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Straits Times
18-07-2025
- Straits Times
Global Design: Soak in Iceland's bathing culture
REYKJAVIK – Iceland's most famous thermal hot spring is undoubtedly Blue Lagoon, known for its milky blue waters. But Iceland's bathing culture goes beyond this hot spot, with more than 100 hot springs and heated pools dotted around the country. Icelanders have been soaking in hot springs for almost 1,000 years – and they are still at it today. Even the tiniest towns have a sundlaug (swimming pool in Icelandic) with all the works: hot tubs, cold plunges, saunas and waterslides, at entry fees as low as 1,000 Icelandic krona (S$10.46). In fact, Iceland's bathing culture has been nominated for Unesco's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which, if successful, is set to be awarded in December. While Icelanders have their favourite watering holes, there are also dedicated facilities which attract travellers keen to experience outdoor bathing. The best known of these is the Blue Lagoon, which became famed for its therapeutic waters in the 1980s. Located 45 minutes by car from Reykjavik city centre, it attracts over a million visitors a year. If you have visited an onsen in Japan , you will find the pre-bath routine familiar: Scrub down until you are squeaky clean before even thinking about dipping your toes in the water. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump diagnosed with vein condition causing leg swelling: White House World Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. What is it? 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While food is not allowed, you can enjoy a cold beverage, including beer and cocktails, while you luxuriate in the warm water. Cold drinking water is free for when you feel dehydrated. You can refuel with soup, sandwiches and snacks at the end, after you get dressed and exit the pools. The greatest pleasure of the Icelandic bath experience is the delicious contrast between hot and cold, especially if you brave the sub-zero winter. Imagine gazing out on an all-white landscape, your body submerged in balmy waters while snowflakes land on your face. Steam rooms and saunas further heat up the body, while cold mist rooms and icy plunge pools provide an invigorating shock to the system. I am too chicken to dip more than a toe into the cold pools, but I witness brave souls taking the plunge and emerging looking almost victorious. Taking a selfie of your blissed-out face is also not frowned upon. In fact, you will spot many bathers with their phones in rented waterproof casing, casually snapping photos of themselves half-naked against the gorgeous scenery. Compared with onsen waters, which can go up to 42 deg C, Icelandic springs are a few degrees cooler – which means longer, more luxurious lounging. As a huge fan of simmering myself until I turn into a prune, I take the chance while on a recent driving holiday around Iceland to soak my travel-weary bones at three very different baths – from the utilitarian to the luxurious. Myvatn Nature Baths Myvatn Nature Baths is filled with mineral-rich geothermal water. PHOTO: MYVATN NATURE BATHS/FACEBOOK After hiking around a volcano for two hours, we pull up at Myvatn Nature Baths (7,400 Icelandic krona for one adult; ) in the north with sore calves and zero expectations – and, after a good soak, float out in a state of bliss. Surrounded by the stunning Lake Myvatn, this man-made lagoon is rich in minerals and boasts the same milky blue water as Blue Lagoon. It attracts far fewer tourists due to its remote location, though a busload of them were dropped off while we were there. The water at Myvatn Nature Baths contains more sulphur than other thermal springs. PHOTO: MYVATN NATURE BATHS/FACEBOOK There