Day 3. Up and out.. a little later today after the party. Visited the University of Iceland Library to look for material that had been suggested by Steindor and the Folk museum. Spent an enjoyable morning listening to recordings – heard a beautiful choir version of 'Sleep long love mine' and read some more about Rimur in a magnificent black velvet book called ‘Silver recordings of Ithunnar’. I started a debate amongst the librarians about the origins of ‘Sleep long love mine’… it really is dark…Despite unseating the young librarian with the possible origins of a song she’s known since childhood, she directs me back to bad taste records (or Smekkleysa as it’s known in Icelandic.) to purchase the book and CD. I’m excited about what I have gathered here… it’s all coming together rather well.
Reykjavik is very warm today, and the streets are busy. There’s some street theatre and a brass ensemble play on the main shopping street, but I want to find shade so I return to the Boston Bar for some excellent fish stew and rye bread. I give into my weakness for wool and pop into the Icelandic Knitting Association shop before heading back to the hotel for an early night in preparation for heading to Greenland.
