August 18: Blue Lagoon

We left our lovely free campsite by 6:00 am and headed to the famous Blue Lagoon.  I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from this haven for tourists but I was absolutely blown away.  Although certainly commercialized, they have done a wonderful job making your experience an enjoyable and relaxing one.  We arrived at the opening – promptly at 7:00 am with about 100 visitors.  

The Blue Lagoon is considered a modern wonder of the world, which is hidden in a black lava field.   The wispy plumes of steam rising off the light blue waters give you a sense of being in paradise.  For about $85/person, we had unlimited access to the geothermally heated waters of this famous spa along with a beverage of your choice (Is 7:00 am too early for a beer?) and a fresh towel.  We spent about two hours wading in the warm pools as well as visiting the steam room and sauna  – romantic heaven. 

One interesting fact about the Blue Lagoon is that its iconic milky blue waters are actually a byproduct of the nearby geothermal power plant, Svartsengi. In the late 1970s, workers discovered that the silica-rich runoff from the plant formed natural pools in the surrounding lava fields. When people started bathing in the waters, they noticed improvements in skin conditions like psoriasis, which led to the lagoon becoming a renowned spa destination. Today, the Blue Lagoon is not only a major tourist attraction but also home to a research and development facility dedicated to studying the healing properties of geothermal seawater. It’s amazing to think that such a serene and luxurious experience emerged from an industrial accident!

From here, we drove to downtown Reykjavik to explore this fun, inclusive city. First stop was the Lutheran Church Hallgrimskirkja with a height of 244 feet tall, which makes it the tallest church in Iceland.  So what do you do at a tall church?  You climb the tower and soak in the views of the colorful city of Reykjavik.

Next, it was time for a small food crawl with a visit to Three Coats for the famous horse meat dinner.  The meat was tender and delicious served with a buttery sauce on the side that also complemented the steak fries and carrots.  Even the bread and butter at this cute spot was delicious.  I would give it a solid 9.25 out of 10.  During our meal, we met one of my former colleagues from Framingham who is running the Reykjavik marathon tomorrow with her son.  It was so cool to catch up with an old friend in such a cool city. After a brisk digestive walk through downtown including the famous Rainbow street, we settled into line for the famous hot dogs at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur.  And, if it is good enough for President Obama, it’s certainly good enough for us.  We enjoyed our dogs loaded with a cold coke. I’d give it a respectable 8.5 out of 10.