Iceland's nature is world famous, but what do people actually know about Icelanders? Euromaxx reporter Brant Dennis spent a day in Reykjavik like a local and learned a few things.
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00:00 Oh my god, hey bro, that smells so bad.
00:02 It's a cold country.
00:03 Where is your Icelandic spirit, Brent?
00:05 Do we have to do this now?
00:07 Yeah, let's do it.
00:08 Okay, okay, okay.
00:09 Sylværði!
00:10 Oh, Brent, you don't actually have to say like hello to everyone on the street.
00:13 Iceland, the land of ice and fire.
00:19 I'm here in its capital, Reykjavik, and I don't want to be just a tourist here.
00:23 I'm going to learn what it's like to be a local Icelandic person
00:29 with the help of a friend called Ingún.
00:31 Nice to meet you.
00:32 So lovely to meet you.
00:34 That's a typical greeting, a kiss on the cheek?
00:37 Yeah, I mean, I would like one kiss on the cheek.
00:39 Do you like my attire? Do I look very Icelandic?
00:42 Oh no, you look a bit touristy, Brent.
00:46 Why?
00:47 The pom-pom hat that you're wearing, like, I don't think I've ever seen like an Icelander
00:53 wear a tip and you probably won't need the umbrella.
00:56 Iceland is one of the windiest places in the world.
00:59 Um, where are we heading off to?
01:01 Well, let's start our day by going swimming.
01:03 Yay!
01:03 No more hats.
01:05 Ingún seems to like it, but what exactly is she up to?
01:08 Ingún, what are we doing here?
01:16 It's like freezing and you want to go swimming?
01:19 Yes, we have to go swimming.
01:20 Every Icelander, well, most Icelanders start their day with a nice swim.
01:25 Usually people would go to their local pool,
01:27 but the most hardcore ones will go, you know, have a nice dip in the ocean.
01:31 Before subjecting myself to that, I'll take a hot shower.
01:35 Hygiene is taken very seriously in Iceland and I was told to wash myself thoroughly,
01:40 naked, so I did.
01:41 The hot tap water is a bit funny though, since it has traces of sulphur.
01:44 Smells like eggs.
01:47 I'm asking myself, am I hardcore enough?
01:51 Ingún definitely is.
01:54 Look how happy she is, she's running, running to get in this icy cold water.
01:58 All right, now it's my turn.
02:01 All right, if we're going into the ocean, you should know it's going to be a bit cold.
02:08 So just remember when you go out into the water,
02:12 don't let the cold take over, just take nice deep breaths.
02:17 If this is what it takes, come on.
02:19 Holy cow!
02:20 Come on, Brad, you can do it!
02:22 Come on, Ingún.
02:23 Come on, come on.
02:25 Oh!
02:27 She's crazy.
02:29 She's crazy.
02:31 She's actually crazy.
02:33 Oh.
02:35 I hate this so much, I'm going.
02:37 I'm out.
02:39 Like I'm shaking.
02:41 Shaking is actually that bad.
02:43 I hope you got all this, because I'm not doing it again.
02:47 I'm so proud of him.
02:49 You're going in this?
02:51 You're going in?
02:53 You're crazy, bro.
02:55 To warm up, we now go for a dip in the hot pool.
02:59 Every town around Iceland has one of those.
03:01 Most of them are heated with geothermal energy.
03:03 We head back to the city centre and decide to take a walk,
03:11 since Reykjavik, with its 140,000 inhabitants, is quite small.
03:15 In this country, there are no trains or trams.
03:17 Next, Ingún gives me a little small talk lesson.
03:21 How do you say good morning here?
03:23 Yeah, so you would say "Koan tai in".
03:25 Koan tai in?
03:27 Koan tai in.
03:29 But it sounds like, you know, going dying.
03:31 Yeah, it sounds a bit terrifying, because it sounds like the English "Go on dying".
03:35 But yeah, "Koan tai in" would be your regular, normal greeting.
03:39 Okay, "Koan tai in".
03:41 "Koan tai in".
03:43 "Koan tai in".
03:45 Are there any words or gestures or things that I could say to make it sound like I'm Icelandic?
03:53 Oh yeah, well, okay, so if you're having a normal conversation,
03:56 and you want the person to know that you're listening and you're paying attention,
04:00 you can sort of nod and go "Jó, jó".
04:03 And do like a...
04:05 No, but on your in-breath.
04:07 Jó, jó, jó.
04:09 Next task, a restaurant visit.
04:11 People here love to go out.
04:13 Iceland spends an average of 3,500 euros a year in restaurants.
04:17 Ingunn orders a must-try for me.
04:20 Mashed fish, dried fish, smoked trout, smoked lamb, and...
04:27 So, this is one of the more traditional Icelandic foods.
04:30 Definitely something I don't have every day, but on special occasions.
04:34 So this is fermented shark.
04:37 Oh my god, hey bro, that smells so bad.
04:42 Yeah, and it doesn't taste good.
04:45 No, that was not good.
04:47 I also have more if you'd like.
04:50 Worst thing I've ever put in my mouth.
04:53 How much am I going to tip now?
04:55 Okay, so in Iceland we don't really have a tipping culture,
04:58 so you don't actually have to tip.
05:00 People actually make a really decent wage in Iceland.
05:04 Last item on the agenda, I test what I have learned on Ingunn's friends.
05:08 Tyler, Tyler, come play here.
05:11 Okay, Tyler.
05:13 Went off without a hitch.
05:15 So, Brant, you've had your full Icelandic day.
05:20 So, in honor of that, we have decided to give you an Icelandic name.
05:24 Brant in Icelandic is...
05:27 Brantur, a common cat's name, by the way.
05:30 So what is your father's name?
05:32 Mark.
05:33 So you will be Brantur Marksson.
05:36 Cheers.
05:38 Cheers.
05:40 (laughing)