From what I recall the above is expression heralds from Yorkshire in England and so often runs true – just look at the price of bags of “farmyard manure” which one can use to fertilise the roses in the garden.
It seems the same is true for Iceland. Old Fish heads and the like to be more exact. On driving around the Westfjords region of Iceland we came across the sight of an open wooden structure from which hung the remains of large fish, apparently drying in the wind. We were curious and saw nothing in the guidebook to provide an explanation for this macabre scene. There was only one thing for it – ask a local.
So when we got back to Isafjordur we asked the hotel staff, wondering what delicacy might come from this (at this point I had already tried petrified shark). Our waiter pulled a sour face at the suggestion that the Icelanders might even eat this,” Oh no, for us this is just waste”. However, it is lapped up in Africa and around 15,000 tonnes are exported each year, mainly to Nigeria.
Needless to say, we were pleased to get back to the Arctic Lupins.
Such an interesting perspective on Iceland – anyone can do lupins but your photos and info are really unique!
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That is great to hear. I guess I am a bit inquisitive and love to do the backstreets etc. Talking to people always helps too, 😃
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I like this photos and the story as well… It is a very interesting cultural note. Thanks MM! Good luck for new experience and interesting stories…
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Cheers Tofan, have a great week, MM🍀
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I learn something everyday! love the pictures!
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We all do, I believe 😃
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One man’s waste, another mans feast. Interesting shots, MM!
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Isn’t it just. Hope the weekend has been good to you, MM 🍀
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I, completely, side with you on that feeling of encouragement for moving on with your travels. Can’t possibly leave much pleasant aroma for an island, LOL!!!
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The lupins definitely get the vote over the fish heads. 😃
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Phoooee 🙂 seriously though ..exporting 15,000 ton to Nigeria that’s a heck of a lot of fish heads.
Such interesting things you came across on this trip MM
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It is like another world, particularly in terms of landscape. 😃
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This is interesting, I didn’t know. Fascinating photos, Mick.
In Norway it’s a rather pretty sight when the fish, mostly cod, is drying outside. Stockfish is Norway’s longest sustained export commodity, and the socioeconomically most profitable export over the centuries. Did you know, stockfish is first mentioned as a commodity in the Icelandic saga “Egilssaga”, when the Chief Torolv Kveldulvssøn in year 875 AD, shipped stockfish from Helgeland in mid Norway to Britain. This product represented most of Norway’s national income from Viking age throughout medieval age. Preserved cod fed Iceland for centuries, to the extent where it has been described as a local equivalent of bread. But to export the vaste…
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Thanks for embellishing my humble offering Dina. Of course these days I tend to think of oil when thinking of Norway’s earnings….Hope you had a good weekend whether you all spent it, MM 🍀
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Fish head soup, maybe?
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Yes, I am thinking of a stew, but maybe it is more of a soup….Cheers Joan, sick of all this sunshine yet? ☀️
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loving it Mick, though the flowers are not so happy!
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‘The Raw Bones’ – fantastic, if I was working making digital fabric prints (textiles) – I’d definitely ask to work with that image.
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It was very different I have to say. They had even hung a couple of dead cormorants or shags in some places to keep the flies away from the fish. It added to the macabre scene. MM 🍀
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A very interesting shot 🙂
I used to have salted fish here, but haven’t seen any image of the process.
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Cheers Sreejith, it made for a very unusual sight and that is for sure….
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