is the characteristic stink of rotten eggs in the air, as the water here contains more sulphur than other thermal springs. The mineral is said to be beneficial for skin, due to its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and exfoliating properties. This is the only place where we are advised to remove jewellery, which may turn black due to a chemical reaction with the water. Though the utilitarian facilities are a little tired – a new building is due to be ready in 2026 – the steamy spring is exactly what we need to rejuvenate us. We drink in the peaceful views over the lake, as well as a well-deserved icy adult beverage. Vok Baths The Icelandic blend of nature and modernity is seen in the interiors of Vok Baths, with warm wood, smooth concrete and geometric shapes. PHOTO: VOK BATHS/FACEBOOK The day before we arrive at Vok Baths (7,490 Icelandic krona for one adult; ) in the eastern part of Iceland, we just about wreck our knees on a four-hour hike up and down a glacier. A steaming hot bath is the perfect remedy. From the outside, all that can be seen is a grass-covered roof which merges seamlessly into the landscape, and discreet glass doors which lead to the lobby. This Icelandic blend of nature and modernity is seen in the interiors as well, with warm wood, smooth concrete and geometric shapes being a large part of the minimalist design. Wood planks surround its three floating pools of varying temperatures up to 41 deg C, where bathers – both local and tourist – mingle while taking in the panoramic views over Lake Urrioavatn, arguably even more stunning than Lake Myvatn. Vok Baths has three floating pools, where bathers mingle while taking in the panoramic views. PHOTO: VOK BATHS/FACEBOOK When it gets too hot, we nip into the rain mist tunnel, where it is a refreshing 10 deg C. But I draw the line at submerging my entire body in the lake, where the water temperature goes down from 18 deg C in summer to 0 deg C in winter. Sky Lagoon Possibly the most luxe hot spring – with an admission price to match – Sky Lagoon (from 15,990 Icelandic krona for one adult; ) is also the most accessible from capital Reykjavik, just 10 minutes away by car, making it the most tourist-friendly of the three hot springs we visit. Seemingly carved out of rugged black rocks, the man-made pool is sleek yet simple, once again embodying the Icelandic design ethos that embraces nature. Seemingly carved out of rugged black rocks, Sky Lagoon boasts stunning sauna facilities and a rain mist room. PHOTO: SKY LAGOON ICELAND/FACEBOOK Do not skip the meditative seven-step ritual, which starts with soaking in the natural warmth of the geothermal water, followed by an invigorating cold plunge into a 5 deg C pool. Next is the most impressive sauna I have ever sizzled in, with a huge pane of floor-to-ceiling glass facing the water. Sky Lagoon's sauna has a huge pane of floor-to-ceiling glass facing the water. PHOTO: SKY LAGOON ICELAND/FACEBOOK On a good day, you can admire the cone-shaped Keilir mountain, a 700,000-year-old glacier and even the Northern Lights, while the heat opens every pore on the body. Cool down after that with the minus 5 deg C rain mist – an almost religious experience, with sleek bodies standing silently under the fine drizzle, faces turned to the sky. After a sauna session at Sky Lagoon, guests can cool down with a minus 5 deg C rain mist. PHOTO: SKY LAGOON ICELAND/FACEBOOK Following that, I slough off a layer of dead skin with a salt scrub before entering the dark, womb-like steam room to once again embrace the heat. The final step is a shot of an Icelandic elixir, made with tart crowberries from the lava fields. I emerge from this sanctuary relaxed and radiant. And the lingering sniffles I have been nursing for days are miraculously gone.
