May 17, 2025

The population of Djupivogur, Iceland is 450 people. Of that population 300 are children. Most of those children are born in late summer and fall. Obviously, there must not be much to do in Djupivogur during the winter!

As soon as we tendered into the small dock we were greeted by some of those children who had set up makeshift tables to sell, wouldn’t you know it-ROCKS!

The main attraction in Djupivogur is the Steinasafn Auduns Mineral Museum. Well, it is not actually a museum, it is Steinasafn’s private collection, as the signage clearly states. As in most collections, the contents are probably most appreciated by the collector. I got to meet Steinasafn, as he is the only museum, ah, collection employee. I asked him how he began collecting rocks and he told me “I was out hunting reindeer and I saw a rock and decided to take it home with me.” That was 35 years ago. He now has almost half a ton of rocks in his home workshop that he cuts open looking for treasures to polish.

By the way, none of the rocks could be purchased except for the few odd ones displaced on the blue skirted table pictured above. The prices were outrageous! I’m not sure if Steinanaafn really wanted to make any sales.

There was a cute little church in town, of course displaced with a rock in front. We also saw one of those alfasteinars that I had talked about. Small little houses prepared for elves who might just want to stop by for a visit.

My curiosity could not stand it anymore, so I asked a young mother standing by the church what all this infatuation with rocks was about? She replied quite matter of factly “They are our diamonds.”

I get it.

You make use of what you have, you appreciate the obvious and beauty surely is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask Steinasafn! But what about the elves? For now, that still remains a mystery.

Djupivogur truly was a beautiful place, and I couldn’t help but leave with a souvenir of our visit.

Thanks for traveling with us.