My Mother's Journey on the Blockchain: ICELAND [Day 1]

The name Iceland is an illusion.

Despite the island being covered in snow and ice for approximately half of the entire year, underneath its icy coat lies fields of molten lava. Ever since the settlement of Iceland 1,100 years ago a volcano has erupted on the average of once every five years. It is a country where the elemental forces of nature have created landscapes of breathtaking beauty.

Because of this, Iceland was one of the destinations on my Mom’s bucket list.

After having travelled all around the globe, she knew that soon she would have to visit Iceland.

At the beginning of this year, she made the decision to visit Iceland with my Dad as I was abroad. Their trip began in October, 2017. She chose this date because she expected to see the Aurora Northern Lights.

On the first day, after a long flight from Thailand to Keflavik International Airport (Reykjavik, Iceland), my parents decided to go directly to The Blue Lagoon instead of staying in Reykjavik.

The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is located in Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula Southwestern Iceland. It is situated approximately 20 km from Keflavik International Airport, approximately 30-minute drive.

They checked in at the Silica Hotel which was a 10-minute walk to the Blue Lagoon. The hotel was built at the heart of the stunning lava field and the structure harmonized seamlessly with the landscape.

All of the rooms have a private veranda with a breathtaking view of the lava field.

Bedroom with private veranda and a stunning view

View from outside of the veranda

Lava field surrounding the hotel

Some rooms have direct access to the hotel's bathing lagoon

Hotel's bathing lagoon uses the same water source as the Blue Lagoon

My parents spent all evening in the hotel’s bathing lagoon, which was very relaxing after the long flight. All the tiredness from the flight disappeared. There was one thing my Mom disliked. It was the smell of Sulphur in the tap water, however, the hotel confirmed that it is safe to drink and is actually beneficial.

Dinner was very simple as my parents did not have much appetite after the long flight. It seemed their digestive system needed time to adapt. They went to bed early and slept easily.

Nevertheless, breakfast at the hotel was perfect. Although they were in a “treeless” land, they enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables there. After breakfast, they walked to the Blue Lagoon. The route was absolutely stunning with moss covering the lava field. In addition, there were 2 lagoons nearby the Blue Lagoon. A truly unique scenic experience.

Grand lava field along the walkway to the Blue Lagoon

Lagoon close to the Blue Lagoon

The moss is beautiful and it is important that we conserve them, so no stepping on the moss :)

The origin of the Blue Lagoon is a rather funny story. In 1976, a pool formed at the site from the waste water of the geothermal power plant (Svartsengi) that had just been built there. In 1980, the lagoon was first discovered by young people who would go for a late-night splash. Workers from the nearby power plant also occasionally went for dips during their breaks.

It wasn’t until one of them noticed an improvement in the psoriasis that the wild lagoon turned into an orderly bathing establishment named Bláa Lóniô, the Blue Lagoon.

Therefore, the water in the Blue Lagoon is fed by a nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant, and is renewed every two days. The Superheated water is vented from the ground near a lava flow and used to run turbines that generate electricity. After going through the turbines, the steam and hot water passes through a heat exchanger to provide heat for a municipal water heating system. The water is then fed into the lagoon for recreational and medicinal use.

The Blue Lagoon is unique as it has a unique composition consisting of three active ingredients: Silica, Algae & Minerals. The blue color is a result of the silica and the reflection from sunlight. Without the sunlight, the water has a milky white color. During summer, there may be hints of green in the water. This is due to the growth of algae from exposure to direct sunlight.

There were many ticket options to choose from, but my parents received the Premium tickets as complimentary from the hotel, which included:

• Entrance to Blue Lagoon
• Silica Mud Mask
• Towels
• 1 Drink of your choice
• Algae Mask
• Bathrobe
• Slippers
• Reservation at LAVA (optional)

Upon arrival, guests were given wristband to access locker. The wristband also acted as your “in-water credit card” where you can use it to buy drinks and refreshments in the spa. Although the Blue Lagoon was very big, it was very crowded and busy especially in the changing room. There wasn’t that many lockers to serve the high number of visitors.

Cleanliness is a fundamental aspect of the geothermal spa. Prior to entering into the lagoon, a full body shower is essential.

At the time, the temperature was around 6 degrees Celsius. As they slowly submerged into the lagoon (temperature in the lagoon was 38 degrees Celsius), they could feel all muscles in their body relax. They also tried algae mask which was claimed to help with skin rejuvenation.

My Mom had an ice cool smoothie, while my Dad had a cold glass of beer. It was both relaxing and refreshing at the same time.

After soaking in the lagoon, my parents had dinner at the LAVA restaurant, which my Mom said was the best dinner for her in Iceland.

It was a perfect start to their trip and they were thrilled to experience more of Iceland’s nature.

END OF DAY 1

Fact and information on Iceland and Blue Lagoon from:

-Iceland Marco Polo Travel Handbook

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Lagoon_(geothermal_spa)

-http://www.bluelagoon.com/