Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.06.2010, Qupperneq 44

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 07 — 2010
32
WELCOME CARD
See more and save more
when visiting Reykjavík.
Free admissions and discounts
off tours, shopping and services
for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Great value for money.
The Welcome Card can
be purchased at:
The Centre, major hotels, museums,
tourist information centres and
Hlemmur and BSÍ bus stations.
WELCOME CARD2009 - 2010
48
INCLUDING CITY BUS TRANSPORT, FREE ADMISSIONS, DISCOUNTS OFF TOURS,
SHOPPING, AND SERVICES
AVAILABLE FOR 24, 48 AND 72 HOURS.
WELC
OME C
ARD
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www.visitreykjavik.is
Aðalstræti 2 • 101 Reykjavík • Tel +354 590 1550 • info@visitreykjavik.is
Activity
adventure
A visit to the Glacier lagoon
and an ATV excursion in the
area of Europe’s largest
glacier Vatnajökull.
Adventure tours Air charter servicesScheduled flights
+354 562 4200
info@eagleair.is
www.eagleair.is
Monday to Saturday
Check out Hugleikur Dagsson's cool new multi-frame strip right here on
this page! We have many more of these to print, so y'all can look forward
to reading them this summer.
Comic | Hugleikur Dagsson
Fair enough, the Blue Lagoon is about
two minutes away from the city and the
airport and it’s much easier to get to for
a quickie, but let’s be honest: it’s totally
mainstream. Go there, but go other
places, too.
If you’re heading up to the North-
East, for instance, there is quite a fine
alternative to be experienced. Perched
atop a colourful mountain ridge, the
natural geothermal pool overlooks all
of Lake Mývatn in all its glory. The
modestly sized welcome centre is neatly
designed, following the simplicity and
modern elegance that most of Iceland’s
pools share. The main f loor houses the
changing rooms, massage centre, a
small souvenir corner and a café. Up-
stairs there is a lovely dining space over-
looking the area. The friendly one-man
staff assists at both the café and admis-
sion desk. We forked over our 2000 ISK
entrance fee and went to get our swim
on.
After going through the small but
tidy locker rooms, one has to face the
elements for a few moments between
the changing house and the man-made
lagoon. It wasn’t so bad, considering we
went on a spectacularly sunny day. But
with the lagoon being open year-round,
going in January might require a mad-
dash. The first thing one notices going
into the Mývatn Nature Baths is the tex-
ture of the ground. It’s covered in tiny,
smooth pebbles that simultaneously
massage and buffer your feet. Careful
not to go overboard with the free pum-
ice scrub or you’ll end up with tiny cuts
under your pinky toe that really suck.
The other thing that stands out strongly
is the colour of the water. While similar
in creepiness to the Blue Lagoon, the
water here is a bluer, less milky hue
that one can see clearly through. It still
sort of feels like standing in alien guts
or something.
The bathing experience itself is
simply lovely. The water, which runs in
directly from the National Power Com-
pany’s bore hole in Bjarnarf lag, is rich
in minerals and silicates that are good
for the skin. Its chemical composition
permits it to remain chlorine-free and
perfectly clean. The man-made lagoon
itself is made up of several different
smaller pools, interconnected with pas-
sageways and bridges. It’s not huge, but
it’s quite a lot bigger than first meets
the eye. Perhaps one of the nicest fea-
tures of the lagoon is the rocks sporadi-
cally emerging from the water that are
perfectly formed for seating. There are
additional hot pots, a steam room and
outdoor relaxation areas for one to enjoy
on their visit.
After the swim, a light snack and
drink can be had back at the Magma
Café inside. My friend and I did not
partake, but the soup smelled delicious.
Local handmade products can be pur-
chased as souvenirs, as well as trade-
mark creams and body products from
the Mývatn Nature Baths. Overall, it
makes for a rejuvenating and delightful
day in one of Iceland’s most beautiful
and geothermically active areas.
Travel | Mývatn
On A Hill By A Lake In
The North
Taking a trip to the Mývatn Nature Baths
REBECCA LOUdER
REBECCA LOUdER
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