To make it easier for foreign visitors to Iceland to connect with Iceland’s hundreds of geothermal swimming options, the website swimminginiceland.com was created.
IceNews first reported on the site last summer when English constituted just a small part of the bigger Icelandic website. Swimming in Iceland has since added new features and been redesigned, as well as created its very own English language URL.
The website holds details and reviews of hundreds of manmade swimming pools and natural hot springs all over Iceland.
The website’s Dutch founder explains the philosophy behind the site: “Looking for such an overview of swimming pools myself, I was surprised to find only bits and pieces online when swimming pools are such a big part of Iceland and its culture,” he said.
www.swimminginiceland.com
What a joke. It’s a pretty confusing site to be frank and clearly designed by Icelanders in the usual Icelandic way: what they *think* “foreigners” want. Also what is it with not being able to use the spell checker ? “Openinghours” and a host of other childish mistakes.
“The Icelandic way – Unfortunately there´s no english translation available”
Try clicking on a particular pool. All the specific information is then in Icelandic…
Ah… It’s in English, then switches to Icelandic when you click on a particular pool, so you have to click on the Union Jack to switch it back to English again. A little confusing. Perhaps a continuation cookie should retain the language preference throughout the session…
Hi Julia,
I will leave judging the website to each individual visitor – but I feel it’s only fair to point out again that it is the brainchild of a Dutchman, not an Icelander.
Our article from when the website was first launched last summer is here:
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2008/07/07/where-to-take-a-dip-naturally-in-iceland/
Unfortunately there´s no english translation available
If someone not happy with English version of Icelandic pools – do it YOURSELF! Do it better! Or shut up! :-)
@Alex: Yes, sundlaugar.is is registered to somebody with a Dutch looking name but I really have no idea why that would matter.
I would think it is good for Iceland that this kind of information is available on the Internet and yes, it is not perfect, but at least it is something.
The Dutchman (http://www.robert.is/cv.html) seems to be a recent graduate doing freelance work, so perhaps this web site shouldn’t be critiqued as if it had Google’s development resources. The idea and intention are good and the implmentation can be improved in future.
Hi Mike,
I mention the website founder’s nationality only in response to Julia’s comment above.
If you click on the link I provided to our older article you will see that he actually is Dutch, and not simply in possession of a Dutch sounding name.
Thanks for reading IceNews,
Alex, editor