minerals coat the rocks
now why would anybody do that?
hefty prices for a dip
long waiting lines
Blue Lagoon
Travel agencies advertise this spa in Iceland's southwest as a must do.
 
Hence the Blue Lagoon draws scores of visitors who happily pay the hefty entrance fee for the favour to take a dip in the silica and sulpher rich warm waters.
These minerals also give the water its typical blue color. 
 
The water is actually a waste-product from the nearby geothermal plant Swartsenge.
The high mineral content prevents the 
recycling of the water, so it is dumped in a nearby lavafield. But the minerals make the lava impermeable and hence they have to keep digging new  holes called lagoons. Not quite sustainable me thinks.
 
The Blue Lagoon company has invested heavily and positions the spa as a high end luxury product. SInce 3 out of every 4 visitors to Iceland take a paid dip here it seems a winning strategy.
 
We visited in July 2015, but did not get wet. Instead we strolled along the borders of the blue ponds.
 
 
 
 
website257043.jpg website257042.jpg website257041.jpg website257040.jpg website257039.jpg website257038.jpg website257037.jpg website257036.jpg website257035.jpg website257034.jpg website257033.jpg website257032.jpg website257003.gif website257030.gif website257029.gif
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
end
website257004.gif website257002.gif
the entrance
website257003.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif
the entrance to the spa
3
website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif
you can see that this lagoon was dug out
website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif
the Svartsengi plant dumps its wastewaters in the lagoons
website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif website257004.gif website257003.gif website257002.gif
blue water and white mineral deposits
website257001.gif