The Blue Lagoon is the most famous of Iceland’s many thermal swimming baths and pools. It has a wide range of facilities, including a number of therapies, massage and treatment areas, facial masks, and other amenities that you associate with a relaxing spa experience. However our experience wasn’t exactly relaxing.
When you buy a ticket for the Blue Lagoon, you buy it for a particular time slot. We (me, my daughter and her son) were scheduled for 2pm Tuesday July 18th. At the time of our arrival, a 60 kilometre per hour wind with higher gusts was blowing sheets of stinging rain across the parking lot. The temperature was a cool 9 degrees C. A battle against the wind and rain to get to the entrance left us soaked to the skin.
Once inside things improved. The staff told us that they were used to rain, but this weather was very unusual. The tickets had been paid for though, so we went ahead and changed and headed for the door to the water. The main doors were closed against the wind, and the tunnel door that led out to the lagoon had a cold breeze blowing back into the building. But once crouched down in the warm water it was alright, even fun. The weather didn’t improve, but it was quite an experience moving around in the warm lagoon. In the more open places, the surface was whipped up into whitecaps, and the rain and spray stung your face.
The lifeguards had it worse than we did. They had to stand on the sides of the lagoon and were dressed in boots and warm clothes, covered over by bright yellow rain gear, wearing goggles against the horrific weather.
We spent four hours in the warm but wild water. Some of the therapy and massage areas were closed but the bar was still open. Not relaxing, but fun and exhilarating. An unforgettable experience!
