Birthday, Icelandic style

Sahe booked a dinner reservation at a fish restaurant on a harbor in Isafjordur called, Tjöruhúsid, meaning the Log Cabin in Icelandic. The historical wooden structure contained long tables and benches, and there were already many people present. Apparently we had walked into a family reunion. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and out of place, we were seated at the table in the corner near the entrance with a nice breeze, together with other non-Icelanders.

A la carte menu was not available, and was a buffet style dinner tonight. Catch of the day straight from the harbor 50 meters away, salmon, cod, catfish and various seafood was cooked in various sauce. Each dish is served on a platter table in a frying pan, still sizzling. Nothing fancy. I have noticed that Icelandic food generally is strongly flavored, and so it goes well with beer. And they know how to cook seafood. However, they also use lots of butter in their cooking, and that can be filling. Our long table was shared with an older American couple from Virginia, and a couple our age from Malta Island. Hmm, where is Malta... After quietly asking Sahe, we have learned so much about the country that by the end of the dinner, we have added the country into our place-to-visit on our journey. Not Virginia, though.  

The large group of 50, finishing up their meal and wine starting to get to their roofs, started to take turns giving speches and telling jokes. We understand none of this, but can see they are having a great time. Not so much later, they decided to include us in their party, singing songs, and having a wonderful time. We later learned that the family gathered to celebrated the grandmother who would have been 100 years old if she was alive. That was enough reason for the 50 relatives, 4 generations,  to get together. It was nice to see such strong family ties. And then, I also recalled the birthday party of Anna's nephew that we were invited a week ago, where two dozen relatives spent time together on his behalf. Also, our new friend Gunner, who invited us to his apartment for his famous family recipe of cooking horse meat the other day, talked about his family a lot. It is nice to see the meaning of family is valued here.  

These warm-hearted, sweater-wearing guys sang a happy birthday song in Icelandic, and had few drinks over a few laughter when we ran into them again at a nearby bar we went afterward. Thinking to myself in a drunken haze, that the warmth of a person does not come from the climate they live in, empty pint glasses lined up on a table as the bright night went on.

Thanks Sahe, for another wonderful birthday.