©jmillerphoto - Atlantic Puffin

Another new image available on the site.  This is a head shot of an Atlantic Puffin (Fratericula arctica) from my last trip to the puffin cliffs at Látrabjarg in northwestern Iceland.

Látrabjarg is one of my favorite places in the world to make images.  During the early summer, the cliffs are thick with many different types of sea birds, but the puffins are the starts of the show.  This image was shot at a bit of a distance, but represents only a very small crop.  This is an image I have sold before but is available online for the first time.

It is available in sizes up to 11×14.

A Shetland confectioner wins its legal battle with retail giants Asda over the name of one of its flagship sweets…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: go shopping. The blog is also related to: gift shopping.

Apparently the Ryder Jon Piotrs Nomadic Gallery has received a Puffin Foundation Grant.

We wrote the grant in 2008. We received the 1099 tax form yesterday, but never received the check or accompanying paperwork. (I suppose it is due to our nomadic nature. ha.)

We are thankful and elated at the good fortune that has blessed us. Receiving a grant from such a reputable foundation further strengthens our resolve in the benefits of creating a more accessible gallery experience.

More details will be posted as they emerge.

When my 8 year old was searching for something to read beyond her school readers, I thought back (all those years ago!) to what I was reading when I was her age. I remember loving the classics, and, luckily for me, Penguin Books has recently begun re-releasing them in the fantastic Puffin Classics series.

The books look wonderful, and each has an introduction by a contemporary author. The icing on the cake is that they are only $9.95 each, which makes it very easy to gather a great collection!

We began with The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and introduced by Sophie Dahl. It’s a book I loved when I was a kid. It’s about Mary Lennox, a rather spoiled young girl, who is sent to her uncle’s isolated manor to live when she is orphaned. Mary lives a lonely life until she finds the key to secret garden, and begins to blossom herself as she tends the neglected garden and brings it back to life. When she meets her sickly cousin Colin, she takes him to the garden where he begins to flourish as well. It’s a charming story about friendship and the power of positive thinking.

I’m pleased to say that my daughter loved it as much as I did, and she’s since tried A Little Princess, The Wizard of Oz and The Wind in the Willows from the same series, with great success. After all, they’re classics for a reason! I think we might try Five Children and It next -  there are lots in the series so why stop now? And I must say they do look gorgeous lined up on the shelf! $9.95 each. Fiona

Last night, Puffin and I went out to dinner with our friends. It was a fun time. And then we went in and took a little catnap to sleep off the tummy ache.

Well, last night, I got home and chilled a little bit because I didn’t want to wake my niece with the television. But when I went to bed, it took me at least an hour and a half to goto sleep. When I cuddle with Puffin, it becomes addicting. Even if we’re not cuddling, I can reach over and touch him, and it’s kind of like a reminder to let me know he’s still there. And when I’m sleeping alone, I can’t do that. And I wake up the next day and I’m missing him more than usual.

Some may call it needy. I can’t help it. I’m in love!

So…, Christmas is going to be interesting…. $200 to shop for 11+ people. Whoopdi frickin’ doo!!!!

Anyways, the movie’s I’m dying to see right now (in or coming to theatres):

Amelia

500 Days of Summer

New Moon

The Blind Side

Alice

Precious

Where the Wild Things Are….

So, again, miss my Puffin.

Let me put it this way…,

I’ve always wanted someone who is completely capable of breaking my heart, but never does.

I want Spence to always be this person.

<3

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Jeffy

xoxoxo

This past Friday night, I stayed up until 6am watching Scream 3 on MTV. And the next day, being Halloween, I didn’t wake up until noon. Well, that night, Puffin and I got to the apartment and slipped into our Halloween costumes. Anyways, we headed upstairs to our friends’ house and had a great time. Yes, there were interruptions… but overall, a fabulous time. And we looked so presh! But Sunday morning, we skipped church (God forgive us!) and had a wonderful day moving furniture with his brother and his parents. Seriously…, it didn’t suck. And we rearranged the living room. And then yesterday, two episodes of Gossip Girl and watching Twilight with Spence, and Addison slumbering all day…. It was a pretty good time. Oh, and we shared a Snickers. Very presh! So, it was hard sleeping in an empty bed last night. Yes, Mister Gordo, my plush pig, helped. He always does. But I missed laying with my Puffin. Anyways…, Thanksgiving is next!

<3

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Jeffy

xo

Flintstone lacks elite hands and is not especially shifty or agile.  His work ethic is a question mark as evidenced by his doughy body.

I wrote an NFL style scouting report for several cartoon characters, imagining that they were eligible to be drafted.  Puffin Circus liked it enough to print it in their second issue.  It is also available as a pdf download. 

I refuse to learn the names of the new Girls Next Door on E!. They are trying desperately to replace Holly, Bridget and Kendra; replacing the old girl’s real sentiment for Hugh Heffner with artificial affection.

From the left: the Doublemint Skanks and the New Holly.

The first two episodes were dedicated entirely to establishing the “relationship” the new main girlfriend has with the pinup king. She spends the show searching for a new nickname as marketable as “puffin” for her stranger beau. This Girls Next Door is even less believable than the last. Heffner was introduced to the doublemint skanks just last spring and to the main G.F. last Halloween. Why would I care about the loveless relationship that has lasted barely a year more than Heffner’s 5+ year relationship with Holly Madison?

Sorry E, it is not the same, and I do not care about their inhumane practices of dying their dogs pink, their trashy gossip about Holly, or their outrageous behavior in Vegas when they are left alone. Heff would never allow his old GF’s to leave him for more than 12 hours, the fact that the new girls can leave him for more than a day proves the show’s treachery. Holly, Bridget, and even detestable Kendra, I miss your themes parties, watching your midnight craving for Arby’s and your colony of untrained animals.

Real Girls Next Door, I miss your face- Shassie.

Many of you may not know that a few things have happened since October 1st, my last entry. Spence and I are still together, bitching at each other a good portion of the time, as always. But next Tuesday is our four month anniversary. It’s kind of weird, thinking about us being together so long. But I guess it’s because, we don’t like the same things, we don’t usually like the same people and we don’t necessarily like each other at times. But what doesn’t kill our love, makes it stronger. I never question myself as to if I love him or not. Because I am madly in love with him. We can be laying there on the floor, watching television and I’ll just look over at him. He’ll just so carelessly be looking at the T.V. and he’ll have the reflection shining off of his eyes and this little grin on his face. Well, needless to say, I smile and grin my ass off. His face just makes me bite my lip, and I know that I love him. That I want to be with him. That I can hardly keep my hands off of him. And maybe it’s just me. But, even though he doesn’t like to kiss me at times, or doesn’t tell me that he loves me unless I usually say it first…. But I love him. And I can’t help it. And I wish I could, because looking at him makes me love him and loving him makes me so vulnerable and open to heartbreak, if it does occur. But, though it’s hard for me to trust anyone, I trust him. Because I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone before. And I know that is so commonly said, but I mean it.

