Travelogue

Blue LagoonWe thought it fitting to end our journey at the famous Blue Lagoon. How could we possibly go to Iceland and not.

It is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, with well over a million visitors per year. The Keflavik airport is only 12 miles away, so tour buses bring people directly there and back if they have a long enough layover to squeeze in a soak. That is why you need to book tickets at least a few days in advance, as time slots do fill up.

We waited a little too long and were only able to get a reservation for 6:00 pm, which actually worked out good for us, as we would be really relaxed for our flight home tomorrow morning.

Herb sporting his silica maskIt’s easy to see why it’s so popular.

It’s called the “Blue” Lagoon because of the water’s milky blue shade, which is due to its high silica content. The silica forms soft white mud found on the bottom of the lake lava rocks around it. The water is a comfortable 99–102 °F. What’s not to like?

We bought the Comfort Package (the least expensive one), which included entrance to the lagoon, a silica mud mask, a towel, and a free drink of our choice. For our date and time slot that was $104 per person.

Example of bad application of silicaThe premium package would have given us two additional facial masks and a bathrobe for another $20 or so, but we thought the Comfort package was decadent enough.

After our obligatory showers, HIlda and I met the guys who were already comfortably settled in the pool.

Our first order of business was to get in the line for the free silica mask. There was also an anti-aging mask, which I was considering, but that was not part of our package. The silica one, which promised to boost our skin’s barrier function and tighten our pores for a fresh and improved complexion, would have to be good enough

Sides of Blue LagoonOnce it was our turn, we scooped a big blob of a white gooey substance out of a bucket and proceeded to apply it to our faces with various degrees of skill.

Herb, Hilda, and Paul looked so cute and glamorous I, however, looked like a sad clown or a rabid albino racoon.

Along the edges of the Blue LagoonAs instructed, we kept the mask on for only 10 minutes before removing it by using one of the fresh water spigots alongside the pool.

Time for our next freebie (although it’s hard to think of it as really a freebie after paying $104) - a glass of wine or in Herb’s case, a beer.

I was so much happier with a wine in my hand and that stuff off my face.

Sides of the Blue LagoonThe edges of the pool are black lava rock covered with white silica, the same stuff we had on our faces not too long ago. We could have easily just scraped some off and reapplied it to our faces.

It’s really quite beautiful and colorful.

Despite its natural beauty, the Blue Lagoon is actually partially man-made. It dates back to 1976 when the pool of water, which is now the Blue Lagoon, was formed next to nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station.

Svartsengi geothermal power stationIt is not a natural hot spring – in fact, the water within is wastewater from the power plant!

After we were done with our soak, Herb and I took a "behind the scenes" stroll along a path near the geothermal plant.

That's not the official "Blue Lagoon" in the foreground, but a wastewater pool from the front. Maybe it would have been better not to know, but then again, it's good to know that that plant can both provide geothermal energy and a lovely experience for travelers.