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, Icelanders are very open to those who want to visit.
That being said, there are some things that come up that can be a little bothersome for Icelanders that wouldn’t be considered as strange in the US.
The first that comes to mind is that many Americans are not comfortable showering naked before entering the swimming pool. The changing rooms are separated by gender. In order to not use as much chlorine in the local swimming pools, showering without your bathing suit on is a requirement.
Americans are the largest group of tourists to Iceland and kind of shy when it comes to this rule, so it is normally assumed that a person is from the US if they try to skip showering naked before entering the pool.
Also, many Icelanders don’t agree with how the political system in the US is set up. I mentioned this in my last ask me anything answers, that only having two political parties to choose from for higher political offices is a strange and foreign thing to Icelanders.
Things Icelanders like a lot about the US during World War 2 and it was shut down in 1994. During those decades, the US’s influence on Icelandic culture exponentially grew. Icelander’s like American TV shows, food like pizza, burgers and fries, as well as celebrities, other media, and trends.
2. "On my recent trip to Iceland, I didn’t see any Dolly Parton imagery. Does the amazing Ms. Parton have any major influence on the country and does Iceland have a favorite Dolly song?" - Rob
Dolly Parton is certainly beloved by many in Iceland, as she is around the world. It is not often that you will see posters of American or even foreign celebrities in Iceland unless it is promoting a concert or a product.
It might surprise some people to know that a decent number of Icelanders like country music. It makes sense when you think about how most of Iceland is like a rural place with lots of farmland in the US than a bustling city.
My guess for favorite Dolly song is Jolene but a close second might be 9 to 5. Since Dolly Parton has been iconic as a performer and song writer, and Iceland has a ton of musical artists, there is no doubt in my mind that she has influenced many people here.
3. "Ha ha the motherland! Just stumbled upon your podcast. Most of my family lives there still! My grandpa was Air Force back when Kelkajvik had an Air Foce base. Don’t they have the best hotdogs? Have you done well watching tour yet? My cousin Owns a company that does it, haven’t been back in 8 years, need to leave America before it Darkens my soul. Watch out for them elves the old father is watching" - Nat
Hi Nat. This is such a fun share. I do believe that Iceland has some of the best hot dogs, if not the best. Granted, I have not eaten a hot dog made from an animal in almost 9 years but I remember it being tasty and many visitors attest to this as well. One awesome thing is that the vegan version is delicious too.
Yes, I have been whale watching in Húsavík in North Iceland with a company called North Sailing.
I hope you do come back to visit in the near future.
Yes, the elves are all around us. While I try to be mindful of them, the trolls are the ones I am most concerned about.
4. "Hi Jewells, I would like to know more about how you learned Icelandic. Your pronunciation sounds like native to me! 🙂 I started learning Icelandic as well half a year ago (after I visited Iceland for the first time) but I really struggle with the pronunciation. Do you have some tips? Thank you and keep up with the great podcast! Greetings from Prague!" - Alexandra
My journey to learn Icelandic has been fun, frustrating, and all types of emotions in between. I still tell people that I am working on being fluent because I don’t want to be held responsible for any terrible mistakes that I am bound to make.
Pronunciation of Icelandic like a native speaker is by far one of the tougher parts of the language. Of course, declining of words is harder but I think pronunciation is a close second. The one thing that helped me the most with pronouncing Icelandic words as close to native speaking as possible was to ask a native speaker to constantly correct me when I spoke.
When I was married to Gunnar, he was the person correcting me the most but I also asked my co-workers and friends because I was determined to get it right. Doing this can cause a lot of frustration because there are sounds in Icelandic that might be foreign to your mouth or mother tongue. I also think listening to a lot of Icelandic helps too but the key is to have a teacher or friend who speaks Icelandic well to help you.
It is also helpful to know that some people speak Icelandic with an accent. Meaning, they don’t sound like a native speaker when they talk the language but what they are saying is correct. That is totally fine and there is no reason to beat yourself up because you don’t sound Icelandic.