So, Friday, Spence, Caitlin, Matt and I went to this Halloween store, and next door was a pet store. So we went in there and played with the cats. And I was begging Puffin for one. So, that night, a couple other neighbors, Spence and myself were at Caitlin’s having a few drinks. Some of us anyways. And Caitlin and Spence left somewhere and wouldn’t let me come or tell me where it was they were going. I figured they were just going to bring me back McDonald’s or something. But and hour and a half later, they come back and Caitlin opens her purse and a kitten is sitting in there. A 5week old female. So Spence and I now have Dame Addison Aileen Moore. Addison is what we call her though. She is the most adorable little angel, with the sharpest claws.

So Sunday, Spence came and got me early as usual. But this Sunday, we made our way down to Bowling Green to spend the day with his parents. And it was a fabulous time. We watched movies, and went hiking and took a tour of the Spence’s old stomping grounds. We played with the animals a bit. We had a fabulous time. It was so relaxing and “>peaceful. Something I haven’t been a part of in a long time.

But, as I said, I love him. These past few days have been pretty good. This Saturday night, we’re going to his friend, Sandra’s Halloween/Birthday costume party. But I don’t think we’re dressing up for it. We’ll be dressing up on Halloween. But until then, you’ll just have to be eager.

Always

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Jeffy

Here are some animal sketches that were done in Alaska.

ink and waterbrush on paper

So, it’s been a long while since I’ve got the chance to blog…. So, there have been interesting things happen to me sinc I’ve been away from this… fabulous weblog…. But this past weekend, my Puffin, Spence made his annual trip to Columbus, Ohio to visit his friends. And I, needing a vacation anyways, decided to visit my best friend, Emily. So I went to Charlestown, Indiana for the weekend. We chilled with our friends, whom I have not seen in a long time. And we took pictures in the park. A genuine blast. We actually spent probably 3hours walking around town. And then Monday, my Puffin came and got me. We spent these past few days together. And he has been so romantic and sweet. It has just been a dream come true. And this weekend, we might make a cameo at the Louisvile Art Exibit. We might have some friends over with a few drinks. But who knows, we’re young and in love….

xoxo

–

Jeffy

So… ever since Wednesday September 8th it has been the busiest, yet the best week of this entire year. Sort of…. Well, my best friend called me and needed me due to something serious in her life right now, so I jumped. I packed my shit and got to her as soon as I could. She was waiting on the porch and we hugged each other almost in tears. But I looked at her in shock because her hair was so long. It made me want to cry because it’s been almost 5 and a half months since we’ve seen each other, and it hurt me to know that I hadn’t been able to watch her hair grow. I know it sounds weird, but it’s a great example of how I feel. Well, we immediately started taking pictures for Facebook. We had a blast. Then we chilled at her house for awhile and took pictures, talked, talked about how busted this guy named, Chris is; her stalker. And we even did this improvised little crazy effin’ dance to “U & Ur Hand” by P!nk. Don’t ask…. We chilled with a few friends, and I talked to Puffin several times a day. I spent my birthday with my BFUD and had a great time. I tried to make it a great two and a half days. So, Friday I went back to Valley Station (woot woot, no) and had to haul ass to get what I needed so I could be ready for when Spence came to pick me up for the weekend. We had a dinner date with our friends, and (how convenient) our neighbors, Caitlin and Matt, whom we love so damn much. We went back to their place (after I blew out my candle) and had some drinks. We danced a little bit, (Spence shocked my shit! by flipping me like a swing-dancer). Caitlin, Spence and I ended up watching Doom. Then we went home and had a little more birthday fun. Then the next morning we woke up and went shopping, bought each other birthday gifts. And then we made our (fashionably late) appearance at Spence’s niece, Olivia’s 3rd birthday part. It was a good time. I got to (finally) meet Spence’s mother. She, much like his father, is a kind and sweet person. It’s nice being known as… I guess it’s safe to use the word family. I mean, Spence and I haven’t been together that long. 3 months on September 20th…. But it feels like 3 years. And everyone knows me;  I know everyone. So it’s just like we’ve known each other for years. I’m as attached to Olivia as I am my own niece. It’s a good time.

Anyway, that night I was supposed to be out of town, but I changed my plans at the last minute to goto the party that Caitlin was throwing for Matt’s birthday. So, we made our appearance. I was a drunk skunk and he (Spence) was a drunken puffin. Haha. We danced and had an absolutely fabulous time. Full of fabulosity. And then today, we’re just chilling with each other. Going to the park to take pictures (as promised by Puffin).

Sometimes it gets hard. But love is a hard thing. What I’m all about…? I want to be the only guy he touches, kisses, makes love to and gets aroused for. Because I’m that guy for him. I’m in love and I want to make it to the end. Anyways… hope you enjoy this blog. Love yas!

Jeffy

xoxo

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The goal for our July 2009 trip to Round Island, located in Bristol Bay off the Alaskan mainland, was primarily to see hundreds of Pacific Walruses.  But Round Island has rocky headlands that are the nest sites of a quarter-million seabirds, so we enjoyed five days of wonderful birding at close range and with a soundtrack that always included the lyrical cries of Black-legged Kittiwakes and the beautiful notes of Golden-crowned Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes.  The only ducks we observed were nine Harlequin Ducks in the surf; we are more accustomed to seeing Harlequin Ducks on the fast rivers near our Olympic Peninsula home.

For this weblog entry, I will show you some of my favorite photographs of birds on the island.  I didn’t spend as much time photographing birds as I would have liked, because of several days of windy conditions and the constant distraction of photographing Walruses; however, I was thrilled with the photography I was able to do.

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Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) in breeding plumage perched at the entrance to its burrow, located among tundra grasses on a cliff face within the Round Island State Game Sanctuary in Bristol Bay, Alaska.  The Tufted Puffins were secretive around their burrow entrances, and seemed to wait until we were looking away before silently entering the opening.

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Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) surveying its territory from atop a dried umbel of a Cow Parsnip or Angelica.  Savannah Sparrows were the most common songbird on the island; wherever we walked, they were constantly chipping from atop plants or rocks, and were gathering insects with which to feed their young.

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Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) in breeding plumage perched at edge of breeding colony.  The Horned Puffins perched on exposed rocks on the cliff faces, often several together.  This puffin was sitting about 100 feet from where we pitched our tent, so whenever lighting conditions were good, we would quietly approach the cliff to see if birds were present.  The puffins allowed us to sit on an overlook and photograph, perhaps 35 feet from them.

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Horned Puffins in flight, heading back to their burrows after a fishing trip off Round Island.  At this point the puffins did not appear to have young, because we never observed any carrying fish.

