So today we have the second of our three fun days leading up to Lent. It’s called Sprengidagur, which literally means “Exploding day”. On account of the fact that you’re supposed to imbibe salted lamb and yellow split-pea soup until your stomach bursts.

It’s pretty bad for you [really salty – think your basic potato chip and multiply by 1000] and it means that you spend the entire evening drinking liquids – almost ‘till your stomach bursts. But that’s tradition … back in the day they had to do things to food in order to preserve it, and sometimes that included copious amounts of salt.

So for all that, it better be worth it, right? Well, it is. It’s delicious, absolutely delectable. Only you wouldn’t want to eat it very often. Definitely not if you have high blood pressure. Although to be honest I’ve never actually heard of anyone being killed by their dinner on this day.

NOW, AS FOR THE WEATHER
It’s been a gorgeous day. Overcast with thin clouds and the sun breaking through occasionally, but most importantly the temps have been at or just above the freezing mark and there’s been very little wind. And there’s snow on the ground, so the air is just incredibly fresh and clean. Went for a massage today followed by the usual flake-out in the jacuzzi at the Laugardalslaug swimming pool. So now I’m a basket case – just a tad too full and a bit too massaged for my own good. Need sleep now. Temps currently 1°C. Sunrise was at 9.45; sunset at 17.40.

PS If you click on the pool link, check out the text. One can get a message! One can even get a vibrating water-message! And then One can go to the farm zoo and check out the Icelandic pets on display! [Yes, we are barbarians.]