Looking forward to IceWeb 2006
The one where Malarkey asks what are the best places to go, or the things that really must be seen in Iceland.
April 27th and 28th will see me wrapping up warm, as I'm heading to Iceland for IceWeb 2006; billed as Iceland's premier web oriented conference
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I'll be speaking alongside Eric Meyer, Kelly Goto, Dave Shea, Joe Clark and Shaun Inman and I'll be presenting Feeding your Creativity without Compromising User Needs.
The role of the creative designer working on the web is changing faster than ever before. There are fresh challenges faced by designers who need to balance their own creative needs with the needs of their users.
Andy will discuss how better to understand the creative designers' role among the growing spectrum of web specialties including: usability, information architecture, interface design and accessibility.
I will also be replaying SXSWi's How To Be A Web Design Superhero, a last minute addition to IceWeb's running order. There will some minor changes from the version presented at SXSWi and this time I'll unfortunately be without my super sidekick Mr Budd. I think I might have to pull victims audience members on stage this time! ;)
Having never been to Iceland, I am looking forward to IceWeb 2006 enormously. I hope that I'll get the chance to see a little of what Iceland has to show me. If you live there, have been there, or know anything about the place (apart from the fact that it's got, err, ice), can you suggest some of the places to go or things that really must not be missed?
Replies
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#1 On April 9, 2006 02:33 PM Phil Sherry said:
There's every chance I might be there for this, but you wouldn't have the bottle to drag a Scouser onstage... or would you? ;)
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#2 On April 9, 2006 03:55 PM Colly said:
Ah Reykjavik - my residence for a total of almost a year. Firstly, tell the organisers that I want to keynote it next year, as I can do it in Icelandic (ish).
Anyway, places to go from a Brit tourist point of view (note that I haven't been for two years, so some places may not be there any more)...
Kaffibarrinn (just off the main shopping street):
Tiny two-floor bar full of very media-savvy types. Damon Albarn once owned 2% of it or something. Upstairs is really comfy - good for Wifi.Kaffi Brenslan:
The most amazing beer menu in the world (possibly). Lovely place.NASA:
Banging club, full of good-looking people. Huge.There is a brilliant coffee shop on Skolarvodrustigur (the street with the massive church at the top of it), where it joins the main street. can't remember what it's called, but go there! Called Mokka or Mocha or something. Lots of nice art and craft shops on there too...
Hafnarhus:
Awesome modern art gallery near the harbour. Brilliant interiors of wood and steel, with most of the original building left intact. A must see.Natinal Gallery and Tjornin lake:
Both in the old town, on Laekjargata.Kjarvalsstadir gallery:
Huge gallery of modern art set in parkland just outside the city centre.If you get time get out of Reykjavik and either visit hafnarfjordur town with it's harbour and cool little shops, or take the Golden Circle tour and visit geysir and Gullfoss. Take your camera.
Oh, and as you drive in from the airport, after about twenty minutes, you almost approach civilisation and see some huge red and white towers on the left near the sea (part of a massive aluminium factory). Look for a little white farmhouse just before them - that's where my art studio used to be!
Why don't you, Molly, Dave, Shaun and the others club together and buy me a plane ticket so that I can show you around?!!
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#3 On April 9, 2006 04:14 PM Matt Robin said:
I envy you a bit for this trip to Iceland Andy - as I've also never been to Iceland, and I've only recently seen stuff on dvd that suggests it might actually be a really good place to visit. (You'll be posting some shots on Flickr won't you mate?!)
I think it's great that there's a web community in Iceland who get to have a conference attended by such great speakers (you, Molly, Eric, et al.) and I'm sure that the 'Superhero' (Repeat) performance will go down well....from what I can tell that was many people's favourite presentation at SXSW this year.
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#4 On April 9, 2006 06:16 PM Jack said:
My partner and I have gone to Iceland for Airwaves and the EVE conference (occuring the same weekend up 'til this year, sadly), and we LOVE it. Here are some things I'd recommend:
1) Take a full day (if possible) and go on the "Golden Circle" tour - starts out early, and you see a TON of natural and handmade beauty (The Thingvellir, Geysir, the Golden Falls)
2) The Harbor Walk - if it's warm enough, this walk will take you all along the shoreline of the city...good for getting your general sense of where things are, and the views are amazing to boot!
3) Kebabhusi’, or Kebab House - great for late night fish-n-chips, if one is so inclined
4) Caruso - for that one memorable meal of the trip, this is a good candidate. Italian and Continental dishes, on the pricey side (brace yourself for food prices all over Iceland, though), but intimate and memorable
5) If you want to hang out and meet artists and creative folk, try grabbing a beer at Naesti Bar (iirc, Naesti = next, not nasty). We met some very interesting folks there. Doesn't look like much of a bar from the outside, but don't be fooled!
Enjoy the trip! If you'd like to see pics of some of these places, we have the 2005 ones [https://www.flickr.com/photos/endofoctober/sets/1189750/] here.
Safe home!
Jack -
#5 On April 9, 2006 08:52 PM Rob Waring said:
Definately do the Golden circle, but I'd recommend hiring a car rather than getting the bus round. The Blue Lagoon is worth a trip but its only a couple of hours stop so best to combine it with something else. Snowmobiling is also worth a trip, theres a small glacier about 1-2 hrs north from Reykjavik. Also get away from the city and see some other bits of Iceland. Theres a house museum and various other bits as you head towards Vik which is roughly dead centre of the south coast.
When you're drivin around don't be surprised if a couple of people in massively jacked up 4x4s just stop and have a chat in the middle of the road, it happens. The 4x4s are called Supertrucks btw and if you can get on a tour do it, they look excellent fun.
Other than that, yeah, what everyone else said especially about the price. Its probably the most different place I've ever been to though.
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#6 On April 11, 2006 02:28 AM Stephanie said:
This is no doubt one of Icelands greates webt events it is a pity that I am not able to be there in person this year but look forward to going next year for sure. Have fun and make sure to bring a coat with you!
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#7 On April 11, 2006 04:51 PM Kevin Lewis said:
I love Iceland. Honeymooned there!
The famous Blue Lagoon is really the outfall from a power station that just happens to be a mud bath too. Fun if you like that sort of thing.
The Perlan - a glass domed building sat on top of the geothermal hot water tanks. Weird. Nice cafe if I remember. Great views.
The lake in the middle of Reykjavik: get close to nature. When I was there is was the only city in the world that can boast a tern colony. Walk past and they attack you. Take an umbrella and they'll attack that instead.
Waterfalls: all of them stunning
Green grass, black, lava, white snow: taken a camera and shed loads of memory/film.
Take a plane to the Westman Islands: see a town that is half buried by lava and feel the volcanic warmth in the crater.
Best advice: go to the tourist info office. There are many, many excursions, tours, internal flights etc to fit any amount of time you have spare or any preference and it's easy to get on them.
Have fun
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#8 On April 12, 2006 03:04 AM brothercake said:
Iceland is it? Mate you're turning into the Phileas Fogg of Web Design :)
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#9 On April 21, 2006 06:47 PM Valgeir Valdimarsson said:
Hi Andy -- looking forward to hearing you speak. Regarding Reykjavik and Iceland, allow me to suggest the pages on Icelandic nightlife, nature, adventure and wellness on our website. I'm guessing that your hosts will take good care of you, but feel free to email me if you want some more serious advice.