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Horned Puffin in breeding plumage stretching and fluffing its wings while perched at the edge of a cliff on Round Island.

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Bright reddish-orange feet and wonderful faces characterize this species.

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The grassy headlands and rocky cliffs of Round Island provide good habitat for a variety of songbirds and seabirds. There are no bears or wolves on the island, which is located some 40 miles from the mainland.  Here the major predators on nesting birds are Red Foxes and Common Ravens.

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Pelagic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax urile) in breeding plumage resting, showing metallic iridescence when the sun was coming from directly behind us.

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Pelagic Cormorants on nests with young, perched on the vertical cliff faces of Round Island.

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Common Murre (Uria aalge) with blue eggs on seaside cliff.  During the half-hour or so that we observed this ledge, the adult left the ledge and both eggs were snatched by a marauding Common Raven.  Staff member Stephanie Sell mentioned that this location had been particularly susceptible to Raven raids, and that many eggs had been lost to predation.

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Common Raven (Corvus corax) panting to reduce heat stress on a hot day, when temperatures rose to about 80°F (and the temperature inside our tent at 10:00 p.m. was about 110°! ).  Ravens nested on Round Island, and we watched a cliffside nest with four young that were nearly ready to fledge.

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A seabird egg probably taken by a Common Raven (we’re not sure of the egg species).  We also observed a Raven carrying a bloody carcass of a small bird, probably a nestling, that it subsequently buried by piling pebbles and wildflowers atop it, creating a cache for later use.

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Closeup of a molted Common Raven feather.

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Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) perched on a rock just above the sea.  Often, half-a-dozen auklets gathered on the same rock and chattered noisily.

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Tundra grasses on steep hillsides were a better habitat for humans than birds, but we did see Savannah Sparrows there.  In a willow thicket, Hermit Thrushes sang and nested.

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Atop the sanctuary office building, Golden-crowned Sparrows sang their sorrowful descending notes that reminded me of “Three Blind Mice.”  This is as close as I got (the sparrow is on the roofline on the right side).  Note the steel cables that hold down the building during hurricane-force winds.

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You can read other descriptions of our Round Island adventures at:

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Experiencing the Walruses of Round Island, Alaska

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I am the Walrus

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4th of July in an Eskimo Village

To see my web site, which includes photographic prints for sale, please go to LeeRentz.com

To see thousands of my photographs in large file sizes for use in magazines or other printed materials or electronic media, go to my PhotoShelter Website

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Pacific Walrus basking on the rocky shore of Round Island, Alaska

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As we perched on a rocky headland above Bristol Bay, two Pacific Walruses sparred in the shallow water below, their jabbing tusks gleaming in the late afternoon sun.  Clouds of spray splashed up from the roiling waters in a battle for dominance.  And these were just two males among a hundred or so around this sheltered stony beach, with perhaps six hundred resting and swimming on the fringes of Round Island on this early July day in bright Alaskan sunshine.

Our trip to see Walruses began several days earlier.  We approached Round Island on July 5th, after an early morning boat trip from Togiak, a Yup’ik Eskimo village at the mouth of the Togiak River.  Round Island, part of Alaska’s Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary, lies about 40 miles offshore, and is accessible only by a small charter boat.  As we drew closer to the island, Paul Markoff, the Captain and charter operator, cut the big engine to a murmur and asked me to stop using my camera flash, so as not to disturb the dozen Walruses basking atop Flat Rock.  Alaska Fish & Game seasonal employee Stephanie Sell stood at the rocky base of the cliff, garbed in tall rubber boots and a bright squall parka, ready to help us transfer our gear and give us an island orientation.  The boat departed, and Stephanie duly recorded in her field notes that several Walruses had been spooked off the rock by our arrival.

You wouldn’t think that 4,000 lb. creatures would be scared by a small boat, but Walruses are extraordinarily sensitive to the sound of motors.  Even a small plane, flying too low, can cause a panic, with hundreds of the immense creatures fleeing the land for the safety of the sea–a panic that can result in trampling and death much like a shouted threat of fire in a crowded theater.  That is why the regulations are so strict.

We climbed the steep stairs and said our brief goodbye to the arrival beach, which would be off limits to us until our departure.  Stephanie showed us around the camping area, which has half-a-dozen or so tent platforms, which sit atop

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From the camping area: Walruses basking on Flat Rock, with Dragon’s Tail distant, and hundreds more Walruses were resting on the beach below Dragon’s Tail

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archaeological digs of campsites that were used seasonally for 6,000 years.  The archaelogist figured that the safest way to ensure the long-term conservation of these sites was to cover them up with the platforms.  We expected to see or hear ghosts of old Eskimos in the middle of the night, but our sleep was sound on this island that lacks Brown Bears and other nightmares.

We next checked out the cooking tent, which provided a good place to get out of rain and wind.  It also had a propane stove, which was important since we could not bring a backpacking stove and fuel on our plane rides.  There was a big bin for food storage, to keep the island’s Red Foxes from gaining access to human food.  Water was available nearby from a tiny stream, but it had to be filtered or otherwise treated.

Next, Stephanie showed us the sanctuary office, which was headquarters for the three staff, who stay on the island from May to mid-August, when the weather starts to deteriorate.  A generator and solar power provided enough electricity for the staff to have a bit of power to fuel the radios and a computer that are the only means of contacting the mainland.  Stephanie taught us how to use the radios and Iridium satellite phone, in case of a serious emergency (a heart attack qualifies, but not a sprained ankle), if staff was not available.

After the briefing, we were on our own with a list of wildlife-watching rules echoing in our heads.  The island has a trail system that leads to a series of overlooks, where we could see Walruses, Stellar’s Sea Lions, Horned Puffins, Parakeet Auklets, and other seabirds.  After setting up our tent, we immediately assembled our photo gear and crept up to a viewpoint about 100 feet away, where we had a

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Round Island Sanctuary office, with old bones from a Walrus that was part of a 1970s-era research project

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wonderful close view of Horned Puffins and Tufted Puffins perched on a lichen-covered rock in the afternoon sunshine.  This made a fine start to our wildlife watching and photography.

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Horned Puffin in breeding plumage near our campsite

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After watching the puffins for a time, we crouch-walked away from the overlook, and began a hike toward one end of the island, where there is a rock formation that looks like a jagged spine leading far out into the ocean.  The staff calls this formation the “Dragon’s Tail,” an appropriate name for what looks like a scaly tail emerging from the depths.  At the end of the trail, we kneeled at an overlook where we looked down upon hundreds more Walruses, basking along the Dragon’s Tail beaches.  Closer, we had an intimate view of sheer cliff faces, alive with the shrill cries of hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes, some in flight and others perched on precarious nests clinging to the cliff face.  Common Murres occupied nearby ledges, attempting to guard their big blue eggs against marauding Common Ravens.

