Thepunkguy

So my friend and travelmate Davey just posted up some videos from our trip to Iceland, check them out

HERE.

(CLICK TO SEE ALL PICTURES LARGER)

So finally, here is a sort of sum up of my trip to Iceland. Please note that after long debates amongst my people (read: my travel buddy) I will only be posting a few pictures and then I will point you in the direction of his pictures at the end.

So as usual there are a few things you need to know about Iceland:

a. It’s a small country. Not in size but in population. There are 2 people per square kilometer on the island. A total population of 300,000 … that’s the whole country, 2/3’s of them living in the (only) city, Reykjavik. I have that many people living in the apartment above me. (Damn neighbors!)

We realized this when, the minute we got on line to check in to leave JFK, everyone knew everyone. It was ridiculous. It was like we were crashing some tour group that spoke some Nordic language that featured 6′ tall blonde viking women. (the Masons?)

b. Iceland has guidos. I know this is hard to believe. But it’s true. They wear pink sweatpants, listen to dance music and fucking CRUISE. I am not kidding. They cruise.

Also everyone in the whole country smokes cigarettes.  Everyone.  Ask someone, I dare you.

c. Everyone is 1/2 of a couple. We didn’t meet one person that was not in a relationship. It was strange. I guess when there’s only 200k people in a city, there isn’t much of a choice. Find someone and stick to them.

d. There is a war going on. And it’s serious. Honestly, PEPSI MAX is holding down Reykjavik. Coke is running a distant second but they have to know they are losing. Pepsi Max would have signs on store fronts that were bigger than the names of the store. PEPSI MAX joes pizzaria. Shit like that. Pepsi Max is as popular as driving in Iceland. Buy into it before it buys YOU!

e. There are a TON of shitty dirtroads in Iceland. Trust me, we drove on one for like 40 mins and it felt like we were driving around in snow made of rocks.

But there is no reason at all for all the fuckin’ MONSTER trucks there are in Iceland. Very tiny cars and monster cars. That’s it. (oh yeah and one yellow camaro that this guido drove up and down the main street for hours on the weekend)

Also there are no automatic transmissions in all of Iceland. even in minivan taxis. manual.

f. I ate some whale and puffin. Yes I know. Cute animals. But if we learned anything from my trip to Buenos Aires, when backed into the corner, i’ll kill most cute animals for some quick pleasure. Whale, totally scrumptious. Check out Davey’s pictures below for a picture of the whale steak. For those who care, it takes like swordfish meets steak meets moby dick (the novel).

I had a 20 dollar soup that featured mushrooms and shellfish at the fanciest place in the world. We both showed up in shitty sneakers and backpacks. WE R CLASSY!

Also, their hotdogs are like what heaven and handjobs and whip cream must taste like. They were just beautiful. (also see davey’s pictures for one of those)

One more thing … Beer is expensive. We found nothing less than a 9 dollar beer the WHOLE time, unless you buy from the gov’t store, then they cost like 2 bucks. it’s a ridiculous system, I know. Everywhere we went, people were sneaking beers in with them. And instead of gold diggers there were beer-diggers. Girls (or dudes) would come up to you, be super nice to you and then get you to buy them a drink then disappear. WTF?

g. Just so you know… No matter where you go in this world, you will ALWAYS meet someone from New Jersey! Shout out to Thom from Roselle Park, met him on our first day!

h. There are no snakes or mosquitoes in Iceland. No shit.

i. This will be it for PART ONE, let this be said. Iceland is beautiful. It’s like Alaska meets Colorado meets the surface of the Moon.

SO BELOW ARE SOME PICTURES FROM MY TRIP> I just picked some of my favorites so far.. I will post more in the next posting. Please comment if you like these.

(how do you spell moorish?)

(a not so typical house downtown)

(LOTR?)

(A hotel near our place. It seemed empty all the time.)

(Gulfoss waterfall)

(A little Blue.)

(viking ship or Art?)

