A 28-year-old woman remains in custody as police investigate the death of her 80-year-old father last Friday in Arnarnes She is also suspected of injuring her mother who was hospitalised following the incident The custody of a 28-year-old woman suspected to have been involved in a fatal incident in Arnarnes, Garðabær, has been extended by three weeks, until May 7, as police continue to investigate, Mbl.is reports The case involves the death of the woman’s 80-year-old father, who passed away on his birthday after emergency services were called to the residence He was later pronounced dead at the hospital The woman is also suspected of having caused injuries to her mother who was transported to the hospital for treatment that same evening Authorities have not disclosed further details about her condition Police have released limited information as the investigation remains ongoing In-depth stories and high-quality photography showcasing life in Iceland we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads may adversely affect certain features and functions Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen On October 5, a two-year-old child fell into a well during an afternoon stroll with their grandmother The hole in question is situated outside an apartment building in Garðabær’s Urriðaholt which flipped over when the boy walked across it The boy fell approximately two metres into the ground and was not injured The boy’s grandmother subsequently called the emergency services who promptly rescued the child emergency responders told the boy’s father that the hole was not secured per regulation project and operations manager Örn Tryggvi Johnsen of ÞG Verktakar the contractor company responsible for the construction of wells in the area told Vísir that employees were dispatched to investigate the faulty installation and remaining wells in the area the remaining wells are currently being assessed and in the process of being secured either by covering them with turf or steel lids Tourist Sexually Harassed In Blue Lagoon Tourist Held Hostage On May Day Culture Night Killer Sentenced To Prison Starbucks To Open In Reykjavík Soon Iceland At A Crossroads An Ode to Flateyri Police Officers Spied On Citizens For Iceland’s Richest Man From Army Brats To Luxury Flats economic demands are compromising the quality of architecture in Iceland This is according to Helga Guðrún Vilmundardóttir chair of the Icelandic Association of Architects Speaking to the news agency, Morgunblaðið Helga expressed concern that profitability often outweighs design integrity market pressures are setting strict limits for architects these constraints wind up undermining the architectural value of the environment During the interview, Helga welcomed urban densification as a necessary and generally positive trend warn that it has gone too far in some cases “The distance between buildings is such that apartments do not enjoy natural light for a large part of the year.” She also argued that architecture must serve its residents above all else “Residents and users should be in the foreground and Icelandic architecture should create a good and productive framework for our society.” Helga’s remarks come amid a growing conversation about rapid urban development in the capital and other large towns across the country density targets and rising land values have led to concerns about liveability and long-term design standards These issues have prompted calls from architects and urban planners to prioritise human-centred design in future developments Since the discovery of a Northern Black Widow spider in a bunch of grapes last week Grafarvogur has become known in some quarters as the “Black Widow Capital of Iceland.” Although the latter instance was only a noble false widow — a less venomous spider whose bite only causes localised pain from 1-12 hours — that’s still 2-1 by our count So if any area of Greater Reykjavík deserves the title of Poisonous Spider Capital Of Iceland — it might just be Garðabær Are you from Grafarvogur or Garðabær? Do you live in fear of deadly arachnids? Let us know at grapevine@grapevine.is We will continue to bring you all the latest exotic spider news until the Grapevine office is overwhelmed by the oncoming swarm of bitey eight-legged freaks You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience says that the housing market has cooled down in recent weeks it is premature to draw too many conclusions based on the sales of the last few weeks A real estate agent that Morgunblaðið spoke to said the same thing that the market had been slowing down recently He believed that the main explanation was that the banks had raised interest rates on indexed housing loans ÞG Verk sold around 130 apartments in the first half of the year They had then sold 269 out of 295 apartments in three apartment buildings in Vogabyggð in Reykjavík That corresponded to about 91% of the apartments that the company had ready for delivery at the time Gissurarson says that demand from former residents of Grindavík has stimulated the market at the beginning of this year "Sales in the first half of the year were much better than we expected There was a lot of inertia in the housing market last fall and little sales but it picked up soon after these events on the Reykjanes peninsula The momentum that hit the market lasted pretty well until late summer So the next projects won't go on sale until next year." He adds that ÞG Verk has sold ten apartments in the third quarter but this is a significant decline from the first two quarters Open galleryHofsstaðir in Garðabær Town - a Viking Settlement Age Farm in South-West IcelandBy Regína Hrönn RagnarsdóttirVerified localContact Regína Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir In this travel-blog I am going to tell you about a Settlement Age farm that was discovered in 1986 in Garðabær town which is a part of the Great-Reykjavík area.  It is a big Viking Age longhouse dating back to 870-930 8x30 meters on the outside with a floor surface of 170 sq.m, which is quite a large longhouse Top photo: Hofsstaðir Viking longhouse and Vídalínskirkja church We don't know who lived here, but it looks like a longhouse of a wealthy farmer  It is believed that 20-30 people lived on the farm and it was most likely inhabited until the 12th century.  This was the land of Reykjavik's first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, and Ingólfur's freed slave lived only 2 km away at Vífilsstaðir The Settlement Age Farm was discovered in 1986 during construction work when a kindergarten was to be built on this site.  In 1989 further excavation was made and from 1994-2000 a thorough archaeological excavation was carried out, supervised by Þjóðminjasafn Íslands - the National Museum of Iceland.  Hofsstaðir Viking longhouse and the new signs Here one can see the ruins of a long central fireplace but such fireplaces were typical in these Viking longhouses The inhabitants sat by the longfire and worked and ate and rested by the warm longfire 300 items were unearthed and an unusual bronze broach was discovered here The weaving room is closest to us in this photo Remains of a weaving room and many spindle whorls and loom weights were unearthed at Hofsstaðir All cloth was woven in this way back then and during the Middle Ages woven cloth was the biggest export in Iceland.   Hofsstaðir Viking longhouse - the old signs looked like this one Two boiling holes were discovered filled with burnt animal bones from sheep They were last used in the 10th-11th century What is unusual about these boiling holes is that they were outside You will also find remains of a pantry and a smithy - all well-marked with information signs Turf and lava walls surround Hofsstaðir which were erected later on to show the outer limits of the farm.  