Saturday, September 8, 2012

The Blue Lagoon, Iceland


Our flight home from Iceland was at 5 pm, so we decided to spend the day at the Blue Lagoon. We arranged for an affordable transfer from our studio in Reykjavik to the Blue Lagoon. The tour bus held onto our luggage while we were there, and then took us to Keflavik Airport when we were done.


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We had heard that the Blue Lagoon was a unique, if expensive, experience, but didn't know quite what to expect. It was relatively expensive ($50 per person plus refreshments), but for an all day do-it-yourself spa experience $50 isn't so bad. The waters defied all expectation...

Upon arrival we walked down a path carved through young volcanic rock and got a glimpse at the unique mix of geothermally heated seawater, freshwater, silica, algae, and assorted minerals that form the signature blue water. 




Inside the spa are locker rooms, snack bars, and the spa lagoon (the water in the lagoon is around one to four feet deep in various places; deeper areas are blocked off).  






The silica and minerals coat the lava rocks like the lining of a pool. Guests swim and lounge in the healing waters; there are tubs of silica mud around the lagoon (it feels like a gel) to apply to your skin as a masque. I had a great time with the mud but the tiny particles got under A's contact lenses and roughed them up--definitely take your contacts out in the locker room. I wore my (cheap plastic H&M) sunglasses the whole time and didn't notice any abrasion on them.







Sunglasses are a must, and make sure to stay submerged or in shade if you're spending hours there. Since the water isn't chlorinated they require you to take thorough scrubbing showers before entering the lagoon; sunscreen isn't really an option. The opaque water did help block the sun but our faces got a bit pink. 

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