The Loving Sun

Sverige - Ferragudo, Portugal

2010-09-11T11:20:00.002-02:00

Thakka ther kaelega fyrir Rod. Muito obrigada :) Mundu bara ad taka kvittanir i burtu og skrifa GJOF adur en thu sendir. Tollurinn heima er svo svakalegur. Eg sendi bokina um leid og eg kem heim en eg er viss um ad eg skulda ther eitthvad a milli. Vid finnum ut ur thvi sidar.
Vid hofum ferdina a ad fara til Lunds i Sverige ad heimsaekja Ingunni fraenku, Ulrik og stelpurnar theirra tvaer, Astrid og Silju. Thad var ekkert sma gott ad komast i sveitasaeluna hja theim og vid nutum okkar i botn. Leon Bjartur er algjor heimsborgari, gret ekki alla leidina fra Islandi. Fannst bara gaman ad ferdast, thessu litla ljosi.
Vid bordudum godan mat oll kvoldin, forum i gongutur um sveitina og eg tok sma flipp i H&M, vid mikinn fognud vidstaddra (hehe...th.e. Adda og Leons). Addi afrekadi ad kaupa eitt sokkapar. Eg versladi reyndar fyrir barnid og Elenu lika.
Fyrsta daginn okkar rakumst vid a Siggu fraenku Adda thegar hann stoppadi EINU manneskjuna sem var a stadnum til ad spyrja til vegar "Addi!?" hropadi hun. Thetta voru svona alika likur og ad vinna i lottoi.

Nu er timinn ad renna ut a thessu internet cafe.....Alla vega....Vid erum nu i Portugal i litlu sjavarthorpi sem heitir Ferrogudo. Gaur sem heitir Sergio sotti okkur a flugvollinn og keyrdi okkur a Vila Castelo sem er nokkurs konar ibudarhotel en flestir sem thar dvelja eiga ibudirnar sjalfir. Thad er litid um turista nuna sem er frabaert fyrir okkur. Hann helt a storu skilti sem stod Mrs. Kristjansdottir.
I gae fekk eg skilabod fra pabba um ad hann er buinn ad panta mida fyrir sig og Hlin :) Thau koma hingar 22. september og dvelja med okkur sidustu vikuna, tha skiptum vid um bae og husnaedi og forum til Lagos. Folkid sem a tha ibud er i kringjum fimmtugt, konan er travel journalist (veit ekki alveg um gott ord yfir thad a islensku). Ibudin er 160 m2 penthouse ibud ;) Vid hlokkum ekkert sma til ad sja thau.
Leon Bjartur bidur ad heilsa ollum, trui thvi varla ad hann verdi 6 manada a morgun. I dag er officially sidasti dagurinn minn i faedingarorlofi og Addi hefur sitt.

Knus og kossar til allra fra okkur, vid hofum thad ekkert sma gott herna i solinni og hitanum.
Asta Sol

Hálsbólga og heimkoma - Gréta og götufólk - Ferd Íslendinga og Íslendingar í Brasilíu

2007-12-04T12:20:00.000-02:00

Já, thá er komid ad thví. Vid erum á forum frá Rio í dag. Aldrei hefdi mér dottid í hug ad ég vaeri ekkert voda spennt fyrir ad fara til Parísar, en svona er thetta. Thad má kalla thetta lúxus leidingaradstaedur, vid hefdum frekar viljad vera hér í tvo daga í vidbót. Sólin sveik okkur í gaer en er komin til ad vera í dag ad thví e virdist, akkúrat thegar erfitt er fyrir okkur ad njóta hennar vegna brottfararinnar. Svo er ég búin ad vera med hálsbólgu sídan í sídustu viku og hef ekki beint sofid vel sídustu naetur. Pirringurinn er sem mestur thegar ég slaka á. Addi er adeins skári í tonnunum sem betur fer, en ekki alveg nógu gódur.
Sídasta kvoldmáltídin okkar var á líbonskum veitingastad, mjog sérstakt. Kvoldid thar ádur fórum vid á franskan stad sem er án efa besti stadur sem vid hofum farid á hingad til. Ég fékk mér lamakjot og thad var ótrúlega gott, ekki sídra en hid íslenska! Verst ad geta ekki bordad neitt af thvi gómsaeta graenmeti sem hér er á bodstólnum. Thorum thvi einfaldlega ekki.

Í gaer ákvádum vid ad gefa gotufólkinu klinkid okkar og ég gaf gotustrák sem var ad leita í ruslafotum sandalana mína. Hann var berfaettur, leit ofan í pokann, tóka sandalana upp, lagdi á jordina og smellti sér í thá. Their voru orlítid litlir en hann brosti, gekk ad naestu ruslatunnu og byrjadi ad róta. Thad er ótrúleg eymd sem madur sér hér inn á milli. Fólk sefur á pappakossum á gotunum, sumir engu. Verst er ad sjá heilu fjolskyldurnar á gangstéttarbrúnunum ad betla. Flestir eru thó ad reyna ad selja eitthvad, en sumir eru einfaldlega of fatladir til ad geta thad, t.d. einn madur sem vid sjáum oft; med spelkur á bádum og tvaer blindar konur sem húma upp vid vegg vid Avenida Copacabana. Um daginn sáum vid svo ungan strák koma hlaupandi thar sem vid vorum ad borda á Bob´s burger. Hann datt á jordina fyrir framan oryggisvordinn (sem eru vid marga stadi hér) og á eftir honum kom brjáladur madur sem á stód Estacione. Strákurinn hélt á steinvolu í annarri hendi og vid fottudum sídar ad um var ad raeda bilastaedavord (sem hér gegna oryggishlutverki í stad thess ad sekta, ólíkt heima) sem thydir ad líklega hafi hann reynt ad brjotast inn í bíl. Madur skilur thad eiginlega, hvad myndi madur sjálfur gera ef madur hefdi ekki neitt, engin taekifaeri. Fólk firrir sig frá thessu og gengur fram hjá án eftirtektar. Aetli thad sé ekki fólgin viss sjálfsvorn í thví, madur yrdi hreinlega midur sín alla daga ef madur hugsadi stodugt um alla thá sem eiga bágt hérna.

Talandi um sorg, thá er mig búid ad dreyma Grétu held ég á hverri einustu nóttu. Hún hefur alltaf verid sprelllifandi nema í eitt skipti. Ég held ad thad sé einhver meiriháttar úrvinnsla í gangi hjá mér. Enginn getur alveg skilid hvernig draumar og undirvedvitundin virkar. Ég hef oft fengid mjog sterka drauma og er stundum berdreymin thannig ad draumar eru mér mjog mikilvaegir. Ég bara elskadi Grétu svo rosalega heitt. Thad er mér naestum óskiljanlegt ad haegt sé ad elska svona litla veru svona mikid. Hún var svo einstok, kenndi manni ad ástin og lífid eru ekki sjálfsogd. Ég er greinilega ekki sú eina sem hugsar svona um hundinn sinn thví ég var ad finna bók sem einhver skrifadi um sinn hund: Marley e Eu. Já hún er á portúgolsku og ég aetla ad lesa hana!

Vid Addi fundum loks leid til ad hafa uppi á Íslendingum hér í Rio, tja...eda allri Brasilíu. Vid fundum um 7 símanúmer og ég reyndi ad hringja í flesta en thad svaradi bara á einum stad og sú manneskja var ekki heima. Algengast virdist vera Joelson-nafnid en ég er ekki viss hvort thad er bara íslenskt. Í Rio er líka Reikdal og Sondahl, en thysku aettarnofnin fundum vid ekki hér (Isl. giftust sumir Thjódverjum). Thad verdur ad reyna betur ad hafa samband vid thetta fólk thegar heim er komid.
Hvad vardar skipulagningu á ferd hingad erum vid endalaust búin ad skrifa nidur punkta, nofn á veitingastodum, ýmis oryggisatridi og vid erum búin ad skoda nokkur hótel, t.d. eitt á Leme í gaer, naestu strond vid Copacabana. Okkur leist nokkud vel á thad!
Best ad ná smá sólarglaetu. Erum búin ad tékka okkur út og tokum hótelskutluna út á voll kl. 16:20

Zoo - Samba Samba og 4 árin okkar

2007-12-03T11:31:00.000-02:00

Fyrir sídustu helgi fórum vid í dýragardinn hér í Rio. Vid erum baedi svo miklir krakkar í okkur, elskum dýr og finnst alltaf jafn gaman ad fara í dýragard. Thetta var svolítid aevinýri, tókum straetó en var sagt á leidinni ad svaedid í kringum dýragardinn vaeri haettulegt og best vaeri ad taka leigubíl vid stoppistodina. Vid vissum svo eiginlega ekkert hvada átt vid aettum ad fara í thegar vid komum úr vagninum og gengum ad einhverri bensínstod til ad spyrja til vegar. Ég var ferlega stressud en Addi greinilega ekki. Madur vill ekki líta út eins og túisti en madur er thad samt svo greinilega sama hvad madur reynir. Eftir á séd var thad gardurinn sem vid thurftum ad labba í gegnum sem er haettulegur thvi thar eru svo fáir á ferli. Haldidi ad thad komi svo ekki thessi myndarlegi logregluthjonn, vopnadur byssu í buxnastrengnum sem fylgdi okkur hálfa leid ad dyragardinum. I dyragardinum voru svo nokkrir hópar af skólabornum sem ýmist grétu eda hlógu af spenningi. Ljónynja ein var thvílíkt aest og oskradi hvad eftir annad svo heyrdist um naestum allan dyragardinn. Hef aldrei séd jafn mikid af opum og ég held ad Addi hafi tekid mynd af naestum hverjum einum einasta....hehe... Svo tókum vid leigubíl á hótelid. Thad borgar sig ad spyrja fyrst hvad hann kostar. Lentum nefnilega í thví um daginn thegar vid gengum heim af markadnum vid Copacabana (strandlengjan er long, ég treytt í fótunum og Addi thyrstur) ad taxinn aetladi ad reyna ad rukka okkur um 50 ríal, laekkadi svo nidur í 20, en í raun aetti bíllinn thessa stuttu leid bara ad kosta um 6 ríal. Vid vorum ekki lengi ad fara út úr bílnum og skella á eftir okkur hurdinni.

Fostudaginn 30. nóvember áttum vid svo fjogurrar ára afmaeli!!! Parabéns! Til hamingju til okkar! Thad eru s.s. fjogur ár sídan vid hittumst fyrst. Vid ákvádum í tilefni dagsins ad fara á Samba-kvold í midbaenum og lentum á thvilíkt gódri hljómsveit sem á án efa heima á Listahátíd í Reykjavík. Ekki spurning. Thad leid ekki á longu thar til allir voru farnir ad dansa og engu skipti um aldur. Thetta var bara alveg frábaert kvold!!!

Á laugardaginn hittum vid svo Edson guide aftur í borgarferd. Edson er svo fyndinn...hljódlãti leidsogumadurinn, madur heyrir ekkert hvad hann er ad segja...

Jamm....og svo er theta vist sidasti dagurinn okkar i Rio, í bili vil ég leyfa mér ad segja. Thad er ekki buin ad vera mikil sól en í dag er glampandi sól o 30 stiga hit. Hlokkum ekki beint til ad fara í -3 stiga kulda heima. Hlokkum audvitad til ad sjá alla.

Paõ de Açúcar e Cristo

2007-11-27T20:22:00.000-02:00

Ég nádi loks sambandi til ad stadfesta ferdina okkar. Gaurinn taladi ekkert nema portúgolsku en ég nádi sem betur fer ad gera mig skiljanlega og skildi ad vid yrdum sótt kl. 9 naesta morgun.

Amma Ástrídur hefdi ordid 94 ára í dag. Blessud sé minning hennar, ég sakna hennar.

Voknudum snemma eftir frekar svefnlausa nótt. Greyid Addi er alltaf med svo mikla tannpínu út af tannadgerdinni sem hann var í fyrir nokkrum vikum, alveg svakalega leidinlegt. Hann tharf ad taka verkjatoflur nokkrum sinnum á dag út af thessu. Vonandi faer hann strax tíma hjá Gulla thegar hann kemur heim, thetta gengur ekki svona.
Vid vorum sótt kl. 9 af Edson leidsogumanni og hann fór med okkur tvo (já, hann var sem sagt einkabílstjórinn okkar) í Paõ de Açúcar, eda bókstaflega thýtt Sykurbraudid - Sugar Loaf kallad á ensku. Thetta eru s.s 2 fjallstindar sem farid er á milli í Cable cars sem fara á milli. Útsýnid er rosalegt, en vid vorum óheppin thví thad var svo mikil thoka. Sáum ekki einu sinni Cristo nema rétt á leidinni nidur á milli skýjanna. Thad rofadi samt adeins til og vid sáum Copacabana og gátum tekid fínar útsýnismyndir. Vid sáum nokkrar edlur tharna uppi en thvi midur létu aparnir ekki sjá sig, hefdi viljad sjá thá sveifla sér á milli trjána.

Naest var leidinni haldid ad Cristo á Corcavado haedinn en hann er eitt af sjo undrum veraldar. Hofudid og hendurnar voru búin til af fronskum listamonnum, en restin af brasilískum og thad tok held eg um 9 ár ad byggja thetta fyrirbaeri. Margar lestarferdir voru farnar og styttan var byggd uppi á haedinni sem er 710 metra yfir sjávarmáli. Enginn slys urdu á fólki vid bygginguna en mér skilst ad gengid hafi á ýmsu vid bygginguna. Thad var svo rosalega mikil thoka ad vid bara saum ekki Cristo, thvi midur. Thokubolstrarnir rett faerdust til thannig ad madur sá hann óljóst...hann vard eiginlega bara mun dularfyllri fyrir bragdid og eins og ein kona frá Uruguay sagdi sem ég hitti tharna uppi, thad eru til milljón myndir af honum hins segin, en ekki margir eiga svona myndir af honum. Vid ákvádum thví ekkert ad vera ad svekkja okkur á thessu. Ég fór adeins í kapelluna sem er undir honum og bad baenir, rétt ádur en rigningarúdinn byrjadi. Tek thví bara sem jákvaeu svari :) Segi frá thví seinna kannski....

Maracana - upplifun Adda

2007-11-27T20:17:00.000-02:00

Maracana var stórkostleg upplifun. Flamengo vann 2-0 og fognudurinn á vellinum grídarlegur. Ég hef marga fjoruna sopid á Anfield en thetta var odruvísi upplifun. Hér dansa menn med thegar their syngja og meiri sambataktur med ad sjálfsogdu en á Englandi. Madur fagnadi morkum Flamengo enda vel merktur theim og thetta var mikilvaegur sigur thví sigurinn tryggdi theim saeti í úrslitakeppni Copa Libertadores sem er Champions League theirra Sudur-Ameríkumanna. Fengu ad launum risastóran bikar í leikslok og allt trylltist enn og aftur... Flamengo sem og hin trjú lidin frá Rio: Vasco da Gama, Fluminense og Botafogo hafa verid í bolvudu basli sl. ár í deildinni og thví árangur Flamengo kaerkomin og skemmtilegt ad vera vidstaddur staerstu stund lidsins og addáendanna eftir morg mogur ár. Má í raun líkja thessu vid árangur Liverpool 2000-2001 tímabilid thegar Liverpool lenti í 3. saeti og komst loksins í Meistaradeildina.

3. saetid sem Flamengo tryggdi sér nú er besti árangur lidsins sídan thad vann meistaratitillinn árid 1992. Helsta velgengnistímabil Flamengo var á fyrri hluta áttunda áratugarins thegar Zico var kóngurinn og Flamengo vann titillinn 3 á 4 árum.

Mikil traffík eftir leik og bílar stopp í bílagongum en thad gaf bílstjórunum taekifaeri á ad rydjast upp á bílthakid sitt med Flamengofánana sína og dansa ofan á bílunum syngjandi og trallandi - menn theyttu bílflautur sínar af miklum mód og Flamengo-fatnadur ýmis konar blakti frá ollum bílgluggum. Ég reif mig úr treyjunni og veifadi henni í gríd og erg út um bílgluggann vid gódar undirtektir. Sem sagt fullt hús fyrir Maracana... Flamengo!!!! LALALALALALaaaaaaaa...

Maracanã - upplifun ÁSK

2007-11-26T20:47:00.000-02:00

Í gaer fórum vid á fótboltaleik, Flamengo - Atlético PR a Maracanã leikvanginum hér í Rio. Hann er sá staersti í heimi og tekur um 90 thúsund manns. Vid vorum sótt klukkan 3 af einhverri ferdathjónustu, rosalega hot shot gaurar eitthvad. Fleira fólk var sótt í leidinni en vid vorum komin á leikvanginn rúmlega tveimur tímum fyrir leik. Vid possudum okkur á thví ad hafa lítinn pening á okkur og tókum med okkur nesti. Byrjudum á thví ad fá okkur ís. Gaurinn sagdi vid okkur ad thad vaeru 5 ríal stykkid, en svo gat hann ekki skipt strax og kom thví sídar til ad rukka okkur og thá hafdi verdid haekkad upp í 7. Ég var ekki ánaegd og kalladi í einn guide-inn en neyddist á endanum ad borga ansk...bjánanum....Anyways....Leikurinn byrjadi og var bara tvílíkt skemmtilegur, segi ég sem hef hvorki mikid vit á fótbolta eda gaman af honum yfirleitt. Flamengo vann sem sagt 2-0 á heimavelli og vid fognudum ekki minna en Brassarnir. Leikvangurinn var naestum fullur og thad var alveg hreint magnad ad sjá allt thetta fólk. Hittum líka alveg frabaera gaura frá Angola. Hér eru their, munum ekkert hvad their heita...

Thad tók svo nokkurn tíma ad komast út af vellinum en sem betur fer nádum vid ad fylgja hópnum og týnast ekki. Fagnadarlaetin á leidinni voru thvílík! Thegar vid fórum í gegnum gong flautudu allir bílarnir á milljón og thegar allt var stopp hoppudu okumenn og adrir út út bílunum sínum og donsudu og sungu; sumir á bílthokunum. Hittum Svía á leidinni til baka sem hafdi búid á Íslandi fyrir 10 árum sídan. Einhverjir norsarar voru med okkur í bíl líka.

