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By George Freeman, Grand Forks, North Dakota I've enjoyed genealogy for 25 years. I've thought at times, “I've seen it all.” Recently, I have been reading biographies from "Prairie Trails to the Yellowhead." This two-volume set is about families that settled at Foam Lake, Elfros, and Leslie, Saskatchewan from 1904 to 1913. I find that almost all the Icelandic families lived in North Dakota. They left because all the good land was gone and they learned of land available in Saskatchewan. I am familiar with the surnames and have found a gold mine of information. As a genealogist for Icelandic Roots, I enjoy adding more stories, photos, headstones, and cemetery maps to our ever-growing database. We strive to include notes and stories on all people in the database. If you have stories about your Icelandic ancestors, please send them to us and we will add them to their page at Icelandic Roots Database. A huge thanks to those who write these books and work to preserve these local stories. Below is an example of a well written and informative biography: From Prairie Trails to the Yellowhead A History of Elfros, Leslie, and Mozart, Saskatchewan by Elfros History Book Committee Elfros Historical Society Saskatchewan Page 386-388 HORGDAL, JON (JONSSON) AND KRISTRUN (HOLM) submitted by Begga Bjornson Jon (Jonsson) Horgdal was born November 8, 1854 at Horgardal, Iceland, where he grew up and lived with his parents until 1876, when he immigrated to America. He spent some time in Winnipeg, and in the fall of 1876 he left for New Iceland, (north of Winnipeg). The Canadian Government was hiring men to clear land for a road through the community and he, with several others worked at that. In the group of workers there were six Jon Jonsson's, on pay day there was some confusion, so they each took on another surname, and he took on the name Horgdal, after the place he was born. He was at Gimli, Manitoba during the smallpox epidemic, however he escaped the disease. In the winter of 1877, he went to work for a Scottish minister by the name of John Black, who had seven children by his first wife, an Indian. His second wife was Scottish, and had been a teacher in Scotland. Every evening she gave her stepchildren lessons in English. After Jon had been there for a while, she offered to have him join the class, which he gladly accepted. He learned to speak, read, and write the English language. This helped him immensely. In the spring of 1877, he, with some friends went to North Dakota, to seek land and work. There they met a man named Butler Olsen, and made their headquarters at his home, while they were looking the country over. After travelling in different directions, they decided to settle along the Tongue River, west of what later became Hallson post office. They were impressed with the beautiful trees that grew along the river, oak ash, bass, elm, as well as poplars and willows. Being new to the country they did not realize how difficult it would be to clear the land, before it could produce anything. In 1878, Jon took up a homestead, one mile west of Hallson, P.O.; On June 19, 1880 he married Kristrun Holm. She was born December 1, 1861 at Skagafjardarsyslu Iceland. She came to America in 1876 on the same ship as Jon. They had a family of ten, who were all born and raised on the farm. Jon took an active part in all community affairs, he was a very good neighbor, always ready to help when help was needed. He also took part in entertainment, was a born actor so always took part in plays that were put on in the community. At that time people had to make their own entertainment and they did very well. In 1918, Jon and Kristrun sold their farm to Sigurdur Anderson from Pine Valley, Manitoba, and moved to Elfros, Saskatchewan. By that time Jon's health was failing, so they made their home with daughter, Emily and son-in-law, Oscar Skaro, where they were given loving care until their passing. Jon died on June 3, 1930, and Kristrun died April 18, 1932. Both are at rest in the Elfros Cemetery. Following are the names of their children. Alfred Horgdal born Oct. 21, 1883-died Jan. 1949 Wilhelm Horgdal born Jan. 19, 1885-died Jan. 7, 1962 Holmfridur (Freda) born Oct. 9, 1886-died April 27, 1938-married Edward Crowston, May 1909 Emily born Aug. 13, 1888-died July 9, 1972-married Oscar Skaro, Nov. 16, 1915 Elinborg (Bogga) born July 8, 1890-died Feb. 27, 1966-married Halldor Bjarnason June, 1913-See Bjarnason H. Hallgrimur (Jim) born May 3, 1892-died April 8, 1919 John born May 31, 1894-died July 12, 1971 Arni born July 4, 1896-died June 19, 1982-See Horgdal A. Valdimar born July 23, 1898 Gudbjorg (Begga) born Nov. 30, 1900-married Henry Bjornson Oct. 19, 1935-See Bjornson J.H. Alfred Horgdal was born October 21, 1883 at Hallson North Dakota. He grew up in that community, mostly working on the farm. About 1912 he went to Saskatchewan and worked as a clerk in the Capital Store in Elfros, owned and operated by Oli Johannson and John Gudmundson. In 1915 he returned to North Dakota and farmed for a few years, then returned to Saskatchewan. In 1941 he left for Blaine, Washington and lived there until his passing in 1949. Wilhelm Horgdal was born January 19, 1885 at Hallson, North Dakota where he grew up and worked on his father's farm. On December 10, 1915 he married Olaf Olafson. They farmed in North Dakota until 1919, when they moved to Elfros, rented land and farmed there until 1927, when they moved to the Kristnes community, where they lived until 1930. They then returned to North Dakota and settled at Gardar. They had a family of eight. Wilhelm died January 7, 1962 and Olaf died November 8, 1964. Hallgrimur (Jim) Horgdal was born May 3, 1892 at Hallson, North Dakota where he grew up. On December 9, 1915, he married Gudrun Olason, from Hensel, North Dakota. They farmed in North Dakota until April 1918, when they moved to Elfros and farmed there about one year. They had two children, Ralph and Gudrun Maria. On April 8, 1919, Hallgrimur died from the Spanish Flu. His widow returned to North Dakota. Valdimar Horgdal was born July 23, 1898 at Hallson North Dakota, and lived there until 1917, when he went to Saskatchewan. He worked on farms until the 20's, then worked for Fred Johann-son who was an Implement Dealer in Elfros. In 1926 he, in partnership with his brother Arni, bought a threshing outfit, and for three falls did custom threshing for farmers in the Elfros area. On June 11, 1928, he married Hroney Einarson, daughter of Harald and Elin Einarson. They lived in Elfros until the fall of 1929 when they moved to Spruce Lake, Sask. where he and his cousin Jack Holm had a garage. They lived there for thirteen years, their three children were all born there; Harald born Aug. 25, 1930, Betty born July 12, 1933, and Verna born July 18, 1937. In 1942 they went to Seattle, Washington and lived there two years, then moved to Blaine, Washington, where they had bought an acreage. He worked at Boeings in Bellingham in the Service Dept. Workshop for five years. He stayed in Bellingham during the week and came home on the weekends. Later they sold the property and moved to Blaine. He sold real estate for a while and Hroney worked as a cook in Stafholt, the Senior Citizens Home, for several years. On September 26, 1966, Hroney died from a heart attack. After that Walter sold the house and moved into a suite at Blaine Manor, where he stayed until his health failed. He is now a resident of Stafholt.

