Episodes

  • Bárður The Guardian of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula – Folklore Friday

    Bárður The Guardian of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula – Folklore Friday
    Jul 19 2024
    This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. Bárður’s Background Bárður's mother was human, while his father was half giant (risi) and half troll. He was raised by Dofri, the mountain-dweller of Dovrefjell in Nroway. With his first wife, Flaumgerður, Dofri's daughter (also half-human), Bárður had three tall, beautiful daughters: Helga, Þordís, and Guðrún. His second wife, Herþrúðr, was human, and together they had six more daughters. Where Bárður Settles Down in Iceland Bárður, along with his wife and daughters, emigrated to Iceland, landing at a lagoon on the southern shore of Snæfellsnes, which they named Djúpalón. He established a farm there, called Laugarbrekka. Bárður's half-brother, Þorkell, born from their mother's second marriage to a jötunn, lived at Arnarstapi and had two sons, Rauðfeldur (Red-cloak) and Sölvi.The sons of Þorkell and the daughters of Bárður often played together. One day, Rauðfeldur pushed Helga out to sea on an iceberg during pack ice along the shore. She drifted safely to Greenland and found a lover there, but Bárður was enraged. He pushed Rauðfeldur into the Rauðfeldsgjá ravine and threw Sölvi off the high cliff Sölvahamar, east of Arnarstapi. In the ensuing fight, Bárður broke Þorkell's leg, leading Þorkell to move away from the district. Bárður Seeks Isolation After the Fight Following these events, Bárður gave away his land and disappeared into the Snæfellsjökull ice cap, becoming known as Bárður Snæfellsás, the "guardian spirit" of Snæfell. The people of the peninsula revered him, calling on him in times of difficulty, and many found genuine help in him. He wandered the region in a grey cowl, with a walrus-hide rope and a cleft staff with a long, thick gaff for walking on glaciers.Bárður brought Helga back from Greenland, but she missed her lover and couldn't bear to stay with her father. When Ingjald of Ingjaldshvoll was trapped at a dangerous fishing spot by a troll-woman and a mysterious fisherman named Grímur (thought to be Thor), Bárður rowed out alone to rescue him. Eventually, Bárður and Þorkell reconciled and lived together for some time. Random Fact of the Episode Rauðfeldsgjá on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a beautiful and fun ravine to explore.This and many other awesome places around Iceland are on My Iceland Map. It was created for those who want to pick out places and hidden gems around Iceland to make up their own itinerary or add to one that they already created.With full access, you get over 290 places that I recommend in Iceland, along with four itineraries to use for planning your trip. Those itineraries include a 10-day Ring Road trip, a 3-day South Iceland trip, The Famous Golden Circle and a Reykjanes Peninsula Day Trip.A one-time purchase gives you lifetime access, which includes any updates I make to the map.Here is a link to my Iceland map: rexby.com/jewells/Iceland. Icelandic Word of the Episode Rauðfeldsgjá - Red-Cloak Rift Share This with a Friend Facebook Email Twitter Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.
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    11 mins
  • The Icelandic Waterfall of the Gods – Folklore Friday

    The Icelandic Waterfall of the Gods – Folklore Friday
    Jul 12 2024
    This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024.Back in the year 1000 AD Þorgeir, the Law Speaker in Althingi or Icelandic Parliament, made the decision that Iceland would become a Christian nation. This was a huge decision for him to make considering that he was Pagan that believed in the Old Norse Gods.When he returned back home to the north as a Christian, his first order of business was to get rid of the Pagan idols from his temple. It is said that he took all of the idols and tossed them into a waterfall. According to the story, the waterfall came to be known as Goðafoss or "Waterfall of the Gods“ or waterfall of the Goði (chieftain).While it is true that Iceland became a Christian nation in the year 1,000, I have not heard of any concrete evidence that Þorgeir threw the idols into the waterfall. Go Car Rental Iceland Go Car Rental Iceland is a local Icelandic car rental company that has great customer service, a large variety of cars and very competitive prices. Use my code Iceland10 to save 10% off the entire cost of your rental car.I personally use them for when I go on adventures, and I’m so glad to hear that many of my listeners and subscribers are also having a great experience with them. I mentioned in a previous episode that one of my listeners switched to Go Car Rental Iceland from one of the internationally known rental car companies here and she saved $400! That was for a rental during the summer when prices can sometimes double due to demand. Go Campers - Camper Van Rental in Iceland If you plan to use a campervan, use my code Iceland7 to save 7% and get two free duvets with your GO Camper van rental. Also, I have a great episode coming up soon about how to choose the right camper van for your travels in Iceland, so keep an eye out for that. Random Fact of the Episode During World War II, the MS Goðafoss, an Icelandic ship named after the waterfall, was sunk by a German U-Boat. It was transporting both freight and passengers, so the result was that many people lost their lives. Icelandic Word of the Episode Lögsögumaður – law speaker Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Twitter Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.
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    5 mins
  • My Life After Being in Iceland for 8 Years

