Iceland. The Magical Land Of Fire, Ice, Elves And The Northern Lights

The ground underneath us is alive. It trembles, explodes, breaks. Something is created, stretched, shifted, hot magma overflows, geysers explode. It all makes you live here very consciously and in a full alert — said Anton while turning off the car lights. To my dismay, he seemed to have mastered the ability to simultaneously observe the night sky and drive a car at the same time.

Late night in September. Lake Myvätn, Iceland.

His words hung heavily in the air like an ominous omen, echoing against the fogged windows.

-Because nature cannot be taken lightly — he finished the sentence and turned on the lights again.

At that exact moment, two gleaming horses emerged from the darkness just in front of us. Frightened and blinded by the glare of the car’s headlights, they rushed into the middle of the road right under our wheels. That scene — lasted for maybe a second — felt like an eternity.

Anton reacted at the last moment.

He turned the steering wheel hard to the left, grabbed the gravel shoulder, and miraculously returned to the road. If it weren’t for his reflexes and talent for Icelandic pirate driving, I’d end up flying out the windshield at best. We stopped.

While I was trying to catch my breath and understand what’s just happened, he quickly jumped out of the car. I think he wanted to pacify the horses, but they — like ghosts — vanished without a trace into the thin dark air.

Was it a dream?

My bewildered mind was in serious doubt. I looked around; there was nothing but the black void around us.

It was a mere coincidence, but those horses, just after Anton’s words, made me feel the power of Iceland even more explicitly. Because the power of Mother Earth should not be ignored — he told me that many times.

-Every Icelandic knows it. Everyone senses it, whoever is more conscious-minded and connected to nature.

In that one second, I understood it too.

Besides, not only nature is crucial here. In addition to glaciers, geysers, geothermal springs, volcanoes, and the harsh climate, there is also Huldufólk, otherwise known as Hidden People or elves. They are supernatural beings that live in nature and occupy a special place in Icelandic culture.

Hidden in forests, rocks, hills, wells, and springs, they protect their privacy very much and stay away from the human world. However, they are there, and no one doubts their existence. Or at least most, because only 10 percent of the islanders insist that these creatures are merely a figment of human imagination.

Howling winds, waves crashing against high cliffs, pounding raindrops, loud crackling glaciers. And that congealed lava with fanciful shapes, which take on human dimensions with the appropriate dance of the sun’s rays. If this Icelandic volcanic, almost lunar setting is not a dream home for elves, trolls, and gnomes, then it is an ideal playground for human imagination.

-I’m a rationalist — Anton replied, simultaneously rummaging through the camera’s settings to turn on long exposure. — However, after a few days with nature in places with no living soul around, you begin to believe that you are not alone. My mind tries to convince me this is only the effect of keen imagination, but it is difficult to ignore what the senses convey. And believe me, they record more than I want them to.

Elves can be very helpful if humans take care of them and do good deeds. But they can also be mean if our acts threaten their existence. They are large or small, usually dressed in fancy costumes, closely resembling people. Some small-child-sized dwarves are naturally more cloudy than the elves. Winged elves surrounded by the glow and the most powerful of all beings, trolls who lead a hermit lifestyle among mountains and glaciers.

What does this have to do with humans? To avoid the anger of the Huldufólk, Icelanders respect the places that belong to them. They fence off a piece of their own property, characterized by an undulating, moss-covered surface which is believed to be the property of the Hidden People. Therefore, to not bring misfortune to the farm, this land should be untouched. For more serious matters, the medium is called to contact them. Afterward, the plan is presented, i.e., a construction site, and only together do they try to reach a compromise. The most important thing is to maintain harmony so crucial in Iceland.

Anton continued to look at the sky, but heavy raindrops, crashing loudly against the car windows temporarily thwarted our plans.

-We have to wait the rain out — he decided. — Have you been to the waterfall?

A dozen or so minutes later, with flashlights on our foreheads, we carefully stepped on the slippery stones to finally rest on the edge of the escarpment, face to face with Godafoss, the largest and most spectacular waterfall in the Myvätn area.

I am not exaggerating when I say that Iceland has more waterfalls than trees. They are everywhere, and every third is impressive enough that it is worth deviating from the route to delight your eyes with another cascade of foaming waters with a roar crashing against the black basalt rocks several dozen meters below. We managed to see many of them during our stay; however, communing with the Waterfall of the Gods in the middle of the night was a completely new, unique experience.