A multimedia exhibition was installed at Hofsstaðir with very good information on the Settlement Age farm - thanks to Garðabær town. This exhibition received the Nordic price NODEM back in 2004. It is in Icelandic on the Aftur til Hofsstaða website The information sign tells us about the people who might have inhabited the longhouse the Settlement Age farm is truly a hidden pearl. And it is for sure hidden away as it cannot be seen from the main street One could even pass it and mistake it for a small park, without ever knowing about its great historical significance - that the settlers of Iceland lived on this very spot a Viking Age farm hidden away between the houses and church here in the inhabited area of Garðabær town! I know that many Icelanders don't even know that it exists I stumbled upon Hofsstaðir on my way to Hafnarfjörður back in 1999+. Back then I had to take 14 years off travelling and my only summer trips consisted of walking from Reykjavík to Hafnarfjörður and back. So I know this area quite well Hofsstaðir is a part of the Saga and Heritage sites and centers in Iceland. I have shown you many of these sights in my other travel-blogs about Iceland. Here is what they say about Hofsstaðir. Hofsstaðir Settlement Age farm is always open and there is no entrance fee Hofsstaðir Viking longhouse in the fall There are many locations in Iceland called Hofsstaðir, one of which is located in Skagafjörður in North Iceland. At that Hofsstaðir you can see a newly built turf house I have added a photo of it in this travel-blog:  A List of the beautiful Icelandic Turf Houses, which I have visited on my Travels in Iceland The sign by Hofsstaðir in Garðabær Another Hofstaðir is located by the popular salmon river Laxá in Laxárdalur, just west of the ever so popular Mývatn area in North Iceland.  Extensive archaeological excavations are being carried out there at the moment It is located right opposite my husband's family's summer cottage so we have popped over on several occasions to have a look at the excavations Visiting the ruins of a Viking longhouse at Hofstaðir in Laxárdalur valley close to Mývatn You can see a chapter about Hofstaðir up north in this travel-blog of mine: A Compilation of the Viking Ruins & Pagan Burial Mounds I have visited on my Travels around Iceland The reason why there are so many places with the same name is that the Icelandic term "hof" means temple and back in the Viking Settlement Age before Christianity was adopted in the year 1000 in Iceland there were several heathen temples in my country Hofsstaðir and Vídalínskirkja church You can see in the photo above that there is now a Lutheran church located next to Hofsstaðir in Garðabær, but Christian Lutheranism is the most common belief system in Iceland Hofsstaðir is located behind Vídalínskirkja church and the shopping complex Garðatorg. Bus no 1 stops on the main street.   Here you can see the exact location of Hofsstaðir on the map. You can also rent a car in Reykjavík and drive to Garðabær Hofsstaðir is also located in the Greater Reykjavík area Scan this QR code with your phone camera and press the link that appears to add Iceland’s biggest travel marketplace into your pocket Download Iceland’s biggest travel marketplace to your phone to manage your entire trip in one place Enter your phone number or email address to receive an SMS or email with the download link Book your complete trip with the best companies only I visited the popular chain on a recent trip to Iceland and checked out its famous food court I found that the Icelandic Costco's food court offered fewer options than I've seen at Costco stores on the East Coast of the US but its menu contained many of the same items Take a look inside Iceland's Costco food court Garðabær is about 6 miles south of Iceland's capital of Reykjavík I was surprised to find that the store was laid out almost exactly the same as the Costco I'm used to visiting in New York City with the food court next to the checkout counters Iceland's Costco food court didn't have smoothies or churros — items I'm used to seeing at US stores In the US a slice of pizza at Costco costs $1.99 while a whole pie is $9.95 I enjoyed knowing that my $60 annual Costco membership card can get me into any Costco store worldwide to sample their unique food-court menus Costco The American giant will change the retail landscape in Iceland and add some much needed competition to the grocery market where two retailers hold the majority Plans to open in 2015 were postponed but now all planning formalities have been met and work on changing the space and additional construction can go ahead The building’s roof will be partially covered with vegetation Costco location Garðabær suburb is a 10 minute drive from the centre of the capital their aim is for the building to blend in with its natural surroundings While exploring the possibility of opening an outlet in Iceland Costco made inquiries about exceptions from Icelandic regulation regarding importing of fresh meat and selling pharmacy drugs and alcohol in their outlet Costco is the world's third largest retail chain Do you want to know more about this subject? Please send us a line at icelandmag@365.is Have you had an experience related to the contents of this article? Let us know! Join our weekly hand curated newsletter to have all the latest news from Iceland sent to you Dispute Costco is set to open in Iceland this year and will operate a tire store Iceland’s largest self-service petrol station and an optometrists and an audiologist's office The American membership-only warehouse club Costco is set to open its first Icelandic outlet in the Reykjavík suburb of Garðabær this year Among the services Costco will offer is a tire store who operates a chain of supermarkets called Bónus is vexed by Costco’s plans to open a tire store next to Bónus’ doorway Read more: The first Costco in Iceland will have a traditional turf roof is unhappy with Garðabær’s development plans for Kauptún retail-park where Costco is scheduled to open its outlet He argues that a tire store and the dirt and stench that comes with it does not belong next to a supermarket and can pose a threat to Bónus’ employees and customers According to the National Broadcasting Service Garðabær’s planning committee intends to revise development plans with the intention of finding a solution satisfactory to both parties Hard at work Students in Sjálandsskóli elementary school in the Reykjavík suburb of Garðabær are knitting woollen hats for refugees Students in Sjálandsskóli elementary school in the Reykjavík suburb of Garðabær have begun to put their handicraft skills to good use by knitting woollen hats for refugees The initiative is called ‘Hlýjar hugsanir’ (Warm thoughts) and will continue until the 1st of December when the children’s handiwork will be shipped to Vienna where volunteers will distribute the hats to those in need Silja Kristjánsdóttir, textile teacher at Sjálandsskóli school, told Morgunblaðið newspaper that the students are excited about the project - which also allows for an open and honest discussion about the crisis European countries face as migrants from the Middle East and Africa continue to enter the continent “The plan is to activate the parents as well; have them assist the children or provide the yarn needed The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said Traditional twist Costco will open its first warehouse in Iceland next year The building's roof will be partially covered with vegetation The American membership-only warehouse club Costco will open its first Icelandic outlet in 2016 in the Reykjavík suburb of Garðabær. The 20,000 square metre large (215278 sq ft) warehouse will include a coffee shop, a tire store, a self-service petrol station, a optometrists and a audiologist's office. According to the National Broadcasting Service the building’s roof will be partially covered with vegetation Read more: Costco postpones opening in Iceland until 2016 THG Architects presented their design for the Garðabær town council yesterday their aim is for the building blend in with its natural surroundings keeping lava rocks and moss relatively intact In 2014 Costco operated 672 warehouses all over the world Costco location Garðabær town is a suburb of Reykjavík with 14.000 people American membership warehouse club chain Costco plans to open an outlet in Iceland in 2016. According to news in 2014 it was believed that the retail giant would open in Iceland this year but now it has emerged that formal agreement regarding space for the outlet was not finalised but will however be signed this Friday Costco is buying a 14,000 sq meter (150,695 sq. ft.) retail space in Garðabær town Besides the store Costco will operate an unmanned gas station outside the Garðabær outlet Costco The American giant will change the retail landscape in Iceland and add some much needed competition to the grocery market where two retailers hold the majority. Photo/Wikipedia American membership warehouse club chain Costco will open an outlet in Iceland in 2015. Costco has bought a 14,000 sq meter (150,695 sq. ft.) retail space in Garðabær town While exploring the possibility of opening an outlet in Iceland the chain made inquiries about exceptions from Icelandic regulation regarding importing of fresh meat and selling pharmacy drugs and alcohol 2022 Torg ehf. Terms & Privacy “My garden is swarming with wild frogs,” Askur Hrafn Hannesson said in an interview with Vísir The Garðabær resident said he and his