We have a lot of patience for watching wildlife, so the hours flew by on our first day, as we thrilled to the sight of walruses just 100 feet away.  We finally got hungry, and hiked to the cook tent to make our dinner.  We eat simply when we’re in the field, so it was a dehydrated Backpacker’s Pantry brand dinner of Jamaican BBQ Chicken.  Pretty good, at that.  But  the island’s only other guests, a pair of guys from Manhattan, had more sophisticated tastes; they prepared an elaborate meal of fresh vegetables and morel mushrooms that had the aroma of a fine restaurant (undoubtedly the taste as well, but we’ll never know, since it was their dinner).

After dinner, we walked back to an overlook and enjoyed the view of puffins and Parakeet Auklets and Walruses loudly exhaling as they surfaced offshore.  By now, it was 11:00 pm, but the sun had not yet set.  We were tired, so we retired to the tent

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Walrus exhaling after a deep dive, pale from the cold of the ocean depths

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for a blissful sleep in a night that never really got dark.  We drifted off to dream, with a sound track of Kittiwake cries and Walrus’s sharply exhaling.

In the morning, we decided to climb to the top of the island, after the Manhattan guys described the wonderful views out over Bristol Bay.  We stopped at the sanctuary office, picked up a map and a radio (in case of an emergency), then proceeded to begin the hike and climb.  Since there is no trail to the top, we relied

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The high dome of Round Island rises nearly 1500 feet above sea level, and is a steep, hard hike.  The camp outhouse, in the foreground, is secured with steel cables so that it won’t blow over in the high winds.

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on a description of where to make the climb so that we wouldn’t encounter dead-end cliffs.  It was steep, as we knew  from looking at the high dome of an island towering above our camp.  We trudged over low willow thickets, and around the highest trees on this tundra-clad island–which were a few willows about eight feet tall.  As the pitch grew steeper, our calves burned, but we eventually summited.  The island rises nearly 1,500 feet above sea level and gives a panoramic view of the bay, the distant mainland, and the sparkling blue Bering Sea.

On our way up, we were struck by the beautiful wildflowers everywhere.  Since there are no grazing animals on the island, vegetation is abundant and lush for the subarctic tundra.  There were yellow Alaska Poppies, deep blue Monkshood, dark

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Alaska Harebell on the left, with Chocolate Lily on the right

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Alaska Poppies added delicate yellow petals to the tundra landscape.

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Stunning Wild Geraniums bloomed along the headlands of Round Island.

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brownish purple Chocolate Lilies, vivid purple Violets, lavender/rose Dwarf Fireweed, delicate Spring Beauty and scores of other species at their peak of bloom.  Cloudberry and Nagoonberry trailed along the ground, offering the promise of delicious fruits if we could stay long enough on the island.  There was even Lady Fern, a species we used to cultivate at our home in upstate New York.

We walked along Red Fox trails on the high, relatively flat summit, passing several dens.  We were disappointed not to see any Red Foxes here or anywhere else on the island, though there is supposed to be a population of about 30 foxes.  They were undoubtedly watching us, but predators can remain hidden if they wish.  The Red Foxes, as well as the other major predator, Common Ravens, make their living largely by eating seabirds and their eggs, at least during the long nesting season.  One predator, not previously known on the island, was discovered this year.  Diane Calamar Okonek, the sanctuary manager, discovered a Weasel foraging along the shore.  The winters must be hard on the predators after the fat summers teeming with life, but there are Lemmings on the island that would make a good winter dinner.

While watching Walruses from one overlook, we saw a Common Raven fly in with a bloody red mass that was almost certainly a chick, perhaps from a puffin or murre.  The raven layed it on the ground, then proceeded to pick up stone after stone, which it laid on top of the dead bird; then it ripped off some grasses and wildflowers, and laid those on top.  It was either an elaborate burial ceremony or the caching of food for later use.  We suspect the latter.  This is the fat time of year for predators, and we had watched ravens snatching a lot of eggs from the 250,000 nesting birds on the island, so a little bit of saving for a rainy day was a good raven survival strategy.

From the far end of the island, we had a spectacular view down over Dragon’s Tail.  Perhaps 300 Walruses were huddled together in several groups strung out along the beaches of Dragon’s Tail.  We observed the spine of this rock formation leading

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Walruses resting on the haul-outs along the beaches of the Dragon’s Tail rock formation: in some years there would be thousands on these beaches (instead of the hundreds shown here)

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hundreds of yards out into Bristol Bay.  Also from the summit of Round Island, we got to see the exceedingly steep other side of the island.  Rock outcrops, looking like castles, broke the steep slope and were circled by Black-legged Kittiwakes, calling with a sound that reminded me of children crying.

Round Island is a rich sensory experience.  The scent of salt air mingles with the intense smells of thousands of nesting seabirds and resting Walruses.  Seabirds fly everywhere overhead, crying out ceaselessly.  On the way down from the summit, we heard a Hermit Thrush making its elegant song from the willow thickets; this was a sound we did not expect, since we are used to hearing these thrushes in the ancient forests of our Pacific Northwest wilderness.  Golden-crowned Sparrows called mournfully from perches; Savanna Sparrows chipped constantly from atop the dried umbels of Cow Parsnip and Wild Celery.

That night, a strong wind rose, flapping the tent vigorously and reminding us why the sanctuary guidelines strongly suggest bringing a four-season tent.  Weather is often a concern here, with high winds and drenching rains during the summer.  In fact, one visitor wrote in the logbook:  “Now it’s raining, wet, and very, very, windy.  Our outhouse blew over last night.” That’s not likely to happen again, because the outhouse and the headquarters buildings are each held down by steel cables that stretch over the roof and are securely anchored in the ground.  The winds can keep small charter boats from making the trip out to the island; in fact, campers are told to

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Strong winds turned the tall grasses and our tent into a motion picture.

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have a week’s extra supply of food in case of a prolonged storm.  We heard of a pair of German photographers who were stuck in Dillingham for ten days, trying to get to the island.  They ran out of time and were never able to make the voyage out.  For this reason, we built in a couple of extra days at the beginning and end of the trip, so that we would have some flexibility.

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Trail along the headlands on a windy day..

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The winds were strong for the next two days, but no rains came.  Wildflower and small bird photography became impossible, but we were able to concentrate on photographing the Walruses and Steller Sea Lions during this unsettled period.  Prior to our coming, there had been an intense storm that crashed huge waves along the island’s beaches, ruining the quiet basking that the Walruses prefer.  So the Walruses went to Plan B, and sailed out to sea for a period of diving and feeding.  During our visit, the big mammals were gradually returning.  By the third day of our trip, they had returned to another cove that gave us some wonderful new views from the low headlands.

There were perhaps 600 Walruses on the island by the end of our visit.  This compares with some years in the not-so-distant past when there were 10,000 Walruses on Round Island.  Biologists are not sure why there has been a change,

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Walrus resting among the voluptuous rocks along the shore.

