whoops

The 10th today, and with it comes some rain. It started late yesterday. At least I think it was late.
Anyway, not hard or cold rain, though there is a breeze. True Iceland weather I guess. At least I brought some wool clothes with me.
So we had much excitement yesterday afternoon. Police, black cars, and bodyguards abound. Probably NOT on the news at home, but the President of Iceland was at the restaurant here, so I was told, along with some high ranking Chinese gentleman signing some sort of monetary or trade agreement.

These guys are great. I went hunting for an air mattress yesterday. No place here in the town sells them. I would need to go to ...a different town. I had the name of the store on paper (a good thing, even then I still could not say it right) Hafsteinn rustled me up not one, but two, an actual air mattress and one of the self inflate foam pads. I slept goood last night! I told him I am perfectly willing to buy one, and 'store it here for future use'. HINT HINT.

So, I am actually feeling a bit better today. And I did not even go soak in the hot tub yesterday- I was too whacked to walk that far even. Now it could be the fact that it has been a good three or four days and the thing has just run it's course. The Icelanders will tell you it was what they made me do last night. We were in the bar half of the establishment. They were doing a few bits of hand work and drinking beer and such. I was having nice hot tea trying to make the cough and sinuses settle down.
I was having a fine time chatting with the locals, we were talking all sorts of trash on our respective governments, the social ills and cures we need, must see places and things to do. You know, all the fun stuff! One of the gentlemen across from me gets up and goes to the bar. I figured he was getting something to drink. I had just refreshed the tea when he returns bearing a tray and proclaims “THIS will fix your cough!”
Upon it lay several small cubes, maybe a quarter of an inch square, with little Icelandic flag toothpicks in them. Now understand, we had already discussed this issue, and I told him I KNEW this stuff was for the Thorrablot, the winter feast, and so I was going to pass on this trip. They ALL jumped up looking at me and said you have to, it will help you. It is our national dish....talk about peer pressure.
Well. I ate two little bits of the infamous putrefied shark. Not a lot of any distinctive flavor, and not very harsh, but it was rather chewy. I see why they have to let it ferment to be able to eat it.
Of course the others helped to finish it up, and then they complained that this was the “weak tourist stuff” and that it “did not have nearly enough ammonia smell” to be very good. I was given promises that someone would be bringing some from his “better source” for me to try. (Please cold, go away!)
I mean what was I to do, upset international relations? I had to, they made me! Funny thing is, it is and is not a trick they play on the unsuspecting tourist. They do really eat it, well some of them, along with whale and seal. They know that calling it rotted or putrefied will get our stomachs going all wobbly. It really is not much different form eating pickled cabbage or fermented sauerkraut, or kimchee, without the blazing chiles, it is rather simply, fermented to make it edible. I would say on the toughness scale it is not as tough as eating Ika or squid sushi, and probably about the same as the octopus if it were cubed up small. I draw the line at the licorice stuff though.
So , I am wondering how many Kronur to offer to find someone to give me a back and shoulder massage.....all this coughing had made me sore. I hear they package this shark in jars, I could bring some home for you all to try! But then again, it would take up valuable space I could use for wool...and my rocks. Rumor has it we go to see the Volcano on Sunday. WooT. Oh, and would you believe it. Some of the guys were talking in Icelandic and a certain English phrase slipped in there, one I recognized....World of Warcraft....silly hoarde boys.
Well, lets see what the weather does today, and maybe I will send out a few more pictures, like Iceland at 12, 1, 2, 3, 4 in the morning.
Have fun kids, Tomorrow we start the market, so things should get a little busy.