family first noticed the frogs in 2017 The story of one person’s garden being populated by frogs wouldn’t be news if it weren’t for the fact that amphibians don’t exist in Iceland — or at least they never did “They somehow always seem to survive the winter and come back,” says Askur that frogs are cold-blooded and are able to slow their body functions down to survive winters while borrowing underground or Frogs thrive in places with much harsher winters than Iceland the frogs often make their presence known during the summer He says he has no idea where the frogs come from “They can hardly be native to this area,” he says it is incredibly mysterious how they got here,” Askur admits that he and others have speculated about the frogs and their origin The frogs in this Garðabær garden were first reported when they were discovered in 2017 “This must be the first truly Icelandic breed of frogs,” said Karen Kjartansdóttir Grapevine Events: The Clock, Other-Grounds Film Festival, Icelandic Sorcery Festival & More With 854 warehouse locations worldwide Costco opened its first store in Iceland in 2017 about 6 miles south of Iceland's capital of Reykjavík Here are nine surprising products I saw on shelves there Produced by Iceland's Skallagrímsson Brewery since 1955 Egils Appelsin is often served at festive occasions and holidays like Christmas one that I've never seen at my Costco stores on the East Coast of the US Hot dogs are a popular street food in Iceland usually ordered "Ein með öllu," which translates to "one with everything." Skyr, closer to a cheese than a yogurt The dried and flattened fish fillets are usually made with cod I went looking for where to buy Smjör in the US when I got back from my trip because I loved it so much It's sold at some Whole Foods locations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Iceland is only a quick three-hour flight from London so it made sense to find British foods in the aisles made with fresh cream and strawberry jam between two sponge cakes Business Insider's Britney Nguyen previously reported King Charles III now has the power to review and grant Royal Warrants Brands will have to reapply to feature the royal coat of arms in 2024  The Reykjavik Fire Department have finally been able to gain control over the fire blazing in Garðabær where a storage space centre and Icewear caught fire Pollution from the fire has mostly disappeared Children were kept indoors at schools in Álftanes and Hafnarfjörður today and people with sensitive lungs should also refrain from being outside near the area The storage spaces are part of the Geymslur.is company where people can hire storage for their belongings which is located at Miðhraun 4 in Garðabær They believe that the building is entirely destroyed A man in his twenties died after losing control of his motorcycle in Garðabær yesterday, Mbl.is reports An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of the accident A man in his twenties died in a road accident in Garðabær yesterday afternoon, Mbl.is reports The man was riding a motorcycle west on the Heiðmerkurvegur road when he appeared to have lost control of the bike The accident was reported at just past 6 PM yesterday and the man was immediately transported to the National University Hospital He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival The name of the deceased will not be disclosed at this time but I was mostly surprised to find how similar it was to American stores Here's what my shopping experience was like The first section near the entrance sold pieces of technology like tablets and laptops I could also spot the grocery section and aisle of household items further into the store With its familiar layout and identical design I was able to guess that "apótek" meant "pharmacy" based on the protein powder and vitamins in the aisles as well what looked like a counter to pick up prescriptions The food court didn't have smoothies or churros — items I'm used to seeing at US stores — but it did sell pizza In the US During the summer, Fahrenheit temperatures in Iceland usually hover around the 50s, according to Icelandic travel agency Guide to Iceland.  and cookies that I've eaten dozens of times The Icelandic Costco was giving out samples of Greek yogurt and small bites of vegan pizza The dried and flattened fish fillets, usually made with cod, haddock, or wolffish, have been a staple of the Icelandic diet for centuries, according to Atlas Obscura so it made sense that Iceland's Costco stocked British favorites like Marmite 40 rolls of Kirkland toilet paper cost 4,099 ISK which comes out to about 78 cents per roll The Icelandic Costco also sold tents and camping gear a popular way to see Iceland in the summer despite the chilly temperatures "Sjóntæki" directly translates to "optical device," while "sjónmæling" means "optical measurement." Having visited touristy spots like the Blue Lagoon and the Seljalandsfoss waterfall I enjoyed getting a glimpse of everyday life in Iceland as I explored the aisles Due to the connection of new heating mains there will be no hot water in all of Hafnarfjörður and parts of Garðabær between Monday night and Wednesday morning next week The new mains are expected to ensure Hafnarfjörður’s hot water supply over the coming decades Veitur (Iceland’s public utility company) announced yesterday that Hafnarfjörður and select parts of Garðabær would be without hot water from 10 PM on Monday This interruption owes to the integration of new heating mains the new mains will bolster transport capacity addressing the growth in residential demand in Hafnarfjörður stemming from town expansion; the aim is to ensure Hafnarfjörður’s hot water supply over the coming decades Laying new main pipes in established neighbourhoods is rare, and the process is extensive. However, Veitur commits to swift, safe completion. Updates will be available on Veitur’s website The following streets in Garðabær will be affected by the closure: Boðahlein Seagulls have been causing much trouble in Garðabær particularly around the nursing home Ísafold where the birds have caused the residents some distress Numerous complaints from around town have been received at the local service center Most of them are about the birds attacking pedestrians the seagulls harming and killing the hatchlings of other birds and the staggering amount of shit they leave behind project manager for the Garðabær Environmental Committee confirms that cohabitation of humans and seagulls has been difficult in the town in recent quarters “This has been a problem in recent years, but something that is difficult for us to deal with. There are large seagull nesting grounds near some of the town’s neighborhoods and they are protected,” Guðbjörg told Fréttablaðið townsfolk has been processed in collaboration with the Icelandic Institute of Natural History and the Icelandic Environment Agency Since not much can be done within the nesting spaces action by municipal workers has been limited to moving the eggs outside defined areas Gunnar Þór Hallgrímsson, professor at the Faculty of Biology, University of Iceland, tells Fréttablaðið that the number of seagulls has not increased in recent years The problem of the birds’ collision with the residents of Garðabær isn’t new and is primarily about the proximity of the town to large nesting areas it’s normal for birds to be protective of their nests (he himself has apparently been attacked by birds before during his studies) although it’s supposed to be unusual that they actually attack humans as their primary source of food can be found there but their urbanisation seems to have had a bit of a bad influence on them Gunnar Þór also says that he doesn’t deem the issue that serious of a problem although he does point out that people need to be particularly aware of the birds once it’s mating season So God help you if you cross a seagull that’s not only hungry and territorial but also horny Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club You can also support us by checking out our shop that you can buy and have delivered right to your door Tré lífsins (‘Tree of Life’), a private organization that seeks to provide alternative, nondenominational, and environmentally friendly end-of-life services will be opening a crematorium and ‘Memory Garden’ in the capital-area municipality of Garðabær, RÚV reports Founder Sigríður Bylgja Sigurjónsdóttir says that now that permits have been approved fundraising for the project is the next major step She hopes that the crematorium and funeral facilities will be up and running within three years As part of its efforts to get the project approved by local authorities Tré lífsins