Today's other stories in brief
Meat soup, anyone?
Eating meat soup around a bonfire on the beach in August, while locals hold a sing-song with guitars, is just one of the offbeat attractions that Iceland hopes will lure visitors.
A lobster festival (www.east.is), an ultramarathon (www.marathon.is), the “flight of the pufflings” (www.visitwestmanislands.com) – when baby puffins leave their nests for the first time – and Great Fish Day (www.dalvik.is), whose festivities include eating soup made from dried cod heads, are also on the menu of events.
Sail away for a song
High rollers can hit the high seas for less this year. Many if not most yacht charter businesses have reduced their prices by 25 to 30 per cent. Others have cut them by as much as two-thirds. Last year it would have cost $100,000 (€72,000) per week to charter the 30m luxury yacht Katania, once used by former Hollywood couple Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe. This year Katania and similar yachts are being rented for less than $21,000 (€15,000). When food, drink and service are added, the total for six people works out at about $760 (€550) per person per day, or $32,000 (€23,000) per week.