(paranoid)

(this is what some of the houses downtown look like.)

there will be more in PART TWO.

ALSO YOU CAN CHECK OUT ALL OF DAVEY’S PICTURES HERE. (he calls me Kris, that’s weird to me. ahhh high school friends)

(also, check out his BLUE LAGOON pictures at the end of D70. They are really beautiful.)

See you THERE! Leaving for ICELAND …

Keep looking back here for pictures and stories..

a. If I cared about sports, i’d point you to this LINK.

b. Ted Leo remixes Spoon HERE.

c. BOMH has posted some early Built to Spill HERE>

d. Menomena challenges you Portlanders to a game of Foosball HERE.

e. Jesus … Check out this time lapse of someone trapped in an elevator for 41 hours. WOW.

f. Facts about Ryan Adams you may or may not know HERE>

g. Stereogum looks at Faith No More’s Video HERE. AN then they tell me how big of an asshole Paul Simon is HERE>

h. Georgie Greville this director I know, just did THIS>

i. Coolest airport urinals in the world? Typical they are Swedish … HERE.

j. We all know I won’t post straight up porn on here, but my google reader did come across some very very NSFW picts, like I said these shouldn’t unless you like nudity, cool pictures or porn. Sneak a peek HERE.

a. YANP has a new look and has M Ward covering D. Bowie HERE.

b. Gridskipper has How to Get Drunk at the Airport HERE.

c. WFMU has chronological order of Black Flag’s hair HERE.

d. Nah Right has a new COOL KIDS song HERE.

e. Crustcake has the new Sword video HERE.

f. Have you seen THIS Cheney thing yet? It looks like he’s got a naked girl in his eyes. What do you see??

g. Solid Relationship advice given from someone not me HERE.

h. LOST fans watch THIS.

a. Why won’t the music business won’t hire me or people like me HERE. (thanks earfarm)

b. LA explained to midwesterners HERE. Um. Yeah.

c. The band Thrice cover’s FRODUS HERE.

d. A black keys interview at Pitchfork Media HERE>

e. all the funny (and non funny) online april fools jokes HERE. I personally loved Gizmodo’s inclusion of Ateam references to all their posts.

f. Do you guys know what RickRollin’ is? Please read about it HERE.

g. Hey Jews… Here’s some things you LIKE!

h. MY FRIEND ANDY is doing a fundraiser. I am planning on donating soon but I can’t RIGHT NOW, however feel free to donate just a bit of money to a really good cause;

“I’m not sure if you know, but I’m doing a pretty big fundraiser in July. I’m raising money for Bay Area Wilderness Training to help underprivileged and at-risk kids experience the wilderness for the first time. I’m also climbing a pretty big mountain to raise the money.

We’re off to a great start, but I’m asking you for a little help. I’ve already raised $890 in the last week, and I committed to raise $2310 more. I am asking my friends and family to donate just a little, $25, $50 or whatever they’re comfortable with to help me reach this goal.

It only takes 1 minute to donate online, and it feels so good! There is no better time than the present.

I have more info at HERE. You can click on the “donate” button there, or just go to HERE to help out. Also, feel free to pass this on to your own family and friends.

Thanks! “

a. Can I be much more excited than to fucking listen to …And you will know us by the trail of dead, doing four songs for daytrotter? Probably NOT!

b. Beirut goes on tour, check to see if he stops near you. and if he does, get ON IT!

c. Our friends are giving away four cd’s worth of instrumental NIN, anyone INTERESTED?

d. your favorite firefox keyboard shortcut? Ill take CTRL T. How about YOU?

e. A new way to travel …. a new orbitz?? MAYBE>

f. Our favorite tipster Tom C clues us in on a few things.. RUSSIAN CIRCLES posted a new song on their myspace page HERE. Check it., Also, check out the documentary about Touch and GO HERE.

g. thanks to earfarm for pointing this out, check out the AV club for the guys from Human Giant testing the ‘randonmness’ of their ipods HERE.

h. Party at SXSW, RSVP NOW:

Viva Radio
Grand Concert Evangelique
Friday, March 14 & Saturday, March 15th
SXSW 2008

RSVP to: sxsw(at)viva-radio.com

Where?