has resurrected the Icelandic Cremation Association The association established a crematorium in Fossvogur at the time and Tré lífsins had hoped to take over that facility It was not equipped with any emissions control equipment it was simply easier to apply for an entirely new facility to be built “We’ve experienced a great deal of good will toward the project and felt that the need for this is significant,” remarked Sigríður who says that 50% of Icelanders are opting for cremation in lieu of traditional burials these days She adds that she expects that the number of cremations will increase in Iceland in the coming years Services at Tré lífsins will be available to individuals regardless of their religious beliefs or views Sigríður says there is a great need for spaces that are open to everyone for various activities in times of happiness or grief “So for people who maybe don’t want to have a traditional ceremony in a church or something else that is available regardless of whether people are Christian Per the Tré lífsins website services will be restricted at the beginning to those with Icelandic citizenship or permanent residence The Memory Garden will stand in lieu of a traditional cemetery: “After the cremation people can choose to plant their ashes with a tree in a Memory Garden where the tree will grow up as a living memory of a loved one.” Strætó’s proposed Borgarlína (City Line) system still enjoys significant support, according to a survey conducted by Zenter for Fréttablaðið, Vísir reports The project has already been discussed for nearly two years hoping that increased availability and use of public transportation will allow for a reduction in carbon emissions and ease the flow of traffic in the capital region The City Line was first envisioned as a light rail line but was revised as a “bus rapid transport” (BRT) network entailing lanes of traffic exclusively for its services and high-frequency services to a shorter list of stops Construction was set to start early this year Support for the City Line is highest in Reykjavík whereas Garðabær and Seltjarnarnes residents are more opposed Nearly half of the 1,400 people who took the survey voted in favor of the City Line Support has thus fallen significantly since October at which time Zenter set up a similar survey Their data found that women were overall more in favor of the express bus line than men and support is greater among younger age groups When breaking down data municipality by municipality, support is the strongest in Reykjavík at 57% of residents interviewed in favor compared to 29% opposed. “It comes perhaps as no surprise that support is the strongest where people are most affected by construction,” says Reykjavík mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson in an interview with Fréttablaðið Next in line for municipalities most in favor of the project are Kópavogur and Hafnarfjörður where almost half of residents who participated in the survey were in favor and around 20 and 25% were opposed In Garðabær and Seltjarnarnes on the other hand there is more opposition to the City Line than support In Garðabær only about a third of participants in the survey were in favor and about half were opposed The data in Seltjarnarnes was quite similar with 39% supporting the City Line project and a full 61% opposing it As plans currently stand, the City Line buses will be able to carry 150-200 passengers at a time. According to the City Line’s promotional website and attractive bus stops will be designed with comfort and accessibility in mind with passengers stepping into buses on level ground.” You can also check out our shop The Ministry of Social Affairs has invited the municipality of Garðabær, near Reykjavík, to receive ten LGBTQ refugees currently located in Kenya. RÚV reports the group is part of the 75 quota refugees the government has agreed to resettle in Iceland this year The Directorate of Immigration has also requested to sign an agreement with Garðabær to offer services to 40-50 applicants for international protection The Ministry is requesting Garðabær receive the group of ten and provide them with rental housing and necessary services and assistance for a period of one year following their arrival to the country The municipal council approved the project and appointed the mayor to prepare for the group’s reception received ten LGBTQ refugees from Uganda as part of the quota refugee program What was initially reported to be a spectacular Orionid meteor shower over Garðabær last night has turned out to have a more mundane explanation MBL reported last Friday that a lively meteorite shower could be seen over both Kópavogur and Garðabær the night previous between six and eight light blue lights could be seen in the skies that night These lights were reportedly suspected to be Orionids especially bright debris from Halley’s Comet which are especially visible during this time of year the annual arrival of the Orionids were estimated to arrive on the dates the lights over Garðabær appeared Unfortunately, in Iceland’s case this display had a more earthly explanation. Vísir reports that during the time these lights were reported the suburban shopping mall Smáralind held a light show which featured seven spotlights shining light blue beams into the sky If you hoped to see meteorite showers in the Icelandic sky, and had your view blocked by light pollution, do not despair: meteorite showers will still be visible until October 29 A modern turf hut The house is located in Garðabær The design blog Islanders has just published a fantastic story from a visit to one of the greatest buildings ever made in Iceland between 1963 and 1965 the house was designed inside and outside down to the smallest detail by local architect Högna Sigurðardóttir The concept was a modern turf hut built for a contemporary family Modern Nothing has been changed since the house was finished in 1965 The house is a true masterpiece and according to Icelanders.is it was nominated as one of the 100 most remarkable houses to be built in Northern-Europe in the 20th century With its few materials: wood, natural stone and exposed raw concrete walls, this is the brutalist’s dream Read more: These sleek and modern vacation cottages in south Iceland receive international acclaim Islanders.is was founded by Auður Gná and Íris Ann one an interior designer and the other a photographer and visual artist The blog documents beautiful and unique Icelandic homes in a series of gorgeous photographs offering a glimpse into Icelandic homes; A world somewhat hidden from those who visit Iceland See the whole feature, with many more photos here. I am mere steps into the Gálgahraun lava field before I forget the bustling highway just to the east connecting the towns of Garðabær and Hafnarfjörður There is an almost instant sense of profound reverence to this unusual piece of wilderness the last of its kind in the greater Reykjavík area The lava field was created by the eruption of the volcano Búrfell over 7,000 years ago and later became the natural muse to one of Iceland’s most iconic painters Aside from some biological refuse like the discarded skeleton of a Christmas tree and a few piles of dog shit Through the southern half of this ancient field the town of Garðabær is planning to build Nýi (“New”) Álftanesvegur a six-lane freeway comprised of two bisecting roads It would lie just a few kilometres north of the existing two-lane Álftanesvegur road The plans were initially proposed and environmentally assessed by the municipality’s division of Vegagerðin (“The Icelandic Road Administration”) in 2002 and subsequently approved by parliament in 2009 The new road was meant to bolster the town’s expanding community in particular the potential new residents of a luxury housing development on the southern-most edge of Gálgahraun “Many of the residents there bought their homes based on the idea that the new road would be built,” Garðabær Mayor Gunnar Einarsson says “It will be necessary to accommodate them.” the planned construction has been met by opposition from the onset in particular from a group called Hraunavinir (“Friends of Lava”) organised protest marches and held meetings with Garðabær city officials to try to get them to reevaluate the first assessment and offer an alternate plan to improve the existing road “The last assessment was only valid for ten years,” says Gunnsteinn Ólafsson because they have done repairs to the entrance of the road and also built a roundabout at Bessastaðir But those two projects were not included in the plan for Nýi Álftanesvegur The opposition arose mainly from the fact that the area is in the Nature