Visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, Part 1

With Andrea at the Blue Lagoon

From the moment we stepped off the plane, Andrea and I knew we were in a place unlike anywhere we'd ever been. We were surrounded by fields filled with lava rocks instead of grass. In the distance we could see snowy mountains that glistened with icy glaciers. Andrea came up with the best way to describe our new environment -- otherworldly. Welcome to Iceland. 

Our first stop was the Blue Lagoon to get the kinks out after a night of travel. Oh. My. God. Words cannot describe how wonderful it felt to be embraced by the waters heated with geothermal energy. Natural steam escaped from the ground around us, a whole different thing from the steam emitted from the vents over subways in New York. As we bobbed in the waters and enjoyed our slushy drinks, we marveled at an environment filled with lava dating back to 1226. We of course did the full regime, reviving our skin with masks made from lava, silica and algae. Sadly, the minerals do a number on your hair even if you apply massive amounts of conditioner. But it was a small price to pay for the ultimate relaxation. 

You, like me, might associate the Blue Lagoon with the 1980 movie of the same name with Brooke Shields. The movie was actually filmed in Fiji at a time when the geothermal waters in the Reykjanes Peninsula had only recently been discovered. According to Rick Steves, the name "Blue Lagoon" was originally used in jest as a reference to the movie but the name stuck. And why wouldn't it when the waters often appear blue from the reflection of the sun? We were not surprised to learn that National Geographic named the Lagoon one of the 25 natural wonders of the world in 2012. I wish I could be transported back there now.   

In the Perland Museum ice cave

Our next stop was the Perlan, a museum that gave us a terrific overview of the science behind Iceland's volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal marvels and, of course, the Northern Lights. While science isn't really my thing, it was a great introduction to a country defined by its geology. The Perlan has several exhibits -- some video, some experiential -- that introduced us to what we would be seeing (or, in the case of the Northern Lights exhibit, what we had hoped we would see). 

I was particularly interested in exploring the man-made ice cave, an exhibit created from 350 tons of snow that stretched the longest 100 feet in history. That cave was COLD! It's maintained at a mere five degrees, as opposed to the 30 degrees at which a real ice cave would typically be at this time of year. Sadly, we had planned to explore an actual ice cave but the adventure was canceled for safety reasons because the weather had been unexpectedly warm. (Note that "warm" is relative in Iceland. The typical highs during the summer have historically been around 50 degrees, although they have been rising as a result of global warning.) The Perlan's ice cave is recognized for its realism. The creators even mixed volcanic ash in with the compressed snow and ice to replicate what happens in nature. For some great images of the ice cave that don't feature a woman who wished she had worn her gloves, click here. 

Andrea channeling her inner Daenerys 

Speaking of being cold, we ended our day at the kitschy Magic Ice Bar. The fact that it's a chain didn't dissuade me from visiting once I learned the venue features a number of ice sculptures. When we arrived, we donned Game of Thrones-like capes (complete with faux fur) and heavy gloves and entered the below freezing venue. Then we grabbed our drinks (served in glasses made from ice) and checked out the Viking-inspired sculptures. 

While the sculptures were quite elaborate and impressive, it was just too darn cold in there to really appreciate them. Perhaps the temperature would have been moderated a bit if there had been more people, but then we wouldn't have been able to get the shots of the sculptures. Life is full of trade-offs. To see a few more images, click here. 

Next up: What it's like to hike on a glacier and more.