-I love Icelandic nature — said Anton, switching off his flashlight — Anyway! Who doesn’t like it here? This is our greatest gift; our enemy and ally. Listen carefully. Can you hear this sound, this power? It’s a feeling that makes everything else meaningless. Can you feel it? Nature should not be changed; we should live with it. Become its inseparable element. Be it. Understand. Only then will we be able to appreciate what it has to offer. Only then can we experience more and take more from it instead of taking it by force.

We sat in silence for a long time, and in total darkness, we listened to the hectoliters of water flowing in front of us. At times, the weight of our own thoughts, charged with positive energy, seemed to sound louder than the waterfall. Both the rain pouring from the sky and the cold blast of wind mixed with divine drops of water ceased to be bothersome. As if for one single moment, they penetrated our minds and became a part of us.

- I got it! — Anton shouted, rubbing his cold hands.

For a good half-hour, we stood in total desolation, and in the complete darkness, we gazed alternately at the sky and the camera display. For the first time, there was a shadow of hope that our search would not be in vain. Several stars appeared in the photo.

- See that gap between the clouds? — He pointed to the black spot on the camera display.

- That’s where we have to go. Get in!

With our eyes raised to the heavens, like cranky Ghostbusters, we moved from place to place around the island. A short break, a photo, analysis, another race with time, wind, and clouds covering Iceland with exceptionally thick down that night.

-Here or nowhere — he said worriedly, slamming the car door as we reached our destination. The overexposed photo suggested that it is worth staying in this place for a longer time. Ready for anything, we hid under a wooden shepherd’s roof, right next to the lake. At least, that was what Anton said because, surrounded by the endless black night, I could scarcely recognize the contours of our bodies.

We waited. And waited some more.

And I could have waited the whole night because Anton turned out to be a fantastic speaker who continued painting this magical image of Iceland by his own words.

After many years of constant travels, I could not stop admiring the remoteness of this place. Here, apart from Reykjavik and a few other urban agglomerations, each farm, each house has large tracts of land, which means that the nearest neighbor can live a few or even several kilometers away.

Accustomed to this Icelandic space and at the same time an incredible sense of security, Anton had left the house open since he lost his keys two years ago.

-This is Iceland — He summed up and didn’t need to add anything else.

Iceland is one of the safest countries, where theft takes place rather festively, and the neighbor’s watchful eye will not miss any alarming situation. However, the trust of Icelanders is not limited to their compatriots. More than once, we found ourselves in a case where owners left us alone in the restaurants because they had something else to do.

-Just leave money on a table — they said.

Being in great shock, we wondered whether we should go after the meal or wait for their return while keeping an eye on their business.

-But they constantly rob me abroad — the boy laughed, explaining his carelessness and blind trust in another human being.

Embraced by the silence, we sat for a long time waiting for the miracle. “Miracle.” This was the term Anton used, knowing that there was little more we could do. The small gaps between the layers of clouds and their location on the celestial vault still did not bode well for anything good.

-It’s true; I’ve seen it a hundred times before - he said and handed me a mug of hot chocolate. — But each time, I experience it and admire it anew. And you know what? I can do this endlessly.

We did not find Northern Lights that night, although Anton’s camera recorded indisputable evidence of its existence. Aurora Borealis was out there, all we needed was a magic blow to thin the cloudy coating, and the green strands would play the most beautiful spectacle in my life.

I wasn’t disappointed.

I found something much more valuable that night. I met a man, a master of storytelling. I tasted a bit of Icelandic mysticism, paid tribute to nature, listened to many wonderful stories, and learned much more than I could read from books.

What about the aurora? I’ll find it next time. At least I already know how to search for it.

Will its beauty delight me and addict me to this constant search? Just like it did to Anton, who can cross half the island in one night to capture at least a scrap of it? Will it live up to my expectations and the growing hunger that begs for a dose of aesthetic, indescribable beauty? I sincerely hope and look forward to it.

Have you ever seen Northern Lights? Or maybe it is on your Bucket List?

Here is a short video I made during this Iceland trip:

About me: My name is Joanna Skladanek. I was born in Poland but for the last 15 years, I’ve worked as a flight attendant and was based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I studied Tourism, as well as Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. I am a photographer, writer, and content creator (mainly) on Instagram. On Medium I will write about everything that interests me: traveling, photography, cultures, wellness, self-improvement, self-development, and a tiny bit of fictional short stories.

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