Iceland and the Blue Lagoon

Anyone been for a 'swim' in the Blue Lagoon and can advise on the experience
please? Is it a worthwhile item on a travel schedule? Pleasant or
horrific? Crowded?

I gather swim wear and towels can be hired - cost? suitable apparel? etc
etc.

Many thanks
BAH

"BAH" wrote:
Anyone been for a 'swim' in the Blue Lagoon and can advise on the experience
please? Is it a worthwhile item on a travel schedule? Pleasant or
horrific? Crowded?
I gather swim wear and towels can be hired - cost? suitable apparel? etc
etc.
Many thanks
BAH

We were in Iceland for two short stops in May and June of last year on
the way to Europe. Iceland Air includes the stops free of charge on the
way to Europe - plus you can have an open jaw trip for the same price as
a regular round trip. The Blue Lagoon is a water park made for the
tourists half way between Rekuyveck and Keflovek Airport (excuse my
spellings). The people of Iceland like to brag that they have never gone
there - but the water park has more annual visitors than the entire
population of Iceland. There are plenty of other places to swim in
Iceland that are maintained all year for the locals. They keep the water
in the pools at about 90 degrees. Iceland has an abundance of free hot
water - even though it is almost a polar climate - lots of people have
heated swimming pools an dhot tubs in their yards. We enjoyed our visit
to Blue Lagoon - we had our own bathing suits. Take a suit or a pair of
shorts along. Funny thing - Iceland may have the most beautiful people
on earth (maybe the drunkest too) - but we did not see many Nordic
beauties in the pools - but lots of old craggy pale white people like
us). You can stop at the Blue Lagoon as a free stop on the bus from the
airport. Iceland is very inbred. There are about 200,000 people there
and 99% of the people are born and die there - in other words only 1% is
foreign. They have just launched an extensive DNA mapping of the entire
population. It will be great for medical history and genetics.
www.harry.everhart.com

I was there several years ago during February with my (then) 14 year old
son. We wanted to get away for a few days during the school break, and
thought we would do something beside the typical "warm climate" holiday many
classmates of his were off on.

We went swimming in one of several heated public pools in Reykjavik ( an
easy trip by bus from our hotel), took a motorcoach tour of some more
well-known tourist-y spots, and took a day trip to the Blue Lagoon. It was
a 'novel' experience: very hot, funky looking water, a small cafeteria, and
a gift shop. The swim was very nice, though I don't know that it is a "must
do". It was not crowded, at least not to the point that it made it
unpleasant. Towels and suits are available there, though we brought our own
and a plastic bag to stow them in in our luggage. It makes for a pleasant
diversion on the way to the airport, or during a several day stay. Kids will
enjoy it as well, at least for the novelty. And in February, it felt mighty
nice compared to home in Syracuse, New York !

Mark


"BAH" wrote in message
news
Anyone been for a 'swim' in the Blue Lagoon and can advise on the
experience
please? Is it a worthwhile item on a travel schedule? Pleasant or
horrific? Crowded?

I gather swim wear and towels can be hired - cost? suitable apparel? etc
etc.

Many thanks
BAH

"BAH" wrote in message
news
Anyone been for a 'swim' in the Blue Lagoon and can advise on the
experience
please? Is it a worthwhile item on a travel schedule? Pleasant or
horrific? Crowded?

I gather swim wear and towels can be hired - cost? suitable apparel? etc
etc.

Many thanks
BAH


Last April I had a 24-hour stopover in Iceland on the way home from a week
in Paris with my 10-year-old granddaughter. She loves to swim and I'm very
fond of a good hot soak, so our visit to the Blue Lagoon was the highlight
of our (too) brief stay in Iceland. We were there in the late afternoon and
there were probably fewer than 100 people in the very large pool. Many
seemed to be mostly interested in scooping up the mud from the bottom and
plastering it on their faces and necks. It's supposed to be therapeutic for
numerous skin conditions. Of course I slathered it on too, but
unfortunately still looked my age the next day.
We had our own swimsuits and our hotel generously offered us the use of
their towels.
We stayed at the Northern Light Inn just down the road from the Blue Lagoon.
It's a very basic, simple and small hotel with a very nice, helpful staff.
They provided round-trip transportation to the Blue Lagoon, and round-trip
airport transfers. They also took us to Grindavik to visit that small town.
More information at http://www.bluelagoon.is/english/ &
www.northernlightinn.is .
GG

In article , "BAH"
wrote:

Anyone been for a 'swim' in the Blue Lagoon and can advise on the
experience
please? Is it a worthwhile item on a travel schedule? Pleasant or
horrific? Crowded?

I gather swim wear and towels can be hired - cost? suitable apparel?
etc
etc.


Depends on your swimming habits, at least in part. Some of the people in
the group I was with tried it, but sitting around in hot water is just
not my kind of thing. I'm a lap swimmer 8-)

--
Mary Loomer Oliver(aka erilar)
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