Jólin Koma

Iceland doesn't have any major holidays between now and Christmas, so Christmas gets fired up early here. We are starting to see the Jólahlaðborð (restaurant christmas buffet) ads on the backs of all the busses and even special Jólaöl (christmas ale) is now available at the grocery store. People are also planning and taking their shopping trips to other countries to stock up on cheaper goods. It's Christmas mania!

It's going to be strange to have this much build-up, but I guess with Christmas lasting for the whole 12 days until Advent, you can spend a few more months getting excited about it. In preparation I have been working on singing in Icelandic at Hallgrímskirkja and J and I are doing our own Trip to Cheaper Lands in the beginning of December.

From what I hear, you really need the cheer and bright lights of the holiday more than in a lot of places. I can imagine that as the darkness pinches away the light, the idea of Jólasveinarnir peeking in at the window starts to seem more logical.

Ship sighting: Lots of activity at the harbor this morning unloading fish, but I couldn't see any of the names. Apparently I missed an opportunity to get a tour of the Flagship ship of Iceland, Engey RE1, this weekend. It's due to sail this evening so I won't see it for another 40 days (how Biblical of them to be on a 40-day sailing schedule). Still, I take comfort in the strange yellow looks-like-a-cargo-ship that is always hanging out on the edge of the view. I haven't been able to figure out what it's doing but I see it lounging in various corners of the harbor, and at all times of day. Definitely a bit of a shady character.