Conservation Register a list of protected areas and areas where the circumstances exist to declare nature reserves or create national or country parks “It’s up to the municipalities to decide how they regard these areas,” Gunnsteinn says “So the City of Garðabær decided that the area north of the planned road would be a protected area even though it is exactly the same nature.” As the number of protesters increased and discussions reached a stalemate writer and environmental activist Andri Snær Magnason wrote an open letter to Gunnar Einarsson published in the Fréttablaðið newspaper on April 20 “I just got tired of seeing people writing all these petitions and protesting and not being addressed,” Andri says “Of course I don’t think I have the right to demand a meeting with a mayor and that he obey my requests but I felt I had to say something.” His letter called for Gunnar to reconsider the economical environmental and cultural impact that this planned construction would have Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson issued a statement to the City of Garðabær requesting that it withhold signing a construction contract until a second assessment is completed “I think it is necessary to listen to the voice of opposition,” Ögmundur says “This is not the first time I have intervened in this dispute I have organised a few discussion meetings and the authorities in Garðabær have always been willing to attend them Now I hope there will be proper consultations with the protestors.” The Garðabær division of Vegagerðin is currently doing a second assessment of the road plan which Gunnar says will be done by the end of May “If the new assessment shows anything new that we have to take into account “The implementation will take place on Vegagerðin’s side.” The new assessment will examine factors such as safety construction time and environmental impact He adds that the city officials are more than happy to comply with Ögmundur’s request for a second review as it doesn’t hurt anyone to take a second look “We aren’t trying to come forward with this proposal aggressively,” Gunnar says “We just want to make sure we look at all the possibilities and do this respectfully.” While the road currently serves a community of 2,500 people and transports twice as many vehicles at most per day the planned new road will accommodate 50,000 vehicles per day “The old one is very dangerous and we have to make room for future traffic in the area,” he says “We are planning to begin building homes in Garðaholt soon the area south of the current Álftanesvegur as it’s one of the best areas to build on.” Gunnsteinn and Andri disagree with Gunnar about the new road’s necessity “The problem is that people are driving too fast on the old road,” Andri says “This is an example of archaic road construction that is no longer relevant to urban planning.” This is in reference to the fact that the proposed freeway is based on an idea that has largely been phased out since the 1970s due to an increase in traffic congestion at peak hours and the severity of accidents resulting from higher speeds Boston and Portland have implemented freeway removal policies and demolished these types of roads altogether Andri adds that the privilege of those who can afford prime real estate is an invalid argument to him “I live next to a road that transports 12,000 vehicles every day,” he says “I don’t really have much sympathy for these homeowners who just don’t like a bit of noise.” The mayor is not only concerned with the residents’ ears but also with their lives “Our main point is the matter of traffic and security,” Gunnar says noting that the current road includes a blind-head that is particularly dangerous in bad weather as well as dangerous merging lanes for cars in the residential areas but he believes this could be addressed by repairing the old road “We have suggested two possibilities: either they build roundabouts on the old road to make people drive slower,” he says “or they could also install motion-sensitive streetlights at intersections that would change from green to red when cars come to drive out of the residential areas.” He says he is glad that Ögmundur believes that the town officials will meet with him although he notes that his last meeting with the mayor was unproductive The only other possibility is to build a tunnel which would cost 3 billion ISK and that is so expensive that no one would dream of doing that,’” Gunnsteinn says “He had already made up his mind before speaking to us “They have their feelings and arguments and we have our ours,” Gunnar says reiterating his stance that the old road is unsuitable for repair and the only other option would be to build an exorbitantly expensive tunnel “I think the best solution would be to go ahead with our plan because we were very careful to take the environment into account We don’t think it will be as damaging to the area as the people opposed think it will be.” The opposition doesn’t think it will just be a bit of damage “It will totally destroy one of the last remaining ancient lava fields within the metropolitan area,” Andri says Nearly 260 newly built apartments in Reykjavík remain unsold despite being located in eight centrally located densification areas Real estate agents have claimed that roughly 65 percent of new apartments in these neighbourhoods have failed to sell since January 1 This is according report in Morgunblaðið that notes only about 40 of the 300 available units have sold so far in 2025 Construction costs for the unsold properties are estimated at 20 billion ISK based on an average unit cost of 80 million ISK The projects all share a few key characteristics: older buildings were torn down to make way for new housing and most developments were designed to appeal to car-free lifestyles agents say that mismatch between the target market and buyer preferences is part of the problem Real estate agent Páll Pálsson told Vísir that the price gap between these new-build apartments and older housing stock is too wide for many buyers “Nearly 65 percent of the development projects are not selling and have not been selling for twelve to eighteen months,” he said While interest rate hikes have cooled the housing market in recent years Páll said pricing is a larger obstacle than borrowing costs “It’s simply been too expensive to build new apartments under the current setup,” he said “There are maybe only 0.4 to 0.7 parking spaces for each project Especially since the people who are buying most of these apartments and can afford it are maybe people who are downsizing have the means and ability to buy these properties A schoolgirl aged 10 was attacked by a teenager who put his hand across her mouth and puller her away from her friends The girl managed to escape and it is thought that the attacker was aged between 17- 19 years old The attack occurred in the suburb of Garðabær Police are investigating the incident but have not found the suspect The girl's mother says that the attacker grabbed her daughter in a choke hold and dragged her away When the child's girlfriends chased after him he let her go Unfortunately none of them saw his face as he had covered it with a hood The Environmental Agency of Iceland announced Thursday that it is opening an official investigation into the massive oil leak originating from the Costco-operated petrol station in Garðabær, RÚV reports inhabitants of Hafnarfjörður and neighbouring communities complained to city officials about a foul stench in the air After the Capital Region’s health inspection authorities set out to find the cause it turned out to be a massive oil leak from the Costco petrol station in Garðabær A total of 110.000 litres of diesel oil had leaked from the station through the sewer systems of Hafnarfjörður and Garðabær In the Capital Region’s health inspection authority’s meeting minutes last Monday it is not fully substantiated if the leak had an impact on aquatic and marine life All samples taken from the impacted area indicate diesel oil in small amounts There has long existed a firm divide between Reykjavík and the greater Reykjavík area the distinctions between local municipalities blur into the suburbs of Grafarholt don’t exist and Garðabær and Hafnarfjörður are seldom top of the list of anyone’s favourite dining destinations So when rumours swirled about a brand new restaurant poised to open right by the bay in Arnanesvogur The larch clad building steadily rose and as the pandemic creeped up on us it seemed like the restaurant wouldn’t open after all Sjáland is likely one of the busiest restaurants in town today dinner and corporate events seven days a week in addition to weekend brunches