    My Life After Being in Iceland for 8 Years
    Jul 10 2024
    The last 8 years have been a whirlwind for me but I have loved the journey. This is a relatively short episode but I thought it would be nice to give some insight into my life since I moved in 2016.I am so proud of how much the podcast has grown and I share a bit of that in the episode! Thank you to everyone that has been listening, sharing, and providing feedback on the podcast and my videos on social media, like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. I have so much fun content to share in the near future. Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.
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    9 mins
  • Iceland’s Tragic Ghost Children – Folklore Friday

    Iceland’s Tragic Ghost Children – Folklore Friday
    Jul 5 2024
    This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. Who are Iceland's Ghost Children? with what’s known as a child ghost.The tale begins when a maid at a local farm gives birth to an unwanted baby. During Iceland’s pagan era, it was common to abandon such children in the wilderness. This harsh and unusual choice was seen as logical for young mothers hoping to avoid judgement and punishment from the local community.Shortly after this terrible act, the nearby village planned to hold a celebration filled with dancing and singing, known as Vikivaki. The maid was invited but declined because she didn’t have suitable clothes.On the day of the Vikivaki, the maid was tending to her owner’s sheep with another woman. She lamented her lack of clothes, complaining openly. At that moment, a soft voice sang out to her from beneath the wall of the sheep pen:"Dear mother, in a pen, a pen, do not worry about it because, because I’ll lend you my rag to dance in and dance in."Realizing it was her dead child mocking her from the darkness, the maid was struck with terror. She was haunted by the experience for the rest of her life and was considered insane, tormented by an act that, unfortunately, was not uncommon in heathen Iceland. Random Fact of the Episode Vikivaki is one of the most well-known traditional folk dances in Iceland. It is a type of ring dance that requires the dancer’s body to remain quite stiff and has been performed throughout the Nordic regions since the Middle Ages. The dance is performed by both men and women and is relatively easy with simple steps. Vikivaki refers to both the dance and the accompanying music. Icelandic Word of the Episode Útbúður means an infant child left outside to die. Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Twitter Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.
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    6 mins
  • The Mysterious Hot Spring Bird – Folklore Friday

    The Mysterious Hot Spring Bird – Folklore Friday
    Jun 28 2024
    This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. What is a Hot Spring Bird? This is a relatively short folklore story but is one that might interest anyone who plans to visit or take a dip into a hot spring while in Iceland. There is a type of bird that is said to lurk around hot springs. Over the centuries the description has been that the birds are the size of small ducks. They have mostly dark feathers with some white surrounding their eyes. They have only been spotted around hot springs, which might not seem weird.However, the catch is that when they are approached, they dive into the boiling hot water and might not be seen again. They have been spotted in the Hveragerði region where people often go on the Reykjadalur hot spring hike.Well, these reports are from people back in the day but it is possible that visitors are encountering them but don´t know who they are seeing. There have also been sightings of these birds flying out of hot springs. It is a bit shocking to see a bird emerging from a bubbling hot spring. Just something for you to keep your eyes open for when you visit a hot spring in this country. Random Fact of the Episode According to the book “Meeting with the Monsters”, there are about 700 hot springs and pools mentioned in a document from 1910 about Iceland. Icelandic Word of the Episode Hverafuglar – hot spring bird Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Twitter Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega
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    6 mins
  • Sæmundur the Wise Outsmarts the Devil – Folklore Friday

    Sæmundur the Wise Outsmarts the Devil – Folklore Friday
    Jun 21 2024
    This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. Who Was Sæmundur the Learned? Back in the 1100s, Sæmundur Sigfusson was the pastor at the well known ancient manor of Oddi in South Iceland. What was different about Sæmundur is that he had an interesting past with the Devil. It is said that Sæmundur was considered to be wise and he honed his wisdom in many ways over the years. He supposedly attended the Sorbonne in Paris, which has been referred to as the “Black School” in Icelandic because it had a reputation of teaching “black” or dark arts.In this folklore story I am sharing a series of encounters that Sæmundur had with the Devil. At the Black School that Sæmundur attended, the Devil himself was the headmaster. One strange custom after the students graduated was that the Devil would keep the last student to leave.To the relief of the other students, Sæmundur volunteered to be the last one to leave. That day Sæmundur was wearing a big coat. When he was walking out the door, the Devil grabbed him and said “You are mine”. However, Sæmundur slipped out of the big coat that the Devil was holding and was able to escape. How Sæmundur Continued to Outsmart the Devil After leaving the school, Sæmundur became even more adept at outsmarting the Devil. He even went as far as to get the Devil to do various tasks for him. In fact, Sæmundur was able to get the pastorship for Oddi because he tricked the Devil into helping him.When Sæmundur heard that the position was available he was abroad. He knew that many others were applying for the job so he had to get there as quickly as he could. After thinking about what he could do, Sæmundur called upon the Devil and told him that if the Devil could swim him to Iceland without wetting my gown, I will be at your mercy.The Devil took Sæmundur at his word and turned into a seal to take him over to Iceland. Most of the way, Sæmundur was reading the book of Psalms. As they approached the shore of Iceland, Sæmundur hit the seal on the head, which caused it to sink under water. He got wet and then swam the rest of the way to shore. Because he got wet, the deal was off and Sæmundur could go on to become the pastor of Oddi.There are many more stories about Sæmundur and this is just a taste of his interactions with the Devil Random Fact of the Episode Sæmundur supposedly wrote the history of Norwegian kings in Latin but it is said to be lost. The one way that we seem to know that Sæmundur wrote things is because he has been referenced by Snorri Sturluson. Icelandic Word of the Episode Sæmundur fróði – Sæmundur the learned Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Twitter Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.
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    7 mins
  • 5 Fascinating Facts About the Icelandic Horse

