Wandering Ancient Icelandic Caves

Toward the end of our Icelandic road trip around the famous Ring Road, we made a stop at a cave system that dates back to before even the trolls of Icelandic folklore.
The cave is about 30 minutes outside of the really charming and cozy and peaceful town of Stykkishólmur, through vivid green hills that roll after each other before the icy green sea. When we went, the Sun had been nearing the horizon and the whole sky and landscape glowed golden and fresh. The ocean was in view the whole time and you could see little waves breaking and crashing softly onto the black and rocky shoreline.
Anyway, when we arrived, we were taken to a hole in the ground that was covered by what looked like a telephone booth.

Inside the booth was a set of spiral staircases that twirled down into the deep black darkness thirty or so feet below the green ground. Once down in the cave, there was a surprising amount of room, maybe even big enough to fit Iceland's entire population! The temperature dropped to a lovely cool and crisp temp.

Inside the booth was a set of spiral staircases that twirled down into the deep black darkness thirty or so feet below the green ground. Once down in the cave, there was a surprising amount of room, large enough to fit Iceland's entire population, perhaps, and the temperature dropped to a lovely cool and crisp temp. All you could hear was your own rocky footsteps and the echoing of water droplets off the ancient stone walls.
We learned the history of the cave, of the trolls who once lived inside it, and walked through the old troll theater where performances were held hundreds of years ago. It was magical down there, I could picture the trolls frozen into the stone and quiet.
By far the most amazing part, one of the most amazing feelings and moments I've ever experienced in my life, was when we all turned out our lights. No flashlights, no headlamps, no light.

It was pure, pitch blackness. Then, at that moment, we could have been 50 years ago, or 700 years ago, or 3000 years ago, before Iceland was settled by man. Nothing had changed in this cave. No light, no sound besides the light water drops, nothing. This feeling of nothingness was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It showed how small humans are, despite how large we think we are. Iceland is good at this kind of stuff. Iceland shows you the Earth is still in charge.
I will never get over that moment. The darkness--it was pure darkness, pure blackness, just like it had been for thousands of years before us.
But during that moment, I did feel life- I felt the ancient Icelandic trolls and what Earth was like before.