It has been too cold around here for men to be running around their house barefoot and bare-legged! My husband says we should delay Bóndadagur until spring. Today is Bóndadagur (Farmer’s Day / Husband’s Day) where the man of the house is supposed to run around the outside of the house (BRRRR at -25°C and -40° windchill) to bring good tidings to the family. The custom is to wear only a shirt, be barefoot, and partly barelegged with just one leg in his underpants leaving the other to trail behind. Then, he is to hop on one foot all around the house bidding Þorri (Thorri) a welcome and protection to his home. The wife is supposed to bring the man of the house his favorite foods and treat him special. The women will have their special day next month. In modern times, women bring their men flowers, candy, or another treat. I own an interesting book called Icelandic Feasts and Holidays, Celebrations, Past and Present by Árni Björnsson published in 1980 by Iceland Review History Series. The famous feast, Þorrablót, takes place during this month called Þorri. The very first day of the month is Bóndadagur. The following are excerpts from this book. In a 1728 letter, the Rev. Jón Halldorson writes that he does not know whether welcoming Thorri is an old custom or a newfangled idea of the common people. He states that he has no knowledge of sensible people participating in such frivolous customs and claims to be actually ashamed to put such nonsense to paper for distinguished people to read. He says, that wintertime and weather in Iceland often depresses people severely and inviting Thorri … so that it might be mild and harmless to her and hers. These traditions were to befriend the spirits and bring good luck to the farm and home. In the late 14th century, the Flatey Book tells of old King Thorri, who made a sacrifice called a Thorrablot every year in the middle of winter. His daughter was named Goa (the name of the next month) and other royals mentioned were Aegir (Sea), Logi (Fire), Kari (Wind), Frosti (Frost), and Snaer (Snow). So, it seems that Thorri was some kind of winter spirit or weather god. The word Thorrablot indicates that such ceremonies were customary at the time. These heathen ceremonies were prohibited when Christianity was adopted. In the 1870s, when Iceland was struggling for independence, the idea seems to have been rekindled of making Þorrablót “according to ancient custom.” In Akureyri, they have had a Thorrablot celebration every year since 1874 (the 1000th anniversary of the settlement of Iceland). You can attend a special event called Þorrablót (Thor-a-bloat). During this party, they eat traditional Þorramatur (Thorri foods). These foods were the leftovers in the Viking Days pantry and includes harðfiskur (dried fish), Hangikjöt (smoked lamb), hákarl (putrefied shark), blóðmör (blood pudding), svið (boiled sheep heads), rúgbrauð (traditional rye bread), lifrapylsa (liver sausage) and hrútspungur (soured ram testicles). Brennavin (Icelandic schnapps) is used to wash it all down. Whether the Þorrablót was named after the Norwegian king, Thorri, or after Thor, the Norse thunder-god, it is a fun and interesting tradition. Check if your local Icelandic club will host a Þorrablót. If not, or you do not live near an Icelandic organization - just invite some friends over and start your own traditions! Send the dates of your Þorrablót in a post to the Icelandic Roots Facebook page and we will share it with all those who follow the page. Happy Bóndadaginn! #Bóndadagur #Thorri #Þorri #IcelandicFood