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but one possible reason is that they may have temporarily depleted the food supply near the island.  Walruses dive for clams, and that is their primary food source.  When that food source is depleted, the big mammals can shift to other haul-outs during the summer where nearby food is more plentiful.  I decided to write a separate weblog entry about Walrus biology, because I wanted to say so much that there wasn’t room here.  Go to: http://leerentz.wordpress.com/2009/09/08/i-am-the-walrus/

There is another big marine mammal that claims a separate beach at Round Island.  The Steller Sea Lion haul-out is found at the opposite end of the island from the Walruses.  We hiked out to a high overlook, which gave us a bird’s eye view of

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Polygamous Steller Sea Lion male with a few of his favored females.

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these graceful creatures.  Actually, the females and young are sleek and graceful, but the hulking males are corpulent and demanding lords over their territory, reminding me for all the world of Jabba the Hutt in one of the original Star Wars movies.  We watched one male surrounded by a gaggle of beautiful females.  Apparently, these are not like an Elk harem, in which the male jealously guards his polygamous family.  Instead, the huge male sets up a territory, from which females are free to come and go.  But his presence provides genes for the lovely ladies and protection for their young.

While watching the Steller Sea Lions, a group of about 20 females swam together at the base of the cliffs in what seemed to be synchronous swimming.  They were so graceful that they should probably try out for the summer Olympics.  Despite the apparently thriving Round Island population, numbers of Stellar Sea Lions have dropped precipitously in the Aleutian Islands–so much so that they are now officially listed as an Endangered Species.  We watched Stephanie Sell intently counting the Sea Lions on a mechanical clicker; her job was to count them three times to try and get an accurate census.

In the cook tent, there was a poster showing a colorful moth, with a request that should we find one, we catch it and bring it to the staff.  The moth, known by its scientific name of Artica opulenta, is found elsewhere, but the Round Island population has a unique color pattern.  Lo and behold, we found one in the trail about 150 yards from the headquarters building.  It was a stunner–with striking black & white patterned wings and a body of vivid reddish-orange and black.  I captured it in my hand and carried it to the office, where we interrupted the staff’s wonderful-smelling curry dinner.  Diane, the sanctuary manager, was ecstatic at our find.  After duly photographing it, she and Stephanie put it into the “nighty night” jar where it would enter perpetual sleep, and eventually join a national collection of arctic moths and butterflies.

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A big male, pale after a long session of cold, deep sea diving.

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Diane, with her husband Brian, have been stationed at Round Island each summer for many years.  They are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all creatures on the island (with the possible exception of our moth, but science trumps preservation in that instance).  The sanctuary is tightly run, with counts of Walruses and nesting seabirds done on a regular basis so that population trends can be monitored.

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Staff members Diane Calamar Okonek, sanctuary manager, on the left and Stephanie Sell counting sea lions on the right

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Visitors to the island are also tightly monitored; except for the trek to the summit, we were confined to the trail system and overlooks.  That worked out well, even for us photographers, since the overlooks are located in the best places.

As a serious photographer, taking good photographs on the island was my highest priority, and Karen always wants to record vivid visual memories of a trip.  Since this was a special trip, Karen brought a high-definition video camera, and I brought a full-frame digital SLR.  I also brought enough memory cards so I could take about 2,000 pictures in the RAW format, which gives me more flexibility in exposures.  I brought a 500mm lens with a 1.4x extender, a 70-200mm zoom lens, a 100mm macro lens, a 24-105mm all-purpose zoom for landscapes, and a graphite tripod.  I did not bring a computer for downloading the images because of battery issues, but that ended up being OK because it gave me more time to concentrate on the wildlife rather than the computer.  Lord knows I spend way too many hours in front of the computer as it is.

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Dramatic puffy clouds above the tundra summit of Round Island.

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Now, for some important trip details.  The weather was warmer than we expected, so our winter-weight sleeping bags were overkill. During some periods on the island the heavy bags would feel just right.  Camping on the island is allowed from sometime in May until sometime in August, when staff leave for the year.  July, when we visited, is supposed to have the best, most consistent, weather.  Mosquitoes?  Most of the time, with the constant breezes, they were not a problem.  On our last day, there was virtually no wind at all, so we were bitten a few times.  On the other hand, at what other time in our lives will we be able to say that we shared blood and DNA with a Horned Puffin?

In the cook tent there is a small library of articles about Round Island, which made for wonderful reading while drinking my morning coffee.  There is also a logbook where visitors can sum up their experiences; here are a few of the entries from recent years:

“We are on our honeymoon, and Round Island is a place we have dreamed about going to for a long time.”

“We weathered 3 nights in Togiak and may have 3 more here past our departure date, but the one day here yesterday–full of sunshine–is well worth it.”

“For days I had been hearing a sound like a string instrument and I assumed it was the wind in the cliffs, or that I was imagining the sound. Diane told me that the walrus make the sound; it is one of the most amazing noises I’ve ever heard, and who would think such a noise would come from a walrus?”

“The weather increased our stay by two days …”

“Arrived on beautiful calm seas after two days of high wind that kept us in Togiak.”

“Where else but Round Island can you sit in the outhouse and watch walrus swim by?”

“Falling asleep to the sound of walruses swimming by below my tent site is something I will never forget.”

“Truly the trip of a lifetime …”

On our last morning on the island, a parade of Walruses swam by below our tent, just a few feet from shore on the high tide.  They were making their musical chorus of sounds:  bell-like sounds when their air sacs are inflated; sharp train whistle

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Walrus loudly exhaling as it passes by our tent site.

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toots; and their Bronx cheer of bubbling breaths upon surfacing.  Not only that, but some were swimming peaceably side-by-side, rather than jabbing at each other with fierce tusks in their more normal displays of dominance.  We think they were saying an affectionate “goodbye” to us.

Diane came to our tent that morning and said that we had sure gotten lucky.  I hoped she meant that charter Captain Paul Markoff couldn’t make it and that we could spend an extra day on the island, but, no, she merely meant that the weather had been particularly fine during our visit.  So, we reluctantly packed up our tent and the rest of our gear, and prepared to meet Paul at the cove.

This trip is now a wonderful memory of one of the high points in our lives.  We would love to go back to Round Island, for more days drinking in the rich nature of that spectacular place, where we could again enjoy watching the planet’s distant inhabitants as they experience the daily rhythms of their lives.

If you are curious about Round Island, and want to see about getting a five-day camping permit for the island, go to this website: http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=refuge.rnd_is This will give you the necessary information to begin planning one of those trips of a lifetime.  Paul Markoff, the owner of Togiak Outfitters, can be reached through the information on this web page: http://www.visitbristolbay.org/togiakoutfitters/

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Sadly leaving Round Island on a beautiful, calm morning on Bristol Bay

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Walrus haul-out at Second Beach.

