Christina’s Journey Journal

Tag: Whales of Iceland

  • That’s a wrap. Bless bless, Iceland!🇮🇸

    That’s a wrap. Bless bless, Iceland!🇮🇸

    Yesterday we had an unbelievable experience at Sky Lagoon—a 7 step ritual that soothed tired muscles and left us feeling 10 years younger! Why can’t we have one of these in St. Louis??

    Steps 1 and 7 in the lagoon.
    We spent a lot of time participating in these two steps!
    Passion fruit martinis, sunshine, and a geothermal lagoon with the North Atlantic as our backdrop.
    The view from Step 3!
    Eating amongst the whales for our final evening at
    The Whales of Iceland Museum. 🐳 🐋
    Rooftop bar – what a view!💙
    The view from the rooftop at The Edition Hotel. The harbor lights lit up the night.
  • April 19th, 2023 – a day of watching and pampering🇮🇸

    April 19th, 2023 – a day of watching and pampering🇮🇸

    The day started off with some whale watching and we saw a few humpbacks off Reykjavik. We were on a larger boat so I feel like the sound probably frightened them off, although humpbacks are curious.

    Then we went to The Blue Lagoon for dinner and a dip in the pool! A-Maze-ing! There has been a lot written about why you should go and why you should not. I say definitely GO! It was quite the experience and I would go again.

    The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa outside of Reykjavik. It’s in a lava field in front of Mount Þorbjörn where the water comes from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. The water is high in minerals and white silica mud. Both are said to have healing properties. In fact, a guide told us that people with psoriasis are healed with repeated use. It tends to leave your hair stiff and dry so we ensured not to get that wet! (And I lathered on hair conditioner as a preventive measure).

    When you’re in the lagoon, the steam rises up and at times, it’s difficult to even see in front of you. This simply adds to the mystique of the lagoon.
    Time to soak and relax!
    Icelanders know how to do it right.
    Silicon mud masks for all! I did 3 other masks after this one – the clay scrub, the anti-aging algae, and the mineral. The water was a very comfortable 98-104 degree Fahrenheit (37-40 Celsius) and there’s a swim up bar. What a relaxing evening at the lagoon. 💙🤍🩵

    While it’s technically man-made, the Blue Lagoon was formed from the runoff water of the nearby geothermal power plant. That said, the water is as natural as can be as it comes from deep underground where it is heated by geothermal energy. Speaking of water, we DO NOT need to buy bottled water in Iceland. I saw something funny about how to drink the water—1. Turn on the faucet; 2. Put your cup under to fill it; 3. Drink it. It’s as cold and fresh as can be!

    Want to go? Book your experience here, stay overnight if you wish, and eat at their gourmet restaurant: https://www.bluelagoon.com

  • Day 1 in the books 🇮🇸

    Day 1 in the books 🇮🇸

    I can barely keep my eyes open. No sleep last night and a quick hour nap today wasn’t enough.

    What a full day—we explored Reykjavik and went to 3 different museums: Maritime, Whales of Iceland, and Northern Lights Center. I learned so much about noise pollution and how it’s impacting and even killing our whales.

    We walked down Rainbow Street 🌈, which was painted by the citizens of Iceland in 2019 to represent “respect, inclusivity and love.”

    Me with my ❤️