Iceland Lace

At a glance, Iceland appears as a vision of moss, volcanic ash and steamy geysers that offer a spa-like atmosphere in a place under perpetual threat of rain.

The Reykjavik center unrolls like a fishing town with bustling harbors and rusty railings. Most of the charming homes made of corrugated metal (Vikings took most of the wood) are punched up with bold color.

Graffiti, litter, dogs and pollution have no place in the most northern European city. These blond people live long and healthy lives, perhaps a testament to their universal healthcare.

But maybe Iceland’s success is due the help of all the elves many Icelanders believe to be living in the boulders, or the trolls that are thought to have aided the original settlers a thousand years ago.

In the middle of the dog-less, clean and elf-riddled streets, there is a warehouse-like building that hosts the city’s flea market (with a long and un-pronounceable name) that opens at 10 a.m. (not too early since revelers just got home from the clubs) until 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The flea market didn’t have the chic feel of and the French puce or the sprawling and invigorating chaos of the Roman markets. Rather, it offered plastic dishes and faux leather with spots of fur and coffee mugs instead of antique mirrors and elegant chandeliers.

The only seemingly “antiques” vendor sat (I think) strategically next to the cured fish stand. After wading through a series of shot glasses, I came across some hand-made lace doilies.  They had a certain symmetry that I thought would be a nice representation of Iceland that seems to function with order and punctuality, even if the island is crawling with elves… I have made pendants and rings from this pile of linens.