August 14/Friday
Weather: Sunny/ Windy
3pm to Eskifjordur from Reydarfjordur
A friendly woman pulled over. The backseat of her car is full of grocery bag from Kroner (name of the Supermarket). It seems like that she often does give ride to us, the tourists in the area. She has crochet books and knitting needles spread out on the seat and I assume that this is her hobby. Later, I learn that she has two granddaughters; one is 7 and the other is 12 and she is knitting a requested hat by her grand daughters. She doesn't see them every often, maybe 3-4 times a year, since her grand daughters live in Reykjavik that is on the western coast of Iceland. Before we knew it, we were at our destination-the local swimming pool.
Return to Reydarfjordur from Eskifjordur
Danish woman lives in Eskifjordur for the past 5 years. She moved here with her family to her husband hometown. She has expressed such amazing love for the East Fjord's region, from nature and the warmth and friendliness of the people. After finding out that she is from Denmark, I asked if she misses Danish pastry. That's one thing that she often craves. She said when she goes back to Denmark, she always has her mom for fresh pastries waiting for her arrival. Indeed, that is always extra room in her suitcase for those pastry souvenir. While I looked over the backseat, there was a medium size suitcase for her weekend visit to Denmark and she said that it is only half full-- room for souvenir. She made the weekend visit pretty often since Denmark is only 2 hours flight from Reykjavik.
August 16/ Sunday
Weather: Cloudy, frequent rain shower
11am to Eskifjordur from Reydarfjordur
mood: totally zone out. I let my hitching-mate do all the talking.
Return to Reydarfjordur from Eskifjordur
Russian Consultant from the Alcoa Smelting Factory
First, I was struck by the Russian music playing in the stereo. I couldn't tell if it was traditional Viking music that I have heard earlier in the week. That's how we [my hitching mate and I] learn that he is Russian. He told us that he is only station here in Reydarfjordur every other 3 months of the year and while he enjoys the outdoor geo-thermal swimming pool and dramatic landforms of the local region. We also learn that he is one of few employee who works daily from 8-5 in the factory. While the others may have to pull double working shifts in compensation for 2 days off, this working pattern derives from the continuous operation of the factory. It operates 365 days a year and the machine is always on since shutting down the machine daily will be financial unsound.
August 22/ Saturday
Weather: Sunny, with fast moving clouds
10 am from Reydarfjordur to Egilsstaðir
19 years old student.
This was the first encounter exchange where I am comfortable enough to discuss political issues. Perhaps, it is me who initially expressed an opinion and the guy initiated an open-minded dialogue exchange. Since he turned 18 (legal voting age in Iceland), he becomes more aware and alert on the political situation and economic situation. He is aware the financial benefits from the EU, but there is a BUT. “What is this bigger organization that we [Iceland] is not so familiar.” As the car passed by the sheep settling on the side of the road, he also realizes “all this” [the countryside] will disappear and be in jeopardy. It sounds like that he has many interests and to me, he is quite well-rounded.
Taking a spin off the topic, it turns out that teenagers drive around the town in their spare time. He takes advantage of his long driving time to listen to audio book, institutional lectures and radio pod-casts. Perhaps, that is why he is so well-rounded at a young age. I am certainly impress by his familiarity in many current events.
11 am from Egilsstaðir to Seyðisfjörður
Icelandic tourists Reykjavik
These two men were here from Reykjavik who were here on a festival at Egilsstaðir. They were also has their gigantic digital camera with them. Like us, they were also here to enjoy a bit of nature wonder of the Eastern Fjord landforms.
4pm from Egilsstaðir
Educator, father and his son
My ethic feature has reminded the father (driver) a strange Chinese encounter with the Icelandic local who spoke Chinese in the 1950's. While the parents of this Icelandic local man were preaching in China, the child, at that time, learned the local Chinese dialogue (unknown). He returned to Reydarfjordur, his hometown in Iceland as a farmer. In the 1950's, a Chinese person, either from Hong Kong or China or Taiwan came visit the Eastern Fjord and by the generous Icelandic's hospitality, he is greeted by the Icelander who spoke Chinese. Unfortunately, they were unable to communicate to the vast differences in the native and learned dialogue. The father (driver) reminded me that was how the story was told as long as he remembers. Not much details, but this was how the people learned about the difference Chinese dialogues spoken.
