The Crossing - Day 8 - The Blue Tourist Trap

September 12

It was inevitable. Sooner or later we would have to visit the Blue Lagoon, probably Iceland's #1 tourist attraction. I knew it was a tourist trap, but it was calling to me. Going to a hot spring is a true part of Icelandic culture and it is always important to experience the local culture.

We rented a car and drove through a landscape so desolate that it was used to train the astronauts to operate the Moon Rover.

When we arrived at the Blue Lagoon it was crowded, but not overly crowded. We went through the line for people who had pre-reserved, and we got through reasonably quickly. We had the basic package, and resisted the attempted upsell. You can get various packages which include things like towels, bathrobes, massages, and lunch in their fancy restaurant.  We received some clever wristbands that can be used to lock and unlock your locker and to charge purchases.

I entered the women's locker room. It was clean and the design was Scandinavian. There was a computeer panel near the door which indicated which lockers were available. There were a number of small changing areas with about 30 lockers each and they were clearly marked to show which locker numbers were in each area. There were racks for your shoes outside the changing areas. The lockers contained hangers with net bags attached. 

We were told that before entering the lagoon we had to take a shower without our clothes on. Nobody was actually checking this. There were places to put your towels while you showered. There were private showers and they provided Blue Lagoon brand shampoo/soap and conditioner. They suggested putting conditioner on your hair during your preliminary shower and keeping it on while in the lagoon. 

Ken said the men's dressing room was not so nice. It was one large room to change in and non-private showers. No hangers in the lockers. No hairdryers. No make-up mirrors. A bunch of old men telling off-color jokes.

I went outside and the first thing I noticed was that it was cold. The next thing I noticed was an enormous, very blue lagoon, with lots of people in it. There was a light mist rising up from the water. I decided to get in before I froze. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so, and after a minute my body adjusted. Thee water was cloudy so you couldn't see your feet. The bottom of the lagoon was uneven, especially near the entrance, and you had to walk carefully. Farther away from the entrance it felt sandy and more level.  The depth was mostly mid-chest.  We started walking around the lagoon to see what was there. We saw a wade-up bar where you could buy wine, beer, water and smoothies. I later got a blueberry smoothie for about US $8. It was good, but $8?

We continued walking around. It was very relaxing and pleasant. It was hard to believe we were in Iceland in September and it was cold out. I think the water provided as much buoyancy as salt water. It had a lot of minerals in it, including silica and salt. Many people had white mud masks. There was a big tub of it, so I got some and put it on for 10 minutes. Later that evening my face really did feel softer. I probably did not look 10 years younger, though. However, my hair and nails were the worse for the wear.

A chatty young man named Nicholas was perched on a peninsula with a tablet. He would take your photo and then e-mail it to you on the spot. We had our photo taken and I have the e-mail, but I'm not sure if I know how to add it to this blog using an iPad. Maybe when I get home. Yikes, the Blue Lagoon people missed a marketing opportunity. They could have asked people to pay for the photos at $10 each and Nicholas would have been a major profit center for them. However, it was nice to get something included in the $50 standard admission.

Thanks, Nicholas!

After another shower I was ready to go. We had to use the wristbands to exit. They checked my wristband and collected for the blueberry smoothie. They activated a turnstile, a little drawer popped out, you put the wristband in the drawer, the turnstile turned, and you were free to go - to the giftshop and cafe. We decided to eat in the cafe because we didn't know if there would be anyplace to eat in the upcoming lava wasteland. It was expensive - about US $18 for an underwhelming sub, a small bag of potato chips, and a cup of coffee. But they are the only game in  town.

My final observations about the Blue Lagoon:

It is well-run.

They are good at marketing.

It is fake.

What do I mean when I say it is fake? The Blue Lagoon started out as a geothermal power plant. The plant is still there and you can see it in the background in one of the photos above. They had excess hot water after producing power, so someone decided to build a fake lagoon out of all the free lava that was lying around. They painted the inside of the lagoon white. I'm not sure, but I would guess that they added the blue color and other chemicals to the water to make it seem more like a spa. The mud mask stuff was too white and smooth to be natural. The real hot springs in Iceland are so hot you would be scalded and they have a really nasty smell.

So we went to a real hot spring. But first we drove through miles of lava fields.

We arrived at Krysuvik and found an active geothermal field, complete with boiling mud pits and sulfurous smells.

Before returning to Reykjavik we drove through more lava fields. There were hiking trails that seemd to go from nowhere to nowhere. We passed Lake Kleifarvatn, which was huge but desolate.

Back in Reykjavik we drove around for a bit. My impression of it is 1) a lot of sprawl in the newer areas, making it like the unattractive parts of the American west, and 2) a lot of grim buildings in the older areas. The main construction materials were stucco, corrugated metal, and concrete with a lot of pebbles embedded in it (I'm sure it has a name). The main architectural style is square with flat roofs and no adornment.

The bottom line is this: Reykjavik (and its environs) is a very interesting place and it deserves more than a day. Reykjavik was founded in 874 but it is surprisingly modern.

On top of a hill, dominating the city, is the Hallgrimskirkja. It is a large cathedral. It appears to be made of stucco. It is striking and ugly at the same time. The interior was very unusual. There was some avant garde art. I couldn't tell whether it was a permanent part of the church or a temporary exhibit.

There is a terrific statue of Leif Ericsson in front of the church. I didn't realize he was from Iceland.

In the evening we saw the beginning of a show featuring Ken Block, a "comedic impressionist ". We were not so impressed.