Wheels up in Winnipeg at 2:45pm, down in Toronto long enough to have some dinner, then 4 hours and 50 minutes later we landed at Keflavik International Airport in Iceland. With black lava fields all around it felt a bit like I think it might feel to land on the moon!
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It is August 2024. Since the return of travel in early 2022 following the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have faced staff shortages, strike action (actual and threatened), tightening regulations, and higher operating costs. These conditions, in addition to the challenges of regular operations, can seriously affect an airline’s level of service. …
We want to paint a picture for you. Imagine you’re at a gathering with friends and acquaintances. It’s a fairly large group, let’s say around 15-20 people. Just as you begin to get hungry, someone brings out a large, layered cake. It’s smothered in rich, chocolate buttercream frosting – …
Way back in 2017 I wrote a blog in recognition of Canada Day; 50 Great Things Canada Contributed to the World. Since I wrote that blog I’ve been studying about the Indigenous peoples who have lived on this land we now call Canada for millennia – the First Nations and …
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There are so many things that we miss when it comes to travel, such as exploring new places, trying new things and meeting new people. What I miss the most, are those extremely peaceful moments where you can just take it all in. Whether you are enjoying a beautiful hike, …
Food Glorious Food Iceland Style!
October 11, 2016 | Ian Kalinowsky
What’s the food like in Iceland? We get asked that a lot. I had the good fortune to sample a variety of local, Icelandic foods during my week here with my family. It was fresh, a lot local and organic, innovative and all delicious!
One of my favourite eateries in Reykjavik is the Tapas Restaurant. A 16 year old restaurant set in a cave-like setting it’s warm with the right amount of lighting and is very quiet despite being full of people. An amazing group of the most attentive staff on the planet! Great service and the managers knew absolutely every single ingredient in every dish of an extensive menu.
Serrano with fresh figs and chilled honey Puffin* with blueberry sauce and nuts
*I’m sorry – I know puffins are cute! But, they’re also plentiful (by the millions here in Iceland in the summer) and are a popular food in the Nordic countries.
Tapas – small dishes served when perfectly done. The three of us shared 10 dishes in total and were full by meal’s end. 10 dishes, 4 glasses of house red, a beer and our bill was ISK21,200 (about US$190/CA$250), which we felt was very good value.
And how could we not try the iconic Icelandic pylsur (hot dog), made mostly from fresh, organic, Icelandic lamb mixed with a bit of pork and beef. The casing is natural, giving the hot dog a nice “snap” when you bite into it. Order “ein með öllu” (roughly pronounced “ane meth alt) and you’ll get one with the works – a hot dog in a soft, steamed bun topped with raw white onions, crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep and remoulade, a delicious, creamy sauce made with mayonnaise, capers, mustard, and herbs. You can choose to leave off some of the toppings, but we’d recommend you try “one with everything”, just like the Icelanders do!
Food, glorious food, Icelandic style!
Remarkable Reykjavik
October 05, 2016 | Ian Kalinowsky
I had the good fortune to stay for a week in the remarkable, capital city of Reykjavik with my wife Margot and our son David.
Thanks to Elfa Bjork, manager of one of the apartment properties we use for our clients, we stayed in a beautiful, centrally located, two-bedroom apartment. Read More >
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling, Silfra, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
October 04, 2016 | Ian Kalinowsky
I had a few extra days before and after a conference I was attending in Iceland so my wife, Margot and one of our sons, David, decided to come along for a vacation in this amazing country.
On October 2nd, David and I went scuba diving and Margot went snorkelling and experienced the clearest water in the world. We were diving in a rift between the North American and European tectonic plates in Thingevillir Park, at a dive site named Silfra. Read More >