and champagne happy hours When you walk into something like this and it’s completely new,” he says sweeping his arms across the vast dining space “and you have someone like Stefán [Magnússon] and he buys your ideas and brings on people like Rúnar [Pierre Herivaux] and Víðir [Erlingsson] Goes very smoothly.” Rúnar has previously worked at Grillið and is a Chef of the Year silver medallist while Víðir has worked at KOKS and Reykjavik Meat Stefán is the restaurateur behind Reykjavík Meat Mathús Garðabær and Sjáland and it’s hard to miss his influence on the interiors The building too has received a lot of attention recently favouring an integration of the outdoors and indoors with sweeping views of the bay and a terraced roof plush seating and Moooi Meshmatics chandelier create a decadent atmosphere (enough to make one forget the draughty lobby bar.) The restaurant seats 90 and the banquet hall an additional 180 There are also plans for a smaller private dining experience for “more focussed menus,” Ólafur says “We want people to be able to enjoy a ‘fine dining’ experience,” he continues big bold flavours and simple food.” He also admits he’s never worked solely for this clientele And you learn very soon that diners here are far more demanding and forthright than which has undergone several changes in its short life “It is kinda seasonal and kinda how we feel,” Ólafur confirms There are wood fired pizzas with various toppings (an anchovy potato pizza sounds enticing) a selection of various proteins and as many desserts as main courses The pizzas are available for lunch and dinner And if you’ve been lamenting the loss of Hverfisgata 12 well you’re in luck as the pizzas here certainly echo those pies “It’s his baby,” Rúnar says pointing to Ólafur The kitchen sends out an assortment of starters—beautifully composed plates of smoked trout with candied fennel and preserved lemons a steaming seafood soup with startlingly well cooked local shrimp and scallops and a bloody beet and fig carpaccio punctuated with savoury thimbles of foie-gras crumbles “I think it’s the only dish that has stayed,” Rúnar says of the carpaccio The menu and the wine list play it safe and don’t veer towards staples favoured and strongly dictated by the neighbourhood (plans are underway for a contemporary wine menu that will change shortly) It is a conflict that plays out on your plate and belies the kitchen’s fine dining roots tries to balance what I’ve come to identify as distinctly Icelandic dining expectations with modern flourishes lightly salted cod is served with roasted cauliflower that is sneakily pickled as well from Nora Seafoods is doused in a mysa-fermented cabbage sauce pak choy and dukkah like seeds is all bite and grit and I really enjoy the smokiness the grill lends them While in their previous manifestations these chefs pared down the focus into distilled flavours The rib-eye is expectantly fatty and juicy but the mashed potatoes alongside also have brisket in them The lamb is excellent and the pickled mustard jús carries the acidity that I’d been longing for to cut through the richness of the other dishes almost every single dish is served with a herb oil the presence of which I discover to be the handiwork of a young chef with an enthusiastic trigger finger on the squeeze bottle I think these kinks will be worked out eventually as they hit that stride between crowd favourites and their own signatures I marvel at the portion sizes which are more than generous and the continued bonhomie in the dining room is an indicator of the diners’ happiness and the attentive I sit back and wonder at how curiously full the restaurant is how much the locals have embraced their neighbourhood restaurant and ask myself if I’d leave the confines and comforts of Reykjavík dining for a meal here again chef Rúnar appears with a dessert that has “You can’t leave without desserts,” teases Rúnar He carefully pours what seems like a gallon of cream into an expectant mound of skyr ganache sprinkled with frozen blueberries “It is for all the ammas,” Rúnar says and as if to confirm simply how good it is my 7-year old upended the entire bowl to catch every last drop Sjáland is located at Ránargrund 4 in Garðabær. The head chefs at Sjáland are Rúnar Pierre Herivaux, Víðir Erlingsson and Ólafur Ágústsson. Front of house team; Almar Ingvi Garðarsson, restaurant manager Styrmir Örn and Sigurður Borgar Ólafsson. Check out their website here Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club You can also check out our shop a good ten kilometres from downtown Reykjavík lies a unique lava field called Gálgahraun Álftanes and Garðabær were all built around the 8,000-year-old lava which is on the Nature Conservation Register and was immortalised on canvas by celebrated Icelandic artist Jóhannes S Gálgahraun was widely considered to be one of the few spots of unspoilt nature left in the greater metropolitan area as a big highway that cuts the field in two is currently under construction The road is being built to accommodate the people of Álftanes a town of 2,500 that was incorporated into neighbouring municipality Garðabær in 2013 Justifying the massive and expensive construction Mayor Gunnar Einarsson says that the current Álftanesvegur road is too dangerous featuring a blind head and ten other roads that merge into it “It doesn’t meet the requirements of the neighbourhood that will be built in the near future,” he says insisting that his experts deem the road to be not only absolutely necessary The road has been on the town’s agenda since 1995 with parliament in 2009 approving plans to build a six-lane highway that would accommodate up to 50,000 cars per day ten times more than currently use the existing road “The people of Prýðishverfi [a newly built luxury neighbourhood on the southern edge of Gálgahraun] bought their houses under the assumption that the new road would be built.” Gunnar says “The matter had gone through all the appropriate committees and processes—the only sensible thing left was to go ahead and build the road.” This construction was firmly opposed by environmental conservationist group Hraunavinir (“Lava Friends”) who claimed it would cause irreparable damage to the scenic area Agreeing that the current road is hazardous the group spent the better part of 2013 providing the Álftanes council with alternative solutions that were less costly while making the current road safer One such suggestion included adding roundabouts where other roads intersected with the old one which would slow down traffic and do away with the need for extra traffic lights The suggestions were uniformly turned down petitions and an injunction filed against the Icelandic Road Administration the contractors started their work in October the conservationists took to the field to protest the construction Artist Tinna Þorvalds-Önnudóttir says the foreign press completely missed the point. She was there to protest an absolutely unnecessary destruction of nature, and was one of nine activists charged with disobeying police orders “I was sick and tired of capitalistic authorities acting like dictators having their way at everyone else’s expense,” she says “and it’s not clear who’s going to benefit from this new expensive road being built when there are better alternatives.” and obligates authorities to take their views into account before making a final decision claims he respects the opinions of Hraunavinir and the protesters but says their assessment and solution are utopian and out of touch with reality “We’ve already planned the whole neighbourhood around the old road,” he says “The only way to avoid going through the lava field would have been to build an underground tunnel Gunnsteinn confesses he did not expect the matter to go as far as it did from his simple verbal protests to ending up in jail charged with criminal conduct that the police were so heavy-handed in their arrests tightening their zip tie handcuffs so much that they wound up injuring two protesters I would have been unable to work and provide for my family We don’t believe the police have the right to walk over citizens in this manner and we will seek our justice from the courts.” He continues to say that he is surprised that the Icelandic Road Administration decided to sink 1.1 billion ISK (around 1 million USD) into this new road money that could have been used to fix several roads around the country that need urgent attention there is nothing left for the conservationists to do with regards to Gálgahraun—the damage is already done Gunnar says two lanes of the road will be completed around 2016 after which town authorities will decide upon any further