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Mon, September 8, 2008 |
Last Updated: September 05,2008 3:34:15 pm
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July 22nd, 2008, By Waheeda Harris
Blue Lagoon, Keflavik, Iceland
 The first glimpse of the Blue Lagoon is an iridescent blue shade of water. The NewsAs the shuttle bus winds down the road towards the fabled healing waters of the Blue Lagoon, the presence of a towering power plant in the rocky windswept landscape exterminates, to a certain degree, my calming spa experience expectations. Behind the NewsOn my first visit to this Scandinavian isle, I’ve been looking forward to dealing with my jetlag with a soothing soak in Iceland’s famed Blue Lagoon, a geo-thermal pool of seawater reputed to soothe the mind and body. Still, while I read about Iceland’s use of geothermal energy as its main power source for its residents in the airplane literature, I just don't see how this austere concrete structure near the natural spa fits into the equation.
My first sight of the Blue Lagoon is an iridescent blue shade of water. After observing the rituals of spa etiquette, I walk out to the wooden deck, to the edge of the lagoon. Steam clouds the air, preventing me from seeing how extensive the Lagoon is, as well as realize hundreds of people are already submerged in the 39C healing waters, chock full of potassium, magnesium, calcium and silica. I haven't even hit Reykjavik yet, but the lagoon has already put me in the Icelandic frame of mind. Reykjavik, Iceland - The capital city has an older cobblestone core of banks and government buildings with a younger exterior of shops, restaurants and clubs, a similar trait of many Euro cities. Fiercely proud of their Viking heritage, Icelandic art found in the capital depicts elements of seafaring life through minimalist sculptures of their ancestors and ships.
Don’t rush to dinner – with average meals per person clocking in at $55-$75 per person, take the time to savour and clubs only start heating up very late. Nightclubs don’t charge entrance fees, but drinks are $12-15 for the basic cocktail, $20+ for popular cocktails so many locals stay home to drink and start after midnight driving drunkenly around the downtown core, starting the runtur (pub crawl) on Laugavegur (also good for shopping by day) before picking their club destination.
If you’re up for the challenge, check out pop/rock tunes and young locals at Gaukur a Stong on the harbourfront, and then head to Baejarins Beztu for the best local hot dogs. In the core, check out Apotek for its stunning array of beauties of both sexes and crowded dance floor, or Rex, for its upscale 30 something crowd and modern décor, try some Black Death (anise-flavoured) schnapps and don’t expect to get to leave before sunrise. - WH Comments
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With a population just over 300,000 for the country, preserving their unique culture is key - local restaurants revel in the abundance of seafood found not far from their shores while the availability of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables (locally grown bananas!) is thanks to an extensive system of geothermal greenhouses. For a java kick, look for local coffeehouse chain Te & Kaffi. You’ll find the local trend in dining mixes Icelandic traditions with Euro flavours – such as Tveir Fiskar’s bouillabaisse featuring Icelandic lobster or Sjavarkjallarinn Seafood Cellar’s fusion dishes, many with Icelandic lamb, a more delicate taste than lamb found on the continents. 
Here’s the rules: 1. Arrive before midnight, you’ll be hanging with staff setting up the bar. 2. Icelanders love Euro disco as much as Kanye West and Rihanna. 3. Icelanders drink to get drunk, drunker and drunkest. They push and shove, get loud, aggressive and can turn violent. Their normal polite friendly visage disappears by 1am, and by 4am/5am, unruly crowds at club entrances are standard (as well as indicate a club’s popularity), so befriend security to be able to leave easily and avoid the Viking hordes. 
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