The talk of the town

On our way home from weekend-shopping I stopped to take a picture of the current two main topics of discussion among people here in Akureyri. 
  
The former is a new and improved Torfunesbryggja (a quay directly east of Akureyri's town center) which was officially opened 3 days ago. A lot of cruise ships visit Akureyri (and Hrísey and Grímsey) every summer and now there will be room for even more and also easier access for the tourists. Iceland has been a popular destination for over a decade now, and some say it will get even more attention in the coming years since "coolcations" are becoming a thing in tourism. Three big cruise ships were docked here today and I tried to get them all in the picture.
Le Champlain was the first cruise ship to dock at Torfunesbryggja yesterday evening. 
 
The latter is a request from The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (Vegagerðin) that Akureyri’s town planning committee should remove the heart-shaped traffic lights that have been a hallmark of the town for many years (I posted a photo here last October and I also wrote about the hearts of Akureyri in December 2011). 
In a letter to the planning committee they say: "The red hearts in the traffic lights in Akureyri are a popular tourist attraction. Tourists can often be seen taking pictures and taking selfies at busy intersections. In situations like these, there can be dangers if, for example, people slip and fall in front of a car. There is also a risk that heart-shaped traffic lights can distract drivers from driving, which is especially worrisome at busy intersections". 
  
Well, yes, maybe...
But I think our mayor, Ásthildur Sturludóttir, said it best on her personal Facebook-page yesterday morning: "The hearts in the red traffic lights are one of the hallmarks of Akureyri, a major part of the town's image that says in such a symbolic and beautiful way that here we want to welcome everyone with warmth and love.  If I were to say it like it is, I just don't understand what the Icelandic Road Administration is doing and I have no doubt that the municipal authorities in Akureyri will completely reject removing the hearts. They were installed in the traffic lights during the summer of 2008, so the Icelandic Road Administration has had 17 years to deal with the "threat" they pose!  Dear people, let's try to smile with our hearts and use the time for something more useful!"