However, your question was mainly about pronunciation so I am addressing that. I am still a stickler with how I say things even to the point where I am over pronouncing words and I am learning to say things more colloquially. The more you learn Icelandic, the more you will hear that Icelanders don’t always pronounce every part of the word. That can cause some confusion at times but with practice and a trained ear, you will pick up on it.
If you don’t already, I would look into private lessons with an Icelandic teacher to work on your pronunciation, if you don’t already have one. iTalki is one place that has teachers. Also, there is Icelandic Made Eas(ier) by Siggi. Lastly, there is a great app called LingQ, where you can hear and read in Icelandic from different sources online, like videos, songs, and so on. It is awesome and the premium version is totally free for those learning Icelandic.
Viltu læra íslensku? and Íslenska fyrir alla are other resources for learning Icelandic and hearing it spoken.
5. "What are the best dishes to try when eating out in Iceland? When I want to splurge on meals out, I want them to be good." - Leah
Please keep in mind that I am 100% plant-based and have been for many years but I am still aware of the meals that people typically try when they come here. If you are a meat and fish eater, then lamb, arctic char, salmon, and cod are very popular here.
Michelin star restaurants
- Dill
- Öx
- Moss Restaurant
Other Restaurants
- Kol
- Kopar
- The Fish Company – Fiskifélagið
- The Grill Market – Grillmarkaðurinn
- The Fish Market – fiskmarkaðurinn
- Duck and Rose
- Sumac
- Mat Bar
- Tides in the 5-star Hotel called the Reykjavík Edition
I normally like to order the 3 course or 5 course menu at places because when I normally do the math, it comes out to be less expensive than a la carte.
6. "Heading to Iceland at the end of May! Best places to get good coffee?" - Alison
- Reykjavík Röst
- Mokka Kaffi
- Kaffitár
- Reykjavík Roasters
- Te og kaffi
7. "What quintessential Iceland souvenirs do you recommend bringing back home? An authentic sweater is out of my price range, but I would like to buy some gifts for others and myself." - Christina C.
- Icelandic Candies
- Icelandic chocolates – Some of the most popular ones are from Nóí Sírius, Góa, and Freyja
- Sea salt from Iceland that has different herbs and flavors
- Alcohol – vodka, beer, gin, and other spirits made in Iceland. You can get small bottles at the airport duty free shop, which is less expense.
- Hats
- Mittens
- Jewelry
- Skin care products from the Blue Lagoon and Sóley
- Books
- Hot dogs and their toppings
Some places to get inexpensive souvenirs or gifts are grocery stores like Krónan, Bónus, Hagkaup, as well as the flea market called Kolaportið. Also, the National Museum of Iceland has a shop and you can possibly find some inexpensive items there too.
8. "Where should we drive around Reykjavik (or Vik) to hunt for the northern lights? Looking for somewhere to park within maybe a half hour with a good dark view" - Christina S.
- Heiðmörk
- Grotta lighthouse
- Perlan
- Lighthouse on Saebraut across from Hofdi house
- Sun Voyager
- Hafravatn
9. "Hi Jewells! We will be in southern, west and northern parts of iceland in early April. Is there any chance of seeing puffins this early? If so, where would be the best place? Thank you :)" - Sasha C.
Typically, puffins come to Iceland in May and stay until mid August. Unfortunately, when you come Puffins will not be here yet.
Tjörnes Peninsula and grímsey island are places in north Iceland where you can see puffins. You can also see Puffins in Dyrhólaey, and the Westman Islands.
10. "Hi, what would be one or two extra special food related experiences for a passionate foodie coming to Iceland in the spring?" - Alison G.
A food walking tour in Reykjavik. Here is a popular one where you can save 10% on the tour. The Food Lovers Tour by Your Friend in Reykjavík
Use the code ALLTHINGSICELAND in all caps to save 10%
The restaurants that I mentioned in an earlier question will definitely be great experiences.
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