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Don't walk on the lava!

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A reminder for those who may be lucky enough to be in Iceland and able to get close to the current eruption...

Eruption Lava Reykjanes Safety Signage

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Starbucks opening in Reykjavik

One of the omissions for some visitors to Iceland is a lack of their usual coffee shop: a chain one. There are of course a great many excellent coffee shops in Iceland, with local independents providing quality beans and barista coffee. My personal favourite is Sandholt at Laugavegur 36. However, for those who prefer a generic coffee, there is good news as Starbucks is about to open two outlets in Reykjavik. It will be interesting to see whether locals turn to this global multinational or stay faithful to the local coffee shops . The fate of McDonalds' Iceland outlets might serve as a guide. The first location will be on Laugavegur 66-68, Reykjavík's main shopping street, and a second store will open in the city's new harbour district. These stores will be operated by Berjaya Food International, a Malaysian company that also has the rights to operate Starbucks in Denmark and Finland. Image: Alan Parkinson, shared on Flickr under CC license

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Kvöldvaka can be translated as "evening entertainment". Also as "evening wake" (as in staying awake). This is essentially storytelling, a time-honored tradition in Iceland. From reciting tales from memory since the first settlers arrived on the island to writing them down on vellum in the Middle Ages, storytelling permeates Icelandic culture. Whether it's heroic sagas of ancient Vikings (to whom every storyteller seems to be somehow related), tales of trolls and hidden people (which, while not believed in outright, are acknowledged "just to be safe"), or stories of ghouls, ghosts, and family curses—the tapestry of Icelandic storytelling is rich with mystery and color, offering a much-needed escape from the winter gloom. Source: https://www.centerhotels.com/en/blog/post/kvoldvaka-tradition-icelandic-storytelling It's the sort of thing they did in Noggin the Nog... as described in the opening credits... Image: Kerid crater - Alan Parkinson - shared...

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