ICELAND, Culture, Customs and Gastronomy.

Culture

Icelandic culture has its roots in Norse traditions and its literature is mainly recognized for its “sagas” and “eddas”, which were written during the Middle Ages. Icelanders place great importance on independence and self-sufficiency; In a survey carried out by the European Commission, more than 85% of Icelanders answered that independence was "very important", contrasting with the average of the European Union.

They also have some traditional beliefs, mainly shared with Norse mythology, which are still valid today; for example, some Icelanders believe in "elves", or at least are not willing to rule out their existence.

Iceland is a tolerant country regarding the rights of the LGBT community. In 1996, the Althing passed a law to create civil unions for same-sex couples, encompassing almost all the rights and benefits of marriage. In 2006, by unanimous vote of the Althing, a series of laws were passed giving same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples in adoption, child-rearing, and assistance with artificial insemination treatments.

On June 11, 2010, the Icelandic parliament amended the Marriage Act, legalizing same-sex marriage. The law entered into force on June 27, 2010.

(Fact: Traditional Icelandic house. Until the 20th century, much of the population lived in rural areas.)

Customs or facts of Iceland

1. People don't have last names.

2. You can't give yourself nicknames.

3. The police do not carry weapons.

4. The smell of hot water from hot springs is rotten egg.

5. One of its typical dishes is the shark!

6. They still believe in elves and trolls.

7. Books can be the best Christmas gifts for Icelanders.

8. There are no strip clubs or low life.

9. There is no McDonald's. :D

10. Babies take naps in sub-zero temperatures, they're called Nordic naps.

Gastronomy:

Due to the fact that for many years fishing was the main engine of the country's economy, the consumption of marine products is the main base of most of the dishes within its gastronomy. In addition to fish and shellfish, the main meat consumed is lamb, followed by horse, beef and reindeer.

Traditional meals include ingredients such as skyr, which is a dairy product made from yogurt, marinated mutton scrotum, marinated shark, roasted lamb heads and typical blood sausage called slátur. Some of the most popular Icelandic dishes are gravlax, hákarl and kleina. Iceland's national drink is brennivín, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented potato pulp.

Currently, the Icelandic diet is very diverse, since in addition to traditional dishes, recipes from various world cuisines are consumed. As in other western societies, the consumption of fast food is widely popular.