After seeing a picture of the Blue Lagoon on Crack Boards (also known as Pinterest), I was obsessed with soaking in the thermal waters that were said to turn back the hands of time like Cher!  It just so happened that Groupon was offering an $899 deal for a 3 day trip to Iceland (roundtrip airfare, accommodations and some tours included).  I figured the deal was too good to pass up (side note: I’ll review the trip and using a Groupon to travel in a later post). My fabulous photographer friend, Sarah (who is responsible for the profile pictures on this blog), was kind enough to join me on this amazing adventure.

Snow blankets the ground around the thermal pool.

The Blue Lagoon was everything I had dreamed about!  And that is saying something considering we went to Iceland in January when it was COLD!

Nestled outside Reykjavik (on the way to the airport), this famous thermal spa is all that it advertises and more.  There are shuttles between hotels in Reykjavik to/from the spa as well as from/to the airport.  We actually spent our last day at the Blue Lagoon.  After checking out of our hotel, we hauled our luggage to the spa.  At the entrance, there is a separate building where you can store your luggage for a minimal fee.  After receiving your claim ticket, you walk thru a paved path of cleared volcanic rock towards the actual spa.

Once you are at the main entrance, you can stand in line for a ticket (or pre-pay via the website or one of the tour vendors…the line will be long so I highly suggest pre-paying so that you don’t waste precious time waiting to get in).  There are different packages available and you can also rent towels, robes and shoes.  I brought my own towel and flip-flops but did rent a robe (some spa packages include robe & towel rental). Once you are checked in, you are given a wristband that acts as currency.  If you want to purchase anything (products, food/drinks, spa treatments, etc.), just scan your wristband and it will be applied to your account (which is linked to a credit card you provide upon check in).  So easy!

You are then free to go to the locker rooms to change.  The locker rooms are NICE!  Very clean and easy to use.  After changing into your swimsuit, you walk thru to the showers to rinse off then out to the thermal waters.  It was our luck that on the morning we arrived, it started sleeting.  It felt like someone was shooting a gun filled with icicles at me as we were walking outside to the pool.  But, once in the water, it felt like heaven!!!  Some areas of the pool are warmer than others.  The water has a sort of “milky” texture to it…maybe because of the silica mud.  It was so soothing!  Word on the street was that the spa mud was supposed to take years off your face…so you know I was caking it on in an effort to look like a pre-teen by the time we left.  Didn’t work.  Sigh.

After relaxing in the water for a while, we decided to take a break and get a quick bite to eat.  What better way to continue to unwind than with champagne and cheese?  Living the dream, y’all 🙂 Once we were full, it was time to try the sauna before heading over to the private thermal pool for our in-water massage.  For regular readers of my blog, y’all know I love to go to spas in each country I visit.  I’d like to say it is because I am a connoisseur of fine spa experiences.  But, honestly…I just like getting rubbed on…which is what got me in trouble in Bali.  Ha!

Anyway, each time I visit a spa, my goal is to try a massage or treatment that I’ve never experienced before.  The Blue Lagoon offered an in-water massage where you lay down on a floatation device and are covered with warm towels (for 30 or 60 minutes).  The masseuse will use silica mud or oils to exfoliate/massage your body.  In traditional massages, you always start face down on the table so they can start with your back.  Here, you are always laying on your back but the masseuse (who is wearing a wetsuit) can go under water to massage your back and legs.  It is so cool!!!  Who doesn’t want to get a massage in warm water?  Even when the sleet turned to snow while we were outside getting our massage, I didn’t care.  It was like kisses from angels…that water got to me y’all.  I know I sound crazy but by the time they are done using magic to relax your muscles, you don’t want to leave the pool.  I felt like I was floating on a cloud with not a worry in the world.  Sigh.  I miss the Blue Lagoon.