Another stunning day though on the nippy side. Last evening around 9 o’clock I drove to Reykjavik to collect a friend at the bus depot returning from Copenhagen after 3 weeks there checking out some Icelandic mss. Tomorrow he heads back to Westman Island, eager to see his family. About an hour beforehand I walked around the bay simply to take in the fine weather and sun hovering over the ocean, a very Arctic sight. When out and about like this—and by that I mean within Reykjavik proper as opposed to the countryside—it strikes home that indeed this is a cold environment. Some how the constant wind puts a permanent stamp on buildings and people, different, for example, from people living elsewhere, even Scandinavia. I think proximity to the gray Atlantic Ocean has something to do with it.

Today is noteworthy in that the Academy of Reykjavik (www.akademia.is: link in English though the page is out of date) celebrates its 10th anniversary, and I was invited to attend the festivities along with that fellow whom I collected last evening, member of the governing board. My role was to announce a scholarship for the religious and cultural heritage of Iceland. Deliberately vague at this point but will be refined shortly because the scholarship doesn’t kick in until January ’08. For now we wish to distinguish it from economics, science, etc. Though the Academy has prestige in Iceland, it’s short on funds, so this is the very first scholarship, a big occasion. About 120 people showed up including several dignitaries, governmental ministers and a leading presidential candidate (elections are this Saturday). Some of the ministers were women…not just women but gorgeous women, not untypical for Iceland. What a way to run a country…During my few minutes of fame when speaking of the scholarship, I wasn’t a bit nervous. The Academy is right by the bay, and while speaking, I gazed outside towards Mount Esja plus watched a few ships. Strange how your mind works even when in the spotlight. You have to remember that Iceland is a small nation, so being in the presence of so many influential people is not uncommon. Icelanders lack that awe or formality towards them as you’d find in other countries.