N-A-K-E-D

No trip to Iceland would be complete without a dip into the famous Blue Lagoon.  It makes all the lists for “must do” “unique experiences” “bucket “...so, of course, it would be in ours.   My initial research found that is was a very control entry system and about 40 minutes drive from the pier.  Our ship would be departing just after lunch time, so we determined that we would take the ship’s excursion to the Blue Lagoon at 7:45 AM on our second day in Reykjavik.  Can I tell you how thrilled Eddie was to be on a bus to go to a hot springs after getting up early?  

For all ship board excursions, you are issued a ticket, with meeting place, meeting time, what to bring, and any last minute instructions.  These tickets said to bring a shipboard towel and that you would be expected to shower

 N-A-K-E-D.  Hang on to that word while I elaborate further on the Lagoon.  We have taken in the waters as several hot springs in the US, which were natural in nature.  This is a little different.  This is actual a man made Lagoon that uses the mineral water that is a byproduct of a geothermal plant near by.  The water is 98-99 degrees, and contains lots of minerals and silica.  When you arrive you are given a plastic bracelet that is chipped to lock your locker, to receive your drink, to rent a bathing suit (yeah, some fellow read his ticket of NAKED, and assume we would all be naked in the Lagoon, so he did not bring one) and count you in and out.  Pretty sophisticated if you ask me.  You grab your slightly small white towel and are led to the appropriate sex dressing/locker room.  If you have paid attention to the written instructions, you should have a shipboard towel in your bag and your swimsuit in that same bag...as you are going to have to undress, shower and then put on your swimsuit....in that order, please.  No showering with your suit on...that does not pass inspection by the dressing room attendant—-The dressing room attendant then proceeds to tell you to remove all your jewelry as the mineral content will cause it to discolor.   Additionally, eyeglasses should not be worn in the Lagoon as the silica will scratch the lens.  And finally, the all important don’t put your  hair in the water because it will dry it completely out....yes, I would like one of those shower caps.  You say that putting lots of the provided conditioning goo on prior to putting on the cap helps avoid damage-I will goo up in the shower.  So the 20 women-young and old- that were a bunch of strangers on a tour bus were now faced with the disrobing, showering (yes, it was an individual shower with door), then getting into a swimsuit.  Since no one has a nationality stamp on their foreheads, you did not know where people were from until this moment.  The American  & Asian (that one was obvious) women  were the most reluctant, and that white towel they gave you upon arrival could only cover so much.  The European and South American are far less inhibited...however, there were several that should consider being a little more modest...but like I say, the towel can cover only do so much. It was a pretty interesting/comical 15 minutes...tick, tick, tick, time is wasting...Needless to say, the men have no problems like this and were is the water, without shower caps long before the ladies were on deck.  So, into the Lagoon....Steam is rising all around, but you can see lots of shower capped q-tips (gray haired folks) walking in the chest deep water.  Obviously, we have a lot of people that can’t connect the dots about the whole mineral bad for jewelry and eye ware and hair...while not specified, I am sure that the circuit board in your cell phone and go pro will be adversely affected by it coming along in the Lagoon.  They even sell the water tight phone bags (I-condoms) when you enter.  So, two days from now that device that you are using in the water will sudden develop issues...along with a self stick that no long extends quite right...imagine that.  Can’t fix stupid....and there was lots of stupid in the Lagoon.  

On to our soak...it was marvelous.  There are two swim up bars.  One for your drink-beer, wine, champagne, soda pop, smoothie or kid friendly slushees called Krap.  The second was a mask bar.  You are given a generous ladle of a facial or back mask to complete your experience....just don’t get it in your hair or beard. So, now you have a sea of folks walking around in the steam with white facial masks, a few that used their wrist band to up grade to a green seaweed masks, shower caps, drinks, and cell phones.  Talk about WhiteWalkers (GofT reference).  I don’t think I have snickered that much in a hot tub-ever.  The 2 hours went by quickly so we re-showered and dressed.  I discovered that there were tons of unused dressing rooms further back in the facility, so I used my much larger shipboard pool towel to dry off and dress with...virtually alone.  I think the staff gets a kick out of putting large groups on women in small areas and telling them to get naked and shower.  Can it Icelandic humor.  I also discovered a hair dryer “bar”, but I did not have a comb or brush, so it was a blow job for sure...my hair on this trip has been a vision for sure.  

We were back on board for lunch and sail away.  As it was just above freezing with a bitter wind I decided that the Helipad sail away for Suite guests was not on my dance card.  Eddie just wanted a nap after getting up early and a hot water soaking.  I took my deck blanket and sat with hot chocolate, binoculars and camera (which did not see the lagoon water)  looking for whales and puffins.  Brrrrr...