expansion The nine arrested protesters are still awaiting their day in court but Gunnsteinn says they have legal proceedings of their own in process In addition to suing the Icelandic state for not allowing them to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right of peaceful protest the group also has another case before the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) court concerning the state’s disregard of the Aarhus convention Gunnar says the town has taken the utmost care in protecting the “elf church” from harm “I’ve been in contact with Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir a psychic who can communicate with elves,” he says “We’ve walked through the field together and talked to the elves and they have started to prepare to move out so they won’t be bothered by the construction.” Tinna says the worst part about the AP article is that it makes the town council look like the good guys in the story—after all but they are absolutely not the heart of the matter.” The Gálgahraun lava field was formed 8,000 years ago the bulldozers rolled through Gálgahraun in October of 2013 My Way Or The Highway “Gálgahraun Nine” Awarded Andri Snær Says A Few Roundabouts Could Save A Lava Field Hidden People: They’re Just Like Us (Kind Of) Reykjavík, Mosfellsbær, Kópavogur, Garðabær, Hafnarfjörður and Seltjarnarnes—these are the towns of the capital area, with a combined population of 232,789 people out of Iceland’s total of 364,134. According to a new poll conducted by Zenter for Fréttablaðið 70% of the people who live in this region support the notion of combining at least some of these towns with about half supporting combining all of them into one big city The idea is not a new one and there are considerable discrepancies between residents of different towns regarding levels of support for the concept 81.2% of Reykjavík residents support combining at least some of these municipalities and these residents displayed the highest level of support of all This was followed by 73.7% of Kópavogur residents; 57.6% of Hafnarfjörður residents; and a razor-thin majority of 50.1% of residents of Garðabær The strongest opposition was amongst those living in Mosfellsbær the only capital area town located north of Reykjavík followed by the residents of Seltjarnarnes Respondents were given the option to select which municipalities in the capital area to combine support simply combining all these towns into one large city This was followed by combining Reykjavík and Seltjarnarnes (44%); Kópavogur Hafnarfjörður and Garðabær (27%); Reykjavík and Mosfellsbær (22%); Hafnarfjörður and Garðabær (15%); Kópavogur and Garðabær (10%); and Reykjavík and Kópavogur (8%) the idea of combining all the Reykjavík area municipalities also received resounding support from 80.5% of those who live in the countryside with about 66% supporting combining them all and adopting the Garðabær name for them both Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club You can also support us by checking out our shop “The risk that COVID-19 will be carried to Iceland is real, and what happens next mainly depends on how well other nations manage to protect themselves against the virus,” Ásmundur Jónasson, program director at Garðabær public health clinic, tells Morgunblaðið as is the case at other clinics in Reykjavík and vicinity All 38 samples that have been analyzed at Landspítali National University Hospital have proved negative No Icelander is known to have contracted the virus abroad there are ten Icelanders in quarantine at a hotel in Tenerife The protective clothing used when samples are taken can only be used once and must be carefully removed to avoid spreading the virus The risk of the virus spreading to Iceland is assessed daily The chief of epidemiology advises against unnecessary travel People who have traveled to those areas are asked to remain at home in quarantine for 14 days after returning to Iceland Iceland is the only one among the Nordic countries where no COVID-19 cases have been confirmed The first case in Denmark was reported this morning the first case of the virus in Norway was announced and Sweden’s second case was reported last night  A warehouse for Icewear and the Geymslur.is storages in Garðabær caught fire this morning The smoke is visible from many parts of the capital The fire was accompanied by massive smoke that rose to the skies with poisonous gases hitting both Hafnarfjörður and Álftanes Everyone got out safe from the fire and firefighters have been battling the flames since the fire started at around 8 am Firefighters are afraid that the ceiling of the building is about to cave in Large quantities of uncollected online orders hindered employees’ efforts to prepare the Garðabær IKEA store before it reopened this morning, Morgunblaðið reports The store opened its doors for the first time this morning since it shut on March 23rd due to the COVID-19 outbreak demand for furniture remained high during the store’s closure It seems many Icelanders have decided to take advantage of increased time at home during the pandemic to pursue DIY projects Employees were faced with a large number of uncollected online orders before the re-opening prompting the company to issue an urgent plea for shoppers to collect their items The company has stressed that measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of employees and customers during the pandemic: The company will be monitoring the situation to assess when distancing measures can be eased Old traditions A singing assembly is held every morning at Laugarnesskóli elementary school a tradition that has continued for decades sat in on a morning assembly in Laugarnesskóli elementary school in Laugardalur valley A singing assembly is held every morning at the school That particular morning the students flawlessly sang the song ‘Ferðalok’ (Journeys end) a beautiful ballade made famous by the late Óðinn Valdimarsson Hinn daglegi morgunsöngur í Laugarnesskóla er ein fallegasta morgunstund sem hægt er að hugsa sér Það er frábært að verpa vitni að þessari innlifun og áreynslulausim aga þar sem allir koma fara og sitja í fallegri röð með sínum bekk Heyriði bara "Ég er kominn heim" í þessum flutningi Posted by Dagur B. Eggertsson on Wednesday He posted this video on his Facebook page of school children singing commenting: “This fills you with warmth and tranquillity … Just listen as they sing “Ég er kominn heim” (I’m home again) to assess whether there are any elves living in the field Erla contends there are no elves living there but that it does serve as a meeting place for them She alleges that there is a beloved elf church in the field named Ófeigskirkja and that it would be unwise to move the stones “People should take caution around these beings,” she says the town of Vogar in Reykjanesbær asked Erla to convince some elves to move so the city could build a senior citizens’ home Erla did so and there were no incidents during construction Erla says she has already asked the elves in Gálgahraun if they would move for the construction of the highway There are many stories in Iceland of interference with construction plans on supposedly elven land Erla says that incidents usually occur when the elves aren’t consulted with A large and unusual rock will be moved today to make way for a new road in the municipality of Álftanes An announcement from the Icelandic Road Administration states that the rock will be placed by the side of the road close to similar rock formations  "A pact between elves and men," explains clairvoyant Ragnhildur Jónsdóttir who wrote to the Mayor of Garðabær on behalf of the elves in 2012 Moving the rock has been somewhat controversial and the new placement of the rock is no coincidence believed to be the legendary Ófeigskirkja- an elf church- made international news The project  was  halted until the Supreme Court of Iceland ruled on a case brought by a group known as Friends of Lava who cite both the environmental and the cultural impact — including the impact on elves — of the road project Elf issues have affected planning decisions in Iceland before and the road and coastal administration has come up with a stock media response for elf inquiries which states in part that "issues have been settled by delaying the construction project so that the elves can the Lady of Lórien as she appears in Peter Jackson's film version of Tolkien's Lord of the RIngs Tolkien was very inspired by Icelandic literature Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson conducted a sanctification ritual at the rock in 2009 The Friends of the Lava have not succeeded in thwarting plans of constructing a road