Gabe's Blog

 While in Iceland, I was lucky enough to have friendly coworkers, who consistently invited me out to lunch. While this often was just a run down to Bonús, the local supermarket, for sandwiches and the sort, we found ourselves out at restaurants semi-frequently. I was surprised by the variety of food in the city and beyond. While we often found ourselves at classier places for birthdays and celebrations, it wasn't uncommon to be at a Thai or hot dog spot. EIRIKSSON Brassire -   Laugavegur 77, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Located directly under the office, we ended up here quite a bit for happy hour and a birthday lunch or two. Reinvented from an old bank, the restaurant takes on a large, stoic feel.   They offer a modern European menu with Italian influences, my favorites being the deep-fried Camembert with red currant jam on sourdough bread and the tagliatelle and veal in truffle sauce. To top this all off, the head chef previously led a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lyon...

When the term "Viking" comes up, it conjures images of a brutish Nordic raider, clad in iron armor and weaponry, potentially in a blood rage. Despite this clear image of a person or group, no person or group of people ever considered themselves Vikings and this style of warfare was not organized. To find what exactly is meant by the term, researchers have turned to linguistics and archaeology to find answers and dispel some common myths. Linguistics has turned to the language of Old Norse, a predecessor to Icelandic, Norwegian, and Danish, spoken by those living in Nordic areas in the Viking era. The first of two leading theories is that the word was used as both a noun and a verb, using the words V ikingr (referring to a lone man), V ikingar (a group of men), and Vikingum (to go a Viking). With these words, it's important to explain that linguists believe that Viking would equate to a seaborne adventurer, raiders second.  The other leading theory comes from the prefix ...

 One of the most exciting parts of being in Iceland was the island's history and legends. With inhabitants dating back to 871 AD, Iceland has a long history told mostly through sagas. Written predominantly by Snorri Sturluson, these sagas detailed the lives of great families on the island shortly after settlement (930-1030). Written in the early 13th century, these tales are accurate, with support from archaeology and family lineage. Archaeology shows large, mansion-esque, homes in the areas where these families were known to have power and show several meeting spots and trails across the nation.  Family lineage also plays an important role, as with the introduction of Christianity in roughly 1000AD the church created extensive birth records on the island, meaning that any modern Icelander can trace their lineage back to their first relative to immigrate to the island. These records from this time are able to trace Snorri's eddas, a form of Nordic poem, across the island, crea...

As I am reaching the halfway point in my series on my summer in Iceland, I'm realizing that I  forgot to mention the reason I was in the country to begin with. In the summer of 2022, I interned with Kerecis in Arlington, VA. With an adventure on my mind and a little bit of luck, I convinced my supervisor to transfer me to his home office, the main one in Reykjavík the next summer. From either office, I was able to learn a great deal about the industry and where I was living, as Arlington and DC were foreign to me as well.  In short, Kerecis uses fish skin that would otherwise be discarded to create skin grafts. Founded in Isafjördur on the north coast of the island, Kerecis receives fish skins from local fisheries and sanitizes them for medical use. From this, we are able to harness the benefits of Omega3 fatty acids and no viral transmission risk. Additionally, Kerecis recycles what would otherwise be a waste product, as these skins would otherwise be discarded. Within the or...