Vid vorum i svo miklu studi thegar vid komum á hótelid ad vid settum ipod-inn í gang og donsudum. Fórum svo á lítinn subbulegan bar hinu megin vid gotuna. Hittum thar tvo Brasilíumenn um fimmtugt. Annar taladi ensku hinn ekki. Ég reyndi thví eitthvad ad babla a Portúgolsku og thad tókst bara ágaetlega held ég. Thessi sem taladi ensku er ad vinna vid eitthvad í tengslum vid frakt á skipum og hefur ferdast til allra Nordurlandanna nema Íslands, en sagdist langa mikid ad fara. Hann kom okkur thvílíkt á óvart thví hann taladi baedi um Vestmannaeyjar og Ísafjord. Svo fóru their (komu svo reyndar aftur thví vid erum svo skemmtileg...hehe..) og vid hittum Svía á eftirlaunum sem hefur búid hér í 2 ár, en bjó ádur í Sviss. Mjog vidkunnalegur, straxx búinn ad senda Adda email. Svo komu tharna tvaer ungar stúlkur og onnur theirra, dokk yfirleitum, lágvaxin en vodvastaelt, var ad búa til eitthvad í hondunum og thví fór ég ad spyrja hana hvad hún vaeri ad gera. Bad hana svo ad búa til fyrir mig armband og hofudnisti. Hun var svo mikil dúlla eitthvad og ég bad um emailid hjá henni. Vinkonan skrifadi thad nidur og sagdi Svíinn ad thad vaeri pottthétt vegna thess ad hún kynni ekki ad skrifa.
Svo fórum vid ad lúlla....

Í dag erum vid búin ad vera ad leita ad thvottahúsi og saumastofu (thurfum baedi ad stytta buxur). Vid sáum hvoru tveggja um daginn en vorum svo snidug ad halda ad vid myndum muna hvar thessir stadir eru. Fundum loks thvottahus og fyrir fulla vél, tvo liti borgudum vid um 700 krónur. Svo var bara allt tilbúid og samanbrotid taepum 3 timum sidar. Gvud hvad ég vildi ad madur thyrfti aldrei ad gera thetta sjalfur. Buxurnar verda svo tilbunar a morgun. Thrennar buxur = 1000 kall.
Á morgun eigum vid ad fara ad heimsaekja Cristo og Sykurfjallid eda hvad thad heitir en erum ekki búin ad fá stadfestingu á tíma....vitum ekki alveg hvernig thetta fer.
Bom Noite - EKKI GLEYMA AD SKODA MYNDIRNAR

Rio de Janeiro - English Summary continued

2007-11-26T20:11:00.000-02:00

It was very nice to meet all the Brazilians of Icelandic descent both in Curitiba and Florianapólis. We will be looking for more people here in Rio.

The first two days in Rio we used just to relax. We needed it so badly. Then we´ve just been walking around the Copacabana and we´ve been down town to what they call Saara Bazar, lots of streets filled with people and sales booths with anything between heaven and earth. Rio is an amazing city and Reykjavík feels like a village in comparison.
On Saturday we booked a tour to the Favela, which is basically the scum. They have a Favela in every town and city and in Rio alone the have 811 of them. In the one we visited, Rochina, the population is 300 thousand, the same as in Iceland. Has anyone seen City of God? It´s about one Favela somewhere in Rio I think. We haven´t seen it but we want to when we get back to Iceland. Our guide, Louiza, who lives in the Favela said that the documentary shows the worst sides of the Favela.
Here is Louiza

Words alone can´t describe what it it´s like. We took so many pictures and we´re hoping to post them here very soon. They say more than a 1000 words. It´s very unsafe to go to a Favela by yourself and we were even a little bit scared of doing it with a local. Nobody harrassed us and we were safe the whole time. We went to a school over there were the children are tought to make pretty things out of garbage. It was amazing what they can do and we bought some "souvinirs." Half goes to the school, half to the child.

The smell in the Favela was at times overwhealming (smell of urine and you name it) but then again the same goes for a lot of places in Rio. The electricity is rediculous, we could touch the power lines and the plumming was unique, say no more. The sewage streamed like a river through the Favela and Louisa said that they want to build over it because when it rains a lot it starts floating all over the streats. If she wanted to do something like that she would first need a permission from the gang ADA, or Amigo de Amigo. She said: "I don´t know whose friend they are!" The control everything. They have military police over there but she says they are corrupt. I could say so much about the Favela but you´ll just have to look at the pictures (on the right).

Yesterday we went to a football match (sorry, I hate the word soccer) in the Maracanã, the largest stadium in the whole world (seats about 90 thousand people). Flamengo and Atlético PR played and Flamengo won 2-0 at home. Of course we were on the Flamengo side. This is the third football game I´ve watched in my life. It was amazing and the stadium was almost full.
Afterwards we went to a local bar across the street from our hotel and ate batatas fritas and had some beers. We met a retired Swede who moved here 2 years ago, and some Brasilian friends of his. I was trying to speak Portuguese...maybe it was the beer, but I think I did alright...hehe...

Bom Noite!

Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro - English summary from our trip (see first one in English below)

2007-11-24T22:15:00.000-02:00

Curitiba was absolutely fantastic. We met many people of Icelandic descent and we are looking for more. The aim is to create a program for them like the Snorri Program. The problem of course is sponsorship number one and the other being the language. Most of the people only speak Portuguese. Addi and I have started studying the language and we´ve bought many books. We also want to bring a group of Icelanders over here, English is no good over here although it helps. My Spanish has helped a lot, altough the languages are not entirely the same.

We also went to a town called Florianapólis by the south coast. It´s on an island actually. The traffic over there was terrible but we got there eventually. There we met the Barddal people, with ancestry in Bardardalur in the North of Iceland. They were very nie in every way and very rich. Although it doesn´t matter to us, but their success shows the strong character of the Icelanders. They have a university called the Barddal institute or something like that.

We´ve been in Rio since Tuesday and mostly we have been relaxing. We are so red from the sun it´s not even funny. The sun is the stongest I´ve ever experienced.
Time is out here at the internet café Tomorrow we are going to the Maracaná....
Hasta pronto

Fátaekrahverfid í Rio! Thvílíkur dagur!

2007-11-24T21:52:00.000-02:00

Thetta var frábaer dagur... vid fórum í staersta favella (eins og fátaekrahverfin eru kollud) í Ríó sem heitir Rosinha. Thar búa 300.000 manns vid heldur bágbornar adstaedur. Thad er jafnan stórhaettulegt ad fara thangad en vid hofdum samband vid konu sem hefur stadid fyrir ferdum thangad sídan árid 1991. Thegar til Rosinha var komid tók hin yndislega 28 ára Louiza á móti okkur en hún býr í Rosinha og sýndi okkur heimkynni sín og sjón var sogu ríkari! Hún sagdi okkur jafnframt ad thad vaeri ekki nokkur leid fyrir hana ad fara í onnur favella med okkur thví ad um leiod og spyrdist út ad hún vaeri frá Rosinha vaeri hún ekki lengi ad fá kúlu í hausinn. ADA sem er ríkjandi gengid í Rosinha á sína óvini og daudi hennar yrdi sem sagt talin ãgaetis skilabod til theirra. Allavega sagdi Louiza okkur ad myndin City of God hefdi brugdid upp versu hlidum Favellas og henni var mikid í mun ad sýna okkur jákvaedu hlidarnar. Fõlk býr thétt saman og nágrannar eru [avallt reidubúnir ad veita hjálparhond ef eitthvad bjátar á. Tharna var mikid af krokkum oig fullordnum sem vildu lãta taka mynd af sér og thótti mjog gaman ad sjá útlendingana... fannst mikid til minnisbõkarinnar okkar koma sem var frekar einfold en thad tharf ekki mikid til ad vekja ãhuga theirra.

Allavega maettum vid fullt af brosmildu fólki en audvitad vissi Louiza hvert h~un aetti ekki ad fara med okkur. Gengin eins og ADA (Amigos de Amigos) ráda tharna r~ikjum og ekkert er gert ãn theirra samthykkis. Tharna eru opin raesi, hundaskítur og rusl út um allt... throngar gotur en svona er raunveruleikinn. Manneskjan getur verid falleg og tharna eru fallegar manneskjur og manneskjan getur verid hrottaleg og tharna búa hrottar. Vid skrifudum mikid um thetta í minnisbókinni okkar og munum gera eitthvad meira út úr thví en med thessu fãid thid vonandi nasasjón af thví hvernig favella er.

Rio de Janeiro - Balcony Bar e Centro

2007-11-23T22:07:00.000-02:00

Rio, Rio, Rio!
Hér erum vid enn, sem betur fer. Thad er buid ad vara okkur mikid vid ad borgin se haettuleg. Hofum tekid af okkur alla skartgripi og gongum bara med sma reidufé á okkur, engin kreditkort ef vid komumst upp med thad. Erum líka of hraedd vid ad vera med myndaélina med okkur á hverjum degi. Svo reynir madur bara ad thykjast vita hvert madur er ad fara og fylgjast med folki í kringum sig án thess ad vera ad lata adra taka mikid eftir thvi. Tokum heldur aldrei ut kort úti a midri gotu Vid forum bara mjog varlega, held ad thad skipti mestu máli.

Horfdum a Brasilíu - Uruguay i fyrradag. Spurdum a hotelinu hvar vaeri best ad finna stad nálaegt, langadi ad finna svona lokal stemmningu. Konan i móttokunni sagdi ad besti stadurinn vaeri hinu megin vid gotuna. Thegar thangad var komid opnadi virdulegur madur fyrir okkur dyrnar og vid gengum inn. Haldidi ad thetta hafi ekki verid strípistadur! Eitthvad allt annad i gangi en fótbolti thar a bae. Vid vorum ekki lengi ad snúa vid. Leitudum svo ad stad a Copacabana og fundum einn, Balcony Bar. Settumst nidur vid hlidina á einhverjum Englendingum og eftir smá stund sáum vid ad tharna var ákaflega mikill fjoldi af ótrúlega fallegum ungum konum. Stuttu seinna áttudum vid okkur á thví ad thetta voru vaendiskonur. Vid sátum í smá stund og fylgdumst med en ákvádum svo ad horfa á restina af leiknum á hótelinu. Brasilía vann 2-1.
Thad er svolítid skrítin tilviljun (ef thaer eru thá til) ad ég er akkúrat ad lesa 11 mínútur eftir Paolo Coelho (borid fram gveljó), brasilískur hofundur ef einhver skyldi ekki vita thad. Hun fjallar um brasilíska stúlku sem hefur vaentingar um fraegd en gerist thess í stad vaendiskona. Keypti hana í sumar, byrjadi á henni en komst ekki langt vegna mikillar vinnu. Eg er ekki buin med bokina, en hugsun mín er thegar ordin onnur, get ekki lyst thvi. Hefur eitthver ykkar lesid bókina? Maeli med henni so far alla vega.

I gaer og i fyrradag vorum vid bara ad slaka a, ad mestu vid sundlaugina sem er a efstu haed hotelsins. Vid hofum bara thurft a thví ad hala ad gera thví sem naest ekkert. Stadan er thvi sú núna ad vid erum alveg eins og karfar!! Thetta er alveg hrikalegt. Ég hef aldrei brunnid annars stadar a likamanum en a bringunni en nu er eg brunnin a oxlunum, bakinu, maganum og odru laerinu og odrum kalfanum. Eg er svo flekkótt líka ad thad maetti halda ad eg hefdi verid med hina og thessa hluti ofan á mér. Hef bara enga skýringu á thessu. Addi er núna alveg svakalega brenndur a maganum, bringunni og augnlokunum af ollum stodum!!! Thannig ad... í dag tókum vid okkur frí frá sólbodum og tókum hótel skutluna í midbaeinn. Thad tók 15 mínútur. Vid vissum ekkert hvert vid aettum ad fara en eftir smá lestur sáum vid ad snidugast vaeri ad fara a "Saara Bazar" eda nokkurs konar markad i midborginni. Um er ad raeda óteljandi gotur med budum og básum med ollu milli himins og jardar. Goturnar eru trodnar af folki og allir reyna ad lokka mann inn í búdirnar sínar og sumir reyna ad rétta mida med auglýsingum. Ég keypti mér hvítar gallabuxur og Addi íthróttabol númer fimm eda sex...hehe.. Vid keyptum lika sjóraeningjaútgáfu af nokkrum brasilískum geisladiskum sem verid er ad selja alls stadar.

Eftir ad vid vorum búin ad ganga tharna um í nokkra klukkutíma fengum vid okkur ad borda vid Praça Florina eda eitthvad alíka. Thar voru rosalega fallegar byggingar og mikill minnisvardi, reistur 21. apríl 1910 í tilefni af lýdveldinu Brasilíu sem sleit sig frá yfirrádum Portúgala 1889. Thar stód ótrúlega falleg setning sem vid skrifudum nidur (en erum ekki med nú) sem ég held ad merki eitthvad í thessa átt: "Ástin er upphafid, midjan og endirinn."
Aetludum svo ad taka leigubíl en rákumst á straetó sem á stód Copacabana og hoppudum upp í hann. Miklu ódýrara en ad taka leigubíl og tók bara 5 mínútur! Fyrirkomulagid hjá straetó er adeins annad en heima, thar situr gaur í midjum vagninum sem tekur a móti greidslu og opnar oryggishlid.
Á morgun forum vid í skipulagda ferd til "Favela" en thad kallast fátaektarhverfin hérna. Thetta eiga ad vera mjog oryggar ferdir (hótelin maelti med theim). Fólkid i Favela býr í nokkurs konar skúrum, ekki ósvipad thví sem ég sá í Sudur-Afríku.

Best ad fara ad lúlla, meira sídar.... Fleiri myndir innan thriggja daga...
Adius,
ÁSK & AB

Framhald sidan i gaer - KOMIN TIL RIO!

2007-11-21T21:04:00.000-02:00

19. nóvember
Anyways....eftir ad vid vorum buin hja Aline forum vid ad leita ad ferdageislaspilara til thess ad geta hlustad a portugolskunamsekidid sem vid keyptum. Thad var alveg glatad, bara ipod-ar og svoleidis dot.
Mario keyrdi okkur aftur a hotelid thar sem vid kvoddum hann. Hann er svo aedislegur og vid eigum eftir ad sakna hans mikid. WE LOVE YOU MARIO! WE WILL MISS YOU! Just don´t forget....DO IT!!!! DO IT MAN!!! (smá lokal djõk her)

Juvenal kom svo og sótti okkur med Joakinson-folkid og vid forum ut ad borda. Plís ekki fiskur hugsudum vid! hehe... Vid hittum sem sagt Almiro Joakinson (adur Jóakimsson, misritad vid komuna til Brasilí upphaflega) og konuna hans Evlyn. Hann var svo islenskur i utliti hann Almiro og eins og allir hinir Islendingarnir voru thau baedi alveg hreint otrulega frabaer. Hann var med rosa gogn med ser, aettartre og laeti. Sem fyrr vorum vid med drogin ad bokinni sem Jon Adalsteinn fra Myri let mig fa. Thetta hefur alveg slegid i gegn og gert thad ad verkum ad vid hofum verid miklu betur undirbuin fyrir allt. TAKK Jón Adalsteinn!!!
Addi er lika thilikt ahugasamur og vid erum baedi alltaf ad punkta hja okkur upplysingar. Joakinson folkid talar ekki ensku frekar en adrir her og thvi hjalpar mikid ad geta talad sma spaensku. Eftir thennan fund og kvoldverd forum vid lika og keyptum 5 kennslubaekur i portugolsku. Thad thydir ekkert annad en ad vera vel undirbuin fyrir naestu ferd.
Konan hans Almiro gaf mer svo thvilikt fallega gulleyrnalokka med tigrissteini, sem er serstakur brasiliskur steinn og taknar velgengni. Thori sko ekki ad ganga med tha fyrr en a Islandi. Ollu er stolid steini lettara her i Rio og okkur radlagt ad takka meira ad segja giftingarhringana af okkur.

20. nóvember
Flugum til Rio kl. 10:15 og erum komin a Copacabana Plaza Hotel i Rio. Her er taeplega 30 stiga hiti og vid i thvilikum munadi. Byrjudum a ad breyta svefnherberginu og skala svo i kampavini. Addi var ad visu naestum drukknadur a strondinni, kannski sma ykjur, en hann gleypti halft Atlantshafid eda thvi sem naest. Vorum i solbadi i dag og adan horfdum vid a England - Kroatiu....needless to say voru Tjallarnir ekki anaegdir en Kroatarnir tveir a Shenanigan´s thvilikt hamingjusamir.
Alla vega....Brasilia - Uruguay i beinni nuna og vid ad finna stad med brjaludum Brossum til ad horfa.

Hasta Manana
Adius

Joakinson - Copacabana

2007-11-20T21:55:00.000-02:00

Buen Noite
I gaer var algjort afslappelsi i gangi enda thurftum vid a thvi ad halda. Vid fottudum samt ekki ad thad vaeri thvilik sol og vorum inni allan daginn. Eg reyndi reyndar itrekad ad hafa samband vid gaurana hja Marel i Curitiba en an arangurs. Eg tel ad thad hljoti ad vera astaeda fyrir ollu og thvi er eg ekki ad orvaenta.
Thad var lika eins gott ad madur gat slappad af thvi eg er komin med i magann, held ad thad hadi verid eitthvad sem eg bordadi hja Barddal hjonunum. Ekkert alvarlegt en mjog othaegilegt.
Vid forum i gongutur i klukkutima og Mario kom og sotti okkur kl. 5:30 til ad fara til Aline ad saekja voucher-ana. Addi var ekkert sma gladur thvi henni tokst ad boka mida a leik Maracaná, 90 thús manna leikvang eda thann staersta i heimi. Leikurinn er a milli Flamengo og Atletico PR. Vid forum thann 25. nov, ekkert sma spennandi.
Verd ad fara timinn er utrunninn her....

pítsa med jardarberjum og súkkuladi .. matur og meiri matur!

2007-11-19T09:00:00.000-02:00

bem vendos til bloggsins okkar frá Brasiliu! Arngrimur hér ... Asta er enn sofandi uppi á herbergi enda búid ad vera frekar mikid ad gera í ad efla tengsl okkar vid Brasilíumennina og koma af stad oflugum samskiptum Íslendinga og Brassa í ljósi thess ad 40 Íslendingar fluttu á sinum tima til Brasilíu árin 1863 og 1873. Vid erum nú upp á nád og miskunn Dascomb Barddal og Ivonne sem er yndislegt fólk og audvitad er okkur til halds og trausts hinn frábaeri Mario Santos.