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.Walruses move on land by using their flippers

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Pale male Walrus, cold and whitish because its blood retreats to the body core, coming to land after time spent diving for clams in the cold ocean bottom

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Male Walruses fighting for dominance in Bristol Bay, just off the Round Island cliffs

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The Round Island headlands shelter a quarter million nesting seabirds

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To view the three other weblog stories from our trip to Round Island, go to:

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I am the Walrus

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4th of July in an Eskimo Village

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Puffins and Auklets and Murres, Oh My!

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To see my web site, which includes photographic prints for sale, please go to LeeRentz.com

To see thousands of my photographs in large file sizes for use in magazines or other printed materials or electronic media, go to my PhotoShelter Website

]]> http://krotchka.wordpress.com/2009/09/06/islande-3-les-oiseaux/ Sun, 06 Sep 2009 08:48:39 +0000 krotchka http://krotchka.wordpress.com/2009/09/06/islande-3-les-oiseaux/

Photos de Vincent

Épisodes précédents voir index Ici et Ailleurs

Photos: Irene Ying

If somebody asked you which country the United Nations ranked as the best place to live in the world, where would you guess? More pertinently, would you want to visit?

If so, pack your parkas: you’re going to Iceland.

Make the trek and you’ll find that the name Iceland is actually a bit of a misnomer; although the Nordic island is home to vast glacial sheets, the average winter temperature is a moderate 0.5 degrees Celsius with summer temperatures reaching the mid teens.

More recently, tourists may have been put off from visiting Iceland due to its precipitous economic and political collapse – apparently riot police don’t take good vacation photos.

Having recently spent ten days driving around the island however, I can corroborate at least two facts with confidence: Iceland is one of the most gorgeous places on the planet, and the tales of its demise have been greatly exaggerated.

For my time there, I elected to book a six-day driving tour through Icelandic Farm Holidays. The package included car rental and five nights of bed and breakfast lodging at predetermined locations – essentially a drive-it-yourself tour.

We booked airfare independently through IcelandAir, which seems to have a virtual monopoly on the route. Prices range depending on time of year, with July and August being the high time for tourism.

Plans in hand, three companions and myself arrived at Keflavik international airport early morning (local time) and were in a very comfortable rental sedan within the hour, hassle free, on the road towards Reykjavik for some breakfast.

The half-hour jaunt from the airport to the city proved foreshadowing, with the road twisting and undulating along Iceland’s western coast. You see the ocean crash against jagged lava rocks as foreboding mountains dominate the horizon. In between, desolate black plains pockmarked with moss nestle under a dense, grey fog. It is an unearthly sight.

For the next six days we roughly followed our tour itinerary, driving a few hundred kilometers per day with frequent stops.

The most jarring facets of Iceland are plain to see from inside a moving car. Mountains, rolling hills, barren desserts, plains of geometric rocks, grassy pastures and black sand beaches all fly by the window.

Highlights include Iceland’s famous geothermal geysirs (from which the English word was derived), spewing fountains of simmering sulfuric water. Two of the country’s most popular waterfalls, the spectacular Gullfoss and roaring Dettifoss, were also scheduled stops on our itinerary.

Perhaps the most memorable images of Iceland however are its myriad glaciers. Visitors can traverse the frozen fields either on guided hikes or from the comfort of specially modified jeeps. In the East, the Jokülsarlon lagoon (created by sub glacial volcanic eruptions) is a must see phenomenon; a serene body of water resting at the foot of an ice-sheet, giant frozen chunks floating close enough to touch from the shore.

Indeed, being able to touch nature is one of Iceland’s most unique draws. Unlike the gaudy tourism of North America, visiting a natural attraction in Iceland means nary a park ranger or police officer in sight. There aren’t even any guardrails at most places.

This hands-off approach provides an intimate and unique experience; one feels like an explorer, personally discovering and seeing each natural wonder for the first time. If you are wary of unsteady footing, steep climbs or have small children with you however, be forewarned: there is literally nothing but common sense stopping someone from falling into a waterfall.

During our six-day road trip, we met very few people in the Icelandic countryside. This is likely because the capital city of Reykjavik is home to nearly two-thirds of the island population.

There are some incredibly trendy stores, eateries, bars and museums in Reykjavik, all within a two-kilometre radius of the downtown core. One or two days is more than enough to explore the nooks and crannies of this idyllic ocean side capital.

Due to the recent collapse of its government and economy, there is noticeable inflation when shopping or eating in Iceland. A meal will run anywhere from $20-60 Canadian, but the prices include both taxes and gratuities.

For foodies in particular, Iceland is an excellent experience. Even small cafes prepare their plates with pride. Ingredients are surprisingly fresh and it’s worth splurging at least once on local specialties such as puffin, minke whale and hákarl (literally, rotten shark meat) when available.

Known for its bustling nightlife, local bars serve well into the Reykjavik morning, with hip locals jumping from venue to venue, spilling onto the streets in large inebriated numbers.

Shopping, eating and socializing, one would never realize Iceland is a country that went entirely bankrupt last fall.

“We had some riots,” recalls Christine, a student at the University of Iceland and a fast friend we made at a bar. “But we just threw Skyr (a tasty, unpasteurized yogurt product) at the parliament building. We suck at rioting.

“It’s really bad,” continues the bio-medical engineering student. “I’m probably not going to get off this island for another 10 years.”

With that she nonchalantly pulls a can of beer out of her purse, cracking it open and pouring it into her glass. When I ask her incredulously where she got the beverage from, she just laughs contagiously.

“Times are tough!” Christine shrugs before smiling and offering me half her drink.

I’m inclined to agree, but after my Icelandic sojourn, believe me when I say this: if tough times means being stranded in the best-place-in-the-world-to-live, I’m first in line to sign up for another recession.

Here are some more pictures from our July trip up the Hudson River. There are seven lighthouses on the river; presented here are six of them. Do you know which one is missing? Here they are, from south to north.

First is the Little Red Lighthouse (nestled beneath the Great Gray Bridge). This tower’s light was first lit in 1895.

Next up is the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, formerly known as the Tarrytown Lighthouse or the Kingsland Point Lighthouse. It was first lit in 1883. (This was taken on a slightly rough day, and we didn’t get too close; we were more interested in getting to that day’s stopping place—Alpine Boat Basin.)

Farther up the river is the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. The first lighting of the current tower was in 1872. Note the guys in orange painting the building. They were a work crew from some prison (one of the sweeter gigs, I would think). You can see the guard just to the right of the building. He was watching very carefully as we came by and took pictures; he really had no idea what a lousy getaway vessel Puffin would make!

The Rondout Lighthouse is just outside Kingston, NY, the first capital of New York State. The first lighthouse here was built in 1838, but the current building dates from 1915. The Hudson River Maritime Museum runs tours out to this one.