through this path but the alleged Ófeigskirkja rock was spared and is being moved to its new location today "In 2012 the elves summoned me into the lava and showed me an elven church surrounded by beautiful, bright energy, and next to that church was Ófeigskirkja, a chapel," explains seer Ragnhildur Jónsdóttir who runs the Elf Garden in Hafnarfjörður "The elves told me that Ófeigskirkja had been used as a beacon guiding people through the lava in the pathway of the new road to be constructed I wrote to the Mayor of Garðabær on behalf of the elves Ófeigskirkja will now be moved to a place near other elven abodes in harmony with the wishes of the elves,"explains Jónsdóttir and indeed an announcement from the Icelandic Road Administration today supports this claim  "The rock will be moved next to other beautiful and simlar rock formations thus creating a unified whole," it states in the press announcement "Hopefully these rocks will become a popular stop for hikers in the area Many believe that the rock is the abode of elves and that the rocks to which this "chapel" will be moved are also the home of elves It is possible that the rock is Ófeigskirkja although people do not agree on the matter one weighing 50 tonnes and the other weighing 20 tonnes and will be hoisted up and transported today at eleven a.m in these two parts." who seems rushed in the telephone conversation explains cheerfully that she has to hurry so as not to miss the event " I'm going to see the rock moved and make sure that everything is allright The elves have been preparing for this for a long time A day of fun One thousand people plan to meet up in the IKEA store in Garðabær on Saturday to play hide-and-seek “We need to make sure people are safe in our stores and that’s hard to do if we don’t even know where they are.” Read more: Costco arriving to Iceland in 2015 The event in Iceland was organised over Facebook with 1,200 signing up for the fun not against them.” Adding that the Icelandic event is much smaller than the one in the Netherlands where 19 thousand people had planned to partake in the game Read more: The Road Administration plans to move an elf church which sits in the path of new road Þórarinn hopes gamers will show caution while playing and not make a mess of the store “Certain parts of the store will be off limits We also plan to increase security on Saturday.” For those who wish to join in on the fun, further information is available here The popular US wholesale chain store Costco has expressed an interest in opening up shop in Iceland and are now hoping to get official approval Two places for the store are currently on the table, RÚV reports: Kauptún in Garðabær and Korputorg “I would find it mostly a good thing to get the store in Iceland where we could see the lowering of all-to-high prices,” Garðabær mayor Gunnar Einarsson told reporters it would be a plus if it came to Garðabær.” Costco not only plans on opening stores selling the kind of heavily discounted mix of bulk products they are famous for – they also want to build several “fueling stations” electricity and methane for different vehicles While the city of Reykjavík is waiting for more details from Costco on their plans the City Council Planning Committee has approved the Korputorg location “We think there are a competitive number of gas stations in the capital area,” said Planning Committee chairperson Hjálmar Sveinsson to reporters “So we’re giving ourselves a little time to get better information on what a fueling station is.” Costco needs to get official government approval Many of the products Costco can sell in the US would be difficult or possibly restricted from import to Iceland such as fresh meat and certain medications Minister of Industry and Commerce Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir has met with Costco representatives on several occasions While she said she could not comment specifically on the matter as it is on the table of several ministries she said she believes competition would bring “lower prices and not least of all increase the number of choices of products.” Hard at work The Road Administration plans to move a 70 tonne (154,324 lbs) rock which sits in the middle of the Gálgahraun lava field in the Reykjavík suburb of Garðabær The Road Administration plans to move a 70 tonne (154,324 lbs) rock which sits in the middle of the Gálgahraun lava field in the Reykjavík suburb of Garðabær and in the path of a new road linking Álftanes to Garðabær Some believe the rock to be the infamous elf church Ófeigskirkja would not reveal the cost of moving the rock but says they will have to hire a crane to do the job Read more: An American in Reykjavík: Do Icelanders actually believ in elves or is the joke on us? “The circumstances are quite unusual as the rock is somewhat distinctive to the area In this case people warned that the rock was likely the famous Ófeigskirkja we felt the need to respect that belief,” he explained Although elves are thought to be responsible for numerous heavy equipment breakdowns and other accidents over the decades it is uncommon that the Road Administration decides to divert roads or move rocks for the sake of elves Read more: Do Icelanders really believ in elves? The building of the road between Álftanes and Garðarbær was highly criticised when the plans were made public in 2013 as the road runs through a protected area of the Gálgahraun lava field This lead to a series of protests taking place near the construction site and to a number of arrests The boy, whose photos the police posted on Facebook in connection with recent attacks on girls in Garðabær, near Reykjavík, and who subsequently came forward yesterday the case is being worked on in cooperation with Garðabær Child Services and town officials whereas the age for criminal responsibility in Iceland is 15 The police wish to thank for all the assistance they have received and thank those who have provided information in the case Chief superintendent of the police’s central investigative unit tells mbl.is that the police believe they are on the right track in the investigation Still, it is not yet clear whether the boy who came forward is related to all five cases under investigation in Garðabær. Five attacks on young girls have been reported in the town, one in December of last year and four this month. For further coverage, see here The future site of Costco in Garðabær suburb of the Capital Region which plans to open a warehouse store in Garðabær A whole page ad in the local newspaper Fréttablaðið announces the store is searching for people to fill various different positions promising "fair wages and a pleasant workplace"  Read more: Membership fee in Costco Iceland will be less than in US The store is searching for employees for nine departments, everything from bakery staff to the tire department. A total of 160 positions need to be filled. The local news site Vísir reports that the store expects that in three years the total number of employees will have reached 250 the second largest retailer in the US will be opening a branch in Iceland at the beginning of next year a municipality of the greater capital area Costco will be buying a large part of the building Kauptún 3 from the company Sýsla owned by brothers Sigurður Gísli Pálmason and Jón Pálmason Representatives of Costco first looked at locating at Korputorg Costco will be managed from Britain and the sales contract of Kauptún 3 is ready and is being looked at at the Costco headquarters in Britain or in Iceland mostly known as the IKEA goat on the outskirts of the greater Reykjavik area It’s normally erected in the weeks leading up to Christmas and sadly it has also become a norm that it´s set afire it´s been destroyed by the wind or the weather It certainly doesn’t seem to have much luck on the windy island It was erected this year for the seven consecutive year and last night it was set ablaze once more it was reported to the fire department around four o’clock this morning The arsonists how ever were promptly caught this year The quick wits of a security guard on the scene lead to the three perpetrators incarceration and they will be charged tomorrow They had thrown some sort of Molotov cocktail at the goat followed by the pouring of inflammable liquates that made sure that the goat would burn completely down to ashes In the past “the goat has been set on fire twice before and twice it was blown away in a storm” According to a report by Monitor. “Last year it self-combusted due to faulty Christmas lights. This year, there is a new lighting system and an electric fence to keep away arsonists.” A video of the goat ablaze can be seen here