17. nóvember - Dascomb og kona hans sóttu okkur snemma og vid fórum í skodunarferd um Florianópolis. Hann sýndi okkur skólann sinn sem hann hefur byggt upp í 50 ár. Tharna býdur hann upp á 5 kúrsa fyrir krakka á aldrinum til 18-21 árs (ímyndid ykkur - ég er farinn ad kalla fólk á thessum aldri, krakka, úff! tíminn flýgur áfram!). Í framtídinni mun skólinn einbeita sér ad arkitektanámi - tharna vorum vid í drykklanga stund - held ad Dascomb hafi sýnt okkur hverja skólastofu og var svekktur thegar einhver stofanna var laest, greinilega mjog stoltur af aevistarfi sínu og má réttilega vera thad.

Dascomb fyrir framan skólann sinn.

Dasbomb sýndi okkur einnig kirkju í midbae Florionapólis sem afi hans Albert(o) byggdi 1904 - Hann reyndar rugladist fyrst á kirkjum og sýndi okkur kirkju Sjounda Dags Adventista sem vid myndudum í bak og fyrir - rétta kirkjan var thá rett vid hlidina sem er Presbytarian-kirkja. Dascomb vard mjog tilfinningaríkur inni í kirkjunni og sagdi ad kirkjan vari mjog mikilvaeg fyrir sig.

Audvitad endadi med thví ad vid fengum ad borda á sjávarréttastad - big surprise! enda borda Brassarnir svo mikid af raekjum og alls kyns fisk ad mesta furda er ad their séu ekki med tálkn, spord og allan pakkann! Vid erum farin ad laera á staerd matarskammtana hér og pontudum okkur baedi hálfan skammt - svo kom skammturinn og hvor um sig hefdi í raun naegt tveimur manneskjum enda tvílíkt vel útilátid hér í mat og mikill matur sem fer jafnan til spillis sem gaeti braudfaett heilu fjolskyldurnar! Vid fengum okkur kjúkling nota bene enda komin med upp í kok af fisk í bili - Brassarnir sogdu okkur ad their héldu ad Íslendingar bordi fisk á hverjum degi og thví leggja their svo mikla áherslu á ad draga okkur á fiskistadi.

Um fjogurleytid (sex á íslenskum tíma - já bara tveggja tíma munur!) fórum vid í tveggja ára afmaelisveislu hjá syni midsonar Dascomb og Ivonne. Strákurinn heitir Kim og er med Down´s syndrome - thad var mikid um dýrdir - blodrurnar voru óteljandi og glaesileg kaka byggd á pixarmyndinni Cars. Thad sem mér thótti óvenjulegast vid veisluna var ad húsbóndinn baud upp á ógrynni af bjór og sá til thess ad allir fengu sér vel nedan í thví! Eitthvad myndi fólk lyfta brúnum heima ef ég sturtadi áfengi í fólk í afmaelisveislum hjá Elenu! Allavega vildi madur ekki vera dónalegur og fékk sér nokkur glos hehe...

Ricardo og fjolskylda hans

Tharna vorum vid í um 3 tíma og thegar heim var komid fórum vid Ásta og Mario og fengum okkur pítsu - vildum bara fá okkur eitthvad einfalt - ein pítsa naegdi okkur ollum enda hrúgad sem aldrei fyrr á hverja pítsu - en tharna fengum vid okkur heldur óvenjulega pítsu sem var med jardarberjum og súkkuladi! aldeilis ekki slaemt á bragdid! Tharna var einhver íbygginn raulari med gítar sem #skemmti# fólki inni á stadnum og sáum vid okkur til mikillar gledi ad vid borgudum autómatískt um 300 kr fyrir ad njóta theirra forréttinda ad #hlusta# á thetta gaul.. thetta var frekar fyndid og skrifadi ég á mida sem fylgdi med reikningnum, aetludum ad daema thjónustuna og matinn tharna, ad ég vaeri umbodsmadur hjá Virgin Records og gaf upp bullshit-gsmnúmer og nafnid Fred Barney (samansett úr theim félogum Fred Flintstone og Barney Rubble) og thóttist lítast fjarskavel á thennan trúbador og vildi fá kontakt vid hann til ad hugsanlega koma honum á plotusamning.

Vid svo búid skridum vid upp í rúm á hótelinu, ekki Mario thó, vid erum ekki thad nánir vinir hans, en hann svaf annars stadar.

18. nóvember - Mario sótti okkur 9.15 um morgunninn enda grillveisla framundan hjá Dascomb sem átti ad hefjast kl. 10! Vid komum ad glaesihýsi Dascomb sem býr vid mikid ríkidaemi. Tharna voru sem betur fer í búrum 6 misvígalegir hundar sem leika lausum hala á nóttunni til ad gaeta landareignarinnar. Their geltu digurbarkalega ad ókunnuga fólkinu. Inni í húsinu voru 5 Shih Tzusem voru mjog spenntir ad hitta okkur og flodrudu upp um okkur haegri - vinstri og mikil samkeppni um ad bjóda okkur velkomin. Stórskemmtilegir hundar sem minntu okkur á Grétu heitna Pekinghundinn okkar enda Shih Tzu ad hluta til Pekinghundur. Ricardo, eiginkona hans, og synir theirra Ian 19 ára og hinn tveggja ára Kim maettu skommu sídar og Ricardo hófst handa vid ad grilla - reyndar hafi Ivonne tjád okkur ad Ricardo vaeri of med of mikla timburmenn eftir afmaelisveislu sonarins ad hann gaeti ekki komist en hann hristi thad af sér. Steikurnar voru ljúffengar svo ekki sé meira sagt og tók madur vel til matar síns. Grilladi ananasinn med hunanginu var brilliant!

Dascomb sýndi okkur myndasafn sitt frá heimsókn hans og Ivonne til Íslands árid 2005 og lét okkur fá diska med ollum herlegheitunum - um 500 myndir! Vid Ásta tókum sídan vidtal vid Dascomb sem vid getum eflaust notad til ýmiss brúks - thar kom í ljós hversu mikilvaeg honum finnst tengsl sín vid Ísland en langafi hans flutti úr Bárdardal árid 1863 til Brasilíu thar af leidir kennir fjolskylda hans sig vid Bárdardal = Barddal.

Vid nutum gestrisni Barddal-fjolskyldunnar thar til um sexleytid enda 4 tíma okuferd framundan til Curitiba - skemmst er fra thví ad segja ad rigningin sem hefur nánast rádid ríkjum í Brasilíu sídan vid komum sýndi mátt sinn og meginn sem aldrei fyrr á medan vid ókum til Curitiba med trumum og eldingum og bévítans látum. Vid komum daudthreytt upp á hótel eftir vidburdarríka daga og sofnudum yfir James Bond- myndinni Casino Royale í imbanum.

ivonne med uppáhaldinu okkar yangtze sem er skírdur í hofudid á gulu ánni í kína

Framundan í dag enda sit ég og skrifa thennan morgunninn er almenn hvíld og ekki veitir af - thetta hefur verid hingad til vinnuferd og hlakkar madur til ad koma til Rio og sleikja vonandi!! sólina á Copacabana-strondinni. Spáin er ekkert aedisgengin hér í vorinu í Brasilíu en eitthvad virdist aetla ad rofa til á fimmtudaginn samkvaemt spánni.

Reikdal fólkid - hákarlavinsaeldir

2007-11-17T22:46:00.000-02:00

Hef vist ekki mikinn tima nuna. Dagarnir eru bara alveg pakkadir. Byrjum snemma og endum seint. A fimmtudagskvold aetludu Santos braedurnir ad bjoda okkur i mat en i ljos kom ad thad voru svo margir sem vildu hitta okkur ad akvedid var ad fara a veitingastad. A stadinn maettu 10 manns ef eg man rett ur Reikdal-fjolskyldunni (já thad er rett stafad!) og reyndar aetludu lika Sohndahl og Joakimson ad maeta en thad klikkadi eitthvad.

Allur hópurinn samankomin sem bordadi med okkur!

Fyrst byrjudum vid ad fara heim til Mario og Juvenal. Thad kom okkur a ovart ad their bua saman en svo kom i ljos ad their bua einnig med rumlega attraedri modur sinni og systur. Thau systkinin eru 47, 48 og 49 ara og hefur ekkert theirra kvaenst. Thetta er mjog serstakt thvi oll eru thau frabaert folk og mjog opin og skemmtileg. Okkur var bodid inn i forstofuna og thar a pianoinu voru fullt af islenskum munum. Vid gafum theim gjafir (boli, geisladiska, hardfisk og bangsa sem a stendur Island). Thau voru rosalega anaegd. Mamma theirra er svo saet og yndisleg. Um leid og hun steig ut ur bilnum fyrir utan veitingastadinn (forum i tveimur bilum) kom hun og fadmadi mig og sagdi ....muy sympatica...sem thydir ad henni thyki eg mjog gedsleg stulka. Svo komu allir hinir ur fjolskyldunni, eiginlega enginn talar ensku thannig ad eg blanda bara saman spaensku og ensku. Mario er lika svo godur ad thyda og er eiginlega ofvirkur i thvi thannig ad ef einhver segir eitthvad a ensku thydir hann thad...hehe...hann heyrir held eg ekki hvada tungumal er verid ad tala.

ég og mamma Santosbraedranna!

Maturinn var eins konar salatbar og svo ganga thjonar a milli og bjoda manni alls konar kjot, svo setur madur upp akvedid merki thegar madur vill ekki meira, en their haetta samt ekki. Eg helt sma raedu fyrir hopinn thar sem eg taladi baedi ensku og islensku. Sagdi theim hvad thau vaeru okkur mikils virdi, sem thau eru svo innilega. Svo syndi eg konunum myndir fra Islandi og theim finnst Island vera eins og Paradis (enda flestar myndirnar af Vestfjordunum sem eg syndi :) Ein kona i hopnum gaf mer skartgripaskrin sem hun handgerdi sjalf. Tilfinningin sem eg fae i kringum thetta folk er bara svo otrulega god. Thad er varla haegt ad lysa thvi. Thau eru bara svo hly og thau thurfa ekkert ad gera til thess ad madur finni thad. Eg held ad eg hafi ekki fundid svona tilfinningu adur.

Eftir matinn tokum vid upp hakarlinn og bjuggumst vid vid thvilikum grettum og vorum viss um ad einhver myndi kugast, en vitid menn. Thau fengu ser oll med tolu og fannst hann svo godur ad hann klaradist. Eg gat ekki einu sinni fengid mer einn bita. Mer fannst thetta mjog merkilegt. Thetta er folk sem er ekki hraett vid ad profa nyja hluti. Svo leyfdum vid theim ad smakka lakkris lika og fannst theim hann flestum godur nema einni stulku um tvitugt sem sagdi ad ser finndist hakarlinn sko miklu betri en lakkrisinn.

Juvenal smakkar á hákarlinum. Systir hans fylgist spennt med.

Eftir ad eg var buin ad safna saman netfongum fra ollum, tokum vid hopmynd en thvi midur sa eg thegar heim var komid ad thjonninn hafdi klippt ofan af hausunum a ollum.

A fostudagsmorgun forum vid svo a fund med Aline Godoi sem er yfirmadur ferdaskrifstofu i Curitiba. Thad kom i ljos ad hun talar eiginlega enga ensku thannig ad Mario thyddi. Eg skil samt alveg slatta, en portugalskan er samt olik spaenskunni ad morgu leyti. Hun byrjadi a ad hjalpa okkur med ferdamoguleika i Rio. Auk thess ad vera gaman fyrir okkur verdur madur ad vita nokkurn veginn hverju madur a ad maela med vid hop Islendinganna sem vid komum til med ad fara med til Brasiliu. Ad thvi loknu raeddum vid moguleika a theirri ferd. Hun aetlar ad setja upp aaetlun og senda mer um midjan desember. Vid aetlum ad vera i sambandi i gengum tolvupost og eg held ad thad verdi ekkert mal thott hun tali ekki ensku. Ef eg verd dugleg verd eg buin ad na tokum a portugolskunni fljotlega....ja, eg ma alveg vera bjartsyn!
Vid forum aftur til hennar a manudaginn til thess ad saekja voucherana fyrir ferdirnar sem vid forum i Rio og mida a fotboltaleik (meira um thad seinna!).

Aline med gjofina fra Íslandi.

Svo heldum vid af stad til Florianapólis, ferd sem atti ad taka 4 tima med matarstoppi tok rumlega 7 tima. Vid lentum i thvilikum umferdarteppum. Stoppudum i borg vid strondina sem eg man ekki hvad heitir og bordudum thvilika fiskretti. Komum loks her a Blue Tree Towers Hotel og klukkutima sidar hittum vid Dascomb Barddal og konuna hans i lobbyinu. Thad var alveg sama sagan...ekkert nema hlyja og aftur hlyja, svo godir straumar, eins og vid hofum verid vinir lengi. Thau foru med okkur a fiskistad vid sjoinn thar sem vid bordudum undir berum himni. Eg fekk mer saltfisk og Addi lax. Hvoru tveggja var mjog gott. Vid vorum fodmud i bak og fyrir og forum ad sofa mjog seint ad vanda. Her situr folk nefnilega lengi og bordar matinn sinn, ekkert stress eins og a Islandi.

Dascomb, Ivonne og Mario.

I morgun voknudum vid svo um 8 og verdur saga dagsins i dag ad fylgja sidar....vildi oska ad eg gaeti fyllt frasagnirnar med fleiri smaatridum, thad er bara svo erfitt thegar timinn er naumur. A morgun thurfum vid ad vakna fyrir 8. Vid erum ad fara i grillveislu hja Barddal folkinu kl. 10 og thad er sma spotti ad keyra.... Einhver her sem hefur farid i grillveislu svo snemma? hehe....

Luv ya all!

Curitiba e Capivara - Primer día en Brasil - Día de la República

2007-11-15T16:55:00.000-02:00

Me and Addi´s first full day in Brazil is today. We landed about 7 pm last night in Curitiba after a 3 hour delay. I was a little bit freaked out because they were saying they couldn´t tell us the problem and last year there was a big plane crash in Saõ Paolo last year with the same company, TAM. The Brazilians were really upset and some of them were yelling. One guy stood up in the plane and made an announcement, wanted everyone to file a complaint and then he had a huge fight with the pilot. It was actually very funny, but Addi and I were like: Please don´t piss off the pilot!

Addi with Juvenal and Mario.

Mario de Santos Neto, a Brasilian of Icelandic descent whom I´ve been in touch with since May (when he and his brother Juvenal visited Iceland) picked us up and drove us to the hotel Trans America, very nice hotel in the center. very nice choice Mario. Obrigada! We had a shower and the brothers picked us up at 9:30 and we had dinner at a nice restaurant close by. We both got a rucola salad, really good. Although I was scared of eating fresh veggies here I thought it would be alright at a fancy place like this. Then we got a Chorizo steak from Argentina. I wanted it well done and Addi medium. I usually like mine medium or medium rare but I´m too scared of getting sick. I haven´t forgotten the infection I got in Mexico City 7 years ago and being in the hospital in Canada after was no fun. So...I actually got the medium steak and Addi the well done one. I had like 5 bites and I had enough. The taste was really strange. At around 12:30 am we were back at the hotel, totally exhausted (the trip from Paris to here took more than 30 hrs).

This morning I thought it was the middle of the night. My head just wouldn´t move from the pillow. Breakfast was amazing and I ate like a pig, as I usually do. Then the Santos brothers picked us up and took us on a tour around Curitiba. First we went for a two hour walk around Parque Barigüí. The sun was shining. Lots of people all over because today is a national holiday. Brazil became a republic on this day in 1889, not long after the group of Icelanders came here. The Santos´s great grandfather, Karl Albert Baldvinsson came here at age 14 in 1873 (called Carlos Alberto in Brazil). At the park we saw not only people, dogs and birds but we saw this amazing creature they call capivara . It´s huge, but reminded us of our little guinea pig we had, Aggi, who died from a heart attack in my hands after being exposed to our Beagle, Talía.

Capivara - the biggest rodent in the world!

After this very relaxing walk...my god...the Santos brothers are always so relaxed! We feel so good around them. There´s no such thing as stress over here. We went to a restaurant called Rei de Camarão or King of Shrimps and had all you can eat seafood - Rodizio de frutos do mar. Afterwards we went on another walk to Memorial Polonês - The Polish memorial Park and had Sol beer close by. How relaxed can you be!? I wish I could import this feeling of relaxation. I would become a billionaire if I could...hehe...

Now we are resting at the hotel before they pick us up for dinner again. Tomorrow we´re having a meeting with a travel agency here in Curitiba and then we are driving to Florianapólis, an island about 4 hrs away.

Paris - Les Gobelins, froskalappir & raudvin

2007-11-15T10:48:00.000-02:00

Vid flugum eldsnemma a manudagsmorgun til Parisar og lentum um hadegi. Tokum svo Metro-id a hotelid, Les Gobelins í útjadri latneska hverfisins - Le Quatre Latin. Thad var ekkert sma vesen ad fara med ferdatoskurnar upp og nidur troppur og vid thurftum ad skipta nokkrum sinnum um lest. Hotelid reyndist agaett, vid pontudum einni staerd fyrir ofan standard herbergi og thad var ekkert sma litid. Badherbergid var naestum staerra en herbergid. Naesta staerd fyrir nedan hlytur ad vera eins og eldspýtustokkur.

Vid hentum farangrinum inn og forum i gongutur medfram Signu - La Seine - til Notre Dame. A leidinni sa eg islenska stelpu, Rosu, sem var ad vinna i sjonvarpinu, a hjoli. Hun var naestum buin ad snua sig ur halslid thegar hun sa mig. Kannski ekki astaeda til ad stoppa thar sem vid thekkjumst litid. Thetta var samt skondid.

Addi hafdi samband vid Larus felaga sinn sem byr i Paris timabundid asamt konu sinni, Joni ef eg man rett. Er svo ferlega leleg med nofn. Vid forum ad ekta franskan veitingastad og bordudum froskalappir i hvitlauk. Vid hofum aldrei adur smakkad thaer en alltaf langad. Bragdid var mjog gott en thad var eitthvad ognvekjandi vid thaer. Eg spurdi thjoninn hvadan thaer vaeru og skrifadi nidur stadinn. Man nefnilega eftir ad Anne franska vinkona min sagdi i fyrra thegar eg og Colleen vorum i Paris ad that vaeri ologlegt ad veida franska froska. Var bara forvitinn. Svo thegar vid hittum Anne a kaffihusi vid Eiffel turninn a thridjudag kom i ljos ad svarid hans var: froskalappir, th.e. a fronsku.

nammi froskalappir!

Vid gengum svo a stad sem heitir Le Philosophes og hittum Larus og Joni. Tharna satum vid i eg veit ekki hvad marga tima, drukkum raudvin og bordudum osta. Thad var mikid hlegid, enda voru thau alveg bradskemmtileg, alveg eins og vid...hehe...
Svo forum vid a spaenskan stad og fengum okkur tapas og sangria.

