So who really settled Iceland?

By Örlygur Hnefill | June 29, 2010 | No Comments

If you are going to Husavik this summer, make sure not to miss Let’s talk local, a new play by Snæbjörn Ragnarsson at Gamli Baukur. The play is set in the year 870 when Swedish explorer Gardar Svavarsson and his slave Náttfari were the first Scandinavians to live in Iceland for one winter. Contrary to what you might think, this is actually a comedy show – and a very funny one, I might add – but educating at the same time.

The story is told from the viewpoint of the explorer and the slave, and challenges the standard school-book explanation of how Iceland was first settled by explorer Ingólfur Arnarson in 874. While the stage is set in 870, the characters jump back and forth in time and tell all sorts of tales from the history of Husavik, in both educational and humorous way. Garðar and his slave Náttfari run into various Icelandic supernatural beings, ghosts, elf’s and trolls on their travels though time. Six local actors take turn performing the show, two in each show.  The show is performed in English at Gamli Baukur restaurant, every day throughout summer at 15:30.

Fabúla and Unnur Birna at Gamli Baukur tonight

By Örlygur Hnefill | June 10, 2010 | No Comments

Singer-songwriter Fabúla and violinist Unnur Birna are playing tonight at Gamli Baukur in Húsavík. Fabula and Unnur Birna have been touring Iceland for the past few days, doing seven concerts in seven days. The concert in Húsavík is their fifth one where they perform songs from Fabula’s new album In Your Skin, released late last year.

Fabula released her first album in Iceland in 1996 and has been active on the alternative pop scene for the past ten years. She has been nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards twice and came in third place in the Icelandic national final to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008.

The concert in Húsavík starts at 9 p.m. tonight.

Tour Dates:
June 6 – Höfn í Hornafirði: Hótel Höfn at 9 p.m.
June 7 – Vopnafjörður: Kaupangur at 9 p.m.
June 8 – Seyðisfjörður: Hótel Aldan at 9 p.m.
June 9 – Egilsstaðir: Sláturhúsið at 9 p.m.
June 10 – Húsavík: Gamli Baukur at 9 p.m.
June 11 – Dalvík: Dalvíkurkirkja at 9.30 p.m.
June 12 – Búðardalur: Leifsbúð at 9 p.m.

Búngaló is the new online home of Icelandic summerhouses

By Örlygur Hnefill | June 8, 2010 | 1 Comment

If you are looking for a summerhouse near Húsavík, Mývatn or anywhere in Iceland for that matter, a new website called Búngaló might just be the answer to your problems. Haukur Guðjónsson, co-founder of Búngaló, told myHúsavík.com how the idea came about.

“It all started last summer when me and my friend Steinar Ingi were looking for a summerhouse to rent over a weekend. Neither one of us was in a labor union, which seems to be the most common place for Icelanders to find summerhouses, so we started looking for summerhouses on the internet.” After spending a few hours looking online Haukur and Steinar realized that there was no good source for renting Icelandic summerhouses online.

“Instead of complaining about it, Steinar started drawing out a design for a website specialized in summerhouses and I bought some books on programing. About 10 months later we officially opened the site and the response was apparent. Without any advertisements the site got a flying start and today we are getting a few thousand people visiting every week.”

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Get inspired by Iceland this summer!

By Örlygur Hnefill | June 7, 2010 | 1 Comment

The Volcano has been turned off and Iceland is more alive than ever. Come visit Húsavík this summer, go Whale watching, go river rafting, see Dettifoss waterfall, Lake Mývatn, Ásbyrgi canyon, Geysir, Gullfoss, Jökulsárlón and all the other inspiring wonders of Iceland. Get inspired by Iceland this summer!

Blue whales arrive exceptionally early this year

By Örlygur Hnefill | May 27, 2010 | 1 Comment

Two blue whales were spotted on Skjalfandi bay today, by passengers and crew members on board the whale watching boat Náttfari. Blue whales are the largest mammals on eart and can reach up to about 33 metres in length.

