Incredible Exquisite Iceland!

Wednesday looked about our best day to travel Iceland’s roads, given there wasn’t a snow blizzard nor gale force winds forecast, that kept us in Reykjavik Monday.   Fresh snowfall the day before reflected like a mirror the  sun that broke through as we started out with some trepidations and fear.

In this land of fire and ice, I was more concerned about the ice, rather that the  volcanos that are everywhere, waiting to explode.  Winds and icy roads make for dangerous driving, despite help from our holy angelic friends!

Even walking was a dangerous affair Monday on the thickly encrusted icy sidewalks of Reykjavik around the old harbor.  At least we made it in blinding snow to a restaurant that night to try Icelandic crab and impeccable fresh fish.

Even though we felt we had a good amount of experience in driving snowy Alpine mountain roads that were sinuously narrow and winding, weather here is notorious for sudden  unexpected changes , including vicious winds and blinding snow already experienced Monday.

After looking at web cams of the northern roads to Gulfoss falls where roads looked like they were covered with white sheets, and described as very slippery, we decided to go the southern route, perhaps longer, but hopefully more passable.

Before I left I downloaded an app that could be life saving, sending off a distress signal if we slid off into a snowbank and became stranded somewhere in Iceland.  Fortunately too, we had the insight to get spikes on the tires.

Missing some turns made us lose time getting beyond Reykjavik on the southern ring road, which lives up to its name by encircling Iceland’s coastal regions, dotted with villages with huge sea going fishing vessels. Had it not been for cod fish, Iceland probably would not have survived, as only a very small percent of the land can be cultivated.

The majority of inner Iceland is desolate and has only gravel roads which are prohibited to rental cars, where few residents live.  I did see a fair amount of horses and sheep in snow fields, and a few greenhouses where vegetables are grown under artificial lights in winter. 

About thirty minutes out of the city, I started to feel like I was on another planet. The desolate strange landscape was unsettling and eerie. I started to feel some creeping fear of  what it would be like to be stranded in what seems no man’s land, however beautiful.

I had already read various stories of travelers sliding off roads and having to wait to be rescued, as extracting themselves from deep drifts of snow and ice wasn’t possible. At least I had brought food and extra water just in case.

The spiked snow tires were definitely worth the extra money, given without them, we would not have been able to tackle going anywhere outside of Reykjavik. Sure there were tour buses outrageously priced, but I don’t like to be constrained to someone else’s time frame.

Miles after miles of white domes and peaks looked they had all been iced in powdered sugar icing.  There were practically no trees anywhere that my eye could see, and only an occasional isolated house off in the background looked lonely and out of place.

Making it appear even more outer worldly,  was seeing tall greyish white plumes  of steam vapors rise  towards the sky just about everywhere.  The whole of Iceland sits on immense and deep cauldrons of geothermal basins of water, some capped over with thick ice caps, and others the boiling waters have broken through fissures in the lava crust.

Volcanos formed this small island near the Arctic circle and still many wait silently, while building up magna that can explode through anytime, creating stark fears of mass destruction which the Icelanders seem to take in stride.

Eyjafjallajökull, which blew up furiously in 2010,  was powerful enough to disrupt the entire north Atlantic air travel, due to her heavy spewing of ash, yet was only classified a “small” eruption!  Sucked into jet engines, it can grind them to a halt, and in the past volcanic ash has been blamed before for several air crashes.

Iceland’s volcanic activity has also contributed to european weather patterns and ash drifting as far as Russia.  Keeping Iceland’s volcanic activity precariously ongoing is that the whole island is continuously being pulled apart by the separation of the North American plate and the Eurasian tectonic plates .

This separation is called the Mid Atlantic ridge, which runs through the middle of Iceland, then remains submerged at the bottom of the ocean for 65,000 kilometers that widens about 2 inches every year.  The space created is constantly filled in with molten magna from the earth’s core, enlarging the country yearly.

Due the heavy snow drifts, it would be impossible to see the actual path , nor walk within in mid winter, but it is visible in the summer months, as seen in the photo.  Just knowing that it exists is exciting enough to imagine the tremendous forces constantly pulling two continents apart!

First stop was a large scoria cone crater, which is a vent to adjoining volcanos called Kerid.  Although majestic enough covered in snow and ice, you could not appreciate the blue-green water in the crater, except a tiny breakthrough.

Next were the amazing boiling cauldrons  that pocked the hardened lava fields, each noisily bubbling over causing streams of very hot water spilling out.  Signs explicitly warned not to test the water as  it comes out 270 degrees C(518 F ) and that the closest hospital was 62 kilometers away!

The main one called Geyser, shoots up fiery hot sprays every 3 to 5 minutes of varying heights, but mostly reaching around 10 to 20 feet in the air.  Spectacular phenomena from the deepest depth of planet earth that must have frightened early Viking settlers.

Since Iceland literally sits on top of these vast fields of geothermal water sources, it is not surprising that the country uses these waters to heat 90% of the buildings in Iceland.  This helps make  the country  be the most eco green country in the world, run on renewable resources.

About 7 miles to the east is the absolutely magnificent waterfall of Gulfoss.  Obviously during the winter months, some of the falls were now sculpted glacial curls and rounded snarls of frozen falling water, where in between still gushed massive roaring  rivers of green and  blue tinged frothy waters.

The energy given off was enormous and it felt to me as I had walked into a huge electrified field exploding with charged particles and ions, enough to produce a tingling effect on  me along the shores.  Each breath felt like an infusion of the purest of oxygenated air.

By then the sun was fast going down over the Arctic horizon and it was time to go hit the last geothermal spa of my trip.  The day before we had driven out in a mild snowstorm  to the famous Blue Lagoon.