The really cool thing about the Saugerties Lighthouse is that you can stay in their bed and breakfast (but you have to make your reservations way in advance). The first lighting of this tower was in 1869.

The northernmost lighthouse on the Hudson is the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse. This is the original building on this site. It was built and first lit in 1874.

For more information on these lighthouses (and to discover which one is missing from these photos), check out the Hudson River Lighthouse Coalition.

All photos, except the first one, by Karen

Amaneció sin avisar. Llevábamos ya casi 3000 kilómetros a nuestras espaldas, pero la ruta de hoy se las iba a traer. Iba a ser todo coche. El objetivo, llegar al extremo más occidental de los fiordos oeste, y ver un acantilado con puffins.

Era un trayecto tremendamente largo, ya que había que bordear todos los fiordos que había de camino, en vez de ir en línea recta

Parecía poco pero era un trecho larguísimo

Además, había bastantes tramos de pista, por lo que se volvía más complejo el tema. No hubo mucho que destacar en el viaje, ya que fue todo el día conducir, conducir, fiordo arriba, fiordo abajo. Hicimos una parada técnica para comer que duró menos que un cambio de neumáticos de fórmula 1. Es destacable que a estas alturas ya veíamos cascadas por el camino y ni parábamos… era la señal de que nos estábamos volviendo islandeses inmunes a las cascadas!

La frase que más se repetía era “Más vale que haya puffins en el sitio ese…” “más vale que los malditos puffins coman directamente de mi mano y se saquen fotos en mi hombro”

De camino a los puffins.

Llegamos a los acantilados donde supuestamente había puffins, a eso de las 8 de la tarde. Un día entero conduciendo! Estábamos en el punto más al oeste de Europa, y desde el parking no se veía ni un puffin. Se podía sentir la tensión y las miradas nerviosas… Pero ahí estaban, en el borde del acantilado, pocholísimos, totalmente dóciles, y con un andar divertidísimo. El viaje había merecido la pena, por ver a estos pajarillos tan majos.

Puffin, all the people puffin...

Si se escucha atentamente la letra de esta canción, que nos acompañaba todo el viaje, ya que era una de las 30 canciones que llevamos a Islandia y se reproducían de forma constante, se puede observar que dice claramente “puffin, all the people puffin”, por mucho que las letritas digan otra cosa. O eso o nos acabamos volviendo locos.

One puff for just one dream...

Era increíble lo que se acercaban, no tenían miedo. Si te quedabas quieto se iban acercando poco a poco, y a veces alguno que subía volando del acantilado aterrizaba a menos de 10 cm. El reportaje que hicimos entre todos fue excepcionalmente extenso.

Parece que el negocio de la pizza más occidental no triunfó...

A parte de los puffins, los acantilados en sí también eran de interés, había puntos en los que había 400 metros de acantilado negro hacia abajo, lo cual es una salvajada. Pero como era muy tarde no hicimos el ‘tour acantilado’, y arrancamos para Bíldudalur, otro de los albergues remotos que habíamos encontrado.

Fiordos de camino a Bildudalur

Desnivel del 12%, uno de los normalitos. Luego había más burros, pero los pasajeros del coche iban con los arneses de seguridad y no podían hacer fotos

Llegamos a Bíldudalur prácticamente en noche cerrada, bastante tarde. Otro micropueblo pesquero, con más barcos que casas. Temíamos encontrar la cocina del albergue cerrada, pero lejos de eso, nos encontramos gente cocinando, y una manda de spanish pipol bárbara. Había dos alicantinos cracks que se estaban recorriendo la isla en un C4!! El tipo había ido a pescar al fiordo por la mañana y se había vuelto con nosecuantos rodaballos. Al parecer los peces también son dóciles y se dejan pescar. Nos invitaron a un poco de rodaballo, y a una sopa que supo casi tan a gloria como la anterior del italiano en Askja. Nos la comimos directamente de la cazuela, al más puro estilo “Le llamaban Trinidad“, y con el mismo ansia.

Después llegaron otro grupo de spanish pipol, 8 ni más ni menos, encima de Bilbao, y encima algunos de ellos habían estudiado con Iñivegur.. joder menos mal que estábamos en un pueblo remoto…

El caso es que cenamos relativamente rápido, porque la amable hostalera, nos dijo al llegar:

-qué tenéis pensado hacer?

-…pues… cenar e ir a la cama…

-que sepáis que hay por aquí una terma natural muy chachi, que merece la pena visitar, mañana igual podéis ir

-estee…. [miradas… mañana nos teníamos que ir pronto…] y por la noche se puede ir?

-sí claro, es gratis y está siempre abierta, por la noche puede ser muy relajante…

[sedanur salivando, ojos desorbitados…]

Detalle de la jeta de Sedanur al oír el tema de la terma. Imagen de archivo

Así que cenar rápido, todo lo rápido que se puede cuando tienes que cocinar en una cocina compartida con un montón de spanish pipol, y arrancar a la terma!

Llegamos a las 12 y media de la noche, ya estaba oscuro, y fuimos buscando entre los fiordos las señales indicadas: primero una cascada y luego una cabaña (con la única iluminación de las luces largas del coche y la luna). Por fin la encontramos, un pocito de arena en medio del fiordo. El agua estaba muy caliente, probablemente más de 40 grados, agobiaba quedarse más de 10 minutos, pero era extremadamente relajante. Al salir, daba igual la temperatura exterior porque el calor que había cogido el cuerpo daba de sobra para estar en bañador al aire sin tener frío.

La terma by night, con la censura exigida.

Después de un buen rato en el agua, llegaron unos americanos a desfasar, anda que no estaba concurrida ni nada la maldita terma… y nos fuimos al hostal, que había que madrugar.

Nota de Calabacín: La crónica de la terma es una versión ultrarreducida de lo acontecido. Más info en el vídeo, o preguntando a los protagonistas.

En el próximo episodio..

-Yo no me subo en un avión! y deja de hablar con el calcetín, maldito loco…

-Me encanta que los planes salgan bien…

We owe this headline to Jenny Tweedie of the RSPB.

With Puffins already an attractive part of Argyll’s islands, as at Staffa off Mull, the development at Tiree is one the island, Jenny and the RSPB are rightly excited about. With their bright orange bills and comical faces, puffins are a firm favourite with wildlife lovers – and photographers – everywhere. So, the first record of a breeding pair on the island of Tiree is a cause for celebration, and could mean that things are looking optimistic for Argyll puffins in 2009. Puffins are summer visitors to the UK’s coasts, nesting in abandoned rabbit burrows or crevices rather than on the actual cliff face itself, as do many other sea birds. Pufflins feed on fish, particularly sand eels, which they catch mostly through shallow surface diving and pursuit swimming underwater. (Sounds like an Olympic Sport.)