    5 Fascinating Facts About the Icelandic Horse
    Jun 20 2024
    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 never return. This strict regulation ensures the breed remains free from diseases and maintains its unique characteristics. Five Fascinating Facts About Icelandic Horses Pure Breed Lineage: As mentioned, Icelandic horses are direct descendants of the horses brought by the Norse settlers, making them one of the purest horse breeds in the world. This uninterrupted lineage has preserved their unique traits and robust health.Lifetime Exile: Due to strict biosecurity measures, any Icelandic horse that leaves Iceland is barred from returning. This policy is in place to protect the breed from foreign diseases and maintain the health and purity of the Icelandic stock.Five Gaits: While most horse breeds have three or four gaits (walk, trot, canter/gallop), Icelandic horses are renowned for their five gaits. In addition to the typical walk, trot, and canter/gallop, they can perform the tölt and the skeið (pace). The tölt is a smooth, four-beat gait that is incredibly comfortable for the rider, while the skeið is a fast, two-beat gait used for racing.Longevity: Icelandic horses are known for their longevity and can live well into their late 20s or even 30s. Some individuals have been known to continue riding well into their 20s, which is a testament to their hardiness and excellent care standards in Iceland.Temperament: Icelandic horses are famous for their friendly and curious nature. They are generally easy to handle and have a calm demeanor, making them excellent companions for riders of all levels. Their intelligence and willingness to please further enhance their appeal. Interacting with Icelandic Horses: Guidelines for Visitors Icelandic horses are a national treasure, and their care and preservation are of utmost importance. If you're lucky enough to encounter these magnificent creatures, here are some guidelines to ensure a safe and respectful interaction:Do Not Stop in the Middle of the Road: While the sight of Icelandic horses can be mesmerizing, stopping in the middle of the road poses a significant risk. Always ensure that you park your vehicle in a visible and safe location before approaching them.Pet Horses Appropriately: The best places to pet Icelandic horses are on a horse-riding tour or at a farm, with permission from the owner. Always ask beforehand to ensure that it's a suitable time and place for interaction.Do Not Feed the Horses: Icelandic horses are well-fed, and giving them inappropriate food can harm their health. Trust that their caretakers provide them with the necessary nutrition.Respect Private Property: Most Icelandic horses are kept on private land. Never trespass onto private property without permission. Always respect the boundaries set by property owners.By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your interaction with Icelandic horses is both enjoyable and respectful, preserving the well-being of these incredible animals and the cultural heritage they represent. Random Fact of the Episode The Icelandic horse is one of the most colorful breeds in the world. It has over 40 colours and up to 100 variations and, with only few exceptions, most of the known horse colours can be found within the breed. Icelandic Word of the Episode Hestur - Horse Share this with a Friend Facebook Email LinkedIn Let's Be Social Youtube
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    12 mins
  • Hallbera the Trickster Ghost – Folklore Friday

    Hallbera the Trickster Ghost – Folklore Friday
    Jun 14 2024
    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. Any strange occurrences in the cabin are often attributed to her. Legend has it that Hallbera once lived on the land where the cabin was built. When construction began, she was forced to leave, vowing to return and haunt the place forever.The house that Hallbera haunts is part of the Árbær Open Air Museum in the greater Reykjavík area. Random Fact of the Episode The Árbær Open Air Museum vividly depicts the small-town life and environment of Reykjavík in the 19th and 20th centuries. During the summer, museum staff can be seen dressed in period clothing, actively participating in events and exhibitions that bring Reykjavík’s history to life. Icelandic Word of the Episode Skátarnir – the scouts Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Twitter Let's Be Social Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.
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    6 mins