Med Lárusi og Joni á Les Philosophes

Daginn eftir var thad Anne og kaffi, Eiffel turninn og onnur fronsk maltid. Vid Eiffel turninn var stor hopur af japonskum nemum. Thad var mjog fyndid...nokkrar stelpur vildu endilega lata taka mynd af ser med okkur.
Thad var mikid af betlurum vid turninn, otrulega aggresift folk. Thad rigndi og rigndi og vid vorum ad drepast ur kulda. Forum upp a topp!

Svo var thad bara leigubill a flugvollinn, thriggja tima bid, 11 tima flug til Rio, 5 tima bid thar og thriggja tima seinkun. Eftir um 30 tima ferdalag komum vid loks til Curitiba. Meira um thad sidar....
Knus,
Addinn og Astinn

LYSTIN AÐ LIFA

2007-10-17T09:04:00.000-02:00

Við Berghildur forsýndum okkar fyrstu heimildarmynd laugardaginn 13. október í Regnboganum. Saman komu milli 90 og 100 manns: fjölskyldur okkar, aðstandendur myndarinnar og að sjálfsögðu ættingjar og vinir Örnu, svo ekki sé talað um hana sjálfa. Allir töluðu um hvað myndin væri áhrifamikil og vel gerð, en á meðan hamingjuóskunum rigndi yfir okkur sá maður tárin í augum ættingja og vina Örnu. Sumir hafa kannski óttast um að umræðan um Örnu og myndina yrði að einhverju leyti neikvæð og myndi skaða hana og fjölskylduna. Kannski hefur fólk heldur ekki alveg áttað sig á hvað hún hefur í raun þurft að ganga í gegnum.

Markmið Örnu með því að koma fram í myndinni var alltaf það að vera forvörn fyrir aðra og var ég sannfærð frá upphafi að það myndi takast. Satt að segja bjóst ég samt alveg eins við að einhverjir einstaka misfróðir menn myndu koma með niðrandi athugasemdir, en það er öðru nær. Síðan myndin var frumsýnd á RÚV á sunnudaginn hafa undirtektirnar einungis borið vott um skilning og virðingu. Það er alveg sama hvert ég fer þá er fólk að tala um myndina. Í vinnunni var sagt við mig: ,,Ekki vissi ég að þetta væri svona alvarlegur sjúkdómur," og ég held að margir séu að átta sig á að þetta er ekkert til að gantast með. Svo fór ég í fiskbúðina, í sjúkraþjálfun og fund hjá Rauða krossinum og á öllum þessum stöðum hefur fólk minnst á það við mig hvað þetta væri þarft verk, hvað Arna væri ótrúlega hugrökk og í mörgum tilfellum hefur fólk talað um einhvern sem það þekkir sem er með átröskun. Þetta snertir nefnilega okkur öll að einhverju leyti og margir hafa gælt við þessa sjúkdóma einhvern tímann á lífsleiðinni.

Nokkuð margir virðast samt hafa misst af myndinni og því spurning hvort ekki sé nauðsynlegt að endursýna hana. Hver ætli viðbrögð fólks séu við því?

ÁFRAM ARNA! ÞÚ ERT EINSTÖK!

Tímarit Kringlunnar

2007-04-16T12:54:00.000-02:00

Skoðiði þetta og lesið svo: Hvað fer í gegnum huga þinn? Já, ég fékk þetta tímarit inn um lúguna í síðustu viku eins og örugglega flestir landsmenn. Var ekkert að pæla í því sérstaklega, nema það að Kjartan Dúi fyrrum samstarfsfélagi, er orðinn módel. Ekkert nema gott um það að segja. Svo er blaðið búið að liggja á elhúsborðinu síðan. Eftir að hafa verið með forsíðuna fyrir augunum á hverjum morgni í nokkra daga fór ég allt í einu að pæla: ,,Á ég að vera svona eftir að hafa fætt þrjú börn?" Jú, jú, glæsileg kona og allt það, en þetta er svo óraunhæft að það hálfa væri nóg. Hvaða móðir eða kona yfirleitt situr svona á eldhúsgólfinu heima hjá sér? Hvernig væri að hafa kjólinn aðeins styttri?
Við erum orðin svo heilaþvegin að við tökum ekki eftir því. Þetta er normið, þetta er það sem við eigum að sækjast eftir og svo erum við hissa á því hvað við erum óánægðar með okkur. Við erum aldrei nógu mjóar, aldrei nógu neitt. Svo ef að við vogum okkur að gagnrýna eitthvað svona erum við fordæmdar: ,,Hvaða rugl er í þér kerling, þetta er bara sakleysisleg mynd!" Það getur svo sem vel verið en allar myndir hafa einhver skilaboð og ef við horfum á nógu margar svona myndir síast inn þessi skilaboð: ,,ég verð að vera mjó og flott, þá verð ég ánægð með sjálfa mig."
Og ég spyr....hvenær kemur sá dagur!?

Me like it...

2007-03-08T22:04:00.000-02:00

Ég var nú bara hissa á að niðurstaðan yrði ekki Hrafninn flýgur.....daaaaa
Já... og lofa að skrifa meira, ef þið lofið að lesa meira :)

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I'm like JFK

2007-03-08T21:58:00.000-02:00

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Yes this is me as a leader.....jejeje

Skapandi skrif

2006-11-07T09:41:00.000-02:00

Já, ég skrifa ekki nógu oft, eiginlega til skammar. Er í fullu námi núna í blaða- og fréttamennsku (meistaranám) og það er alveg nóg að gera. Er í smá fríi frá vinnu næstu tvær vikur vegna námsins. Hér kemur smá saga sem ég skrifaði í Skapandi skrifum hjá Karli Ágústi Úlfssyni. Bara smá flipp....

Matur, konur og vín

Þarna sátum við þrjár, borðuðum þriggja rétta kvöldverð og vorum á þriðju flöskunni. Þetta var ekki í fyrsta skipti sem við sátum þarna, borðuðum góðan mat og drukkum rauðvín, enda nóg af því í þessu fátæka landi. Ekki spillti fyrir að þetta var hræódýrt, að minnsta kosti fyrir okkur, og gátum við því lifað eins og drottningar í eigin ríki í þá fáu daga sem við vorum þarna.
Morguninn eftir vöknuðum við við fyrsta hanagal, bókstaflega. Þrátt fyrir of mikið rauðvín kvöldinu áður vorum við búnar að ákveða að fara á markaðinn í Langatota og Tösku. Dúkurinn sem ég keypti í verslun sem hét því skemmtilega nafni Túrlak reyndist skemmdur þegar heim var komið og ákvað ég því að best væri að biðja konuna sem bjó hinu megin við götuna að gera við hann. Hún er algjör töframaður þegar kemur að saumaskap.
Þarna stóðum við fyrir utan húsið handan götunnar og hrópuðum: ,,Marika, Marika!“ Enginn kom og við dirfðumst ekki að fara inn um hliðið til að banka. Það gerir maður einfaldlega ekki á þessum slóðum án þess að maður vilji eiga von á því að vera étinn lifandi af varðhundi. Eftir að hafa staðið fyrir utan húsið hennar Mariku í um það bil tíu mínútur sáum við henni bregða fyrir í eldhúsglugganum. Hún kom hlaupandi að hliðinu skömmu síðar og bablaði á tungumáli sem var okkur gjörsamlega framandi en við skildum að hún var að segja hundunum að hundskast í burtu, sem þeir og gerðu. Hún vísaði okkur bakatil þar sem inngangur hússins var. Lóðin var alls ekki eins og við eigum að venjast heima á Íslandi, algjört moldarsvað. Hún beindi okkur inn í húsið, greinilega stolt af sínu; sýndi okkur fyrst eldhúsið, sem leit út fyrir að hafa verið yfirgefið svo mánuðum skipti, þvínæst stofuna þar sem mublurnar voru einungis meðfram veggjunum og síðast en ekki síst, svefnherbergið þar sem rúm þeirra hjóna voru sitt hvoru megin í herberginu. Á veggnum í miðjunni var einungis ein mynd, brúðkaupsmyndin. Með fingramáli og einhverju babli sagði hún mér að myndin hefði verið tekin fyrir tuttugu árum. Núna var hún tannlaus og tekin.
Mér var hugsað til hversu notalegt við höfðum haft það kvöldið áður. Nóg af víni, mat og öllu öðru, eitthvað sem Marika hafði ekki nóg af. En hún átti eitthvað sem ég átti ekki, eina fallega minningu, mynd á vegg, það var nóg fyrir hana.

P.S. Ég ELSKA ÞIG ADDI PADDI

2006-06-01T16:46:00.000-02:00

Já, það er satt!!!

What we did on our wedding anniversary

2006-06-01T16:23:00.000-02:00

Our day was amazing...
We started off at Hotel Nordica for a brunch. It was really great food. We decided to come seperately to make it more exciting and it was. I showed up with the the brúðarslör...heheh.. can't remember right now what it's called in English. People were turning head...that's when Addi knew I was coming.
Afterwards I took him home for romantice bath. It was very relaxing...then I had recreated the wedding spirit in one of small bedroom; candles, shells... everything! It was really great. Maybe we'll just leave the room as it is.
Then I prepared a picnic and I took him out for a surprice bikeride close to the beach. I bought a kite at Tiger (cheap) and it didn't really work 'cause it was too windy, but it was fun. Then we biked for 15 minutes down to Sjávarkjallarinn, a really fancy seafood restaurant. I thought it was two for one, but it was only 20% off...hehe... who cares, you only live one. The food was amazing, especially the bread and the olive oil and the nuts they had with it.
I would do it all over again! We ran into one of the couples who were on the wedding show last year. They got married on the same day as we did. She's pregnant, according to the book they said. How lucky is that.
Not very many people congratulated us on our day, I guess Icelanders are not really into things like that. After all, what matters is that it's OUR special day.
Tomorrow friends are inviting us over for dinner for the occation. Can't wait.....

Brúðkaupsafmæli coming up - Wedding anniversary

2006-05-24T08:18:00.000-02:00

Jamm, jamm og jæja.... þá er víst að koma að því að maður sé búinn að vera giftur í eitt ár, þ.e.a.s. sunnudaginn 28. maí
Ég bíð bara eftir heillaóskum, gjöfum og brjáluðum fögnuði. Svo er spurning hvort Addinn ætli að gera eitthvað til að koma mér á óvart....

So... we've been married for one year on Sunday May 28.
Please send gifts ASAP!

Home sweet home

2006-04-26T17:28:00.000-02:00

Við komum heim í morgun. Við sváfum ekkert í vélinni á leiðinni heim, vorum að spila og bara voða gaman. Pabbi sótti okkur og keyrði okkur beint á hundahótelið á Arnarstöðum rétt fyrir utan Selfoss til að sækja Talíu. Hún gelti á mig til að byrja með, þekkti mig ekki. Svo áttaði hún sig og flaðraði upp um okkur bæði. Ég var ekkert smá þreytt á leiðinni heim og sofnaði ekki fyrr en um kl. 11 og við sváfum í 5 tíma.
Það var rosalega gaman á ráðstefnunni. Gaman að rifja upp gamlar minningar með Snorrunum og rosalega mikið búst fyrir egóið að heyra að maður hafi haft svona mikil áhrif á líf svona margra, enda hef ég lagt mig alla í að gera dvöl allra sem eftirminnilegasta.
Á sunnudaginn keyrðum við til Vancouver með hóp Almars (12 manna hóp). Í hópnum voru foreldrar gamallrar vinkonu minnar, Höllu. Við vorum að vinna saman á röntgen á Borgarspítalanum 1993 (yes, I'm getting old). Svo var líka yfirmanneskja mín á deildinni, Jóhanna Boeskov í hópnum. Við vorum svo þreytt þegar komið var á hótelið og fengum okkur smá blund áður en haldið var til kvöldverðar hjá Heather Öldu Ireland (nee Guttormsson) í West Vancouver. Útsýnið frá húsinu þeirra var ótrúlegt. Heather sagði við mig að þegar hún gekk inni í húsið fyrst fyrir 30 árum hafi hún sagt við manninn sinn: "Ef við kaupum þetta hús mun ég aldrei biðja um neitt framar." Svo var bara farið aftur á hótelið og haldið aftur til Seattle morguninn eftir og áfram til Minneapolis.
Elena var svo í gráðun áðan og stóð sig mjög vel..... ég er dauð úr þreytu og ætla nú að fara út að borða með Eðnu.
Vinna vinna vinna á morgun.....

KOMIN TIL MINNEAPOLIS

2006-04-25T03:31:00.000-02:00

Tha erum vid komin aftur til Minneapolis. Fljugum heim a morgun. Eg hef ekkert skrifad sidan vid vorum hja Colleen i Victoria. Thad hefur verid svo brjalad ad gera ut af radstefnunni. Vid fluttum okkur yfir a Humbouldt House sem er Bed and Breakfast i um 10 min gongufjarlaegd fra radstefnuhotelinu. Thetta var an vafa einn besti stadur sem eg hef gist a i Nordur-Ameriku yfir hofud. Aedisleg herbergi med heitum potti, kampavini vid komu og alles. Mjog romantiskt!!! Say no more...
Radstefnan var mjog god og 24 Snorrar voru a stadnum. Okkar kynning var an vafa su besta a radstefnunni. Eg myndi vilja segja fra frekari smaatridum nuna en hef ekki tima. Reyni ad skrifa meira i fyrramalid.
Forum i Mall of America a morgun og vonandi hittum vid Rod og Colleen Martel vini mina i hadegismat. Thau hafa aldrei hitt Adda adur. Eg hitti Rod fyrst a INL radstefnu 2002 og a medal okkar hefur throast mikill vinskapur. Thau aetla ad gista hja okkur i nokkrar vikur ad eg held i sumar.
Love ya all!

Eg i Seattle, naestum eins og Marileen Monroe...muhaha

2006-04-20T17:56:00.000-02:00

Voffar a strondinni

2006-04-20T17:53:00.000-02:00

Addi paddi Surfer boy - Colleen beib til haegri

2006-04-20T17:50:00.000-02:00

Myndir ur ferdinni

2006-04-20T17:46:00.000-02:00

Eg i Tofino a strondinni. Flott skegg!

Til hamingju med afmaelid mamma! - Gledilegt sumar!

2006-04-20T17:04:00.000-02:00

Mamma a afmaeli i dag. Hitler atti lika afmaeli a thessum fallega degi...hehe... Eg hringdi i hana adan bara til ad oska henni til hamingju. Thvi midur gat eg ekki spjallad lengi, thad er svo dyrt ad hringja ur islenskum gemsa hedan.
I gaer forum vid a radstefnuhotelid og bordudum thriggja retta maltid af Taste of Iceland matsedlinum. Mjog godur matur. Amma hennar Colleen borgadi. Hun er svo falleg gomul kona. Hun er med eftirnafnid Palsson, var gift Islendingi sem nu er latinn. Siggi Hall kom og spjalladi vid okkur, svaka hress. KK og Ellen attu ad byrja ad spila klukkan 7 en klukkan var ad verda korter i 8. Eg for i lobby-id og spurdi eftir Eika eins og hann kallar sig (John Eric heitir hann) en hann var Snorri 2004. A medan eg var ad bida eftir honum kom KK ut ur lyftunni. Vid fodmudumst og hann var svona svaka hress a leidinni ad spila a The Blue Crab Restaurant. Eg sagdi honum ad vid hefdum verid ad bida og hann kom af fjollum. Eg for og taladi vid Fredda (sem er formadur Icelanders of Victoria og Snorri Plus 2003 og godur vinur minn. Hann var my co-pilot thegar eg var bilstjori og guide fyrir nordurferd Snorra Plus haustid 2003). Freddi sat i VIP herberginu med Sturlu Bodvars samgonguradherra, Atla Asmunds adalraedismanns og fleiru finu folki. Tha kom i ljos ad KK og Ellen hefdu fengid vitlaust programm eda eitthvad alika. Ef eg hefdi ekki rekist a KK i andyrinu hefdu thau ekki spilad. Thvilik heppni!
Mamma, pabbi og amma Colleen foru fljotlega en vid bidum thangad til thau voru buin ad spila og Colleen og eg skutludum theim yfir a Blue Crab. Um leid og vid vorum komin aftur a hotelid (Colleen var a heimleid en eg aetladi ad hitta Adda og Eric sem voru ad sotra raudvin uppi a hotelherbergi) stod Siggi Hall fyrir utan og bad hana ad skutla ser lika a Blue Crab thvi hann atti ad vera kynnir fyrir KK og Ellen.
Eg for svo ad hitta strakana thar sem their voru ad horfa a Meet the Parents. Eg hringdi a nokkur hotel og vid fengum sidasta herbergid a frabaerum stad. Erum ad flytja okkur yfir a eftir. Arngrimur helt ad hann hefdi farid ur axlarlid thegar hann vaknadi thannig ad vid hlokkum til ad fara, thott okkur langi reyndar mest ad vera hja Colleen, hun er svo mikid aedi!
Alla vega... vid forum yfir a stad sem heitir Lucky og Eiki byrjadi ad koma med skotin. Eg aetladi nu bara ad fa mer eitt hvitvinsglas ed that var ekki option. Eg held ad hann hafi hellt i okkur 5 skotum....puff... og eg var nu ordin ansi lett a thvi. Vid akvadum ad drifa okkur heim. Thad var ekki gaman ad vakna i morgun, en mer lidur agaetlega nuna.
Meira seinna.....

Tofino og Victoria

2006-04-19T18:57:00.000-02:00

Hae ho allir!

Erum buin ad hafa thad gott yfir paskana. Vorum i Tofino, um 4 klst akstri fra Victoria, fram til manudags. Thad var nu frekar slappt vedur en natturufegurdin var mikil, vid bordudum godan mat (fiskisupan min var samt best!! Takk Katrin!) og Addi breyttist i surfer-boy. Vid heldum ad vid fengjum ad slappa af i thessari ferd og sofa ut. Thad var mesti misskilningur. Fyrsta daginn vorum vid vakin kl. 6, annan kl. 8:00, og thridja rumlega 7. Vid vorum ekkert serlega hress med thad verd eg ad jata, serstaklega thar sem vid vorum enn ad safna okkur a 7 tima mun og svefnleysi. Skemmtilegasti dagurinn var liklega sunnudagur, paskadagsmorgunn, thar sem Colleen let okkur oll leita ad paskaeggjum sem voru falin um allt husid.