Irish Examiner
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
No Páirc Uí Chaoimh minutes for Adam Idah, but Celtic do enough to edge Cork City
Temperatures soared for Celtic's visit to Leeside but the heat will come with the pressure of chasing a record-breaking Scottish league title. Their fourth successive crown clinched last season equalled the haul of 55 amassed by their rivals and the momentum is with them to surpass it. Were they to claim the bragging rights come May, it will be interesting to see what benefit they trace back to this workout against Cork City. Celtic's visit to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh marked the second of seven pre-season friendlies pencilled in before the defence of their mantle begins on August 3 against St Mirren. Coming so early in a programme that entails four countries always meant Brendan Rodgers would be in cautionary mode. He'd indicated Kieran Tierney's comeback to the club he left for Arenal in 2019 would be delayed on account of extra rest afforded to players involved in the June international window. There was nobody in Cork, nor beyond the county border, expecting that policy to preclude Adam Idah. Cork City's Matthew Murray (centre) celebrates scoring an equalizer in the second half during the pre-season friendly match at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire. The striker left Corinthians for Norwich City 12 years ago and the opportunity of playing back on home turf for the first time seemed logical. That was the indication all along, from the launch of the friendly in March right up to the eve when the 24-year-old was to the forefront of promotional duties. He was part of the delegation who were guests of Lord Mayor, Councillor Fergal Dennehy, at City Hall as well as engaging with fans as a sport shop visit. Rodgers has spoken favourably of a homecoming for the Maryborough Hill native and while he trained with the squad at the GAA venue in the morning, there was disappointment his name was omitted from the 25-man squad released an hour before kick-off. There will be reasons for his exclusion, likely based on a patient approach being adopted to finetuning his fitness across the upcoming schedule. It will be a month on Wednesday since Idah last kicked a ball – and it was only for 14 minutes. That was a substitute cameo in Ireland's bore draw away to Luxembourg, four days after he'd be selected to start against Senegal. There's a sense that Heimir Hallgrimsson isn't as convinced as Rodgers is about Idah's ability to lead the line for the crunch matches. While the Corkman was the figurehead for Celtic's 10 match run in the Champions League to the knockout stages against Bayern Munich following his €10m arrival from Norwich, he was peripheral for Ireland. Idah wasn't slow in reminding the Icelander of his goalscoring prowess when placing his fingers on his lips after scoring off the bench in the March win over Bulgaria. Spectators during the Cork Super Cup match between Cork City and Celtic FC at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile Troy Parrott and Evan Ferguson, despite his rustiness from inactivity on loan at West Ham United, were Ireland's preferred pairing – leaving Idah battling to separating the duo. September 6 will signal the trust test. Dominik Szoboszlai and Hungary rock up to Lansdowne Road for the opening World Cup qualifier for what is a widely held belief to be the first battle for a playoff spot behind Portugal. Celtic's Irish striker who did get the nod here, Johnny Kenny, will need to bounce into the new season to harbour hopes of joining his clubmate in the squad. Rodgers suggested that platform will be given to the Sligoman on loan after two impressive temporary stints at Shamrock Rovers. Just once in his 45 minutes on the pitch did he come close to scoring, landing a millisecond too late for a connection on Hayato Inamura's left-wing cross. Rodgers sustained the rotation by changing his entire XI at the break. Luke McCowan had thundered the breakthrough into the top corner on 27 minutes, availing of a neat assist by Belgian Arne Engels. Cork City's Cathal O'Sullivan. Pic: Ken Sutton/Inpho It wasn't all one-sided as City, led by new defensive partnership Rory Feely and ex-Celtic trainee Fiacre Kelleher, ought to have sped into the lead seven minute earlier. Malik Dijksteel, unfortunately, stood on the ball as he was poised to shoot with just Viljami Sinisalo to beat. Another recent recruit, Charlie Lutz, was one of the few to survive Ger Nash's interval changes and he almost grabbed an equaliser shortly after the break. Kitt Nelson went closer by aiming fractionally wide before 17-year-old Matthew Murray swivelled on 67 minutes to turn the ball home from an acute angle. It was petering out into the friendliest of friendly results until Colby Donovan planted in a late header. Most of the estimated 28,000 celebrated the outcome, the importance of which will heighten after the season cranks up.