In past years, blue whales have usually been spotted in Skjalfandi bay in the first weeks of June and throughout summer, so this early arrival came as a surprise to both crew and passengers.

BBC crew filming researchers on Skjalfandi bay

By Örlygur Hnefill | May 27, 2010 | No Comments

Documentary filmmakers from the BBC in London have been filming in Husavik and on Skjalfandi bay this month for a documentary on scientific researchers working under different circumstances around the world. The film crew has been following researchers on the bay, studying behavior of whales and other marine mammals.

The researchers have been recording sounds of marine mammals in the arctic ocean near Husavik for over a year and will use the recordings to gain a better understanding of wild life on Skjalfandi bay.

myHúsavík.com seeks a passionate travel writer

By Örlygur Hnefill | May 24, 2010 | 2 Comments

The myHúsavík project is now looking for an experienced or passionate travel writer to visit Húsavík for one week in June 2010 and  join our review editorial team. This person will stay for free at Husavik Guesthouse, eat at Husavik restaurants, go whale watching on Skjalfandi bay and visit lake Myvatn, Dettifoss waterfall and Ásbyrgi canyon.

The job includes writing and composing interesting descriptions and travel related reviews. If you want to combine your love of writing and travel then send us a line. (info@myhusavik.com)

Hamburg Girls Choir goes whale watching in Husavik

By Örlygur Hnefill | May 20, 2010 | 1 Comment

Forty girls from Hamburg in Germany went whale watching on Skjálfandi bay yesterday. The girls are members of  the Hamburg Girls Choir (Mädchenchor Hamburg) and are currently touring in Iceland.They had a concert in Husavik yesterday, singing with students from Husavik school of music, and another concert in Akureyri church tonight. In their concert in Akureyri, they were joined by Ísold girls kammerchor from Akureyri, singing both Icelandic and German songs.

The girls were delighted with the whale watching tour, where they spotter four different types of whales.

New tourist information center opening this summer

By Örlygur Hnefill | May 13, 2010 | No Comments

Husavik Tourist Board has announced plans to open a new tourist information center in Husavik this summer. The new information center will be located down by the harbour in the same building as the Husavik Whale Museum and it will also house the office of the Husavik tourist board.

The Tourist board has appointed Einar Gíslason as the manager of the new information center. Gíslason says that the information center will play vital role in the marketing of Husavik, and be of help to people who visit the town. “Husavik has a lot to offer and with the new information center and more marketing, we hope to increase the number of guests who visit the town, not only in the peak season but also in the winter.”

The new information center will from now on run the Husavik camping ground, that has been run by the municipality of Husavik in recent years. “The camping ground will be our main sorce of income but we also appeal to hotellers and tour operators in the area to join us in our work,” says Gíslason.

For more on Húsavík go to www.visithusavik.is

Follow in the footsteps of the settlers of Iceland

By Örlygur Hnefill | May 4, 2010 | No Comments

In the summer of 2011, boat and craft owners from all over the world will set their sails for Húsavík, for the first annual Nordic Coast Cultural Festival. The festival will be held in July and then, locals and guests from around the world, will have the opportunity to see amazing boats and ships and experience the magic of the sea and the seaside.

Sigurbjörg Árnadóttir, project manager of Sail Húsavík 2011, says that this has been her dream for a long time. “This project is a collaboration between Scandinavian grass root maritime organizations and individuals. The first festival will be held in Húsavík Iceland in 2011, then in Denmark in 2012 and in Sweden in 2013.”

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Recent news from Husavik

• So who really settled Iceland?
• Fabúla and Unnur Birna at Gamli Baukur tonight
• Búngaló is the new online home of Icelandic summerhouses
• Get inspired by Iceland this summer!
• Blue whales arrive exceptionally early this year
• BBC crew filming researchers on Skjalfandi bay
• myHúsavík.com seeks a passionate travel writer
• Hamburg Girls Choir goes whale watching in Husavik
• New tourist information center opening this summer
• Follow in the footsteps of the settlers of Iceland

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