Small numbers of the birds have been seen before on Tiree at the Ceann a’ Mhara cliffs but this June was the first time a pair were seen showing nesting behaviour before being spotted with a juvenile.

The first pair of Grim Socks

• Ribbing: The whole leg is ribbing. The leg to the start of the heel was 7 inches.
• Heel: Common heel
• Sole: Reverse stockinette
• Body: Knit 2, purl 2 ribbing

Notes
Joh and I had been talking about how she prefers men’s fashions, and I complained that men’s socks are positively grim. So when I made these for Joh, I designed them to be approximately like the socks our father wore to work, only in a heavier yarn. Hence we called them the Grim Socks.

It was the first use I made of one of my favorite yarns, Puffin. I wish it came in more vivid colors (there’s no reason for it to be just for babies, and anyway, some people like to put babies in nonwashed-out colors) and now they’ve discontinued the very useful buckskin, but still it’s a great yarn. It is an alternative to heavyweight wool and is machine washable and dryable. I believe in easy-care clothes. A gift isn’t a gift if you give a responsibility with it. Anyway, the yarn is a little grippy, but you get used to it.

I also learned during making these socks that ladders are worse in purling than they are in knitting, as the reverse stockinette soles demonstrated.

SKS mentioned reverse stockinette, but I found the instructions inadequate to the execution of it and had to undo and redo a fair bit to figure out some things. The first I learned on this sock, how to decrease on the gusset when doing reverse stockinette: purl up to the last stitch before the pattern. Slip that last stitch knitwise, then pass it over the previous stitch. Work the instep pattern. Then purl together the first two stitches of the sole. Kitchener’s stitch is also different, but I didn’t learn the proper way to do that until the next pair of socks.

The toes were still too pointy. I resolved to make the body longer and the toe shorter and broader the next time.

Original Isländisch. Aber es kommt nicht das, was alle denken. Die Isländer sind nämlich perfekt, wenn es darum geht, etwas zu adaptieren. Bei Speisen sind sie dabei besonders kreativ.

In der Regel sind Isländer eigentlich nicht sehr Besitz ergreifend. Aber beim Essen ist alles anders! Das kann man verstehen, wenn man sich überlegt, dass es das halbe Jahr dunkel ist und der Alkohol mit einer horrenden Steuer belegt ist. Also haben die Isländer irgendwann beschlossen diverse Speisen als die ihrigen zu bezeichnen. Vermutlich hatten sie in den langen Wintern genug Zeit ihre Ideen genau auszutesten und zu optimieren. In diesem Fall steht ihnen zumindest ein Teilpatent auf Croissant, Pizza, Hot-Dog und Muffin Fall zu. Damit wären vier der berühmtesten original isländischen Speisen bereits erwähnt.

Fahren wir fort mit einer Theorie, die gestern zwei Mädels aus Mainz und Frankfurt mit mir aufgestellt haben. Also bei den Muffins ist dies sehr einfach: Es gibt hier ja Unmengen der berühmten Papageientaucher, im Englischen auch Puffin genannt. Weil diese Island im Winter jedoch verlassen, dahatten die Isländer vermutlich eines Tages Sehnsucht nach ihnen. Als sich eines Wintertages zufällig ein Amerikaner nebst Muffin nach Island verirrte, und dieser Muffin „lächelte” wie ein Papageientaucher, war das isländische Pendant geboren. Meistens nennt man sie hier allerdings Möffin, um die Herkunft doch wieder zu verschleiern. Wie originell!

Auf zur zweiten sehr ausgefallene Idee: Pylsur (sprich: irgendwas zwischen Pieeeeelsür und Püieeeeelsüüür – dieses Wort werde ich nie lernen). Was ist denn das? Ganz einfach: Ein Hot-Dog! Gibt´s doch schon ewig. Stimmt bedingt. In Amerika vielleicht (^*die Recherche über den genauen Erfinder werde ich mir an dieser Stelle ersparen), nicht aber in Island. Hier hat man die Wurst einfach noch mit Schaffleisch aufgepeppt und den Namen geändert und schon gab es sie an jeder zweiten Straßenecke.

Pizza hat man „erfunden”, um… Ja, warum eigentlich. Darüber bin ich mir noch nicht ganz im Klaren. Aber wenn sie nicht Pizza heißen würde, könnte man meinen, dass es sich um eine Art Nationalgericht handelt. Was allerdings (leider) nicht der Fall ist. Verschimmelter, eingegrabener Hai und Schafsköpfe muten mir persönlich jedoch zu unappetitlich an. Und dass es für die Touristen neben Walfleisch auf Puffin (Nein, dieses Mal nicht Möffin!) gibt, das grenzt an einen Skandal. Wer eine Runde über Touristen ablästern will, ist hier genau richtig! Zunächst aber bitte ich euch natürlich all das eben Geschriebene nicht zu wörtlich zu nehmen; nicht dass hier ein völlig falscher Eindruck entsteht. Die Isländer sind absolut toll!!!

Touristen hingegen, die am Vormittag mit dem Whale-Watching-Boot raus fahren, Wale bestaunen, fotografieren und „süß” finden, um anschließend ins Walrestaurant zu gehen, die sind einfach nur pervers! Genauso wenig sind für mich ignorante Touristen – Deutsche und Engländer sind in RVK maßlos in der Übermacht, Franzosen seltener, Schweizer habe ich noch keine getroffen – verstehen, die weder „Takk” (Danke), „Góðan daginn” (Guten Tag), „Gjörðu sjó vell” (Bitte), „Bless” (Tschüss) noch „Sæl(l)” (Grüß dich) sagen können und es nicht einmal für nötig halten, Kronen zu tauschen (obwohl oder gerade weil der Kurs gerade so gut ist). Das war´s dazu!

Über die schönen Dinge, die man hier sehen kann, will ich nicht zu viel Schreiben. Da halte ich es nach der alten Weisheit: Ein Bild sagt mehr als 1000 Worte. Abenteuerlich, und das sieht man auf Bildern nicht, ist Autofahren. Denn: Außerhalb der Städte bestehen die Straßen meist nur aus Schotter und sind eher kompliziert zu befahren. Es ist aber sehr interessant – holpert eben; mal mehr, mal weniger. Wenn man ans „Ende der Welt” gelangen will, ist es das auf jeden Fall wert! Auch wenn es dort wie auf dem Mond aussieht. Der Blick über das Meer aber: atemberaubend!

Ich fürchte, eines meiner original isländischen Croissants, die die Tüte – anders als ihre weit entfernten französischen Verwandten – nicht durchnässen/-fetten, weil sie weniger Butter enthalten, wird gerade sehr kalt… Aus diesem Grund werde ich euch nun wieder alleine lassen.

Gjördú sjó vell!

og

Sjáumst!