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| Susan, Nancy, Me and Larry |
Larry and I took this trip with our friend and neighbor, Nancy, and her sister, Susan. Nancy's husband, Mike, drove us all and our luggage to the
New Bedford Whaling Museum, host of this trip. We arrived early, so we toured the museum including a replica of a whaling ship. It is a very interesting place and we plan to spend more time there.
Our tripmates began to arrive and soon we were instructed to bring our luggage to the loading area and boarded the bus to Logan Airport. There was a total of about forty people, including the museum representative, Caitlin, and our tour guide, Marco, of
Sagres Vacations. The ride to Logan was pretty quiet. We were escorted through the checkin process, and the four of us got something to eat at Legal Seafoods. We knew we would not get any food on the plane for a four-hour flight. We had an ease four-hour-twenty-minute flight during which I napped. It was lovely and fast.
Once at the Keflavik airport outside Rekjavik, we waited about an hour for Marco to get our tour organized. We met our Iceland tour guide, also named Marco, who was very friendly and cute. He told us where to get "good" coffee, and we made a beeline to it via the restroom. We not only got good cappuccino, I tried a "ginger shot". It was a combination of juices and ginger, which gave it a little kick. It was really delicious.
Soon the Marcos herded us on board the bus that would be our Iceland home for six days. They handled all our luggage, told us where to be and when, and what to where when we got there. It was one of those tours that allowed you to just go along and not have to think. This is the perfect tour.
Our first stop was the
Blue Lagoon. We were all half asleep after our trip; many of us could not sleep the night before. Now our internal clocks were being forced four-hours ahead, and it was 8:30am. It was pouring rain outside, and even though we were instructed to bring rain gear in our carry-on bags, many of us did not have on our rain pants. The long walk from the bus to the Lagoon entrance soaked us. My jeans were drenched. I did have on my rain jacket, which was the only jacket I brought. It is lined and was perfect for this trip. I was happy with all the clothes I bought because my greatest worry was being wet and cold. It was not as cold as I thought it would be, although there were moments when I needed both my glove liners and wool mittens. I brought a new wool knit hat I bought a month before in Ireland.
Inside the Lagoon, we were given instructions on what to expect and handed very cool, high-tech, wristbands and a packet that included a robe, towel and flip-flops. The locker room was very big and clean, and the bands allowed locking and unlocking whatever number locker I chose. The band also tracked our activity throughout: drinks and comings and goings. We were all confused trying to get out of the locker room because there were lots of rules about showering, hair conditioner, wet floors, etc. When we finally got out there, Larry wasn't there.
It was sleeting sideways outside with a high wind. Getting into the nine-five-degree blue, salty water with high mineral content was a challenge. There were large doors to exit and descend into the warm water via ramps, or start in the indoor pool with a door to the outside and a more gradual exposure to the unusual elements. The outdoor pool was shallow (about three feet deep) and very large. It was surrounded by lava-rock formations, including archways and a cave. There was a warm waterfall that felt like an intense massage on your back, and sauna/steam rooms.
I got aggravated waiting for Larry because he was taking so long to come out. I even went to the desk to send an attendant into the men's locker room to see if he was still in there. I couldn't understand what was taking him so long, and was absolutely sure he would never go into the pool by himself. He surprised me by entering the indoor pool room from the outside and looked at me all confused. I love it when my husband can surprise me. I was impressed. He had already been all over the pool outside!
We then went out together and found Nancy and Susan. We all laughed at the extremes of the very warm water and very cold, sleeting air pelting our faces if we faced into the wind. But, into it we went to get our facial mask (white then green) cream. We asked Caitlin to take pictures of us with our kabuki masks on and our conditioned hair slicked back while we basked in the warm blue water. After rinsing off the two-staged facials, we swam over to the drink bar. A mask and drink were included in our ticket. It was too early for alcohol, so we got smoothies and blended juices. It was really fun. I saw nice, clear-plastic, flat cases people had for their smartphones. I was jealous because I couldn't take pictures in the water.
We swam around for as long as we wanted, went under the waterfall, and experienced the sauna before heading inside to shower again, get dressed and have some lunch. As I was exiting the area to head towards the cafe, I wrestled with getting my wristband into the receptacle that allowed the turnstyle to move. As I did this, it moved just enough to get stuck between my legs. Now I was straddling this metal bar, trapped with all my stuff strapped to my body and just laughed my ass off. A nice but concerned young woman came to my rescue, and asked if I was all right. I laughed and said I was, but warned the next woman coming through that, "It will bite you!" We all laughed.
It was a really fun experience, and we would all do it again in a heartbeat. But, our day had only just begun.
After a very good night's sleep at the Canopy Hilton, we enjoyed a delicous breakfast with the works: eggs, salmon, meats, potatoes, dense bread (there was always gluten free for Nancy and Peg, another of our group, upon request), yummy jams, delicious brie, coffee and juice. They also provided cod liver oil, a strawberry breakfast smoothie, and a beet juice health drink. The Nespresso machine in our room worked great and we took full advantage of it.
Our first stop on The Golden Circle was to walk through the fracture of where the tectonic plates separate by 2cm per year on a lovely boardwalk. It lead to the site of where the Vikings, the first to occupy Iceland in 824, created the first Parliament by a beautiful lake. There were marshlands along the lake that reminded me of the marshlands at the end of our street in Tiverton. It felt great to walk. It drizzled a bit, but then it cleared up and the sun came out. When the sun came out, it warmed up a little too. Along the way was a lovely little waterfall that fell over lava rock formations into the lake. It was really beautiful.
After leaving the seat of Viking government, we were taken to a greenhouse where they grow tomatoes. The family who runs this greenhouse provide tomatoes for the entire island and do not export. They also raise Islandic horses. A young man gave us a short lecture on how they grow the tomatoes. A ton of tomatoes are harvested each day. The farmers buy "good flies" to eat "bad flies" and they buy bumble bees from the Netherlands also to pollinate the plants. They get their seeds from Holland and France. Geothermal heat and water power the farm, and they have a tank of their own carbon dioxide on site. It was a fascinating place.
We enjoyed a delicious lunch of fresh tomato soup and a variety of deliciously homemade breads. There were pickled cucumbers shreds to add to the soup and fresh basil plants on the table to cut leaves to add to it as well as yogurt. Carafes of water with cherry tomatoes on the bottom with a beautiful setting for our group tables was a lovely way to spend lunch. The greenhouse's lighting lent a golden glow to everything. It was really magical. Oh, the Bloody Marys were very good too!
After lunch and buying some homemade rubs, I went to visit the horses a short walk from the greenhouse. One horse was VERY friendly and kept trying to eat my camera and jacket. They were shorter than our horses with long bangs and tails. They have a stripe that starts on their right shoulder and travels across their shoulders down the other side. One of the women travelling told me this stripe is what distinguishes an arctic horse. They were adorable.