Vinir Colleen sem voru tharna voru: Krysti fra Victoria, Landon og Jen fra Vancouver, Andrew (sem stofnadi Sitka surfing fyrirtaekis: http://www.sitkasurfboards.com/) og kaerasta hans og vinkona Colleen Nancy fra Calgary og svo Bryson fra Sudur Afriku.
Svo forum vid i langan gongutur i regnskoginum nidur a strond og Addi for ad surf-a. Thad var mikid bordad og drukkid thad kvoldid. Eftir mat stod eg og Krysti uti a palli og heyrdum einhvern urra, mer leist ekki a blikuna og vid hlupum inn. Eg var ekkert sma hraedd, helt ad thetta vaeri bjorn eda eitthvad. Tha stod landon undir pallinum og hlo sig mattlausan.

Annars er allt gott ad fretta. Radstefnan byrjar a morgun. Erum ad spa i ad fara a gistiheimili eda eitthvad i thjar naetur thvi thad fer svo illa um okkur a beddanum sem vid sofum i hja Colleen. Voknudum ca 10 sinnum i nott ur verkjum thvi beddinn er svo hardur. Veit ekki alveg hvernig vid forum ad thvi ad segja fra thvi ad vid verdum ad fara. Vonandi verdur hun ekki ful. I kvold erum vid ad fara a Taste of Iceland med Colleen, mommu hennar og pabba og ommu. Thar munu KK og Ellen spila. Thad verdur stud.....

Erum nu ad fara ad leita ad myndavel og linsu fyrir far far away....pabba litla....

Cheers!

Beautiful British Columbia

2006-04-14T04:19:00.000-02:00

Jaeja, nu erum vid komin til Victoria a Vancouver-eyju i Bresku-Kolumbiu i Kanada. I gaer eyddum vid deginum i Seattle....Tad for med okkur ut um allt... vid forum i eins konar tivoli i eitthvad gedveikt taeki sem Addi drog mig i. Thar vid hlidina a var Spage Needle og Experience Music Project-safninu, sem vid forum ekki i thvi thad var gedveikt dyrt. Tad tok samt fullt af myndum af okkur sem eg vona ad vid getum sett herna a Netid fljotlega. Um kvoldid baud hann okkur a stad sem heitir The Harvest Vine sem er tapas veitingastadur ad haetti baska. Katheleen kaerasta hans kom med; ekkert sma skemmtilega hress kona og falleg. Way to go Tad!!! Maturinn var ekkert sma godur og vid satum alveg vid barinn til ad geta fylgst alveg med hvernig allt var matreitt. Svo keyrdu thau okkur nidur i bae (thau foru heim) thar sem vid fengum okkur eitt lettvinsglas. Thad var frekar slappt thannig ad vid faerdum okkur yfir a Viceroy barinn sem var mjog naes. Thar hittum vid einhverjar gellur sem sogdu ad eg vaeri rosa lik gellunni i Medium.... Patricia Arquette. Compliment or not.....hmmmm....

Svo kom Tad i morgunn (kl. 6;45) og sotti okkur og keyrdi i Clipper-inn, eda ferjuna yfir til Victoria. Tad er algjor engill!! Eg vona ad hann og Kathleen heimsaekji okkur til Islands fljotlega. Ferjan tok um 2 tima og vid tokum leigubil heim til Colleen i saetu nyju ibudina hennar. Hun var ekki heima en skildi eftir lykil. Vid vorum daud ur threytu og logdum okkur a harda svefnsofanum hennar. Colleen kom um 3;30 og vid forum ad versla fyrir helgina. Fyrst forum vid ad hitta Fredda fraenda, en eg hafdi keypt islenska thjodbuninginn fyrir hann a islandi. Hann var pinu stor, sem er betra en ad hann hafi verid of litill. Svo sottum vid vinkonu hennar, Katie, sem er ad vinna i surf bud og eg keypti Nikita, islenska honnun....vaaaaa eg thurfti ad koma alla leid fra Islandi til ad kaupa islenskt merki....hehheheh...
Til ad gera langa sogu stutta forum vid svo i party eda potlok thar sem allir koma med sinn rett. Allir heldu ad einhverri astaedu ad eg vaeri Miss Iceland...hehehe.... skildum thad ekki alveg, en thad var fyndid... nu kollum vid mig Miss Iceland og Adda Mr. Iceland.
Nu er Addi paddi kominn i rumid og eg ad deyja ur threytu. Thurfum ad vakna kl. 6 til ad pakka fyrir Tofino sem er a vesturstrond eyjunnar. Leggjum af stad kl. 7. Thar verdum vid fram a manudag.

Skrifa liklega aftur a manudag. Knus og kossar til allra!

Sleepless in Seattle

2006-04-12T10:37:00.000-02:00

Jaeja, tha erum vid lent i Seattle. Lentum her kl 23 ad stadartima i gaer, eda sex um morguninn ad islenskum tima. Tad Davis tok a moti okkur og keyrdi okkur i ibud sina ekki langt fra midbae Seattle. Vid vorum alveg ordin dofin af threytu. Thar erum vid nu og klukkan er 5 ad morgni....eg get ekki sofid :(
Tad var buinn ad kaupa inn fyrir okkur og svo for hann bara og er hja kaerustunni sinni. Thetta er kruttleg ibud og snyrtileg....Tad er svona rosalega gestrisinn, en mer finnst samt eins og vid hofum rekid hann ut.
Nu aetla eg ad reyna ad sofna aftur. Vid Addi aetlum ad taka straeto eda eitthvad til ad skoda Space needle og eitthvad fleira. Eg verd rosalega godur guide...hef komid hingad hvorki meira ne minna en einu sinni adur. ...vuhuhu!!
I kvold aetlum vid ut ad borda med Tad og kaerustunni hans en svo thurfum vid ad vakna kl. 6 a fimmtudagsmorgninum til ad taka Clipper-inn yfir til Victoria a Vancouver-eyju i Kanada.
Sleepless kvedjur,
Astan og Addinn

Rautt belti í Karate og Seattle

2006-04-11T09:59:00.000-02:00

Jæja, þá er ég komin með rauða beltið. Mér fannst gráðunin mega erfið, reyndi svo mikið á mig, en ég er ekkert smá ánægð :)
Svo erum við á leiðinni til Minneapolis og áfram til Seattle eftir klukkutíma. Ætlum að reyna að skrifa smá ferðasögu á meðan við erum úti.

ÁSK Karate-kid

Loforð og aftur loforð

2006-04-07T10:21:00.000-02:00

Já, ég lofaði víst að vera duglegri að skrifa. Það hefur ekki alveg gengið eftir. Það er brjálað að gera eins og venjulega. Er á fullu að klára allt í vinnunni áður en við förum út á þriðjudaginn. Svo þarf ég að klára að klippa sjónvarpsfréttina mína og skrifa 10 bls. ritgerð. Ég er líka að fara að taka rauða beltið í karate á sunnudaginn.
Greyið Addinn er svo veikur heima, búinn að vera veikur síðan á þriðjudagskvöld. Alls ekki gott mál. Ef hann verður ekki orðinn góður á morgun held ég að hann ætti að fara til læknis.
Planið er að skrifa smá ferðasögu á meðan við erum úti. Það er alltaf skemmtilegra að skrifa á ferðalögum, manni finnst ekkert merkilegt að gerast hérna heima.
Jú annars fór á árshátíð Karatefélagsins Þórshamar síðustu helgi. Hef ekki skemmt mér jafn vel í mörg ár. Reyndar varð ég aðeins of full en ég var ekki sú eina. Við létum Birki þjálfara dressa sig upp og taka Silvíu Nótt og Danni og Atli voru Hommi og Nammi. Það var suðrænt þema og ég mætti í Hawaii hula pilsinu. Að sjálfsögðu sló ég í gegn (minnir mig alla vega...hehehe...)

Lífið er leikur - Life's a game

2006-02-20T14:43:00.000-02:00

Wow.... how come I'm always so busy!?
I've been working out for 6 weeks now. It's been hard to wake up at 6 three times a week and then go to karate at 8:15 pm. I haven't lost as much weight as I wanted. I guess I have to cut out the sweets....it's just so hard. I'm craving it every night and sometimes I just can't stop myself, especially on the weekends.
Last week I was an "intern" at the National Broadcasting Service for radio news for two days (RÚV). It was alright. If you want know how brilliant I am you can go to www.ruv.is listen to Fréttir, Feb 14 at 18:00 (kvöldfréttir). My part is: Leit að týnda Dananum engan árangur borið. I'm so awesome I did the interview in Danish and edited myself.
Next month I will be on TV news, both RÚV and NFS.

On Wednesdays there's Doggy school.... not for Addi and myself, but for out puppy, Talía. She's so good but so naughty. It's a love-hate relationship.

Then I started something really exciting. I started "working" as a model for a painter. It was my dream as a teenager to become a model, and I was really disapointed that nobody "discovered" me....hehehe..... now I'm doing something solid, i.e. it will be more than just a perfume ad or something that people will forget. I feel really privilidged to be "chosen" to do this. I have finally been discovered!!! hehehe....

Busy busy Ásta

2006-01-23T13:34:00.000-02:00

Surprise! I'm super busy....
I just started going to the gym 3 times a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 and Saturdays at 8:30. It really surprised me that it's actually not harder to get up earlier. Then I have karate too on the same days. Now I just really have to stay away from the goodies, I have a sweet tooth unfortunately. On Wednesdays we have to take Talía, the new Beagle puppy to obedience class. I hope she grows up fast, she's been extremely difficult, but I love her. We call Talía Die Animal, or the horse, she's so strong!
And then I started again taking some courses at the UofI.... fun fun fun....

Minn ætlar að vera dullegri

2006-01-18T12:20:00.000-02:00

Yep! I plan to be more active in writing and posting pictures this year. I am in the process of posting wedding pictures and honeymoon pics.
Be in touch!
ÁSK

To all of those who knew and loved Aggi

2005-11-28T11:57:00.000-02:00

Our loving pet, son and companion, Agnar Orri Arngríms- og Ástuson, passed away in his home, Grettisgata 27, Wednesday November 9th, 2005. Sadly, he died from a heart attack right in his mother's hands.

Aggi, as he was often called, was born on November 11, 2004 which means that in only two days he would have reached the age of one. He was a big personality, a brave soul and really cool (as you can see from the pictures). Aggi will be greatly missed!
Aggi was buried in the garden at Grettisgata Monday evening November 14, 2005. Some children from the neighborhood who knew Aggi well were present and everybody said something nice about him before he was put in the ground. Blessed be his soul!

Live and prosper!

Ásta Sól

Látins vinar minnst

2005-11-28T11:54:00.000-02:00

Ástkært gæludýr okkar, sonur og félagi, Agnar Orri Arngríms- og Ástuson lést á heimili sínu, Grettisgötu 27, miðvikudaginn 9. nóvember 2005. Fékk greyið litla hjartaáfall og dó í höndum á móður sinnar.

Aggi, eins og hann var oftast kallaður, fæddist 11. nóvember 2004 og vantaði því einungis tvo daga í það að hann yrði eins árs. Hann var mikill karakter og hugrökk sál (eins og sjá má á myndunum). Hans verður sárt saknað.
Jarðarför og minningarathöfn fór fram í garðinum á Grettisgötunni með krökkunum í hverfinu mánudaginn 14. nóvember sl. og létu allir góð orð falla um Agga litla.

Lifið heil!

Kveðja,

Ásta Sól

Skjaldbokuaevintyri - kottur uti i myri, uti er aevintyri

2005-10-08T04:42:00.000-02:00

Ja, thetta er sidasti dagurinn okkar her a Maui. Otrulega skritid ad vera ad fara. Ad vissu leyti hlakkar mig til, en baedi mer og Adda kvidir fyrir ad detta inn i rutinuna. Thad verda lika vidbrigdi ad geta ekki gengid i bikinii einum klaeda daginn ut og inn og vera nakinn inni hja ser thegar manni dettur i hug :D
Alla vega... mesta aevintyri sem eg hef lent i um aevina gerdist a manudaginn. Undanfarinn var sa ad vid forum a bar sem heitir Life's a Beach og hittum thar einhverja gaura fra Virginiu-fylki, algjorir rugludallar sem badir voru ad reyna vid hollensku gelluna. Thetta var eina kvoldid sem vid forum ut ad skemmta okkur. Stadurinn var frabaer, eg gat meira ad segja sungid i karoki......vuhuuu!! Annar theirra sagdi okkur fra strond sem hann kalladi Turtle beach og thangad forum vid a manudagseftirmiddag. Thegar vid gengum ut ur bilnum var thar madur med tvaer stelpur i kringum 8 ara og mommu sina ad thvi er virtist. Okkur heyrdist thau vera ad tala um skjaldbokur og thegar vid komum naer bentu thau okkur a eina stora sjavarskjaldboku i sjavarmalinu (upp vid hraunid). Eg setti strax a mig snorkling dotid en haetti vid ad fara ut i hja steinunum, serstaklega thar sem eg skar mig. Fyrst for Arngrimur ut i en sa ekki mikid. Thad var komid ad mer. Eg var skithraedd, ein ut i sjonum, engir turistar eda annad folk in navigi. Arngrimur var a bakkanum. Eg for ad imynda mer ad eg yrdi etin af hakorlum....heheheh.... Anyway.... allt i einu var eins og eg vaeri i himnariki.... eg stakk hofdinu undir yfirbordin og tharna voru 3 risastorar sjavarskjaldbokur. Ekki allar jafn storar samt. Tharna synti eg med theim i rumar fimm minutur i innan vid meters fjarlaegd a medan thaer voru ad borda graenthorunga eda eitthvad alika af steinunum (ein theirra for reyndar fljott i burtu), alveg otrulegt og eitthvad svo oraunverulegt. Olysanlegasta og besta tilfinning sem eg hef upplifad a aevinni. Thetta er minning sem eg mun seint gleyma. Mer finnst meira segja ad thad hefdi verid thess virdi ad koma hingad thott eg hefdi ekki gert neitt annad.
Svo for eg aftur i dag til ad tekka a nyju vinum minum, en vatnid var svo skitugt ad eg sa ekki einu skjaldbokuna a stadnum, en Arngrimur sa hana skjota upp hofdinu einu sinni.

Eg elska skjaldbokur!!!!!!!!!!! Set myndir herna thegar vid erum komin heim.
Travel day tomorrow :((((( - Honolulu - Sna Fran - Keflavik

Aloha og Mahalo!

Life's a Beach - Maui

2005-10-07T01:50:00.000-02:00

Jaha....nu erum vid buin ad vera a Maui-eyju sidan 22. september. Her er omogulega haegt ad gera annad en ad slappa af. Eins og thau segja herna: Life is a beach og er thad hverju ordi sannara. Thad tok okkur sma tima ad venjast thvi ad gera ekkert annad en slaka a. Vid erum i condo klasa sem heitir Kamaole Sands. Alveg agaetis ibud med svefnherbergi, tveimur badherbergjum, eldhusi, stofu og svolum. Personulega hefdi eg hannad ibudina odruvisi en vid getum samt ekki kvartad.
Vid erum buin ad fara i nokkrar ferdir. Her eru litlar ferdaskrifstofur eda basar ut um allt. Thad er meira ad segja einn vid sundlaugina vid Kamaole Sands. Thar keyptum vid Luau (Hawaii-veisla), snorkling ferd og hjolreidatur.

Luau-id var agaett, en eitthvad sem madur gerir bara einu sinni. Thar vorum vid innan um ca. 200 adra turista og bordudum Hawaii-iskan mat (hladbord) og horfdum ad alls konar frumstaeda dansa. Kynnirinn bad oll por i brudkaupsferd ad retta upp hond og sagdi ad fyrstu 10 porin upp a svid fengju gjafakort. Vid hlupum eins og vitleysingar upp a svid og svo bad hann konurnar ad fara af svidinu og tonlistin byrjadi a fullu og allir karlarnir voru latnir dansa hula. Thad var ekkert sma fyndid og eg nadi thvi a video sem sonnun :))

Thad var ekkert rosalega gott i sjoinn i snorkling ferdinni thannig ad vid thurftum ad sleppa Molokai, sem er halfhringur sem kemur upp ur sjonum eftir sprengigig eda eitthvad alika. Molokai er ekki skilgreind sem eyja held eg. Hun er alla vega ekki a neinum kortum sem eg hef sed. Ef var frekar svekkt thvi thar attu ad vera flestar skjaldbokur. Vid sigldum thvi ad Lana'i eyju og snorkludum thar. Eg held ad eg hafi sed 5 fiska. Arngrimur atti i vandraedum med snorkl-settid og sa thvi minna en eg. Svo satum vid bara a batnum og steiktumst i solinni, drukkum hvitvin og spjolludum vid annad par sem var i brudkaupsferd. Thad eru otrulega margir i brudkaupsferd herna. Fleiri en eg helt og oll porin eru fra Bandarikjunum. Vid hofum bara hitt eitt par og eina konu sem var a eigin vegum i allri ferdinni fra Evropu. Parid var fra Hollandi i nokkurra daga skemmtiferd og konan i heimsreisu, lika fra Hollandi. Arngrimur var ordinn ansi hress eftir ferdina....hehehe....
Alla vega.... vid saum hofrunga og saeskjaldbokur, en fengum audvitad ekki ad synda med theim. I ollum spenningnum missti einhver rosa flotta myndavel i sjoinn. Eg hefdi ordid frekar svekkt.

