It is believed that 80% of people in Iceland believe in hidden people and elves. Our guide told us a story where the government wanted to build a new road but there were rocks in the way. They had to find an intermediary who would speak to the elves and ask if they would relocate their homes to other rocks. If they said yes the road work would continue. If they said no they would build around the rocks. Apparently many tragedies would happen on the road if they displaced the elves without their permission. Hidden people and elves are basically good and spread the message that nature should be preserved. The story goes from the Bible that Eve was washing her children to get ready for a visit from God. She did not have time to finish washing them all and when God found the dirty ones, he banished them forever making them hidden people.

Trolls are basically giants who only come down from the mountains looking for food. They can only live in darkness and if they see light they turn in rock. The most famous troll turned rock is Reynisdrangar rock formations located in Vik (that I just happened to see but didn’t realize they had once been trolls).

Believe it or not, they have whole tours based on elves and trolls. Skipping that and off to the Blue Lagoon where I am really planning on putting my bathing suit on in 40 degree weather.