A huge field of vaporous steam could be seen from afar, so we knew we were close.  The Blue Lagoon was opened only in 2000, and is a natural byproduct of a geothermal plant nearby.  Water that had given up the majority of its heat, now filled a spacious lagoon set amongst the reddish black lava rocks.

Locals  sneaking in and bathing in the waters, started to report healing properties to skin conditions.  Before long a dermatological clinic set up and the lagoon was opened to the public.

It is called the Blue Lagoon because of the milky blue tinged warm water.  The waters, flowing in at 37-39 C(99-102 F)  renew the entire lagoon every 72 hours coming from ancient seawater aquifers almost 7,000 meters (4.3 miles) below.

As the boiling waters ascend they pick up various minerals and silica, which makes the water milky looking.  These minerals, along with silica make up the healing agents of the waters and mud, that lines the entire basin.

Now developed into a chic and expensive spa, with its own upscale restaurant and submerged bar, it has become one of the most sought out outdoor geothermal spas in the world.

Its success in attracting tourists from all over the world makes reserving your spot almost mandatory, unless you want to wait a long time for a cancellation. In this way, they can keep the lagoon from being overcrowded.

Before you are allowed in,  attendants make sure you are well showered with explicit pictograms to include armpits and genital areas.  You had to coat your hair with a thick goo of hair conditioner or else put up with your hair coming out stiff as a board due to the silica!

The Blue Lagoon lived up to its reputation and I found myself not wanting to leave, even after almost four hours of being submerged!  I loved seeing the orangey pink sunset and then the golden lights shimmer in the milky blue waters as night enveloped the steamy lagoon.

Yes, there was snow and even a strong stinging sleet for about 10 minutes, but it added to the adventure that I had come for.   As long as my was body remained bathed up to my shoulders and neck in the  warm waters, the contrasting snowflakes felt softly refreshing and the sleet even stimulating.

At the “mud hut”, white blouse assistants passed out spoonfuls of pure white silica, to smear around your face and algae too, if paid extra.   The caked white encircled eyes and mouths gave a rather Halloweenish look to the bobbing bathers, instructed to leave on the mask for at least 15 minutes, before washing off.

Around 6 pm, the line started to get longer at the submerged bar testifying it was cocktail time!  The only sparklings wines offered were Asti and Prosecco. I chose the latter in hopes of it being  dryer.

Thankfully they put a three drink limit for alcoholic beverages,  but I witnessed young Americans scheming to use friends to obtain more.   It was indeed strange to see lifeguards dressed in snow suits surveying from sides and low hanging bridges.

By 8, the whole lagoon looked like an impressionistic painting with soft golden glows and falling snow. I would have stayed even longer had it not been for the fears of driving those icy roads in the dark and snow again back into Reykjavik, which took much longer than expected due to the slippery road conditions.

The following day, it was already dark when we reached Gamla Laugin, the Secret Lagoon, which had only opened a year ago.  It is a totally natural geothermal pond that happened to be on private property.

To put the cherry on the cake, it even has its own geyser that blows every few minutes, making the whole evening shrouded with awe and mysticism as I pondered  the forces of nature.

The water temperature seemed much hotter in general than the Blue Lagoon, and some areas I had to avoid due to the hotness from the flow from the boiling geyser in back.  The bottom was full of pebbles and could feel some grassy mud and algae which massaged my feet.

Baton shaped floats that the French called “frites” were available to hang onto in the deeper areas.  I almost had the feeling of having the pond to myself as there were few remaining bathers left in the evening.

I kept looking up to the skies till closing time at 8 in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Northern lights, but none appeared, being still too early.  By that time my body felt so hot, that I found myself standing out of the water up to my waist to cool down in the frigid air.

There were so many other sites and adventures to see in Iceland, that I hope to return to take advantage of them in the summer months, when roads are more easily drivable.  Icebergs and glacier parks, which I missed will still be there, as well as the many lava strewn beaches.

The mighty blue north Atlantic,  constantly whipped and churned by Arctic winds is dangerous not only for fishermen’s boats, but beachcombers as well.   Last week a tourist was sucked out to his death, by an unexpected roaring high wave, while standing on a rock on a beach known for its dangerous sudden high waves that can crash without warning.

I also missed the Elf School and Elf Museum, which was closed for the winter.  Over half of Icelanders believe in elves, called “huldufolk” or hidden folks.

The belief is so strong that recent road construction was halted due to fears of disturbing the Elves, who resides in the massive lava rocks and can be capricious at times, if not respected. Read this recent enlightening article!  theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/mar/25/iceland-construction-respect-elves-or-else

Elves are smart enough to be seen selectively to those who are respectful believers, who describe them as appearing human like.  I was not fortunate enough to meet one, but I did indeed sense their presence at the secret Lagoon and driving through snow covered fields of domes and rocks.

There is a sacred reverence for nature in Iceland, in keeping it unspoiled and pristine, that reminds me of our American Indian spiritual beliefs.  This small country sitting atop multiple volcanos, and glaciers being pulled in opposite directions by two continental tectonic plates is a perfect example of the uncontrolled power of nature that should have our highest respect!

Man’s arrogance and need to rape, pollute and destroy our earth can disturb the finite balance, offsetting climatic changes we are witnessing now and perhaps other pertinent aspects of nature as of yet undiscovered.

Iceland certainly leads the world in using renewable energy, and remains one of the least polluted areas on the planet.  The vibrant freshness of the air is immediately felt and the water tastes the cleanest ever.

I came home not only  soothed and totally relaxed from her hot waters, but at the same time felt transfused with much higher levels of energy that I had on arrival.  It was the best boost imaginable for my mid winter slump!