A laugardaginn keyrdum vid a eigin vegum 'The Road to Hana.' Vegurinn var throngur og kraeklottur, thetta var alveg dagsfed. Fyrsta stoppid okkar var vid Twin Falls, i regnskoginum. Vid thurftum ad labba ca 20 min upp skitugan sloda. Fossinn var litill og saetur. Vid fottudum ekki fyrr en eftir a ad tharna voru lumskar moskito flugur a ferdalagi med okkur. Eg fekk um 17 bit, Arngrimur bara 4. Yeah...they sure do love me, I'm so sweet....
Svo keyrdum vid og keyrdum og keyrdum.... nenntum ekki ad stoppa a ollum stodunum. Sumt af thessum fossum voru nu frekar omerkilegir a islenskan maelikvarda. Thetta lid hefur greinilega ekki sed Dettisfoss.....ha!!??hmmm.....hehehe... Otrulegt en satt tha var sumt af landslaginu eins og vid vaerum a Islandi, th.e.a.s. svart hraunid vid hafid. Hef vist ekki tima til ad festa mig i smaatridum nuna.... to make a long story short tha endudum vid i Hana audvitad, algjort skitapleis. Thetta vaeri svona svipad og vid a Islandi myndum bua til 'The Road to Kopasker' eda eitthvad alika. Thad skritna er ad eg fila thennan stad i taetlur. Thad er eiginlega ekki haegt ad lysa thvi. Vid vorum ad drepast ur hungri og forum beint a eina veitingastadinn i baenum, en hann var lokadur til kl. 6. Vid keyrdum thvi um til ad leita ad gistingu og komum vid i General Store... algjor ruslbulla sem minnir einna helst a ruslbudina i Hveragerdi. Eg hefdi getad tapad mer tharna inni i ollu ruslinu. Vid fengum okkur bara is samt og letum rykmaurana i fridi.
Eftir arangurlausar tilraunir til ad finna gistingu fundum vid loksins stad, sjabbi litil ibud med kakkalokkum (imynda eg mer alla vega). En vitid menn, engin kreditkort og vid bara med 47 dollara a okkur og kompan a 62 dollara. Vid forum thvi og fengum okkur ad borda. Eg fekk mer steik og Arngrimur einhvern furdulegan fisk sem var a bragdid eins og gummi .... ja.... thvilikur luxus og svo for rafmagnid af.....hehehe.... og tharna satum vid i myrkrinu i um 40 minutur. Thad var nu bara stemning... minnti mig a Bergstadastraetid fyrir svona 20 arum sidan., thad var alltaf stud ad fara a klosettid med kerti og svona, nema hvad tharna fengum vid ekkert kerti, alla vega ekki strax.
Eftir matinn heldum vid afram ad leita ad stad til ad gista a, en ekkert gekk thannig ad Addi paddi keyrdi til baka i myrkrinu. Stod sig eins og hetja a medan eg reyndi med erfidismunum ad halda mer vakandi, bardi alltaf hofdinu i bilstolastykkid vid gluggann, ekki mjog thaegilegt.

Fleiri aevintyri a morgun...... gotta go.....

Restin af San Fran og Honolulu

2005-10-02T18:13:00.000-02:00

A fimmta degi sotti vinkona Ericu okkur a San Remo Hotel og for med okkur i Golden Gate Park thar sem haldid var upp a eins ars afmaeli Violet Hannesenu (ja thad er med e ekki i). Hun er ekkert sma mikil dulla. Greyid Sylvia, mamma Ericu, var buin ad halda bordunum fra thvi klukkan 9 um morguninn thangad til afmaelid byrjadi kl. 11:30. Svo kom einhver kelling og sagdist vera buin ad panta bordin fra kl 2 og rak alla i burtu. Skil ekkert i thvi af hverju thau letu hana ekki sanna thad med kvittun eda einhverju, en thad eru vist ekki allir jafn akvednir og vid Islendingar. Themad i veislunni var Farm animals, ekkert sma kruttlegt. Erica var ad vinna a bondabae i Hrafnagili thegar hun var i Snorra. Nadi mjog personulegu sambandi vid kyrnar sagdi hun...heheh.... Svo thegar eg var ad kvedja oskradi Erica a mig og slo a halsinn a mer. Eg skildi ekkert hvad var i gangi en tha var einhver mega kongurlo a mer...naes!

Vid drifum okkur svo i thvi ad leigja hjol og hjoludum yfir Golden Gate bruna. Vid vorum heppinn thvi thetta var eini solardagurinn i SF, annars er eiginlega alltaf thoka yfir borginni. Bestu manudirnir eru vist september og oktober. Okkur fannst leidbeiningarnar til ad komast upp a bruna eitthvad ruglingslegar og spurdum einhverja gaura til vegar....nema hvad, their sogdu okkur ad fara i ofuga att og thad orugglega viljandi, en vid stoppudum einhvern skokkara og hann hjalpadi okkur. Vid hjoludum svo yfir Golden Gate, ekkert sma kul, yfir til Sausolito, mjog kruttlegur baer. Svo tokum vid ferjuna yfir til baka. Eftir thad sotti Erica okkur a hotelid og vid gistum hja henni. Tonya kom svo i heimsokn thangad. Thad var mjog naes.

A degi sex voknudum vid klukkan 6 og Erica keyrdi okkur ut a flugvoll. Flugum med United, 5 og halfur timi til Honolulu. Velin var thokkalega yfirbokud og vid vorum ekki viss hvort vid gaetum komist med. Fengum ekki einu sinni saeti saman en fengum einhvern gaur til ad faera sig thannig ad thad reddadist. Svo var einhver leikur fyrir alla i velinni thar sem giska atti a hvenaer vid vaerum komin akkurat halfa leid til Honolulu. Og viti menn, minir miklu staerdfraedihaefileikar komu ad godu gagni, eg var i 3ja saeti med timann 8:52:10 eda eitthvad alika. Mer skeikadi um eina min og 30 sek. Eg vann einhvern saelgaetispoka fra Hilo Hattie (vinsaelt vorumerki herna) sem eg thurfti ad saekja i budina.
Svo lentum vid og bidum eftir ad fa blomakrans um halsinn.... en *snokt, snokt* enginn krans. Thetta er bara bull i myndunum eftir allt saman, eda thvi sem naest.... madur faer bara blom ef madur er med ferdaskrifstofu sem tekur a moti manni. Rutuferdin a hotelid var frekar long thar sem vid vorum hotel nr. 13 i rodinni. Hotelid heitir ResortQuest Beach Hotel. Fengum herbergi a 22. haed, herbergi 2220 med halft utsyni a Waikiki strondina.
Dagarnir i Honolulu voru mjog naes. Vid vorum thokkalega threytt eins og venjulega, forum bara a strondina og lobbudum um. A degi niu forum vid til Pearl Harbor. Thad var nu eiginlega algjor must ad fara thangad. Leidsogumadurinn var svona 200 kilo og het William. Faeddur og uppalinn herna. Hann gat varla gengid thvi hann var svo feitur og var ad jafna sig a lungnabolgu. Hann var samt besti guide sem vid munum eftir ad hafa fengid. Hann var svo otrulega fyndinn. Vid vorum i kasti allan timann. Hann var lika mjog frodlegur og sagdi okkur ymislegt um soguna, th.e. hvernig Bandarikjamenn toku yfir. Thad var vist einhver drottning vid vold (1800 og eitthvad held eg)....Kalamakisaki eda eitthvad alika, thad er omogulegt ad munu Hawaii-isk nofn og heiti. Svo komu einhverjir 13 business men og steyptu henni af stoli og fangelsudu. Their tholdu ekki ad kona vaeru vid vold og thvi sidur litud kona. Mjog sorglegt.... their bonnudu svo ad Hawaii-iska vaeri tolud og folk matti ekki koma saman. Menningin herna er otrulega falleg, en Bandarikjunum hefur tekist ad eydileggja hana allt of mikid. Amerisk ahrif eru dominerandi, en undanfarin ar hefur menning Hawaii eflst ad einhverju leyti. Helv.... bna lid!
Ekki ord meira um thad nuna, en thad vaeri virkilega ahugavert ad laera meira um menninguna herna.
Svo forum vid i Honolulu Zoo. Thad sem er minnisstaedtaedast eru skjalbokurnar. Thaer voru ut um allt og thaer voru sko ekki ad fela neitt. Thaer voru 3-5 saman i einhverri kynlifsveislu. Og hljodin letu sko ekki a ser standa. Dyragardsvordurinn hjoladi fram hja og sagdi "Well, it's that time of the day."

Brudkaupsferdin okkar - dagur 12

2005-09-26T04:16:00.000-02:00

Jaeja.... nu erum vid a 12. degi i brudkaupsferdinni. Thvi midur hefur ekki gefist timi til ad skrifa neitt fyrr. Her er allt i mjog stuttu mali.
Fyrstu fimm dagana vorum vid i San Franciso a San Remo Hotel i North beach. Erica vinkona og Snorri 2002 valdi thetta heimilislega hotel i Evropskum stil. Stadsetningin var thad besta. Vid vorum ad drepast ur threytu fyrsta kvoldid og sofnudum kl. 9:30. Naesta kvold sofnudum vid 10:30, svo 11:30 og svo 12:30. Vid lobbudum bokstaflega ut um allt. Fyrsta daginn gengum vid um Fisherman's Wharf. Lentum thar a thessum frabaera gotugrinista. Fyndnasti stand up gaur sem eg hef sed lengi. Hann gaf okkur dvd disk med sjalfum ser. Svo forum vid i Kinahverfid og trylltumst gjorsamlega i budunum tharna. Hver segir ad karlmonnum thyki leidinlegt ad versla...ha hmmm!? I einni budinni var eldri kona sem helt varla vatni yfir Arngrimi thegar hann var ad mata kinverskt outfit.... "oh yes, very handsome" sagdi hun med stjornur i augunum. Dressid sem hann matadi og sidan keypti var i XL by the way. Forum ut ad borda med Tonyu sem leigdi hja mer i fyrra. Hun for med okkur a Koreskan veitingastad. Mjog snidugur stadur thar sem madur grilladi kjotid sjalfur. Vid aetludum ad fara a barinn en eg sofnadi a leidinni i bilnum. Mjog skemmtilegur felagsskapur thad :)
A degi 3 forum vid til Alcatraz. Erica hafdi keypt fyrir okkur mida i gegnum netid sem brudkaupsgjof. Skilabodin med gjofinni voru mjog god.... "Marriage is like a prison" Thanks Erica! Vid vorum med stadfestinganumer en taekid sem prentar ut midana vildi fa kortid hennar Ericu. Thad for thvi thannig ad eg ruddist fram fyrir 10 metra rod og fekk afgreidslu. Thetta var i fyrsta skipti a aevinni sem eg hef gert thetta... oh well.... gaurinn aetladi ekki ad vilja lata okkur fa midana thvi Erica var ekki med okkur. Sem betur fer mundi eg heimilisfangid hennar utanbokar og med thvi ad syna vegabrefid lika var okkur loksins hleypt i ferjuna ut i thessa blessudu eyju. Ferdin thangad var frabaer. Svo hittum vid Bonnie sem var i Snorra i sumar. Forum i Coit tower, Lombard St. (kraeklottustu gotu i heimi) og ut ad borda a italskan veitingastad med Ericu og Brandon thar sem vinir theirra thottust ekki thekkja thau. Thad var mjog fyndid. Thau voru s.s. ad vinna tharna en mattu ekki lata yfirmanninn vita....fengum nefnilega fullt af side dishes...muhahahah
A fjorda degi tokum vid Cable car til Union square thar sem eg vard astfangin af Paul Frank http://www.paulfrank.com/main.html). Forum svo i Mural Tour i Mission hverfinu (latino hlutanum), bordudum a yndislega sjabbi El Salvador veitingastad og gengum yfir i Castro (gay hverfid). Thad tok okkur ca. 2 og 1/2 tima. Jibbi! Arngrimur keypti ser naerbuxur med skjaldbokum a i einhverri hommabud. Svo var farid a Amber, barinn sem Phil vinur Ericu og Brandons a og vinnur a. Thar var okkur varla leyft ad borga. Hann byr til ekkert sma godan mojito....mmmmm.....

thad er vist verid ad loka thessari bullu.... meira eftir nokkra daga....

Knus.... from the lovebirdies.....

Astinn og Addinn

Asta i Kanada

2005-08-06T03:27:00.000-02:00

Hello! I love the Okanagan! It is so fraubert here! Colleen is so beautiful and so is her hometown. I want to sleep with her boyfriend and that is a problem because i am married but I am in a different country so doesn't that count for something? I am so in love with Addi. He amazes me. he loves me for me and that is the most incredible thing in the world. I consider myself extremely lucky and I am thrilled to have found the man of my dreams. Did I tell you about my dream last night? Too much chocolate last night before bed. Crazy dreams. Colleen? H mmm, what to say? She often seems distracted in her own thughts. Lots on her mind. Does she care bout Joel or not? I think that she does but she is confused. Peter ....make up your mind! She does care about Joe but she is confused about that. I am very special-- at eleast Colleen thinks so. Time for her to come visit.
Written by Colleen!!!

Nunca más vino tinto - No more vino tinto :(

2004-12-16T17:05:00.000-02:00

It´s been more than a week since my last ´confession´ hmmm.... so much I could say but so little time.
This is my last day in Spain. For now anyways, I want to come back as soon as possible. I have to wake up at 5 AM to catch the train to Valladolid at 7:10. From there I will fly to Stansted airport, then I have to take a bus to Heathrow. What a drag! I should be home at midnight. Thad verdur móttökunefnd á flugvellinum og saetaferdir hafa verid auglýstar frá BSÍ....ahahhohoh....
I´ve said goodbye to everybody. Conchi I´m going to miss you so much!!! You are the best and I´ve learned so much Spanish talking to you, and we will continue to learn, right? You English y yo Español. ¡Todo es posible, de acuerdo! Frida and Glenn I will also miss. We went out last night, and Paul came to. I heard that the boys went for the tequila after I left, I´m so glad I didn´t ´cause I had my last class today and I had to do the packing. I just got my test results today (had 4 tests on Tuesday) and I passed all of them! Party, party; fiesta, fiesta. I got 90% for the Cultura part (would have received a better mark if I had said that Columbus discovered America. It was of course Leifur Eiríksson hijo de Erico rojo), only got 1 wrong for the Comunicación Oral and when I was answering that question I was thinking that the other option was probably right. It´s the grammar (the verbs more than anything) that I have to work on (been too lazy), but I did pass. Class participation is 60% so I will probably get a better final mark.
Christina (oral com. teacher) said that I had made incredible progress ´cause I hardly new anything when I arrived. She also said that I would be greatly missed, and I think she´s right :) When I first came here I couldn´t even remember the days of the week! Now I can bullshit about pretty much anything :))Christina is so great. So are all the people in my class. They all hugged me. It´s so amazing... I feel like I´ve been able to be myself 100% and here I am accepted for who I am. ¡¡¡Gracias a España!!! To begin with some things really affected my self-confidence, but I´ve been growing stronger ever since and I feel great!
Well.... my time in Spain is up, and now I have to go home. To my Spanish home that is, Obispo Almarcha nº 27. María Jesús and Angelica are making me a tortilla de patata :)) Tomorrow it´s home in Iceland, Grettisgata 27.
Wish me a good journey and luck with my luggage. I have to look for somebody who has now luggage to check in with me. If not, my plan is to win the Loteria de Navidad.
Feliz Navidad everybody!
Ásta Sólita spanjóli

¡Más vino tinto!

2004-12-09T18:24:00.000-02:00

This is amazing... I haven´t been online for some days now. Usually I can check my email at home about twice a week, but since Angelica´caught´me on her computer the other day she has somehow disconnected the Internet. It´s not a big deal that I can´t use it, it just pisses me off when people can´t be direct. How about telling me that she doesn´t want me using her computer. I´m sorry, but she´s the one who told me I could use her computer at ANY time. Whatever...
Maybe she´s the smart one... I still have enemies from being direct and telling the truth when nobody else dared to. I guess that people lack maturity and understanding as well (me too of course as well). I still prefer being direct and honest, without hurting people (intentionally anywys) of course.
That´s wasn´t the amazing part, the amazing part is that I have been here for more than three hours and I thought it was about time to get back home to study, but then the jefe of the Internet place poured me one more vino tinto and brought me some tapas. Isn´t life sweet!? Do I ever love this place or what. These guys know how to make business. I can use the Internet for free at school. This is just so much better. You can see pictures of these guys under new pictures here on the left. I have some Brennivín that I haven´t opened yet and I was wondering who I´d give it to. Now I know... :)
This has been a good day, and yesterday too actually. I didn´t even need a siesta. For a while I´ve felt like I wasn´t making progress with my Spanish, but today I felt so confident. I started understanding all the Pilates excercises and afterwards I used Presente de subjuntivo (vth.nt á ísl.) when talking to the instructor. It felt great. I didn´t know grammar could make me so happy.....hehe.... Then I had to call my phone company´s service desk and I understood everything. I have made progress after all :) And to celebrate I bought myself a really cool coat (well... I need some kind of an excuse for shopping don´t I).
I have 4 final exams on Tuesday, please pray for me! On Saturday I have a trip to Lagunas something and Saturday night I´m having dinner at Conchi´s house. Gosh, do I love that girl or what, and she´s just as crazy as I am... and really smart too!
Anyways... I have to go home. Promised María Jesús I´d make some pechuga de pollo con ajo. Then I have to finish those Christmas cards. Jeeees... if you are reading this and get one of those cards you really know that you mean a lot to me ´cause it´s taking me forever to make the cards and every card is unique (especially since it has a picture of beautiful me on each and every one). If you don´t get one, it means you´re too close to me... you don´t need it ´cause I´ll be there to hug you (and give you some vino tinto real soon :)
Love,
The tinto one (and my story: http://www.julli.is/jol/dagur8.htm)

ETA bombings in León!!!

2004-12-06T16:11:00.000-02:00

I guess that most of you know what ETA is. For those of you who don´t know, ETA stands for Euskadi ta Askatasuna, which means Basque Homeland and Freedom in Euskara, the Basque language. It is a terrorist group.
Anyway... they just bombed a bar/café here in León. Probably because today is the day of the Spanish constitution. I was there just a few weeks ago drinking vino tinto with Frida, Glenn and Paul. I remember buying some CD´s of a toothless Asian woman. Kind of scary I must admit, but call me crazy, I find it a little bit exciting. Maybe it´s because I haven´t been out of the house for two days. I´ve been pretending to be studying and making my very famous Christmas cards.
Addi called me just after two and asked me really loud: "are you ok?" I had no idea what was going on. My sweetie pie was worried about me ´cause he heard about the bombings even before I did. I turned on the TV right away and saw where the bombs had exploded and that it was that bar close to Frida´s place. So... about 2 hours later I walked down there. I took my camera with me just in case, but there was not much to see. Only some of the windows were cracked, but there were people trying to look inside to see if there was anything there. So here I am at my Internet place, and the city of León is full of people right now, just as if nothing has happened.

Frá mbl.is:
http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/erlent/frett.html?nid=1115293
CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/12/06/spain.madrid/index.html

Christmas Shopping - donationes desperately needed!

