With Nina Slawek
04MAR08
Icelandair Marketing Manager, Melissa Andretta as Bjork
The Icelandair Team:
Back Row: Glenn Lyon, Robert Keddy, Thorsteinn Egilsonn,
Front: Melissa Andretta & Stephanie Tomlinson
Jan Zandboer, Netherlands Board of Tourism; Frankie Rothschild, Carlson Wagonlit and Chris Rivers, Thomas Cook Canada
An Icy Hot Icelandic Night
On a recent wintery Toronto eve, the usual travel suspects were huddled in the back of the Drake Hotel where the atmosphere was anything but cold. As it turns out, Icelandic hospitality is nothing to sneeze at -- food, music, drinks and good friends were plentiful.
The casual affair was celebrating a coup for a country with a population of only 300,000. The national airline, Icelandair, is launching direct service to two Canadian cities this spring. Toronto comes online May 2nd, and Halifax service begins April 21st. Even pop star Bjork was on hand in the form of Marketing Manager Melissa Andretta, complete in swan gown. Sales Manager for Canada Robert Keddy gave a warm welcome to the assembled guests and introduced General Manager for the Americas, Thorsteinn Egilsson. Our hosts were quick to dispel any myths about Iceland being icy, pointing out that as the snow and freezing rain were pelting TO, the temperature in Iceland was a balmy 4 degrees.
As a show of how hot the country really is, Icelandic musician Magni gave a fiery performance of several original songs. The talented singer had our undivided attention, a rarity at these types of events. I was sold. And with only 5 hours separating us, there are plenty of reasons to visit the glaciers, waterfalls, hot springs and volcanic landscapes of this intriguing country.
© Open Jaw