Uh, how could I not screech to a halt and do a 180 on the Ring Road, night falling, to rub my eyes and make sure. Yup, that WAS a giant half carved Viking head with a stopper in it (to add oil, so the wood doesn't crack!). 20 minutes later found me in the fine company of Asgeir, who carves endless Viking scenarios and sells them out of the N1 gas station. He regaled me with many tales of Grettir the Strong, played some acoustic guitar and showed off the paintings of his dead father that graced all the paperback editions of Iceland's own Nobel winner, Halldor Kiljan Laxness. Chainsaw carving is alive and kicking in the land of the sagas and I left with the meager purchase of a tiny carved Schnapps goblet, it's base the original bark, like the goblet emerged from within the wooden spirit.
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