Daily Record
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kjartan Mar Kjartansson has Aberdeen example to follow as 'crazy' Scottish Cup scenes have new man buzzing
Jimmy Thelin's latest signing is hoping to emulate a fellow Icelander in red after joining the Dons this week Kjartan Mar Kjartansson wants to follow in the footsteps of Kari Arnason and become a star for Aberdeen and Iceland. The 18-year-old became Jimmy Thelin' s latest signing after the Dons struck a fee with Stjarnan for their rising star. The Iceland under-21 cap is desperate to bring more glory to the Scottish Cup winners and is keen to make an impact at Pittodrie like his legendary countryman, Arnason, did in his two Pittodrie spells in 2011-12 and in 2017-18. Kjartansson admitted: 'I know a lot about him (Kari). 'He is a national legend for Iceland because of the World Cup and European Championship in 2016 and 18. 'Everyone in Iceland is aware of him because he is a legend. He played twice (here at Aberdeen). 'It is main goal for me to win a cap for the A team. We will just see how it goes. 'It is an honour to play for Iceland and the national team. You just have to give your all when you play for them.' Aberdeen are still celebrating their Scottish Cup success and the teenager watching some of the footage has inspired him to help the team kick on again. He said: 'It was crazy to see so many people in Scotland. I think it was the whole of Aberdeen who were out that day. 'Of course, that is the main goal to achieve big things with the club.' The Dons have been trailing Kjartansson with the club's new scout in that area having kept an eye on him since he broke into the Stjarnan first-team at 16. He is rated as in the top 15 midfielders under the age of 18 in world football and Kjartansson claimed it was an easy decision to move to the Scottish Premiership and feels it will help him progress. 'It is such an amazing feeling to sign for such a big club and I can't wait to get started,' the midfielder excitedly claimed. 'It was a no-brainer to come to Aberdeen. I think it is a great step in my career. 'I think the Scottish league suits my play as well. I am a midfielder that likes to travel forward with the ball. 'I would say I am an aggressive player and wherever I can I try to play forward.' Aberdeen also have guaranteed European group stage football. The good thing for Kjartansson is he has had plenty of European exposure with Stjarnan. 'It was part of it but even if they weren't it was still a no brainer decision,' the new arrival insisted.. 'We played in the Conference qualification and I got a lot of experience from that. I was playing against other teams from counties you don't know about. It was a great experience.' Kjartansson has joined up with the Dons for their pre-season camp in Portugal and then will head back to Aberdeen. It will be a new experience but he will have a friendly face, in his mum, to keep him right in the first few months. He confirmed: 'The guys have been very welcoming and I can't wait to work with them. 'It is always difficult when you move to a new country when you are 18 years old. I just have to get settled quickly. 'It will be a challenge but I will try my best to do it.' The Icelander has been brought in to shore up the Aberdeen and is seen to be one for the future. He might even chip in with a few goals because his hero was Cristiano Ronaldo and up to a couple of years ago he was playing as an attacker. Kjartansson, speaking to RedTV, explained: 'I played as a striker and a winger up to two years ago, then I turned into the No. 6 position. 'It was just random. The manager just decided one day to play me as a No. 6. He liked it, so I kept playing there.'
Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Getting drunk in Iceland: a formal guide
The first Icelander I met worked in the duty-free shop at Reykjavik airport. "We have the highest alcohol prices in Europe," he announced gleefully to the arriving throng. But he was understating things. They have the highest alcohol prices in the world. I have drunk booze for less in countries that are officially teetotal. "Get it here or you'll regret it," he continued, and I got it there in the form of a litre of scotch. I regretted only that I didn't get more. At the supermarket round the corner from where we were staying the young man's warning initially seemed superfluous. For there on the shelves was beer. It wasn't cheap but it was readily accessible. Looks, however, were deceivers. When I unzipped a can at the apartment it tasted thin. I read the side and found that what purported to be beer was little more than flavoured water — 1.5% booze at best. It bloated you long before it kicked in. It was like drinking a bath for the soap content. We made a big dent in the scotch. The next day I learned that to get beer deserving of the name you could go to the bars in downtown Reykjavik where a slug of Heineken set you back a mortgage, or else you could go to the rarely open and unpronounceable government monopoly beginning with B. That night we delved deeper into Scotchland. Quite why this tiny country should be so puritan about booze I cannot tell you, but it is a Scandinavian habit. Perhaps it's a prophylactic against nordic gloom. Perhaps, when they descend into winter and the sun barely