- Photo Essay
New Year’s Eve in Bolungarvík. During this week-long, mid-winter celebration after Christmas, Icelanders take a break from the sea’s demands and indulge in roaring fires indoors and out, evening-long parties, and fireworks displays everywhere in town. Karitas Hafliðadóttir and her grandson watch the fireworks, from the warmth of their home. Preparing for one visit, I asked one of my friends in town what I should bring from the United States to help with the party. He answered succinctly: “Bring explosives.... lots of explosives.” On this night in Bolungarvík, everyone in town was shooting large fireworks.