Anyhoos, we decided to check out the view from the top of that there massive tower. Toddled up in a lift and then up into the chamber just below the bells. At about 10:55.
Here are some pretty views from the top.
And then it hit 11am. And we were deafened. Almost. Jesus Christ, it was loud. Yes, I know this is to be expected when you're standing almost directly below the bells, but damn.
Then it snowed on us when we left. Snowy snowy snowy. Pretty sure it barely stopped snowing the entire time we were there.
Slightly deaf, we headed back into the shopping area to pick up some little souvenirs. I acquired... well, not a lot. I was looking for something in the same vein as my manaia necklace from New Zealand - something quite traditionally Icelandic. I settled for geologically Icelandic instead and found myself a nice little necklace with a lump of lava. Funny looking little thing. Full of holes. It hasn't yet taken the place of my manaia which has become one of those rare things that I wear daily.
Moving on. It was still snowing on and off once we'd completed our perusal of the shops so we found somewhere to have lunch instead. Little place just along from the Laundromat Cafe called Cafe Paris, where we had lovely tagliatelle. Om nom nom. I wasn't quite so enamoured with the place when I spotted whale on the mains menu. Grr.
Lunch nommed (regardless of the fact that had I realised they were serving whale, I would have insisted on going elsewhere), we headed off again, this time in search of the National Museum of Iceland. Very interesting, if a little bit small. Some really amazing artefacts from the early period of settlement. Plenty to satisfy inner child who was in love with the Vikings.
Amusingly enough for me, one of the last exhibits in the museum was a set of wire cutters used during the Cod Wars. Being from Grimsby, this was endlessly amusing, especially since we'd spent the last few days joking that I shouldn't tell the Icelanders I'm Grimbarian in case the Cod Wars came up. Don't know what they are? Go google it. Basically our fishing fleet had an argument with the Icelanders about who could fish where and then the Navy got involved and it got a bit... fraught.
Warmed up and full of random knowledge about Iceland we headed back to the hotel to grab our things for the evening. We stopped at the bakery again on the way and acquired some more pastries/cakes for tea. Om nom.
And then we drank tea. Because we're English and this is what we do when there's nought else to do.
All nicely relaxed, we got picked up to go to the Blue Lagoon, the famous geothermal spa place. Much as I wanted to go, I'd been expecting some disappointment - it's always seemed so overhyped.
I was wrong. Such a lovely way to spend the evening. Lovely warm water (hitting 36 degrees plus in places, which was a bit burny), relatively clear skies and then it snowed. It's a bizarre experience, lounging about in such warm water with snow falling on your head. Definitely worth it.
Not so great was the lifeguard who (understandably) kept shining a massive searchlight across the pool to make sure no one was drowning. We got a bit giggly about that. We weren't drowning. Did get beached at one point attempting to see if it was snow or salt on the rocks at the side of the pool, but no drowning. (It was snow, by the way).
Note to self: the mud they put in the pots around the pool is for your skin. It does wonders for your skin, at least in the short term. It is not for eating. I repeat: NOT FOR EATING. Urgh, salty.
Several relaxing hours and a random chat with an Irish dude (who gave us tips for our planned trip to Ireland) later, we clambered back onto the bus and headed back to Reykjavik. Bags all packed, we sort of fell into bed, horribly aware that we had to be up again in about 3 hours. Urgh...
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