Our adventures with Claire & Jeffrey continued throughout the weekend and into the following week. We bonded with our sad car as we headed westward, stopping frequently to explore lava fields, climb strange formations, or get drenched by blowing waterfalls, as Jeffrey memorably did here.
Occasionally Claire got too cold, in spite of her new (and positively photo-perfect) winter coat she purchased here, and she would return to the car to warm up.
While Chris and Jeffrey were off exploring, Claire and I would play feuding trolls in the lava fields, our own Icelandic version of hide and seek. I'm pretty sure I won this round.
Sometimes there would be mysterious places to explore without any explanation.
We passed through a small town, so we tried to find a place to grab some coffees. We happened upon this cafe/gift shop/floral boutique. An eclectic mix of artwork and decor, an adorable dog (that made me miss one of my best friends, Hillary, and her papillons), combined with the sound of massage music and a small bubbling fountain, made this place a memorable stop. We payed for our coffees on our way out, and while we payed we were handed a guestbook to sign. That's a first!
Warning: Nudity in the form of some kind of yarn craft is coming up in a few pictures.
The Blue Lagoon
The day we went to the Blue Lagoon together, we got there before the sun had risen, which really wasn't very early, but it still sounds impressive. We were some of the first people to get there, so before busloads of people came to join us, we took in the crazy landscape and bizarre tourist spectacle in all its bluest blueness.
When we entered the spa facilities, there was a line roped off like an amusement park ride. When we payed for our passes, we are each given a magical wristband that serves as our go-go-gadget everything while we're here. Our wristbands open the lockers, lock the lockers, and we can even charge purchases or drinks or snacks to our wristbands. Pretty cool.
Because Chris and I are used to going to our local public pool, and since we had already taken Claire and Jeff with us to our local pool, the process of readying ourselves for the Blue Lagoon experience came as no surprise to us. However, to most of the tourists who come here, it's all new to them. The idea of first disrobing at their lockers and then carrying their towel and swimsuit over to the showers is weird, and for some a bit terrifying. Then, placing their towels in a cubby while they shower and put their suits on is also a foreign concept to most. I heard many discussing this and asking if this is really what they have to do. I overheard funny statements like, "Well, I guess that's how they do things here." I am used to the open shower situation and would rather not stand in a line of naked guests clutching their towels and suits, no disrespect, so I skip the line, shower in the open and head into the lagoon.
After wading around in the swirling milky blue water for a while, I noticed someone else had taken out a nice camera and was taking pictures from out of the water, so I decided to do the same. In the meantime, Jeffrey and Claire had ordered beverages at the swim-up bar.
Then I handed Jeff the camera and he took some photos of us.
Then Jeff managed to take what I believe to be the only photo of all four of us, even if Jeffrey is only represented by his right foot and the rest of us are blurry.
After getting out and dressed, we walked around for a couple more photos. Claire and Jeffrey always look like they belong in a magazine. I don't understand how they do it?
More good times with Claire and Jeffrey will be posted soon! Stay tuned.