The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa located about 24 miles outside of Reykjavik. It has been named one of the 25 Wonders of the World. The lagoon is man-made and is fed by the water output of the nearby geothermal power plant. The water is completely renewed every 40 hours. The water temperature in the lagoon averages from 99 to 102 degrees. The water is rich in minerals and is said to have healing properties - more on that later. The Blue Lagoon is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. Two weeks prior to our visit the Blue Lagoon started requiring reservations and now closes due to capacity.

You enter the lagoon on a foot path cut out of lava rocks.



The water is such as amazing color of blue, the pictures just don't do it justice.  There is a nature path to enjoy before entering the more "touristy" swimming lagoon.



Visitors relax and float in the mineral waters.  There are caves, bridges, waterfalls and steam baths to enjoy. You can actually enter the warm water from inside the building, no need to step outside in the freezing temperatures just wearing your swimsuit. There are large containers of  white silica mud to put on your body which you rinse off after it hardens in 5 to 10 minutes.



Prior to our visit I had read about the healing properties of the Blue Lagoon. Once again, I was a skeptic. The Blue Lagoon is said to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis. Since everyone else was using the white mud, Darin and I decided to give it a try.The following morning at breakfast I was shocked at how amazing Darin's skin looked. I have since read that the mud-packs have rejuvenating characteristics. They stimulate the skin's natural collagen production. Even Mackenzie noticed Darin's skin when we used FaceTime at the hotel. The day I got back to Florida my mother mentioned my smooth complexion.  Our only regret is that we didn't purchase any of the Blue Lagoon spa products.



On a humorous note, I wish I had taken a picture of the lifeguards because they were bundled up like Eskimos while I swam in the warm water wearing only a bikini.  We were told to schedule our visit late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds.  We arrived at 5 pm thinking that we would be ready to leave after a few hours.



Boy were we wrong, they had to kick us out at closing time.  The Blue Lagoon is even more amazing at night.



Next Post - The Hot Golden Circle

The Northern Lights

The possibility of seeing the Northern Lights was one of the reasons we chose to visit Iceland for Darin's 50th birthday.  That being said, the Northern Lights can be elusive and unpredictable - so unpredictable that the larger tour companies let you re-book free of charge if you do not see the lights. There are relaxing ways to see the lights such as floating in a secret lagoon or more adventurous ways such as riding on a boat, however, Darin and I chose a tour bus instead. The tour bus offered the re-book option and buses are more mobile and able to quickly change locations at the last minute for a better sighting.

To see the lights you need a very clear dark sky away from the city lights. A severe solar storm hit two days prior to us leaving for Iceland. We were just two days short of being able to view the Northern Lights without having to leave the city of Reykjavik. Each morning, hotels in Iceland will predict your chances of seeing the lights that night using a scale from 1 to 9. We were rated at a 3 the night we attempted to see the lights.  I'll be the first to admit that I was a pessimist.  I thought we were going on "a wild goose chase." I thought our chances of seeing the lights were so slim that I decided not to pack a tripod (big mistake).  Our tour bus picked us up at 9:30 pm and we headed south over an hour in search of clear skies. Much to my surprise, the minute we stepped off the bus we could see the lights.  Below are my pictures taken without a tripod.  Our tour guide helped everyone with the settings on their cameras although he did warn us that without a tripod we wouldn't get a clear picture.  On the other hand, our bus driver encouraged everyone to put away their cameras and just enjoy the light show.

The next two pictures were taken by our tour guide using a tripod. You can see what a difference a tripod can make.

I can't find many words to describe the Northern Lights other than they were truly AMAZING! Darin and I feel so fortunate to have seen them. Our young hotel desk clerk told us how discouraged he feels when guests re-book night after night and end up having to leave Iceland without seeing the lights. I still can't believe that we lucked out and were able to see the lights on our first try.

Next post - the Blue Lagoon