Then the father causally mentioned that he thinks that I have a very perspective in comparison to the Chinese that he knows. I can only guess the meaning of his words. We sprung off to discuss the educational system in Iceland. Apparently, he has diagnosed with ADD after his 20s. Hence, the learning disability has initiated many mis-understandings while he was in primary school in the 1950-60s. People had no knowledge of such ability at that time and he was misunderstood for being lazy and required special attention. He recalled that his mother's strong confidence in him pushing the schools to accept him. It sounds like a battle of tests and proofs between the child and the school. Nowadays, he as an educator is promoting the reformed educating system. The word, “test” can inferior to young students with stress and anxiety. By calling an “assignment”, it suggests the idea of effort and eliminating the pressure off young students who wants to learn. Indeed after his own battle as a child, he expresses that school is about learning and not the test results. There as he glanced forward, I reminds me that educational system needs to be constantly be fine-tuned.
He dropped us off with a note, “share some of the strange Icelanders' stories with your friends.”
August 23/ Sunday
Weather: cloud / cold
mood: extremely tired without notice
Today, I had a couple of nice conversation with the Icelanders. They were all really friendly. The hostel owner told me the stories of his Guesthouse renovation. He humbly shows me his proud renovation of an old farmhouse. He has saved this old building from the town's demolition plan. Now, there are surrounded by a cluster of new homes for the recent years of the Aluminum factory development.
Also, he has taken the privilege to show me his hand-drafted plan for the new addition attached behind the house. The drawing was drafted with pencil on several pieces of A4 letter size paper. I was told that these drawing "sketches" will go to the architect in assisting in attaining the permit.
After talking a couple of minutes about his new addition plan, we both feel comfortable enough to discuss other things, such as the big plan for house. He also mentions that he is a builder, and preferred to be a builder. With time, they hope to expand. Also, I learn the extensive process for them to renovate this house. They spend all of their weekends for 1.5 yrs, gutting the old farm house and turning it into a new retreat for many tourists. I do enjoy the little personal touch and the carefully thought-out plan of the the house, especially the bathroom-- there are shelves and a place for everything.
While I also learn that it is very common for homes to have radiant home heating. Only in this town, Reydarfjordur that electricity is generated by hydro power, delivered about 100 km away. While the next town, Eskifjordur has geothermal power throughout the town. He has passed on some information of the town may have plan to drill through the mountain across the bay to find geothermal but each drill will cost about 2 m/billions Kronas. We both ended with the same note that it is an expensive project.
AM hitch-hike to Eskifjordur
-Fishing man and truck driver
We talk about food how his granddaughter who is visiting, hates chicken because it is too normal for her. He explains to me how he prepares his fish "fiskch" dish on a pan, rarely in the oven, when he is around. I think that he mentions Herring, and white fish. He is often taken away by his work, transporting the Icelandic exports.
PM hitch hike to Reydarfjordur
Man who live in Reykjavik but was visiting family in Neskaupstadur. the involvement of the EU.
We both end the note by saying if you take something, you must give something. He noted that sometime, you have to give much more than you receive and at the end, it may not be worthwhile. NO more factory and it is a gamble for the EU. it seems that the EU is a bigger organization that the Icelandic can grasp on and even comprehend its purpose.
August 24/ Monday
Weather: cloudy/ high wind 25 kmh/ 1 rainbow
mood: lazy and happy not to deal with people
Today, I travel down the memory lane of Marleen Marylin's house. She is definitely a true-hearted collector of all, from interest to studies to old founding. The best thing is that she has found a place for all of them within the house. The idea of re-use and re-adapt appears throughout her living room to bedroom. And her dedication of choosing her memories led to many stories and happiness while she talked about them.
It makes me feel that everyone has something to say about the past, regardless of their relative importance to politics, wall street. We all have our individual place and this place is just as important to all.
August 30/ Sunday
Weather: Sunny/ windy at time
mood: great and excited about horse back-riding
10am from Eskifjordur to Neskaupstadur
Australian who live and work in London, road trip in Iceland.
There is one woman and man, maybe they are a couple or just friends. They have 5-6 days to see all Iceland. They spent their past 3-4 days in the southern coast-- glacier lagoon, the black beach. Now, they speeding their way to Akureyri (the second largest city), located in the north coast of Iceland. This time, I was more comfortable with the region so I took liberally on giving a few suggested places.
4 pm from outskirt of Neskaupstadur to Neskaupstadur's Center
Nurse, Neskaupstadur's Hospital
A very nice nurse picked us up. She was on her way to work on a Sunday. This is her daily commute from Eskifjordur to Neskaupstadur. I thought in the back of my mind that she often give “lift” to people.
August 31/ Monday
Weather: Cloudy/ Rain
mood: annoyed and searching for my cell phone
7am from Eskifjordur to Neskaupstadur
Same nurse who is driving her daughter to school in Neskaupstadur gave me a ride 7 am in the morning. Apparently, when you completed middle school, you have the options to go to the high school in the region or start a vocational training.
No comments:
Post a Comment