2004-12-03T18:50:00.000-02:00

I just finished all my Christmas shopping and now I´m having tapas and drinking vino tinto. I can´t believe I´ve finished everything. Now it´s just the Christmas cards (and worrying about the overweight). I´m making really fun cards this year with a picture of myself. About 40 fortunate individuals will be getting one of those. Christ...Is it ever fun to shop in León. I don´t know what it is, maybe it is the ´Thorláksmessu stemmning´ :) i.e. it feels like home the day before Christmas. The stores are open from about 10-14 and 17-20, and shopping at night is the best. I want to buy everything! So... if you have any extra cash email me for my account number...hehe.... and everyone who´s getting a gift from me must pay tax on it... sounds fair, eh!?
It´s a long weekend in Spain now and I intend to relax, do some more shopping(...hehe...) and study for once.
By the way, is anyone reading this... just wondering... don´t get a lot of comments :´´´´´(

Just found this page. Looks like more students are blogging in León than me. It´s in Spanish, but there are some pictures from León, and I know some of the people...
http://meinspain.blogspot.com/

Adios...

Gleðilegan fullveldisdag!

2004-12-01T12:16:00.000-02:00

Til hamingju med afmaeli fullveldisins kaeru vinir og aðrir Íslendingar. Leidinlegt ad thetta skuli ekki vera frídagur lengur. Á Spáni er 12. október frídagur thví thá er verid ad fagna thví ad Kólumbus hafi fundid Ameríku. Ég er búin ad leidrétta 3 af mínum kennurum hérna en thad vill enginn vidurkenna thetta. Svörin sem ég fae er ad uppi séu ýmsar kenningar. Spánverjar eru s.s. mjög stoltir af Ítalanum sem ekki fann Ameríku :)

Cuevas de Valporquero

2004-12-01T11:12:00.000-02:00

The trip to the caves was great just like all the other trips. I can´t get over how wonderful it is just to enjoy. The priviledge of enjoying is greatly underestimated in my opinion.
We had to drive to the mountains to get to the caves. The landcscape is really different from the surroundings of León; steep cliffs, mountains and snow! We started off by going to a café up there. It was pretty cold and the staff was wearing winter jackets, scarfs and todo. I couldn´t even buy coffee ´cause they were out of water.
The caves are awesome, but very similar to the ones I visited in South Africa. Can´t remember what they are called, but they are one of the seven wonders of the world. Actually, the caves here are cooler I would say so I don´t understand why the South African caves are so ´wonderful.´We went about 2,5 km below the surface. Kolbrún will post the pictures here next week if she has time :) Apparently, the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Vernes (or Julio as they call him in Spanish, which I find stupid...but anyway) was filmed in the caves. I thought it was pretty neat since the center of the earth is Snaefellsjökull glacier in the story. Now I know the glacier looks like on the inside...
After the caves we went to a really neat village to have lunch (we finished at 5 so I guess it would be called early dinner at home). I just love those places. It feels like being back to the 1930s. The food was so good, and I love how they take their time here. Two hours for lunch is a great idea, and free wine with the meal is even better. The bean soup with chorizo and carrots...mmm... (I think I made a few people faint on the bus afterwards...hehe...but it was worth it). Then there was chicken with fried potatoes. I don´t like the flan though (the desert). The funny thing about Spanish food is that it´s not spicy, but still good (and normally I love spicy). I wish I could take my time like that at home. The people back home are way too stressed and too serious. Unfortunately, I´m usually like that as well, but I think I´ve managed to relax a lot during my time here. After lunch we looked at one waterfall before returning to the city.
Frida, Glenn and I cooked together in the evening (well... Glenn brought the wine). Then we just sat and chatted before going out to a karaoke bar. In Spain they sit and sing...hehe... pretty weird, and for some reason they mostly have Spanish songs...hehe... We all sang, but I topped it by singing True Colours with Cindy Lauper. I couldn´t belive it, but it was 5:40 when I finally got my ass home. The next day wasn´t too fun....

Nóvembermánudur - gledi og sorgir / The month of November - joys and sorrows

2004-11-29T13:11:00.001-02:00

When I think about the month of November it has a lot of memories; good and bad. November last year was probably one of the hardest months in my life. I call it the Soap Opera of Ásta Sól...hehehe... but in reality I´m surprised that I didn´t have a nervous breakdown. I am still working out some of the things that happened then. I still want to talk to some of the people who were involved in making my life miserable, or more accurately: being egocentric, insensitive and judgemental during the most difficult time of my life. The truth is that since they didn´t care then, they won´t care now. When things went really wrong they decided to blame the only person who´s fault it was not; me! (And sadly, that has sort of been the story of my life (personal i.e.) and I intend to change it). They decided to listen and believe the only person I know who can hardly ever tell the truth, a person who almost ruined my life by lying to me and others. I even started covering for him to save his ass, but when I couldn´t do it anymore, I was the idiot. The role I played in this ´amazing´opera was the role of the co-dependent, and I don´t like it anymore. I never did actually. I have to start forgiving all those involved (takk pabbi fyrir hjálpina, ég elska thig) and since I am a believer I should start praying for them as well. Those who know me well know the whole story.....

Good and bad dates of November:

November 29, 1991: My dear amma Gyða, besta manneskja í heimi, passed away on this day 13 years ago. I still remember everything that happened. I loved her so much and wish she could have stayed with us longer. Elsku amma ég gleymi þér aldrei!
November 1, 2003: Amma Ástríður passed away. Unfortunately, I couldn´t be there for her funeral, but I did say goodbye to her two days before she died and I knew it would be the last time I´d see her. I just didn´t know if would happen so fast. I remember excatly where I was. I was in New York at Jake´s office (The Saline Project, see the link on the side). I had to cry in silence.
My mom told me that on the day she died there were ravens outside the nursery home she was at, and the funny thing is that when my grandma was younger she had raised a raven. At this point my mom knew that she had passed away. A few days later (when I was in Victoria, Canada and on the day of her funeral if I remember correctly) there there was a raven sitting on a tree next to where I was staying. To me it was like amma was saying goodbye. Every time I see a raven I will think of her.

November 27: My amma Ástrídur was born. She would have turned 91 on this day (and this day my Gréta voff voff turned 8 and a 1/2 :)

November 2, 2003: Something really bad happened that I can´t really talk about here. Those who know me well, know.

November 30, 2003: I met Addi for the first time. Not only did I fall in love, not only did I meet the man of my life; meeting him saved my life! Ég elska þig ástin mín og get ekki beðið eftir að eyða það sem eftir er af lífinu med þér.

Dreams - Comunicación Escrita

2004-11-29T12:00:00.000-02:00

So... you think I´m crazy!? In written communication today we had to write down a dream and another person in the class has to interpret it using a special book (draumarádningabók. ég auglýsi hér med eftir enska ordinu yfir thennan hlut!) So tomorrow we´ll see if I´m crazy or not tomorrow.

Tapas and vino tinto on the house

2004-11-26T14:05:00.000-02:00

Is Spain ever great and are Spanish people ever nice. I could really get used to living here. The manager of the Internet café/bar/restaurant just brought me 3 tapas and vino tinto, on the house! I didn´t even order any! In Iceland this would never happen... hmmm.... do I have to go back?¡¿¡ In class today Santiago was talking about Franco, beginnig of democracy and more. At the end of the class he asked us what we thought of Spain. I told him that in some ways I thought it was modern, but on the other hand a little bit backwards. He seemed to agree (maybe he doesn´t want to start a fight..hehe..) I added that I´d like to move Spain a little bit closer to Iceland. Why not!? Nada en el mundo es imposible (nothing is impossible in the word) is what Christina (oral language teacher) says, and I think she´s right.

Crazy Dreams - Pamela Anderson and Þórólfur Árnason

2004-11-26T13:39:00.000-02:00

Last year a lot of my dreams were ´clairvoyant.´ It was scary almost...
This year they are just weird. A few weeks ago I dreamt that Pamela Anderson was in Iceland and she was my new best friend. She´s pretty nice I`m telling you. We were walking around the down town area, just chillin´ and then we decided to look for Tommy Lee ´cause he was playing soccer down by Austurbaejarskóli school. I recall Pamela wearing pretty funky boots and I was thinking whether she could help me become a Hollywood star.
The one with Þórólfur Árnason (the Mayor of Reykjavík who just resigned) was just as crazy. In the dream he was married to Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir (who was the Mayor of Reykjavík not long ago), but the marriage wasn´t going so well so he kept calling me for good advice. Whether he was in love with me or not I´m not sure, but at least our relationship was pretty intimate.
In the third dream I had recently I was an assassin for an unknown government, and I was given the assignment of killing an innocent person. I didn´t actually get to the part where I killed the guy though.
So... what do you guys think. Do those dreams mean anything or am I just going crazy? (Please help!)

Madrid - Madrid

2004-11-25T19:43:00.000-02:00

Madrid was great, but no place is great without great people! Kári and the girls treated me like royalty. The bus-ride was about 4 hours from León because of traffic. Conchi turned up last minute and we sat together talking most of the time. She is so awesome! I learned the hard way the difference between cojín and cojón. I told her that I always brought my cojón (literally: shit) with me on bus trips, but apparently it´s cojín (pillow).
Conchi helped me figure out how the Metro worked and Kári picked me up at Avenida de America. His house is not too far from there. We walked around a little bit later that same day. Went to Plaza Mayor and had some wine. When we returned to the house he made the most
delicious chicken breast with garlic, onions and avocado. It was so good that I had him write down the recipe and made it myself two days ago (yours was better though Kári!) The next night Hulda made the best Lasagna I´ve ever had. My God! Was I ever stuffed after this weekend. We watched the EuroJunior where the nine year old María Isabel won with Antes Muerta Que Sencilla. She was quite good, although I find it rather sad that a little girl is dressed up like slut. I bought her CD though just for fun.
We went to the Rastro (market) on Sunday and I got some pretty good deals. I also saw some of Miró and Picasso´s work. Kári and I were thinking about taking one piece of art with us and split the profit. It didn´t work... That same night Kári´s girlfriend, Claudia from Peru, joined us at the Sidrería for some real cider. After two bottles we decided to go home. Boy... I´m telling you... there´s something in that cider that makes you crazy. We were acting like 5 year olds on the Metro; laughing, making funny faces, chasing each other, etc. It was really funny and the photos I took are just precious - especially the ones of Kári.
I wanted to write more but María Jesús is going crazy. She´s been kind of nasty today and now she needs the computer.....
¡Adios!

TEN DOGS - TEN BARS

2004-11-18T18:41:00.000-02:00

Just a quick ´story´about the ten dogs and ten bars from when Addi was here.
He borrowed the video camera from my dad and we took it around; to school, the center, the market, cathedral and of course around the house. One day I really wanted to get 10 dogs on camera, one after the other. It didn´t take long since there are almost more dogs here than people.... In León there are funny dogs, angry dogs, ugly dogs, dogs walking alone, dogs walking with the leash in their mouth, dogs that look like rats, dogs that look like beauty queens, old dogs, stupid dogs, puppies.... I haven´t seen a hot dog though... haha... I´m so funny! Anyway... I think the 10-dog-video turned out quite well. I actually wanted to keep one of the dogs, but that´s not possible :( After the video-making we decided to go to 10 bars. That´s what they usually do here; have a corto and a tapa and go to the next bar. We went to barrio el humedo where they have lots of bars, but actually only made it to 8 bars (I guess we were a little drunk). At one of the bars we ran into Toni Soprano (or at least it looked like him). My friend Kolbrún will be putting his picture here soon. Then I gave some guy my full address and phone number, telling him he´d be welcome any time. The last bar we went to had a bowl full of candy. I´m not eating candy these days, but when I woke up my bag was full of those little things. I must have emptied the bowl! We had a lot of fun although we didn´t feel all that great the next day. Well...if we hadn´t been hungover we wouldn´t have woken up at four, gone out at 6 and ran into el Presidente de España, José Luis Rodrígues Zapatero (he´s from León) and Bundeskanzlerr Gerhart Schröder. I had my camera but unfortunately I needed new batteries so it didn´t work so they are part of our little My life in León documentary. How sweet!

Foggy and cold España

2004-11-18T18:16:00.000-02:00

Just like most people think Iceland is the coldest place on earth, most people think that Spain is always sunny and warm. Wrong! I just took a walk to the store to buy more minutes for my cell and it´s really foggy and it´s only 1ºC outside (probably similar inside actually ´cause I´m freezing my ass off in here). I felt a little bit like I was in an old movie, probably a western. You couldn´t even see the Cathedral, the only structure you can always see. I hear the Spanish people swearing because of the weather, but for me it´s nothing. No wind or anything. It´s just beautiful. I hear it´s going to snow while I´m here too and I don´t mind at all. Then I can maybe start throwing snowballs at the people´s window downstairs. Apparently, us three girls here are real party animals. Every Friday there´s a party here at our apartment and we´re having wild sex and screaming real loud all the time. That´s what the people downstairs are telling our land lady who lives upstairs. Well.... I´m obviously not the one having sex and every weekend I´ve been in bed at 1 AM at the latest. I´ve never seen more than two visitors here at a time. Either they are imagining things or they don´t like us (and I have neither seen nor talked to them).
I´m looking forward to going to Madrid tomorrow. It will be a nice change, although Kári told me on the phone an hour ago that there was a bombing at the Méndez Álvares bus station, the one I´m going to tomorrow. Then he corrected himself saying it was just some kind of a power failure. Half of Madrid didn´t have electricity for a few hours.
More from Madrid after the weekend.....

He was a girl...

2004-11-17T11:17:00.000-02:00

Everything is much better than yesterday. I´m both lucky and unlucky ´cause if I go down I´ll go up pretty fast, but it also mean that I can go down pretty fast. Anyways.... what I wanted to talk about is Monday. I saw an ad at the University.... somebody asking for Spanish-English exchange and wrote to this person . Then I got a reply from a guy who seemed quite nice. We decided to meet next to the clock at Plaza Domingo- square. I had only waited for about 7 minutes (surprise! I was on time!) when this girl was standing in front of me asking: Are you mmmm...? I said: yes, I´m Ásta. The name Conchi Antón sounds so much like a guy´s name. My roommates laughed their heads off when I told them about this. "You thought Conchi was a guy´s name?" The couldn´t get over it.
Anyway... Conchi is a really nice GIRL! We decided to speak English that night, but tonight we will be speaking Spanish. I am really nervous ´cause I´m a perfectionist, but like my cousin Ingunn said: "It´s obligatory to make a fool out of yourself." Thanks for the advice Ingunn. It reminds me of when I bought my purple shoes...heheh... One of the shoes had a tiny little black spot on the side and instead of asking for a discount I asked if I could pay more.... heheh... just a minor beginner´s mistake I guess. Although I feel that my Spanish is kinda shitty I think that I´m doing pretty good. All the people in my class have studied AT LEAST 3 years (University level). I studied for 2 and a 1/2 years, 9 YEARS AGO! Oh well, I still have to study the grammar. I´m not like Rain man....
So.... Conchi and I are taking the bus to Madrid together on Friday. She has a class there every Friday, but I´m visiting my friend Kári. We went to MH (menntaskóli - junior collage) together so we´ve known each other since we were like 16. He´s a lot of fun. I´ll tell you about Madrid later. I´ll be back on Monday (thus missing class, but who cares).
Next I have to tell you about the 10 dogs - 10 bars.
Besos y abrazos,´
ÁSK

A pretty bad day....

2004-11-16T14:17:00.000-02:00

Not all days are perfect. I had my second worst day today. I started off by carrying a box full of my stuff to the post office to send back to Iceland (6,5 kg) . I can only bring 15 kg back with me with the fantistic airline, Ryanair! I already wrote them a complaint letter because I know that their scales are not accurate. For example, I have one at home and I weighed my boyfriend´s suitcase before he left. It was 16,9 kg, but Ryanair said it was 19 kg, and thus charging him 28 Euros. My package was 6,5 on my scale and the post office one. My advice, DON´T FLY RYANAIR! I am actually so upset with that airline that I intend to make sure that the whole world knows that they´re not only a cheap airline in the sense of not being expensive. They are cheap!.... a really cheap airline that fools people. ARGH!!
Unfortunately, Sending the package turned out to be more expensive than I thought and I needed 80 cents. I told the guy I couldn´t take the package to school so he gave me the 80 cents, otherwise I would have been in deep shit. Then I sat in class and I think the teacher was trying to make our heads explode with new rules of grammar. It was wonderful.... so I decided to go home before ´descanso.´ On my way I stopped at a store where I saw a really cool poncho the day before. Normally I don´t like ponchos, but this one is really neat and it´s only 25 Euro. Well.... I could have guessed. The one in the window is the last one and they can´t sell it to me, and guess what!? It´s the third time something like this happens to me. The store windows are there to attract people, make people enter the store and buy the stuff in the window, not to piss people off! Christ, what´s wrong with people. Oh yeah.... let´s put stuff in the windows that is sold out, what a great idea.
Then I went home and slept for about 2 hours. Just before I feel asleep I wanted to cry and I don´t even know why. At 3 I had Pilates. I didn´t feel like going at all, but I felt so much better afterwards, although my head felt a little strange. So.... I decided to skip the vino tinto and the tapas today.
I´d better go home and study.... I really need to memorize the irregular verbs better. Maybe the verbs will make me feel better.
Cheers!
Ásta Sólita

Salamanca

2004-11-15T11:13:00.000-02:00

I went on a trip to Salamanca on Saturday. The school organizes trips for the students and they´re included in the school fee. We left at nine o´clock in the morning. It was a 2 and a 1/2 hour drive and at first the sun was shining, but not for long. It was so cold, probably colder than in Iceland. We walked between important buildings and Javier (one of the teachers) told us the history of everything. On one of the walls of one of the buildings you are supposed to find a frog, and if you do your studies will go well or something like that. Hardly anyone could find it without having somebody point it out to them, and I only found it after walking around the city and returning to the wall. It´s on top of the head of a stupid skull....
I don´t particularly like walking around looking at buildings, but time went by fast. Frida, Hay (from Vietnam) and I were walking together most of the time. We had coffee and visited the tourist shops together. The shop owners are overestimating the tourists I think because I couldn´t really afford anything there. I only bought two small ceramic plates or whatever you call it.... making 27, my house number in Iceland and here! Then I bought, or did (I´m not allowed to tell which) something really nice for my boyfriend. He´ll find out on December 24.
This time we ate at the University´s cafeteria. I was not impressed, but a 3 course meal for 3 euros you can´t really complain.
Conclusion: It was a nice trip, but I´m glad I didn´t pick Salamanca to study. They speak too much English and everything seems to cost more than in León.
I think that the three teachers who were on the trip were quite amused by me. First they started talking about how cute I looked with the purple flower in my hair. The even noticed that my sweater and shoes were matching (oh yes, I am the colour purple girl, everybody who knows me knows this). Everytime I used the bathroom I would look in the mirror and change the position of the flower. They found that quite interesting. We stopped at a bar on the way back and José Luis (head of the school) asked me if anybody was still in there and I told him that Christina (my oral communication teacher) was still in there, drunk and crazy. When I left the bus I was holding my cute little pillow and they were quite impressed by it. It´s not something you can describe with words, but I think they like me and it feels good.

