Djaddasaga: August 2007

Menningarnótt stands for "Culture night". What started as a day with some artsy events 10 or so years ago has turned into a day filled with all sorts of events (artsy stuff, concerts, random stuff, etc). The program for that one day takes up 4 pages or so, with up to 30 different events or so happening every hour (from the morning until 11pm). The events are spread all through downtown and a few neighboring spots.

We noticed some noise in the morning under our windows. It turns out we're on the path of the Reykjavík marathon which occurs on this day. Judging by the people we saw running it must've been the 5k event.

We then left the house and basically kept wandering around town until past 11pm. We had some free waffles (that were being offered at people's home), and we got sidetracked for a while in the 12 Tónar music store, which it turns out has an annual sale of about 50% on all CDs during that day (tip for next time: browse at the store a few days before menningarnótt, then on that day go in the morning and get all the CDs you want before they get sold out!).

Along the way I also got some free soup (well, it came with some environmentalist spiel) and had a sandwich at the Sandholt bakery (we had to wait 20 minutes to get the sandwiches because they insisted on giving them to us in a plate with a fork and knife, and they were out of clean plates..)

We even stopped by the national museum for a "Coffee tasting" by Kaffitár (rather underwhelming), a church with a classical music concert (including a harpsichord), and after 9pm went to Hressó to listen to a fun dixieland jazz band. Finally we went closer to the harbor by 11pm where a DJ was wrapping up his act, to look at the fireworks show.

Running by our window

Other mammals can participate, apparently

Yellow house, yellow car

In a house by Hallgrímskirkja where they were serving free waffles (mmm, waffles)

Bee

Jó enjoying some fox fur from the expensive Greenlandic store on Skólavörðustígur

People on Austurstræti

Somebody's idea for a Reykjavík metro, apparently

A slightly gloomy view from the pond

Two

Pseudo-sheep, by the Nordic house

A nice blue house on Tjarnargata

This is only funny if you've been in Iceland for the last couple of months

The city's best hot dog stand (that's what it's called)

Ein með öllu (one with everything). Unfortunately everything does not mean Dijon mustard, so that could be improved. But overall, gotta love the Icelandic lamb hot dogs.

The dixieland band

The red lights in Hressó's garden, with Eymundsson's coffee shop above

Some DJ towards the end

Fireworks

So, as it turns out, the gay pride parade is one of the biggest events of the year in our little city. 50,000 people were there yesterday on a beautiful summer day to watch it go through downtown! The parade was also followed by a concert with many artists.

You'll have to excuse the quality of the photos as they were taken from a sub-optimal spot (lighting-wise) and with a small camera. Also it's not always easy dodging the heads of the people in front of you.