Woke super early to catch up on the world,and couldn’t avoid a run for another day. We are so busy it is just a case of fitting in the odd short run where I can so I pretty much chose a route we have walked some of over the last few days with an extended mile or so along the sea front. Back to the hotel for 7.30 and on to breakfast, with a little view today.
The carriage awaited after that and chrissi keen to be restored to full ‘bus wanker’ status. As the green and blue of less than smart coaches appeared on the horizon chrissi was gone in the blink of an eye. We weren’t missing this one.
As it turned out it only took us to the bus station where we joined the official Blue Lagoon coach. Chance for a bit of a snooze on the 40 minute journey to the must see place in Iceland. Very much in the middle of nowhere but the gas bilging out of a local complex at the heart of the crystallised lava fields said we were in this strange man made/ geological marvel hybrid.
Took a stroll around the outside edge before going through all the check in, showering and cleansing required before entering the very blue lagoon. The water comes from 2000m below the surface and is full of all the minerals it gathers on route to the world we know. These minerals, particularly silicon reacting with the sun the reason for its milky blue appearance. And it has healing and skin care qualities of course.
With it being the ‘Vegas of Iceland’ we followed the tourist checklist of face mask, steam room, and bar. Brought a little bit of home to the proceedings by choosing Somersby cider from Denmark. Not a bad drop but it has been a few days…
Overall was a very unusual place and certainly a nod to the building blocks of the planet. Some things have to be done and I’d put this in that category.
On the bus journey back to Reykjavik I became aware my blog has been banned by Facebook so I really am talking to an empty room. Still it’s all about the memories and reflections so I will continue to ramble on. Shows what trouble I get into without carys to moderate. I was mildly amused to find another grocer in Iceland called Iceland. That brand perhaps one of many reasons why my blog might have fallen foul of some rule or other.
The rain began to fall back in the city, so instead of another outdoor run with Chrissi, I chose the gym instead. Just to keep ticking over as the real ultra marathon work restarts on my return. We also needed to spend some time failing our COVID tests to have the paperwork for our return to the UK. Lots of online and offline bureacracy got us to the point of being able to sing ‘we’re coming home’ !
Our evening focus was a bit of Vietnamese food. The new thing to tick off until we actually get to Vietnam, a thwarted trip back in 2002 means the lonely planet still mocks us from the bookshelf. We had cracking memories when choosing this option in the Czech Republic, not so much tonight.
The food tonight perhaps not the greatest of the trip to date. A noodle soup that had beef and pork in it, although not the finest cuts. And a satay lamb that was sent back to be warmed up. The Viking beer was good though. You win some, you lose some. Didn’t even photo everything on this one.
And we found a taste for more beer in another lovely local bar called Fjalkonan. Gull beer local and the more established Tuborg brand which I found a taste for on one of my first travel experiences on a 6th form college exchange to Denmark back in 1989. Saturday night goes off here, plenty of nightclub and noise for those who require it as I did on that first solo jaunt abroad. But a lovely bar stool and good service, company and conversation saw the day through. Tomorrow we go wild…..
Oh dear, "banned by Facebook", I need to try harder to get to that level of competence. I wonder what it was and if they ever tell you.
ReplyDeleteIt has been pretty tame stuff so far.
Your run across the headland looks like a sane route, though it would be walking if it was me.
I've been lucky to eat in Vietnam and am aware Cardiff is missing an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, but Pho in Church St, is quite good on the flavours and (unlike your meal) allows you to taste the chilli.
I notice some US Vietnamese restaurants tone the chilli and salty notes of Vietnamese cooking down for local tastes, and suspect something similar had happened to you today.
The Blue Lagoon looks amazing, carry on enjoying.
I think you are right about the tame tastes, bland would be a good word, but I think not much care and attention either. Still, we are a bit more roulette with our eating than you, so will have the odd fail!
ReplyDeleteTrue (this page had disappear this am, but has reappeared now!!)
DeleteWe do tend to plan our eating with a lot of focus.
But sometimes the unexpected place is where the greatest delight takes place.