Runtur

Runtur is Reykjavik's big pub crawl that starts tonight around midnight and lasts until the morning hours (which light-wise makes no difference, as we find waking up around 1 am every night to bright twilight that never transforms into complete darkness). The plan was to stay up until then and watch the spectacle for which Reykjavik apparently is known, but at the moment I doubt that will happen. We're both back in our coffeeshop, hanging out on a couch, reading and writing and daydreaming. I have a feeling we'll just go to bed when we get back to the hostel. Seems our wild days are over ;-) Let's blame it on the jetlag and the weather... it was an absolutely dreadful day today - rain, gusty winds, "slugbelly grey sky" (a couple from Seattle just taught us that phrase ;-)) and cold. More like January in Nashville than JUNE. That alone made me decide that I would never emigrate to Iceland...I don't know how people stand the fact that this is the warmest season of the year and it's barely warm and sunny enough for the snow to melt.
Luckily, we had decided two days ago that today would be our day at the Blue Lagoon. Even that, though was rough at times. The whole lagoon is outside and the wind blew heavily over our heads. Being out of the water turned into an arctic experience, so we soaked in the pools for about 5 hours straight, lunch and bathroom breaks aside. Now we look like raisins with baby-soft skin :) I'm attaching some pictures for you to see... the lagoon is in the most surreal landscape you can imagine...all dark rocks and nothing else. Really looks like I picture the moon in parts. The lagoon itself is this fancy thermal pool that advertises its mineral and algae water and silica mud that is supposed to be really good for your skin, body and soul. Naturally, all our ailments are gone now ;-)
Tomorrow is our last day in Reykjavik and we'll try to see more of the city, hoping that the weather will be a bit kinder.

1. Our hostel (The Salvation Army Guesthouse) from the outside


2. The Blue Lagoon, part I

3. The Blue Lagoon, part II

4. The two of us looking 10 years younger after our spa day ;-) (note that what looks crazy about Patrice's hair is actually a shadow and something in the wall)