Reykjavik, Iceland

My husband and I decided to plan a last minute trip to Iceland. Yes, you read that right, a random trip to Iceland. We are really lucky to be able to do this and I am so grateful we can travel this much.

Reykjavik is the capital. It's a busy little northern city on an island filled with volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs, and rainbows. There is beautiful artwork, crazy graffiti, and museums like you will find no where in the world. Just taking a walk around this beautiful place will take your breath away. There are mountains in the distance and they are lovely snow capped giants overlooking the city blending in with the clouds.  Reykjavik's architecture is like nothing I've ever seen, it's as abstract as the landscape which surrounds it.

Many things in Reykjavik are very easily accessible by walking. There are also cab drivers everywhere if you really don't feel like walking, but they are expensive. If you are going to Iceland to see the northern lights, the city is not the place to see them generally. There are too many lights and it's better to go somewhere completely dark. We didn't actually see the northern lights until the plane ride home, they were amazing and they really do seem to dance all over the sky.



I have to be honest at this point. The food was not my favorite. I could hardly eat it. In fact at one point we tried the fast food, my hot dog had an unusual sauce on it. I had a peanut butter hamburger, it was pretty good, and definitely worth a try, but it was spicy.  Everything they do in Icelandic cuisine seemed to be very fancy (even the hamburgers) and I do not have the pallet for it.  I'm not really a fancy food eater (Foodie) but if you are- this place is heaven for you. My husband seemed to enjoy everything and he's a chef. I wanted to try eating whale, but I was honestly afraid of what seasonings it would have. There were spicy nuts that I ate a lot of, but I shouldn't have because it gave me heartburn. They were delicious and I regret nothing.





The city itself is extremely delightful. They have museums, indoor flea markets, casinos, and lots and lots of places to shop. I went to a vintage dress store and bought the cutest dress and pettie coat. The clothing everywhere was amazing and good quality.  The shopping could literally last hours. I had a lot of fun walking up and down the street and looking in all the shops. There was glassware, artwork, clothing, jewelry, shoes, anything and everything you could possibly want within a few city blocks.

There were also little places to take pictures along the way. The streets were slightly slanted because there is a lot of little hills. The sidewalks are mostly made of cobble stones and some are loose so you have to be a little bit careful with walking.





There is street graffiti and art murals. The people are really what makes a city and the people in Iceland are wonderful. I couldn't believe how friendly everyone was, they all wanted to help however they could and they were really, really nice. We got lost on the way to the airport and people were extremely helpful. I loved Iceland and recommend this as a must see travel destination, just make sure you understand how to get to the airport if you want to go home.

The name of this store is hilarious

The Theater

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

In Iceland we went to a place called "The Blue Lagoon". It was amazing. The water is a beautiful blue color and it's like a giant hot tub fed by natural geothermal hot springs.  The location is between Reyjkavik and the airport.  We rented a car and drove to it and we could see it far away because of all the steam coming off of the water.

When we arrived the entrance was a little confusing. There was a building where I think people hold their luggage. Then, there was a path surrounded by lava rocks. It looked like it was just cut through the rocks. Once we reached the building to check in, we saw some of the water. It is truly glorious. I've never seen anything like it and turquoise is the closest color by which I can describe it.

After we checked in, because we had made reservations in advance, we were led to the dressing rooms to change into swim suits. The dressing rooms are not very private. You have to change and shower before entering the water. The water has a lot of silica in it, so before you get in you have to put conditioner in your hair. If you don't, your hair will be unmanageable. I put it in mine and I think it helped, but my hair was still crazy the next day. My husband on the other hand, his hair was really soft.

In the lagoon there were places to get a silica mud mask and there was a place to get drinks. I had a blue raspberry slushie and Randy tried their beer.  The mud mask was incredible. It felt really good.

The pools were very relaxing and honestly, I think it's good for your health. I felt like I had a lot more energy and I slept like a baby when we got back to the hotel.

They had amazing oils, shampoos, and conditioner in the dressing rooms and they smelled great. After getting out and re-showering I used the moisturizer they provided and it was wonderful. The "gift shop" on the way out was full of all these beauty products. I bought some lip balm and a face mask and then we left. It was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it.

Here is where we went:

https://www.bluelagoon.com/day-visit/the-blue-lagoon?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJbeBRBCEiwAAY4VVRnBNq9oYRgOrmM53Lz25DuT4V1v-WFzAgJrSsiKeksrkguRsDRE_BoCB_cQAvD_BwE