The Blue Lagoon

(Starting to catch up on backblips from our trip to Iceland last month)
Monday July 21
We arrived in Reykjavík fairly early in the morning. There was a slow-moving line to pick up our rental car, but eventually we were on the road. Our first stop was the Blue Lagoon, a bit of a tourist trap maybe, but we felt we had to do it. It’s certainly a striking sight with its milky turquoise waters against the backdrop of the black volcanic rock. The turquoise water is due to the presence of silica, algae and minerals. It’s all very well organized. We had booked tickets ahead of time, and when we checked in, we were given a bracelet, which operated the lockers, and you also used it to pay for anything extra, then you paid when you exited and returned the bracelet. We had something to eat and drink first in their cafe. You are required to shower first, and recommended to put conditioner in your hair and lead it in. Once in the water you can go to a kiosk, where they squeeze a silica mud mask into your hand and you apply it to your face, and leave it on for ten minutes, then rinse it off at a fresh water tap. There is also a swim up bar, where you are entitled to one complimentary drink. We spent a couple of hours there altogether, relaxing in the warm water. The spa has had to close temporarily on several occasions over the last year or so due to seismic activity. Last November, there was an eruption, and some of the lava came onto the road and covered their car park, so they had to build a new one! The volcano was again spewing gently in the background, causing very low cloud and poor visibility for the few days we were in Reykjavík. From the spa, it was then about a 50 minute drive into Reykjavík to our hotel for the next two nights.
Having checked in and had a drink, we walked into town, and found somewhere to eat, then we continued exploring the town -see extra collage