monstrous inhabitant lurking in the murky depths of the lake, reminiscent of Scotland’s famous Loch Ness monster. This creature, kn...

Have you ever imagined swimming between two continents, touching the jagged edges of the earth’s crust beneath crystal-clear water? I had the unforgettable experience of snorkeling in Silfra Fissure, located in the heart of Thingvellir National Park, Iceland. This unique adventure is available all year round, and whether you visit during the chilly embrace of December or the milder days of April, like I did, it’s an exhilarating experience not to be missed. Arctic Adventures is a premier trave...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing fascinating stories from Icelandic folklore on Fridays throughout 2024. How Rusty “The Brown One” Became a Ghost Rusty is a boy that is the main character of this story. According to the legend, he was 16 years old in the late 1700s in Iceland, and one day is he was out walking during a bad storm. Unfortunately, Rusty only had rags on and it was hard for him to find shelter. At one point he finally found a farm, knocked on ...

This is the third response episode for my new segment “Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland”. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions and if you would like to submit a question, you can do it here. 1. Should I exchange a small amount of currency before I leave? I have heard that Iceland is a cashless society, but I am thinking about tour guide tips or random purchases.- Christina Iceland is not yet a cashless society, but we are certainly heading quickly in that direction. It isn’t necessary...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing fascinating stories from Icelandic folklore on Fridays throughout 2024. A Troll Lurking in Iceland’s East Fjords Mjóifjörður (or narrow fjord) used to have up to 100 inhabitants centuries ago but it is now only about 14 people live there. During the winter it is common for the roads to be completely blocked off and the inhabitants can only be reached by boat. The troll of this story was said to be around centuries ago when ...

Interviews are one of my favorite things to do for the podcast, so I was delighted when Laura was available to come on and share about her experience moving from the San Francisco Bay area to one of the most remote parts of the Westfjords in Iceland. Background About Laura Alice Watt Laura Alice Watt is a professor emerita of environmental history and policy at Sonoma State University in Northern California. She arrived in the Westfjords in July 2020 with a Fulbright-NSF Arctic Scholar grant t...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing fascinating stories from Icelandic folklore on Fridays throughout 2024. What is a Skuggabaldur? The Skuggabaldur is a fascinating animal in Icelandic folklore. Whether or not this type of animal really exists is hard to say but there are some interesting stories about it. A Skuggabaldur is created when a female arctic fox and a male cat or Tom cat get together and procreate. If a male arctic fox and a female cat procreate, ...

Iceland’s coffee culture is – deeply ingrained in the social fabric of Icelandic society. Along with being a drink that perks people up, grabbing a cup of coffee in Iceland is often a social interaction, where the drink is enjoyed in the company of others, many times in cozy settings. This communal aspect is so integral that offering coffee to guests is considered a basic hospitality gesture. The Icelandic Coffee Scene in Downtown Reykjavík Reykjavík, the heart of Iceland’s coffee scene, is ho...

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing fascinating stories from Icelandic folklore on Fridays throughout 2024. Why Finnur is a Feared Sorcerer A sorcerer named Finnur that lived a long time ago. So many people feared him and when he died no one wanted anything to do with the death, such as preparing the body or sewing up the shroud, which covers the dead body. Finally, one woman said she will sew the shroud. When she was doing it, some weird stuff was happening. ...

This is the last episode in my series about the months in Iceland and what to expect. Visiting Iceland in December is a magical experience, often described as stepping into a winter wonderland. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what you can expect, from weather conditions to the must-do activities, road conditions and more. Weather and Average Temperature During December in Iceland December in Iceland is quite cold, with average temperatures ranging from -1°C to 4°C (30°F to 39°F). It’s not unc...

This is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing an Icelandic Folklore story every Friday in 2024. Katla The Witch The story today is about how Katla volcano got its name. I’ve seen the name for this folklore as “Katla the Hag”, but I’m not much a fan of that name. Basically, there was a woman who was known as a witch, and she worked at a monastery here in Iceland. She was housekeeper for an Abbott. An Abbott is basically a person who oversees other monks. Katla was known to be a...

This is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing an Icelandic Folklore story every Friday in 2024. The upcoming story is based on a description of the Ox-Whale in the book “Meeting with Monsters – An Illustrated Guide to the Beasts of Iceland” by Jón Baldur Hlíðberg and Sigurður Ægisson. It is an awesome book and I highly recommend getting if you like to read about creatures that many claim to be real around Iceland. Jón is one of the owners of The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum in t...

This is the second response episode for my new segment “Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland”. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions and if you would like to submit a question, you can do it here. 1. “What do Icelanders generally like and dislike about Americans?” – Garrett In general, I’d say that Icelanders don’t have a lot of dislikes when it comes specifically to Americans. It is more like dislikes of tourist in general. So, if you are respectful of the the people and language, Iceland...