Trivia about Iceland

Trivia about Iceland

Icelandic Gods

Óðinn – Oldest of the Gods, very wise but sometimes tricky; God of wisdom and magic, strategy in warfare, travellers, merchants and poets.

Baldur – Kindest of the Gods, killed by his brother through the treachery of Loki.

Heimdallur – Has incredible sight and hearing; guards the rainbow bridge that lies into the land of the Gods.

Tyr – Bravest of the gods; God of warfare.

Freyja – Most beautiful among the Gods; Goddess of love and fertility.

Frigg – Goddess of homes and families.

Loki – Half-God; clever, but mischievous and arrogant and often causes trouble among the Gods.

Þór – Strongest of the Gods and their defender against evil forces. God of Thuner and Rain.

Höður – A blind God; brother of Baldur and deceived by Loki into killing him.

Bragi – God of poetry and literature.

The Fenris wolf – A giant hound, son of the Half-God Loki and a giantess; destined to devour Óðinn at the end of the world.

Hel – Goddess of the dead and sickly, queen of the Underworld.

Sleipnir – The eight-legged horse of Óðinn, born to the Half-God Loki in the shape of a mare.

Freyr God of Nature, Fertility and Harvests.

Icelandic Landscape. Photo by Olga

An Icelandic legend

The history of the light on the rock hill Kletturinn in Saurbaer

It happened around 1940: Valdimar, who lived in Saurbaer, was on his way home. He came from a shop in Raudaloek where he bought a new hat. It was dark and he was on foot. As he approached the rocky hill, he saw a light on the Kletturinn. He looked at the light and went on towards the river, which was not a bridge to get home. In the attempt to go over the stones of the river, Valdimar fell into the river. He lost his cap in the water and it disappeared. When he got up and looke back at Kletturinn, the light had disappeared. Since then, the light has never been seen on the rocky slopes of Kletturinn.

It is a serious rule in Iceland that no changes are allowed in places where elves live. The elves do not want to be disturbed, so it’s better to have a bow around your seats. Wheter abundance, coincidence or reality, if you have angered elves one does not remain undamaged for long. The same applies to Kleturinn. It is not allowed to remove a stone and also the Strommasten, which was actually planned exactly therre had to be placed next to the hill. (Legend of Gallery and Farm cottage Saurbaer).

Icelandic Wisdom

Better weight than wisdom a traveller cannot carry. The poor man’s strength in a strange place, worth more than wealth. (From Hávamál Eddaic poems (AD 700-900).

Always rise to an early meal, but eat your fill before a feast. If you’re hungry you have no time to talk at the table. (From Hávamál Eddaic poems (AD 700-900).

Ale has too often been praised by poets. The longer you drink the less sense your mind makes of things. from Hávamál Eddaic poems (AD 700-900).

He is truly wise who’s travelled far and knows the ways of the world. He who has travelled can tell what spirit governs the men he meets. (from Hávamál Eddaic poems (AD 700-900)

Northern Lights in Iceland

The Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, are one of the finest displays in nature. The lights are caused by electrically charged particles that are emitted by the sun and interact with the earth’s magnetic field. Some of these particles are accelerated towards the earth and guided towards two zones, one near the north pole and the other one near the south pole. When these particles collide with the upper atmosphere at great speed, they cause the air to glow in the beautiful colours commonly known as the Northern Lights.

Due to Iceland’s unique geographic location, it is an excellent place for seeing the Aurora Borealis, with frequent sightings of colourful and lively light displays. The Northern Lights can be seen in a variety of shapes and colours, and are best appreciated when the sky is clear and the evenings are dark. Due to the longer daylight hours during the summer, the optimum time for seeing the lights is between September and April. Although the Northern Lights can be seen almost anywhere in Iceland, they are best appreciated in the countryside, away from the city lights and man-made illumination. For the optimal experience, many tour operators are offering a variety of Northern Lights tours, both in Reykjavík and in the countryside. For further information on tours, please visit www.tripguide.is