rises for three months, and for one month doesn't rise at all, it is only too tempting to reach for the top shelf and drink the misery away. And yet every year some purposeless agency associated with the United Nations puts out an International Happiness League Table. And it is invariably topped by the Finns, followed, at a short distance, by the Swedes, Norwegians and Danes. So much for Nordic gloom. But then it could be that they only survey the grinning Finns in summer when the fiords thaw and the edelweiss blooms, and the endless lightless winter seems a distant and barely credible ghost. Or else the fierce control of booze is a moral matter, preached from a puritan pulpit. Every hamlet in Iceland has its proud little white wooden church standing strong against the weather, with a red roof and a tiny windswept graveyard. And Reykjavik has a steepling white stone cathedral that could house half the country's population. So maybe it's all the fault of God. Whatever the truth of it, we drank our scotch and toured the country in a rental car, dutifully admiring the volcanic wonders, the fissured rocks where Vikings once held parliaments, the ancient lava flows now thick with spongy moss, the recent lava flows still black and menacing, the Rotoruan geysers and the general emptiness. The island is five times the size of Wales and has the population of Christchurch. By the last evening of four the scotch had run to next to nothing and I made a dash for the government store only to find it closed. But by asking around I discovered a store called Extra where more of the good stuff could be acquired if you were willing to jump through some verificatory hoops. I was as willing as a circus dog, but I was also incapable. The first hoop was the scanning of a QR code, using the phone that is beyond my understanding, and after a couple of minutes in this Icelandic minimart I was close to weeping with frustration. But from out behind a counter stepped a minute girl from Vietnam whose hands were like a spray of twigs, and she took pity on me in my distress and explained what I needed to do. But I was still unable, so she took my phone and sat me down and patted the old man on his head and did the whole thing for me and I got wine. I could have kissed her. We left next day for London where the first thing that I did once we had found where we were staying — well of course. The pub was the Stanhope Arms, the beer was London Pride, and it was wonderful. — Joe Bennett is a Lyttelton writer.
Sunday World
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Sunday World
Heimir Hallgrimsson targets four points from Ireland's first two World Cup games
Heimir Hallgrimsson is targeting at least four points from the Republic of Ireland's opening World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia. The Icelander spent his 58th birthday watching his team secure a laboured 0-0 friendly draw in Luxembourg, which he later admitted was 'boring' at times, in what was their final fixture before the competitive games start in September. A much-changed Ireland were far from at their best at the Stade de Luxembourg just four days after a creditable display in a 1-1 draw with Senegal, but Hallgrimsson knows the stakes will be raised significantly when the squad next meet up. Asked if they needed four points from the first two games, Hallgrimsson replied: 'Yes. Four points would be good; six points would be better.' He added: 'I give myself that you would say we get a draw against Hungary and win in Armenia – probably it would be worse if it was the opposite. 'Four points would be OK, a good start. Six is what we aim for.' Hallgrimsson will mark 12 months in his new job next month having presided over a modest improvement in Ireland's on-pitch fortunes – they have won four and drawn two of his 10 games to date, a return which had given him cause for optimism. Tuesday night's events came as something of a disappointment, as he admitted when asked where his team are compared to where he hoped they might be at this stage shortly after the final whistle in Luxembourg. Evan Ferguson of Ireland walks out for match against Luxembourg He replied: 'I would have been 100 per cent confident two hours ago, but this is also football. 'You can be a much better team and still lose a match. That's why everybody loves this game. It's because sometimes even with a good performance you can lose a game. That's why everybody loves it. 'It's the only sport in the world where a third division team can win against a first division team. You can look at all other sports, it doesn't happen. 'We didn't play well, we kept a clean sheet. If it had been a group stage, we would have had a point and OK, let's call that growth.' Ireland did hit the woodwork twice through Nathan Collins and substitute Jack Taylor either side of half-time, but were indebted to debutant goalkeeper Max O'Leary for saves from Danel Sinani and Vincent Thill, and Hallgrimsson was particularly unimpressed with the opening 45 minutes. He said: 'We were really disappointed with the first half. It was actually just boring, there was nothing happening in the first half. 'We didn't play well, but we played away and didn't concede a goal, so even though we are not playing our best, if we can get points and maybe wins, that's a good sign.'