Place names are an important part of our Icelandic heritage. As we explore more places in Iceland, we are likely to encounter some common, yet unfamiliar terms that are used in farm names. Understanding these terms can help us to find our historic places more easily. In this post we will examine a few of the more common terms. Many farms in Iceland were founded as offshoots from the original, so we often encounter adjacent or nearby farms of the same name followed by a numeral, such as 1, 2 or 3. Additionally, such farms are often described by their geographic position. Prefixes, which can end in a, i, or u, are often appended to the original farm name. (the hyphen may be excluded) Efra- -Upper, as in Efra-Lón or Efri-Skálateigur. Nedra- -Lower, as in Neðra-Apavatn or Neðri-Þverá. Fremra- -Front or inland, as in Fremra-Skógskoti or Fremri-Fitjar. Mið- -Middle or central, as in Mið-Meðalholt. Innra- -Inner, as in Innra-Leiti or Innri-Njarðvík. Ytra- -Outer or seaward, as in Ytra-Hvarf or Ytri-Neslönd. Litla- -Little or small, as in Litla-Saltvík or Litli-Árskógur. Stóra- -Big or large, as in Stóra-Vatnshorn or Stóru-Laugar. Eystra - -Eastern, as in Eystra-Fróðholt or Eystri-Loftsstaðir. Nyrðri- -Northern, as in Nyrðri-Flankastaðir. Syðra- -Southern, as in Syðra-Dalsgerði or Syðri-Vík. We may also see these terms written as a separate word after the farm name. An example would be Nyrðri-Flankastaðir written as Flankastaðir nyrðri. Still other unique names are created by appending a suffix to the original. -hjáleiga Adjacent parcel, as in Sólheimahjáleiga. May also be -parti or -partur. -hús House, such as Hálshús. -kot Very small farm, such as Fjósakot. Improved understanding of these terms, correct spelling, and GPS coordinates / geotagging on our interactive maps will help take the confusion out of Icelandic place names. We are here to help. If you are not a member of Icelandic Roots, we hope you will consider joining and come explore your family’s Icelandic places in the IR database. Our volunteer team has geotagged thousands of places including abandoned farms, cemeteries, and other locations in Iceland. There are histories, documents, photos and stories that we are adding each week about these places and people in the IR Database. Come join us! #IcelandicPlaces #IcelandicFarms

