Iceland - Day One

Let's see, how can I describe our first day here in Iceland? How about...


Unexpected. It was dark when we landed and as it got lighter and we could see what surrounded us as we waited at the airport for our shuttle to the Blue Lagoon we were unimpressed with what we could see. It was cloudy, windy, very cold and everything was covered with a light blanket of snow. That sounds like what we should have expected but I guess having perused Iceland for so long I had become convinced it was not actually that way. The weather had also been leaning on the warmer and not-so-snowy for quite a while. The airport area resembled the lava rock beds of Hawaii and Maui, but covered with snow.

So you could almost say it was a mite anticlimactic. But as we finally boarded the bus and headed around a short bus route to pick up others headed for that other-worldly tourist spot we began to see things to make our photographic juices flow. The terrain in the Reyjkanes Peninsula was not described to any degree in anything I'd researched. Now I know why. Not a tourist's haven, a lava rock bed with a small smattering of trees here and there as well as a seaside town from place to place.

So we got to the Blue Lagoon and it was pretty much as described. Every bit as unusual and delightful. The beautiful robin's egg blue water looked so out of place and maybe even more so as it was surrounded by the black lava rocks covered with white snow. The water was only about 4 feet deep in most places, I had to crouch to stay submerged to my neck. And the air temperature was COLD! 20's!

We headed to our respective locker rooms and donned our swim suits. We wanted to get some pictures so we were outside in our bathing suits in that 20 degree weather running around, taking pictures. Amazingly, though, if we weren't wet it wasn't too intolerable. Our feet got numb and felt like rubber and we had to go inside and thaw them out but honestly it wasn't too bad aside from that.

Besides the huge hot tub aspect there was a hot waterfall and a smattering of "steam baths" at one area, as well as silica facial mask "centers" dotting the shore. The silica was in buckets inside a wooden box with a small scooper to pull some up to smear on your face. It felt like mushy oatmeal. The steam bath was 120 degrees celsius. I just googled that and it's 248 fahrenheit! Checked it in 3 places! Yowch!

Oh, I must mention the guy hanging around by the water, I'm assuming performing the duty of "lifeguard" being his job description.  Well, he was dressed in full winter gear but keeping very close watch in all areas of the spa. Neon green winter gear.

We wandered around, getting a variety of shots from different vantage points and then found a bus there to take us into Reyjkavik. The terrain remained about the same until we reached the town. Then it became someplace understandably inhabitable. There were hills, trees and just normal surroundings. All covered by snow.

The bus driver dropped us at our hotel and we settled into our sparse European style room. It's adequate but missing 2 things - a place to put our clothes and a clock. Fortunately with all our electronics we have the clock issue covered but our clothing remains in our suitcases. We unpacked all our bathroom items into the bathroom, as well as the food I brought along to be able to munch and replace one of those meals that turns out to be something I'd rather not eat.

Once settled we had a desire to go into town but lacked the means and the energy. Rick was especially wiped. So we had a 3 hour nap and was ready for the next free shuttle bus into town. We also arranged to get our rental car for this afternoon upon our return from our Golden Circle tour. So we got downtown and wandered around in the hilly, snowy, windy, frigid town of Reyjkavik - totally lost. We meandered and saw all kinds of stuff that we would have liked to have shot but the daylight was dwindling so we chose a spot to eat. Something very similar to what we would have done at home, a pub with a grill. And next door a club that turned on it's laser lights and disco-beat music at dinnertime (I'm assuming there were laser lights, we didn't go in, but laser lights have replaced disco balls in clubs of today).

After enjoying our cheeseburgers, fries and Viking beers we headed back outside to try to figure out how to get back to our hotel. After wandering to a variety of bus stops to try to figure out where to catch bus 19 we headed back into the Visitor Information store and the girl there told us we had to head back up the main tourist street, Laudevegur, to a bus depot referred to as "Hlemmer". When you say that out loud be sure you use the guttural sound of the "H". I think you got it. We found it and had about 15 minutes til our bus came. Once on board we deposited our 700 krona and the driver again delivered us right to our hotel door.

As the money goes, one dollar equals at this point approximately 116 krona. So it's almost a penny per krona. It's like if we said something cost 1000 pennies instead of 10 dollars. So whenever you buy anything it's in the hundreds or thousands. Our little loaf of bread we bought last night cost 229 krona. That's about $2 USD.

Time to spruce up and get ready for a 8 hour bus ride today. Then we get our car and get to really see the town!

2 cats hacked up hairballs:

Judy March 13, 2011 at 7:13 PM  

Great pics! Have an awesome, awesome time you guys!

Melinda March 14, 2011 at 12:43 AM  

You guys ROCK! You are the only people, not to mention relatives, that I have ever known that went to Iceland! Good blog, I felt like I was there!!

About Me

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After 2 unsuccessful marriages I spent 12 years as a divorcee, only to fall prey to another man's wiles. We had a fun 5 years together and then he decided he wanted more freedom so once again I'm single.

So I'm freshly divorced at 57 and have 5 great kids and now 7 grandkids. My kids are still a major part of my life but I'm busy helping my aging parents on Kauai.

I've lived in California, Hawaii and Oklahoma before finally settling here in Washington. I love Washington and come back to visit family, friends and take care of my garden often but will be temporarily a resident of Kauai.

I've moved 30 times in my life (no, my parents weren't in the service, at least not since I was about 2) and finally planted roots when I got my little house that I've owned since '91.

My family are Jehovah's Witnesses, I've been one since '72.