Our visit to the Blue Lagoon began as soon as we landed in Iceland. Our flight arrived so early in the morning that even the cafes were still shut. Since it would be hours before we could check into our hotel and the Blue Lagoon offered a very early entry, we decided to wait it out for a few hours at the airport and check the direct bus that took us from the airport right to the Blue Lagoon. We waited a few more minute for the cafe to open and we sat looking out the vast, deserted landscape around us called 'Iceland'.
As the morning wore on, we finally were able to board the bus and drive out to the Blue Lagoon, about 45 minutes outside Reykjavik. As we drove out there we saw more of this gorgeous and strange country. The houses outside the city were so unique and they looked like something out of an Viking fantasy. Coloured metal siding and coloured tiled roofs decorated the landscape. As we drove along the coast we saw statues all along the waters edge. They were giant rocks carved in the shapes of people, their bodies leaning into the surf, the wind in their hair.
I just couldn't get over the ground. It was such a strange colour, almost as if the entire ground wasn't covered in grass but moss. There were pretty much no trees. Just ground and mountains. This made the shape of the country really stand out as there was nothing obscuring the view. It was almost like seeing the surface of Mars. Soon, we saw in the distance, the mountains and a faint trail of smoke leading up to the sky. That's where we would find the Blue Lagoon.
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa where the steamy waters from the lava formations under the earth create an almost otherworldly blue coloured water that fills this small craters in the ground. Below your feet is the famous silica mud that is known world over to heal skin diseases and exfoliate the skin. The geothermal waters cannot hold bacteria so the waters do not need any chlorinator. After a long flight and a day of sitting around in airports we were ready to relax!
We arrived at the lagoon and quickly jumped out of the coach and ran into the building, passing the large rock formation on the way inside. I was very keen to get an in-water massage so when we checked in I was so happy to hear there was still one appointment left. Problem was it was pretty much right away so I had to really rush out to get to my appointment on time. When we checked in you were given a small blue wrist band that would let you in and out of the pools and a bright blue towel. You could also buy a robe to wear while you were there but we didn't feel the need to have it. After you changed into your bathing suit you had to go and shower before getting into the pools. I showered quickly, taking advance of the free soaps and scrubs that the spa provides and then found my way to the pools to seek out where I would get my massage.
Immediately as I walked through the door was stunned and in awe. Vivid blue waters glowed in the sun and thin white steam rose off the water like an ethereal dream. White pools held the blue water and against the rough and rugged black molten rocks it seems like something man made but to know this was all made from the earth was incredible. I was one of the only people outside since it was early in the day and walking across the bridges and platforms over to the massage area I felt like I was truly honored to be experiences something not many people would ever get to see.
I walked to the end pool where I was told to wait or my massage. There was a small pool where I wad to wait and relax before my masseur showed up. I dipped my toe in the water and it was sooo hot but since it was Iceland, and the air was freezing, I jumped right in to escape the cold as I took my towel off. I breathed a sigh of relief as the warm water surrounded me. I gently swam around my tine waiting pool and watched as a man with some really bad skin rashes rubbed the silica over himself and to my amazement when he washed it off the redness in his skin had all but dissapeared. It was like magic.
When my masseur showed up she was so nice and introduced herself to me. She then poured oil on my back and got me to sit on a floating blue mat in the water. It allowed me to float effortlessly on top of the water. She then put a small pillow behind my head and put a wet towel over my body to keep me warm. She would occasionally dip my lower body part way down in the water to wet the blanket more to keep me warm. When she would dip me down it felt like a soothing wave washing over me. It was a strange feeling and one that is hard to explain but it truly was amazing. She then started to massage me by running her hands under my back. It was one of the most unique experiences and it could not have felt more relaxing. It was unlike any other massage as you are literally weightless as she would reach her hands down and massage up my back with her hands. She also massaged my arms, legs, feet and face. She spent extra time on my hands since I told her I have joint problems in my hands and I have never felt that level of comfort in my hands before. After she was done she moved me in the floating mat over to another part of the lagoon where I lay for a few minutes, just laying there and letting the relaxation flow over me. I almost fell asleep but soon I opened my eyes and to my surprise suddenly the entire pool was filled with people.
I didn't want to stay to long since I wanted to find Sarah and actually get to swimming around in these amazing waters. I quickly found her deep the back of the main pool and I ran/swam over to join her. The water was so salty and I also noticed that the waters were varying degrees of warmth in different areas of the water. It was truly a moment where I was in awe of the earth and its powers. We went and put silica mud on our face to moisturized and exfoliate. As we swam around we could feel the silica between our toes and we giggles as it felt both strange yet soothing both at once.
The lagoon had little nooks where you could sit and relax and there was even a water fall which was so powerful, so much so that when you stood underneath it you thought it much crush you. There were also a steam rooms which were insane. They were dark, almost hobbit holes in the ground that were shut but large wooden doors. When you stepped in it was completely dark with huge bursts of steam rising from the ground. Sitting inside on one of the benches, it felt like I was breathing hot lava. It was dark and hot but a wonderful experience of the ground's own power. I was too scared to stay in there for too long but we stayed long enough to relax and feel the hot air filling out lungs and purging our skin of all in the impurities of the city.
Eventually, after what seemed like hours and hours in the pool, when I became too pruney, we decided it was time to get out and got back to the hotel and tour the city itself. As we left we walked through the small pools of water that flowed out of the lagoon and looked out at the mountains and the steam power plant to the north where more of this geothermal energy was being harnessed to power the city. 
We jumped back on the bus which drove us right to our hotel. Our hotel was right near the water and although our room was very small it had a great view of the ocean and everything we really needed was inside. We dumped our bags, grabbed our maps and headed out the door. Our hair was still a little wet but we decided to leave it for now and not wanted to waste time we threw on some hats and headed out to explore the city for the first time!