Happy 4th Anniversary to Icelandic Roots! Many thanks to YOU, our volunteers and members, who make Icelandic Roots (IR) better every day. Every one of you plays a very important role in preserving our shared Icelandic Heritage. Our dedicated and passionate team has volunteered tens of thousands of hours to make our sites and community stronger and unified. We are focused on the mission to preserve, promote, and educate everyone on our shared Icelandic heritage and keep it alive for the next generations. We believe in collaborating to make a site that is not just names and dates. The main volunteers meet weekly via ZOOM for personal interactions and managing the various tasks and member requests, which is so important considering we live in Iceland, Canada, USA, and Australia! We truly believe that the best results come from collaborating and sharing our knowledge. As of today, we are officially celebrating our 4th Anniversary of being an official 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, though many of our volunteers have dedicated their lives to working on this information. Our members and followers live in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, Mexico, France, Brazil, USA, Canada, and Iceland. People with Icelandic Ancestry live all over the world. Our goal is to track everyone and include them in our shared story and then with money raised from the memberships, to pay it forward. We also help others and pay it forward by giving student exchange (Snorri) scholarships, project and organizational grants, Icelandic Language scholarships, and assisting with heritage projects. With everyone working together, we can make amazing things happen! The “Cousins Across the Ocean” project has proven time and time again to be our favorite feature with our members. The Technology team is dedicated and professional. They are constantly working on our websites and social media to provide top security, updates, along with tutorials for members. They also help the genealogists and website editors to enter the information, data, and media in a consistent manner along with an easy to use platform. The database is pure joy and growing by leaps and bounds. We look back at the past year and note the many successful stories. Our volunteers have done extensive work to find elusive ancestors and their disappearing descendants. Every day, we help individuals to discover and preserve their family story. We are so grateful to each person who is strengthening IR - volunteers, members, and supporters. We have come to a very important realization. Icelandic Roots is not just a genealogy site and our mission is very unique. With social media, cutting edge technology, a team of people working on everything from DNA results, Adoptions, Abandoned Farms, Translations, Histories, Photos, Elusive Ancestors, Documents, Interactive Maps, Biographies, Obituaries, Cemeteries, Special Reports, Emigration, Midwives, Clergy, Cemeteries, Timeline, and Interesting People, Genealogy, and much more. Our comprehensive site provides volunteers a place to preserve their lifelong work, a place for our members to truly discover their Icelandic story, and one location to preserve these documents and stories. But best of all to have a way to “pay it forward” with all the donations back to Icelandic organizations, people, places, education, and projects. The year ahead is packed with exciting work for us and we are confident that the years ahead will continue to be exciting and much fun. Thanks to everyone for believing in us and helping us to make a better site for you today and for those in the future. With much thankfulness, Sunna and the IR Team #IcelandGenealogy #IcelandicRootsCharity

We are looking forward to the webinar tomorrow with Gísli Pálsson! This is a special offer to supporting members only. The Man Who Stole Himself: The Slave Odyssey of Hans Jonathan has been named in the 2017 Book of the Year list by The Times Literary Supplement, the leading international weekly for literature. Gísli is the author of many books and is a professor of Anthropology at the University of Iceland. We had two Zoom practice sessions last week as well as time for Questions and Answers regarding the database and IR. We hope to have more offerings like this for our supporting members. If you would like to be a part of the fun, click on the 'Join Us' tab from any page. Have a wonderful day and 'see you soon' to all those who can join our IR Webinar with Gísli.

As we helped people from around the world discover their family story this past year, we too surpassed many milestones. 2018 will be full of new and wonderful journeys and discoveries. Our team will continue to volunteer and Pay it Forward through the nonprofit and charitable giving of Icelandic Roots. The database is growing at a magnificent speed with the dedicated and diverse volunteer team. Come and learn more about our shared Icelandic Story. Happy New Year and Gleðilegt nýtt ár! #Gleðilegtnýttár #HappyNewYear #GreetingsfromIcelandicRoots

A highlight for visitors to Reykjavík is the tall bronze Leifur Eiríksson statue and the massive Hallgrímskirkja (Hallgrim’s church). It is the largest church in Iceland. In 1929, the U.S. Congress authorized a statue of Leifur Eiríksson be given to the people of Iceland on the 1000th anniversary of the Alþingi. The statue was placed in Reykjavik on 03 May 1932. Five years later, planning began for a church. Construction began in 1945. Forty-one years later, in 1986, the church was completed. The statue faces west toward the Atlantic Ocean and Greenland. An exact replica was created for the 1939 World’s Fair held in New York. The Eiríksson Memorial Committee of the United States and the Icelandic National League of the United States commissioned a copy of the original sculpture to be placed in front of the Icelandic Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The statue now resides at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia. Leifur Eiríksson was born in Iceland and the son of Eirik the Red, a Norwegian who had settled in Iceland after being banished from Norway. Interestingly, Eiríkur was also banished from Iceland and sailed to Greenland. Many Leifur Eiríksson statues are in North America including the one pictured below in Minot, North Dakota. Here is a list from the Leif Erikson Organization The Reykjavík and Virginia statues are the work of USA sculptor, Alexander Stirling Calder. January is the anniversary of his birth and death dates. He won a national design competition to create the monumental Leifur statue. Alexander Stirling Calder (11 Jan 1870 – 07 Jan 1945) was born to a sculptor, Alexander Milne Calder who designed the amazing City Hall in Philadelphia. In addition to the Leifur statue in Reykjavík, A. Stirling Calder carved George Washington as President on the Washington Square Arch and many other projects. We are interested in more information about the “Icelandic National League of the United States,” please contact us with details. I hope you enjoyed learning more about the various Leifur statues and Stirling Calder. Have a wonderful day. #LeifErikson #LeifurEiríksson

