Miscellaneous Stories, Part Deux

As my time here in Iceland draws near an end (indeed I will likely have moved on to Madrid by the time you read this), I thought it appropriate to have a second (similar to before) posting which contains various general observations of life here.

There’s a Sale in the Meat Department!

Turns out even a task as mundane as grocery shopping has some subtle differences here. For one, there aren’t any baggers whatsoever and the cashier doesn’t help, which made for an awkward moment the first time I stood there waiting for someone to come. And they charge for the bags, so you have to guess how many you’ll need when you start to check out. After some inordinately heavy bags as a result of underestimation, I noticed a much higher success rate once I started deferring to their judgment.

For the most part, walking up and down the aisles seems pretty similar to being in America. Many products are exactly the same; Ragu is still the cheapest spaghetti sauce, for example. However, I did find one strange item in the meat department. When I first saw it I just stopped and stared, amazed at what appeared to be a sheep’s head staring back at me.

Turns out that’s exactly what it was. It’s a traditional Icelandic dish, and you don’t normally just buy one; they come sawed in half (top to bottom) and bagged together. I found it really creepy because they still had eyes and teeth, but at least the brain was removed. I inquired about this dish to my co-workers and many agreed it’s really good, although there was no consensus as to which was the best part (eye, cheek, or tongue). I was thinking of including a picture, but I decided this is perhaps best left to the imagination.

You Talking to Me?!?

Although Icelandic is a very difficult language for English-speakers, I felt compelled to at least learn the basic greetings. My favorite is “good morning”, which sounds just like “golden dying”. Another silly word is “bumboboni”, which is some kind of abdomen workout device. I take no responsibility for the consequences should you decide to start saying these words at work.

Where’s the Bill?

In my experience, Icelandic people kind of remind me of Texans. Both groups claim to always be the best at everything. They have “the best looking women, the smartest children, the best athletes, etc”. They even claim to have the best hotdogs.

Regarding this last point, I’m actually inclined to concede theirs are far superior to ours. I don’t have the faintest idea why (I claim only to know enough about how hotdogs are made to stop asking questions). One place in particular is famous; I’ve even been told it’s the first fast-food place in the country. Located one block over from the main drag, this unassuming looking stand boasts long lines nearly all day and night until their 5am close. They have some pictures of various celebrities which have come through, but this is my favorite.

Did You Hear What He Said?

One small surprise I had when I first listened to the local radio is that they don’t censure any of the music for language. While this isn’t a particularly big deal for most songs, artists like Eminem, Kid Rock, and Limp Bizkit make it hard not to notice when they’re playing. I personally kind of like it, but maybe my opinion would be different if I had young children. The Icelandic mothers I talked to didn’t seem to mind it though.

Who’s Been Eating Beans?

One very noticeable difference when I first arrived is how bad the hot water smells. Apparently they put sulfur in the water to prevent pipe corrosion, but it also gives it a distinct rotten egg aroma. Truth be told, I found myself thinking of the shower as a sort of minor torture chamber at the beginning of the summer. But over time I’ve become accustomed and hardly notice it anymore. Still, I don’t expect to miss it when I leave.