Iceland, Pt. 4

The Blue Lagoon is well-known as a highly touristy activity, but we didn’t want to be in Iceland and not go, so we decided to do it in style and registered for the luxury package. It was our honeymoon, after all! This proved to be an excellent decision, as we were whisked past the line of unregistered guests and to the exclusive lounge and private entrance.

It was in fact packed with tourists outside, but we both had a great time. We relaxed in the warm cerulean water, watching the steam rise. There was a little bar we swam up to and ordered drinks from. I got a blended fruit and vegetable smoothie and Katelyn got an ice slushee – we got a kick out of the brand name “Krap.” Of course, I lost my sunglasses momentarily, but I was able to fish them out with my foot.

The lounge provided post-swim coffee, fruit, and lounge chairs in front of a fireplace. After relaxing for a while we got cleaned up. While I waited for Katelyn, I went out on the balcony to take pictures and met a few people out there, including a friendly couple from Washington, D.C. We capped off the visit with a decadent lunch at the LAVA restaurant (and I began to wonder how much more food I could possibly stuff in to my body).

By the time we returned to Reykjavik, we only had enough time to finish writing some postcards before we went on tour of Ölgerðin Brewery. We walked through the brewery and got to taste the sweet, cloudy beer before it was filtered and bottled. Then it was to the tasting room for drinks and a history lesson.

Beer only became fully legal in 1989, and during the prohibition there were all sorts of weird rules and workarounds. For example, Spain threatened to stop buying fish unless Iceland bought their wines, so Spanish wine (and only Spanish wine) became permissible. A 1935 referendum allowed for spirits and beer with an alcohol content below 2.25%, which was favored to reduce depravity associated with strong beer; but this did not stop the Icelanders, who made “beer substitute” out of several beers and liquors (which the guides mixed up for us to taste).

Unsurprisingly, civilization did not screech to a halt. Not only that, but during World War II, the allied troops insisted on having beer, and so Polar Ale came into existence… for sale and consumption only on military bases. Fortunately, beer culture is alive and well in Iceland today.

In addition to the beer substitute, the guides also gave us a taste of “holiday drink.” Icelanders traditionally mix orange soda and malt extract for the occasion of the Christmas holiday and it has become very popular, so much so that you can buy it pretty much year-round.

Around dinner time, we were in the mood for a small snack, thanks to our big lunch at the Blue Lagoon. Our cab driver from the previous evening had suggested Rekyjavik Chips. They only sell french fries, but you can get all sorts of toppings and sauces to go with them. It was the perfect complement our beerventure.

Afterwards, we walked around town a bit, observing the nightlife. We visited Kaldi, a local bar that Bessi had recommended, but it was very busy and my imposter syndrome got pretty fired up. Instead we got ice cream at Eldur & Is and wandered up to Hallgrímskirkja to see what it looked like at night.

A little bit of light from the setting sun painted the underside of the clouds as twilight began. The crown of the tower gave the impression of being lit from the inside by many candles. The statue of Leif Erikson looked quite dramatic as well. Not a bad way to end our time in Reykjavik.