Dear Icelandic Roots Friends and Cousins, We now have 632,000 people in the IR Database! That is >120,000 people in just over 4 years. We send a huge “Takk / Thanks” to everyone helping make this happen - especially those who are supporting members. Please remember to send updates and additions so we can preserve your family in our shared Icelandic story. If you know someone with Icelandic Roots and they are not in the database or their descendants are missing, please let them know. Have them fill out a “Cousins Across the Ocean” form or send the info to SUPPORT so we can get them connected. As we gain more supporters, we are also able to “Pay It Forward” with more projects, scholarships, and grants. Together, we are making amazing progress. Thanks again for supporting the Mission of IR. Encourage others to Join Us, too. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Have a wonderful day! Shine your light, Sunna #IcelandicGenealogy

Are you making cream puff buns today? Here are a few details and recipes about the Icelandic Holidays this week. Share a variation or a story about your families traditions surrounding Lent. Today, is Bolludagur (Bun Day or Cream Puff Day) in Iceland. Many people will get their fill of these delicious bollur treats. The children try to wake up before their parents and spank the parents in bed with brightly colored paper wands. The children yell, "Bolla, bolla" (Bun, bun). The number of spanks equals the number of cream-buns they will get that day. A recipe for making your own buns is at the bottom of this post. Tuesday is called Sprengidagur (Bursting Day), Fat Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday. This is historically the last day people could eat meat before Langafasta (Lent). Many Icelanders will be eating a traditional meal: Saltkjöt og Baunir, (Salted Lamb or Horse and Split-pea Soup). The recipe is at the bottom of the post. My friends in Iceland say they make pönnukökur on this day, too. Wednesday is Öskudagur (Ash Wednesday). Traditionally, ashes in small bags were secretly pinned on the clothing of people. Modern-day children dress up in costumes and sing in shops for treats. It is much like the North America Halloween. Öskudagur is also a day for weather predictions. Whatever the day is on Wednesday, it will be the same for 18 more days. Langafasta (Lent) starts Wednesday - this week it coincides with Valentine's Day. In Iceland, the old folk tales say that even mentioning meat during Langafasta was forbidden. The fast of Lent lasts forty days in some traditions and ends just before Easter, which is Sunday, April 1st this year. See a few recipes below. Share your variations with our readers, too! Recipes Bolludagur Buns 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup flour 3 large eggs 1 cup whipping cream 2 Tbsp. vanilla 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar raspberry jam or other filling 8 ounces chocolate Directions: Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a large saucepan, stir together water, butter, salt and sugar on stove medium-high until butter melts. Add the flour and beat until thick. Remove pan from heat. Whisk or beat quickly the eggs into the batter. Drop the batter on a greased baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven during baking. Cool on a rack. Whip cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Slice cooled buns in half. Fill with jam and cream with melted chocolate or other frosting as a glaze on top. Saltkjöt og Baunir (Salted Meat and Beans) ½ pound Yellow Split Peas 8 cups water 1 chopped onion ¼ pound chopped bacon 2-3 pounds of salted lamb meat (I use ham instead because lamb is hard to find here) 2 pounds rutabagas or potatoes …. or a mixture of 1/2 and 1/2 ½ pound carrots Salt, Pepper, and seasoning to taste Simmer the peas and onion in a large covered pan for at least 45 minutes. Add bacon, lamb or ham, and cook for another 45 minutes. Add potatoes, rutabagas, and carrots. Simmer another 20-30 minutes depending on how much you like the vegetables cooked and how small your vegetable chunks are cut. Add seasoning to your taste. #IcelandicFood #IcelandicRecipes #Bolludagur #LentinIceland

