Carry On Icelandic: Culture [selections] (2004)
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Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannaeyjar er eyjaklasi úti fyrir suðurströnd Íslands. Til Vestmannaeyja teljast allt að 15-18 eyjar og allt að 30 sker og drangar. Eyjarnar mynduðust allar við eldgos og eru taldar sérstakt eldstöðvakerfi með miðju á Heimaey. Vitað er um fjögur gos í Vestmannaeyjum frá landnámi; hið fyrsta 1637 og það síðasta 1973 þegar gos varð í Heimaey með þeim afleiðingum að fjórðungur bæjarins eyðilagðist.
Innsiglingin inn í Vestmannaeyjahöfn er vel varin af náttúrunnar hendi (The seaward approach into Vestmannaeyjar Harbour is well protected by natural features).
Flestar eyjanna eru sæbrattar og erfiðar uppgöngu, nema fyrir vana fjallgöngumenn. Margar þeirra eru með lóðréttum hamraveggjum en grasi grónar að ofanverðu. Mikil fugla- og eggjataka er í Eyjum og er þar árlega veitt mikið af fugli, aðallega lunda.
Vestmannaeyjabær er á Heimaey en hún er stærsta eyja Vestmannaeyja og er meðal mikilvægustu fiskibæja Íslands.
Vestmannaeyjar
The Vestmannaeyjar form a cluster of islands off the south coast of Iceland. There are thought to be a total of 15-18 islands and 30 skerries and rock pillars. The islands were all formed by volcanic eruption and are all connected to the volcanic system which has its centre on Heimaey Island. Four eruptions are known to have occurred in Vestmannaeyjar since Icelandic settlement, the first in 1637 and the last in 1973, when there was an eruption on Heimaey Island which destroyed a quarter of the town.
Most of the islands have steep-sided cliffs down to the sea and are difficult to approach and land, except by experienced climbers. Many of the islands have vertical sides, but grass does grow on their tops. Birds and eggs are something of perk for the residents, and each year there is a large bird hunt, especially of the puffin bird or "lundi".
Vestmannaeyjar town is located on Heimaey Island, the largest town on the cluster, and is, amongst other things, the most important fishing town in Iceland.
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