News

2004-11-12T19:32:00.000-02:00

Just found this from Morgunbladid. Sorry English speakers, but it´s in Icelandic. Will prohibit smoking in Spain.....etc.

Erlent mbl.is 12.11.2004 19:04
Spánverjar ætla að banna reykingar
Spánverjar ætla að banna reykingar á almennum vinnustöðum og á almannafæri innanhúss, að því er spænska heilbrigðisráðuneytið greindi frá í dag. Bannið á að taka gildi 1. janúar árið 2006. Leyft verður á reykja á afmörkuðum svæðum í veitingahúsum. Spánverjar er ein mesta reykingaþjóð Evrópu og talið að 34% Spánverja, sem eru eldri en 15 ára, reyki.

Smoking in España

2004-11-12T18:38:00.000-02:00

People smoke like crazy here. They smoke in the schools, the banks, some stores and of course out on the street, all restaurant and bars. I thought to myself it would be impossible for me to quit smoking here, but I was kind of hoping (and I did pray about it actually) that I would end up living with people who don´t smoke, although it seemed that every person living in the apartments I looked at seemed to smoke. When I moved in here I din´t even think about it. I just liked the place and I desperately needed to move.
Angelica doesn´t smoke but she told me I could smoke in the apartment. María Jesus doesn´t smoke and the day after she moved in I thought to myself that maybe I should just quit - especially since my prayers had been answered. It would be stupid not to use the opportunity. After all I had really bad broncitis that I needed to clean out of my system. It´s harder for the body to clean out when filthy smoke is being inhaled all the time.
I am a genious when it comes to quiting smoking. Like my dad said once: "just ask Ásta how to quit, she´s done it many times." Whatever happens later I don´t know and I´m not making any promises, but I have been a very successful non-smoker since 3PM, Tuesday, October 2oth. And whether you are a smoker or a non-smoker I´m telling you: it´s fu..... hillarious how easy it is to stop smoking. It´s all in the mind. I just had to realize that I didn´t need the cigarette. Allowing myself to miss the cigarette is not an option. Punktur og basta.... bless bless sígaretta, thú ert ekki vinkona mín.

My Internet café

2004-11-12T18:17:00.000-02:00

It didn´t take me long to find an Internet café when I first arrived. At first it didn´t seem special at all. It´s in a basement and it´s a restaurant as well where they serve typical Spanish courses. The toilets aren´t too clean and people smoke and eat while they´re online. I went there with Frida the second week I was here and we had lunch (and here lunch starts at 2 PM). We didn´t really know what we were ordering. Paella we knew, but the rest was kind of obscure... I was pretty sure that the waitress had an accent, probably French. Frida didn´t think so.
Addi and I sat at that same Internet café every day. We had dinner there the first day he arrived and the staff was looking at us funny. They had seen me there almost every day and all of a sudden I had this really hot guy accompanying me. The waitress (same as before) was obviously curious and started asking me questions. Where are you from, etc. She turned out to be from Russia and was studying at the Centro de Idiomas also, had the same teachers and everything.
Having vino tinto (red wine) and tapas while answering your email is absolutely the best. The tapas you don´t have to ask for, it´s included when you order the wine. They even bring it to your computer. Usually the older guys behind the bar tell the less experienced to bring it. On Sunday when Addi was printing out his Renfe ticket (for the train) one of the older guys brought us vino tinto and tapas on the house! We had already had two... Then he gave both of us a mobile phone belt-case with the place´s name and address on it. I told him I wasn´t leaving, but it didn´t matter.
Now I´m sitting there alone again....

Being lonely....

2004-11-10T12:04:00.000-02:00

Addi was here for about 10 days, but left yesterday. I felt so lonely (and still do), it´s terrible , although I know that I need this time for myself. Good things sure don´t come easy...
We had a fantastic time together, and of course he didn´t want to leave. Maybe we´ll just move to Spain, how about that? Now it´s just back to MSN....
It was really strange to see him at first at the train station. He was so incredibly cute! We took it easy most of the time. Ate and slept; ate and slept! While I was in school he would go to the Internet café close to Plaza de Santa Domingo. I went there after school and we drank vino tinto and had some tapas. I love Spain for their tapas!!
More detailed stories tomorrow!
Hasta luego.... Ásta spanjóli

My roommates

2004-10-27T13:10:00.000-02:00

I have the best roomates in the world. Angelica acts like me mom sometime, tells me to put on a scarf or mitts. I always know where they are and when they will get back. They are so patient with my Spanish and in my own way I am able to explain most things I want to . Last night I was talking for 3 hours and she helped me with my homework. She is a laywer but is studying English in her free time, which is great because we can help each other. Her English is probably worse than my Spanish, but she will get to practice when Addi comes for a visit on Friday. I can´t wait!!!
More about my everyday life later.......

Cure for Retinitis Pigmentosa

2004-10-27T12:02:00.000-02:00

My dad just sent me information about RP, the eye disease my mom has. If I only had one wish in the whole world I would wish that my mother could see again. This is the article about the resarch the have been conducting: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3950827.stm
The rest is in Icelandic (written by my dad, don´t feel like translating this one): í greininni er talað er um möguleika á lækningu á RP, ef þetta virkar eins vel og menn vona, sem er alls ekki komið í ljós. Það eru alltaf fréttir af möguleikum á lækningum, sem eru svo mörg mörg ár inni í framtíðinni, ef allt gengur, sem það gerir oft ekki, svo kannski er óvarlegt að vekja með einhverjum falsvonir, en ég hef samt alltaf verið trúaður á að RP væri þess eðlis, að einn góðan veðurdag fyndistlækning, því skaðinn virðist ekki vera vegna óafturkræfrar skemmdar, svo langt sem ég sem leikmaður skil það. Þessi stofnfrumuaðferð "meikar meiri sens," en ég hef áður heyrt um, þ.e. ef stofnfrumurnar geta orðið að heilbrigðum sjónfrumum, og komist hjá því að láta gallaða erfðaefnið stýra sér.

Please please please God make my mom see again!!¡¡

Pilates

2004-10-27T10:24:00.000-02:00

It´s funny how things work differently in every country. Initially I needed to give the Language Center a picture for my Centro de Idiomas identity card. With that card I can get free Internet access. Now... I was interested in starting some kind of a sport and I decided Pilates was something I wanted to try. My friend Klara had talked about it a lot.
So.... to be able to get an ID card for Pilates I need another ID card, but that takes two weeks so I got a photocopy of my application and walked up to the University. I explained everything to a really nice man by the name of Jesus. He gave me a form and the next day I had to bring it back with two pictures. For the two months I intend to do pilates I had to pay 30 euros, which is nothing. I think it´s about 300 for a 6-week course in Iceland (Oh God how I miss it....hehe), but no.... I had the m0ney, but could only pay by going to Caja España and make a deposit. The next morning, before class, I went to the bank. It took them half an hour to process the deposit and it wasn´t enough to have me there in person, they needed my passport (and for some weird reason I did) and needed to enter my passport number to be able to make the deposit. How weird. I admired their patience though. They are probably used to things being complicated, and luckily they don´t go as much by the book as in North America. Thank God!
After school I returned to the sport´s office at the Uni and got my ID card for pilates. At 3 o´clock the same day I had my first pilates class and guess what!!!??¿¿ The instructor looked at the card and said: "What is this?"

Las Médulas, my best day so far....

2004-10-25T17:05:00.000-02:00

The trip to Ponferrada and Las Médulas started at 9:30 Saturday morning. It wasn´t hard to wake up ´cause I´m not going out to party all the time like the other students.
Almost all the students participated, or about 40. We started off going to Ponferrada, a town which is about an hour from León. My roommate, Angelica, is also born there :) We looked at a castle which was great because Iceland doesn´t have any old structures like that, but first we had coffee. In Spain they really like taking it slow and ´me likes very much´ :) After that we drove for about an hour and had lunch at a small restaurant in the middle of nowhere from 2-4. I loved it! I had ´menu del día´ which is a three course meal with all the wine you can drink for only 9 euros. The food in Spain is usually pretty fatty, but quite good. I was sitting with a Chinese couple, an American girl and one of the Spanish teachers. The rest of the group was sitting elsewhere. I didn´t mind ´cause the wine was damn good and I started talking more than I ever had in Spanish writing down every word the teacher said in my little ´Palabras del día´book. At this moment I really started understanding why siesta is so important. I hadn´t felt this great in years!
After lunch we drove up to Las Médulas. We had to walk through a beautiful little village first. i felt like I was a part of either ancient times or a story where main characters were old people sitting out in the sun all day. The weather was wonderful, like a good summer in Iceland, but pretty cold for the folks in the village I would imagine.
The we walked through some kind of a wood to get to the top. The colours of autumn (sorry my North American friends, but fall is just not as pretty....) where absolutely beautiful. It was almost too good to be true. It felt so good to just go with the flow instead of having to be in charge of the group. Javíer told us all about the Médulas. I understood most of it... something about the Romans and 3rd Century...hehe.... Oh well....
We walked through a tunnel with a flashlight and I saw a bat. We looked at more caves, big and small. The hike was about 3 hours and the whole time I was thinking how wonderful I felt. I hadn´t been this happy for a long time. I was speaking more Spanish then ever before (with a little help from vino tinto, but that´s all good) and didn´t have to worry about anybody but myself. I was a participant, appreciating Spanish nature to the fullest!

Spelling mistakes....

2004-10-22T17:46:00.000-02:00

Just a quick note to tell you guys that I am aware of several spelling mistakes in my posts and there may be some grammatical errors too. Please feel free to comment. I just don´t feel like correcting my mistakes and I don´t have any kind of spell-check or a dictionary..... after all my native language is not English.
Talk to you soon.... and hope to hear from some of you....hmmmm.... are any of my friends reading this????

Debates in Spanish

2004-10-22T09:54:00.000-02:00

Wow.... I´m learning something new everyday, both about myself and Spanish culture in general. The girls I live with are absolutely amazing, especially Angelica. Both of them are going out of town today and won´t be back until Sunday. Angelica showed me how to watch movies/dvd´s on her computer while she´s away. She also said I could use the computer whenever I wanted to. I thought I was a nice person, but I wouldn´t even do that for somebody who´s renting a room from me. Maybe I´ll reconsider my niceness.... maybe I´m not that nice....

Today´s culture class was interesting. Our homework was to read about the differences of Spanish young people, i.e. the difference between girls and boys with regards to smoking, drinking, sex, how much they get paid for jobs, etc. The last point was were I started talking when Santiago (the teacher) said that there was only a difference in wages because the girls choose different types of jobs and that this were not the case with same kind of jobs; i.e. they always get the same salary for the same kind of job. Since I know this is not always the case in Iceland even I started talking. At first I couldn´t find words in Spanish that would explain my thoughts. Then a few others commented and since I´m a very slow thinker... hehe... I could say what I wanted to say. I was pretty lucky that the Director of the school, José Luis Llamas, walked in and Santiago asked him what he thought of the subject. He said there was a difference in the private sector which helped me a lot with my argument. I asked Santiago why a construction worker is valued more than a person working at a nursery or kindergarten. He didn´t comment on that. Anyways.... I´m not going to write all my opinions here... but what happened after was that I was standing outside with Frida explaining my thoughts in English and Santiago came and asked me what the difference between a feminist and a
chauvinist was. I told him my opinion in brief: feminist is a person who wants equality for all and a chauvinist is a person who thinks the rights of men are greather than that of women. Therefore, feminism is good and chauvinist is bad. Then he stopped a Spanish girl asking her whether bother were good, bad or bad and good. She said: "both are bad" and he said: "that´s the way it is." We ended the conversation, but after the weekend I will have to defend my opinons in class and all in Spanish of course. That will probably be the most difficult task I´ve ever had to complete regarding the Spanish language. Please wish me luck!! (and send me links to Spanish websites that could help me...hehe....)

Continued from yesterday....

2004-10-20T11:34:00.000-02:00

I was kicked out of the computer room yesterday here at Uni. You are only allowed to use the computers for one hour at a time. Kind of strange, but anyways...

I like León, it´s not too big and not too small. I feel like I know the steets pretty well by now (Well I should ´cause I´ve walked for around 50 hours since I got here). The people are incredibly nice and helpful. I´ve had several people give their phone numbers to me even though I don´t know them really well.

I was pretty fortunate to meet Frida Johannsson, a nineteen year old girl from Sweeden. I knew that I didn´t want to hang out too much with the Irish people ´cause then I´d only speak English. Frida and I started looking for an apartment (or one bedroom each) the day after we first met. First we had to make calls (all in Spanish of course) to ask if the apartment or room was still available and if so whether we could come see it. We walked and ran all over the city seeing all kinds of weird places and people. The first apartment was adorable, but all the rest was no good. Frida found a pretty nice place after about looking at ten places. I was getting really frustrated, but then on Thursday last week I found what I wanted, apartment number 13 it was! And who said 13 was not a lucky number?
I had a really good feeling after I talked to the girl who lives there. Besides, it was number 27, just like my house in Iceland. The owner, la dueña, was there to show me the place. She lives on the 5th floor; the apartment is on the 4th. I told her within 5 minutes that I wanted to move in and she just gave me the key and told me to move in when I wanted to.
The next day, I happily packed my bags and moved out of Residece Emilio Hurtado. After arguing with the guy at the reception about why I had to come pay on Monday I finally got my taxi and left. I truly don´t understand the work ethics in Spain. Way to relaxed if you asked me.... I was also pretty happy that I didn´t have to see that French girl again, Cyril or whatever her name was. We got along ok, until she started bossing me around, telling me where we were going, telling me to eat this and that and God knows what. She even wrote me a note one morning asking me to take a postcard to the post office and buy a stamp for her. Excuse me, I´m not your servant! She moved out of the apartment at Emilio Hurtado the day before I did without even telling me and stealing my milk.

Angelica Fernando is the girl I live with and another one just moved in yesterday, Maria Jesus. Angelica is probably the nicest most considerate person I´ve met in my life. She even sent me a text message before I moved in telling me how much she´d like to live with a foreigner. Before I moved in she sent me a welcoming message and when I woke up after sleeping there the first night she had left me a note saying something like: I hope you had a nice sleep, etc. Neither Angelica nor Maria speak English of course.

Most days I´m pretty tired. The grammar classes are usually pretty hard so siesta is really something I really need every day. It´s strange to have all the stores are closed between 13:30 and 17. My other classes are: oral and written communication and culture. My CULTURA teacher is really hillarious. His name is Santiago and he keeps speaking Danish to me.

This weekend I am going on a 10 hour hiking and cultural trip to Las Medulas. It will be interesting to see what the tourist attractions here look like......
Hasta luego....

Ásta Sól

León, The City and house-hunting

2004-10-19T11:43:00.000-02:00

The city of León is pretty amazing. There are lots of tiny little cute streets everywhere, fountains, flowers, dogs and doves. It´s quite small; about 150.000 people, but much more polluted than Reykjavík. At first it was hard to get used to breathing in all the polluted air and it´s amazing how many people smoke. I wonder how long the average Spanish person lives!¿

First days in León

2004-10-06T18:02:00.000-02:00

I don´t know where to start so much has happened since Sunday and I´m exhausted.
In short:
I left Reykjavík at 13:30 and my flight to London, Heathrow departed 16:10. When I got to London I wanted to take a taxi to the Oasis hotel, but found out that it would cost me 170 punds!!! I went back to the information desk and they told me it would probably be a good idea to take mini cab, so I called a number they had and about 10 minutes later a tiny little guy around 50 came walking with a sign that said AFTA. That was me!

The driver was from Afganistan. He told me about his wonderful country and I asked him what he thought of the Taliban. It was fun, although the almost 1 1/2 hour drive was exhausting. I found out that the hotel wasn´t even in London, but in Harrows... oh well..... we made it to the hotel ok and then the old fellow tried to rip me off.... bastard!

Anyways.... I didn´t sleep well at all. The room was nice, but somebody grabbed my doorhandle in the middle of the night. It didn´t make me feel very safe. The next morning I got lost in the corridor before heading to Stansted Airport. I got there well over two hours before so I felt quite relaxed. Then I waited and waited in the chack-in queue and I was getting quite pissed off so I started talking to a mother and daugther who were in front of me and then found out RyanAir only allows 15 kg per person. I started arguing with the check-in lady, but of course it didn´t work. I had to pay 81 punds or leave my suitcase behind! Now I know how they make their money. I mean 15 kg is almost the weight of the suitcase itself and they know that. I WOULDN´T RECOMMEND RYANAIR to anyone! Plus I couldn´t take my carry-on and a handbag on the plane, they only allow one bag. Oh well....

I walked through security and on my way to the gate I saw the mother and daughter again. The waived at me and asked me to come talk to them. The mother was crying and they kissed goodbye. I started talking to the daugher, Nicola from Belfast, and not only was she on the same flight, but she was taking the same train from Valladolid to León and taking the same course at Universidad de León. So..... we travelled together all the way to León. It was nice to have company of such a nice girl. Her friends, Jayne and Aine (pronounced Onja) were at the train station in León. It was 25º C and sunny. It couldn´t get any better.
They even took me to residence or the halls as the call it, Resedecía Emilio Hurtado. Walking into the small apartment was depressing and I am already looking for something else and something closer to the Language Center - Centro de Idiomas.

Yesterday I got lost and walked for 3 hours before I found the Language Center, which was closed because of a fiesta in town. Then I called up the Irish girls and we walked another two hours. My calves are sore today no wonder. I went over to their house and they cooked for me and Jayne´s parents who are here visiting. It took me a couple of hours to get used to the Irish accent (it´s like the intonation is at the end of each sentence, weird) and I think I could have an Irish accent by the end of my time here if I wanted to (could be cute but no thanks).
Last night we went out to two bars and some more Irish folks came along. Two of the girls´ wallets were stolen.... and they were crying. I made sure I didn´t leave my bag anywhere and I know I have to be careful.
Well.... today I slept in and got my program for the next two days. I have a test tomorrow (¡oh my God!) and classes start on Monday.

So far I´ve been trying my best to speak Spanish and considering that I haven´t spoken a word for nine years I´m doing pretty good. I even had a converation with my Spanish roommate Laura for about 5 minutes!

Well..... I better get going before it gets dark.... more later. ¡Hasta luego!

Bloggari fæddur

2004-09-21T16:51:00.000-02:00

Jibbí!!! Ég er orðin bloggari numero uno.
Til hamingju Ásta Sól.
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