The 99th Annual Convention of the Icelandic National League of North America and hosted by the Icelandic Canadian Club of Edmonton, Alberta will take place April 26-29, 2018. Everyone is invited to attend this special gathering of people interested in Icelandic culture, heritage, current events, and new discoveries in Iceland today. Come and join your cousins, friends, and new acquaintances in Edmonton for this special weekend. We do not have the official agenda yet but we have heard: PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE for EDMONTON CONVENTION: Tentative Convention Schedule: Thursday, April 26, 2018 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Registration, 7 – ? Meet and Greet Friday, April 27 will be speakers during the day INLNA Opening Night/Awards Ceremony Saturday, April 28 will be the Annual General Business Meeting, speakers during the day, and vendors. The evening will be the Gala Banquet. Sunday, April 29th will be a bus tour to Markerville. Register Here. #IcelandicNationalLeagueofNorthAmerica #INLNAConvention #EdmontonIcelandicClub

A group of moms in northeast North Dakota are working to provide a safe and fun environment for children at a new planned playground. The proposed name is “The Mountain Börnum Park” and it will be located near the Mountain Community Center and the Vikur Church. While the town of Mountain is considered small and the surrounding area is rural, there are many families who will benefit from this playground. The closest public park for children is over 13 miles away. The annual Deuce of August, the oldest ethnic festival in North Dakota and the largest Icelandic event in the United States, is held in Mountain each year. Over the past eighteen months, this energetic group has been working to raise funds for this park. They have sponsored many fun events within the community. They also have received memorials, donations, sponsorship from area businesses, and donations from organizations such as Icelandic Roots. “We are very appreciative of the local support and feel this will be such a blessing for our growing community. We only need $15,000 more to complete the first phase of our project,” says a mom in the volunteer group for the Mountain Börnum Park. The North Dakota Community Foundation is the fiscal sponsor of this project to provide tax-deductible donations, which can be made online, by mail, or phone. Check out the Börnum Park website and their Facebook page to see status updates and more. Please help them build this park. They encourage you to join their FB page, check out the website and park designs, and send a donation if possible. They want to wish all supporters a huge thank you! Facebook Page Website Donations: links for the Mountain Börnum Park #MountainBörnumPark #VikurChurch #DeuceofAugust

People always ask us, "When is the best time to visit Iceland." We, of course, think any time is best ... just go and enjoy! The condensed answers for Reykjavík according to the historical data: August is the warmest month. Average of 7°C to 13.9°C (44.6°-57°F) January is the coldest. Average of -3°C to 1°C (26.5° - 33.8°F) May is the driest (still has 16 days per month of precipitation - maybe snow). October has the most rain (21 days per month of precipitation - maybe snow). December 21st is the shortest day. (4 hrs, 7 min of daylight - less in the north). June 21st is the longest day. (21 hrs, 9 min of MIdnight Sun - more in the north). Here are a few great sayings in Iceland about the weather: "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute." "There is no such thing as bad weather - just bad clothing." The weather is always changing and is unpredictable. Be prepared for any weather when you are traveling around Iceland. Bring lots of fast-drying, breathable fabric layers, a windproof and waterproof long coat, insulated pants, and sturdy waterproof boots. Walking around Iceland is wet. Be prepared for walking on sand, rocks, and slippery surfaces. Even in the summer, you should bring along a coat, hat, gloves, and a scarf in case the weather decides to be blustery and cold. In the summer, if the temperature rises above normal, you will here the locals talk about "sólafrí" - "sun holiday" where they leave work and go to enjoy the weather. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses for the long days of summer when the sun is shining. Rain and wind can come anytime as well as the wetness of rushing waterfalls. So be prepared with your several layers and rain gear. You can get a photo with a double rainbow! The winter is dark with lots of rain and wind. So be prepared with wind-proof and waterproof outer layer. A long coat and tall winter boots would be a good combination. If you go to Iceland in the winter (October - April) make sure to check the weather forecast and road conditions before leaving the city. Many people want to see the northern lights in Iceland during the winter. But the weather does not always cooperate. Do not take a chance on traveling the Icelandic roads and go explore the many coffee shops, stores, and especially the geothermal pools. So always bring a swimsuit and remember, it is better to be safe than sorry out on the icy, snow-covered, and windy rural roads! Do not bother with an umbrella. The unpredictable wind will take it for sure. Also, the rain occasionally will blow sideways because of the wind. Sometimes, it seems as if the rain is actually blowing UP! If you will be heading out for the nightlife and want to fit in with the locals, think about fashionistas! Icelanders love fashion and your hiking gear or sweat pants will stick out like a bull in a china shop for downtown Reykjavik. When you go to Iceland: Have fun. Travel responsibly. Respect the weather. Stay safe. Be a good tourist. Do not trespass. Take special care of the fragile environment and leave no trace you were there other than in photos and memories which will last a lifetime. #IcelandTravel #IcelandClothing #IcelandWeather