REYKJAVIK

Reykjavik,

We had a wake up call set for 6:45 and soon after that our breakfast arrived.

We ate and then I tried to put on my shoe. It just fit so I could not put on the elastic n

Bandage and I could not wear a sock on that foot. But I am happy to report that I was ready to make a try at going to the Blue Lagoon.

We sere supposed to be at Club Fusion at 8:30 so we left here around 8:05. Club fusion is about ¼ of a kl from here and hop a long was going to take awhile to get there. We went midship and then Ken decided to check and see if they would give him my bus sticker without my walking that far. They agreed and since the gang ways were midship I had to walk no further.

When it was time to join the bus line we went and I was slow but I made it down the ramp. Being very slow walking we were last to get to the bus but because of my foot we were able to sit in one of the handi cap seats . This time we deserved those seats.

Our guide was an older Icelandic lady named Sophie and the driver was named Simon. Again the bus was grand. They seem to be ahead of us when it comes to tour buses. We had lots of leg room and the view was wonderful and wide.

Although Iceland is in the North Atlantic near the Arctic circle the country is actually quite green and quite warm. Some of the geological conditions that make Iceland so unique also makes it so inhabitable. Deep below the ocean is the mid Atlantic Ridge, a junction of the North American and European tectonic plates.

As they grind together they release vast  quantities of geothermal energy and volcanic activity. Iceland owes its origin to Volcanic eruptions which continue to this day. That union of the cold northern climate with the explosive fire from within has produced this singular land of fire and ice, glaceriers along side volcanoes. It is wonderful that such violent forces of nature, traditionally feared and fled by humans , work more gently here.

The volcanic soil is fertile and productive, but it takes thousands of years to develop soli from lava flows.

The Icelandic people have trapped geothermal energy to heat their homes and to produce electricity. Energy production is clean, efficient and cheap. Houses here do not have chimneys. No furnace means no need of chimneys. All the houses and buildings are heated by piped hot water.

Even the volcanic eruptions seem to be gradual and predictable enabling residents to move to safety until the danger has passed.

Reykjavik is a very clean modern city with all of the amenities you would find else where. It was not long before we were out of the city and on our way to the Blue Lagoon.

The lagoon is a combination of the work of nature and of man. The hot water is used to provide electricity to the area and then cold sea water is added to this very hot water. The result is a lake with water at about 98 degrees. The resulting algae is what creates the wonderful blue gray color and the chemicals in the water have been found to have healing properties. It is said that bathing here and applying the silica to your skin will make you appear 10 years younger.

A wonderful modern complex has been developed.There are wonderful modern clean change rooms. There is even a spot in the pool where you can get a beverage to enjoy while in the water. When you enter you are given a special magnetic bracelet. This locks your personal items safely in a locker and it is also your means of shopping for drinks etc. Any purchases get recorded on the chip in the bracelet and when you leave you leave they scan your bracelet to determine your charges.

They also have a café and a gift shop of course.

 We were able to spend 2 hours here enjoying the water. At first the shock of the cold air as you emerged from the showers was a bit too much. But once you got into this wonderful bath the result was magnificent. My sore ankle felt wonderful in the hot water. I expected it to have a sulfur  smell but much to my surprise there was no odour at all. The lagoon is large and it is only about 3 and one half feet deep. As I said the water is a wonderful blue color. It is like the color of the gem stone Lorimar. Around the edges of the lagoon are black lava rocks and the rocks have a deposit of silica at the waters edge. The combination of blue and black and white and the steam rising from the waters surface creates an amazing image that pictures just don’t do justice. You will have to let me know if I look 10 years younger but I didn’t put any of the silica on my face.

I really enjoyed my time there. But too soon it was time to begin to get ready to go back to the bus.

As we drove back Sophie told us about the small towns we passed through. The towns and cities are beautiful and clean and well kept. Everyone seems so proud of their spot in the world and they take good care of it. I think this is the only place where there is not a McDonalds. I guess the one they had went bankrupt. But the other chains are there in Reykjavik. There are no very old buildings because they built turf structures. There were no trees or stone suitable for building so they used what they had and turf buildings have to be replaced every couple of decades. Because the fish stocks are declining they are attracting industry with their cheap energy costs. These ventures provide jobs for their people. 

They are very careful about the animals that they allow into the country. Their cattle and sheep and 

dogs go all of the way back to Viking times and they fear what the introduction of new diseases will do to the native creatures. Therefore there is a long quaranteen if you want to bring your pet here.