American Apparel
1325 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX

Friday, March 14th 2008
1 - 6 PM

1:30 PM - The Teeth (Philadelphia, PA)
2:30 PM - Douglas Armour (Los Angeles, CA) (Performing Solo)
3:30 PM - The Apes (Washington DC)
4:30 PM - Sunburned Hand of the Man (Boston, MA)

Saturday, March 15th 2008
1 - 6 PM

1:30 PM - Blues Control (Queens, NY)
2:30 PM - Greg Ashley (Oakland, CA) (Performing Solo)
3:30 PM - Mika Miko (Los Angeles, CA)
4:30 PM - Special, Surprise Guest

DJs:

Gaslamp Killer (Los Angeles, CA)
Ripley (Wooden Shjips) (San Francisco, CA)
Max Wowch (Brooklyn, NY)
Markus With A K (Austin, TX)
+ Special Viva Radio contributors

MCs:

Tedward (Voice of Viva Radio)
Sheri Barclay (The Barclay Hour)

Complimentary Beverages? Yes

Again, be smart, RSVP to: sxsw(at)viva-radio.com

a. A new Mountain Goats mp3 song HERE.

b. A comedy show for Brooklynvegan for some our favorite comedians happening HERE. One of these guys auditioned for me today and was so hysterical. totally recommended.

c. Suicide Squeeze does some limited 7 inches HERE. I’m gleeful!

d. Um…

e. I know most of your saw this commercial during the superbowl but did you know that that dude, is a friend of mine, who is my voice twin. it’s true..

Fedex Super Bowl Ad: Carrier Pigeons Bad Choice for Shipping

Add to My Profile | More Videos

f. OM cancels their tour and drummer leaves!! EEK

g. Anthony Bourdain does his best blogging HERE.

h. NEW MUSIC: Pygmy Lush - Asphalt , The five fellows of Pygmy Lush have cut their teeth in some of Northern Virginia’s most influential punk/hardcore bands of the last decade or so, including Pg.99, Majority Rule, Malady, City of Caterpillar, Crestfallen, Hissing Choir, and many more.

NEW MUSIC: Quieting Syrup - A Password to A fort full of Pills , Stephen Howard has, in recent year, cut his teeth as a team player offering up his considerable talents playing bass with indie-darlings Denali and on baritone guitar as a member of the self-proclaimed slowest band in Chicago, Pinebender.

i. Dita Von Tease in Blender looking unburlesque and quite hot.. HERE.

j. GO AND VOTE!

a. the eloquent and subtle Karl Rove smears Barack HERE>

b. another great photo HERE.

c. I’d say I escaped Buenos Aires just in TIME.

d. Fader has a new Dead Meadow video HERE.

e. Amazing footage of PE and Kane live in a rally in Harlem in 89. FUCK YEA!

f. Ill have a bottle of anything and a glazed donut to GOOO!!!! Possibly one of the best music videos of all TIME. Sort of.

g. I am going to write a very heavily sarcastic review of the mars volta show last night. so stay tuned..

A. Hipster Haircuts? I guess. HERE.

B. Listen to Beirut on KEXP again HERE.

C. I love this PICT.

D. A list of people playing SXSW HERE (so far).

E. Ear Farm checks in with some Local music HERE.

F. One last letter from the future David Cross to the now David Cross HERE.

G. An interesting article about race from “Stephen Colbert’s black friend.” HERE.

H. Gawker explains what happens in most of those gross out (2 girls 1 cup) videos so you don’t have to watch them HERE.

I. DId you ever see that Best Week Ever vs Dane Cook post? HERE.

J. A 2 hour interview with Eminem HERE.

K. India traffic jam that looks like a ballet, sort of HERE.

POLL: If you were to travel to any city in the world, what would it be?? (answer in comments)