A not-so well known fact, elves and the country of Iceland go hand-in-hand. The culture in the country is so rich with these mythical creatures, in fact, that there’s even a significant portion of the population that readily admit to believing in them. According to a survey from 2006, a full 26 percent of Icelanders say that elves do indeed exist.
This belief can sometimes lead to some interesting cultural developments. Construction in Iceland, for example, can be quite complicated. Specialists are sometimes brought in before a project begins to determine whether or not there are any of the creatures living in the area that might be disturbed. Entire roads have been rerouted due to the presence of an elf or two along the planned route.
Another interesting elf-related phenomenon is the AlfaskolinnElfSchool, located in the city of Reykjavik. This program is run by long-time elf aficionado Magnus Skarphedinsson. He’s apparently a top authority on subjects that range from physics to ESP to, of course, elf lore. He’s been studying the elf population for more than 20 years and decided in 1991 that an academic program was in order. Since its founding, more than 10,000 people have come and studied at the AlfaskolinnElfSchool.
If you decide to attend one of the programs at Alfaskolinn, you’ll learn a number of interesting things about elves. First of all, there are 13 different types that make their homes in Iceland. Also, they aren’t as strange looking as some people may assume. Aside from being a bit smaller, they happen to look just like you and me. They also happen to be invisible, so you can’t really get a good view of them. In addition to the elf knowledge, Skarphedinsson also has mythical creatures such as trolls, fairies, dwarves and gnomes on the curriculum.
If you happen to be passing through and don’t have the time to take the full course, there’s a five-hour visitor’s program available as well. You’ll learn about elves, get served a nice pancake dinner and walk away with a certificate to prove your knowledge. Or, if you don’t feel like studying on vacation, you can also get other services at the school, such as aura or past life readings. And since the school is in Reykjavik, there are plenty of other things to see while you’re there to make your vacation even better.
Photo of Magnus Skarphedinsson courtesy of franziswiese.com
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