Iceland is not really on my lets-travel-there-immediately wishlist. I am, though, very likely to change my mind after seeing these pictures.
Blue Lagoon. It's Iceland's most unique and popular attraction. Where else can you bathe, float, relax and soak in a vast pool of 102 degree geothermal seawater made warm from underneath the earth's surface. Crazy right? Obviously, this is why over 400,000 people visit Blue Lagoon annually and it's been voted the best medical spa worldwide, 5 years in a row.
In addition to soaking your cares away, enjoying the breathtaking scenery, breathing in the clean, fresh air, you can also enjoy special water treatments like massages, scrubs, silica, salt glows, algae, pregnancy massages and, my personal favorite, psoriasis treatments. Who knew there was a whole spa while floating in a giant pool of blue seawater!
Aside from the flights from Vancouver to Iceland, the hotel, food and car service, Blue Lagoon will actually be the least expensive portion of your Icelandic adventure. Ringing in at a whopping EUR 35 (includes entrance to the geothermal spa and a towel), you can easily slip into relaxation, forgetting about the thousands you spent to get here.
Allan, I'm thinking we really need to fly here.....soon!
When Christina asked me to write a guest post about some of my travel experiences, I decided to write
about a place that I know she and Allan want to visit, New Zealand.
I visited and stayed in New Zealand for a
few months several years ago. It’s a country that is rich in culture, with tons
of things to do and see and I loved every minute of it.
I stayed solely on the North Island, mostly
in Auckland, but I know the South island is also amazing. NZ’s landscape is
so beautiful and it reminded me a lot of BC and a bit of the UK. There’s a huge UK influence,
I found, particularly in the food and products.
One of my favorite aspects of NZ was the
culture. The native people of Aotearoa (NZ in Maori) are the Maori, but there a major influences from
other Polynesian islands; like Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. Like most of the
Polynesian cultures, dance and music play an important part in the Maori
culture. You may have seen a Maori Haka, a warrior dance that the NZ All Blacks
perform before every game. The Maori warriors stick out their tongues and the
women open their eyes, kind of bulging them out, to strike fear in their
enemies.
Tattoos and art are
also important to the culture. Facial tattoos are very detailed and filled with
meaning in every line and both men and women get them.Carvings fill the Maraes that can be visited,
although they are sacred meeting places for the Maori’s.
Spending some time
with Polynesian people, you will be impressed with their pride for their cultures
and you’ll be fed until you’re stuffed, as food is another major part of the
traditions. It’s the way they celebrate all events and family gatherings. Some
of the foods you might expect are; roasted pig, taro, fish, and a lot of
different fruits.
U2 celebrated the life of one of
their crew members, who was a New Zealander, by writing the
song, One Tree Hill, which is actually a volcanic peak in a suburb of Auckland. It’s an important memorial for New Zealanders and Maori’s. Although the One
Tree was destroyed by vandals, the memorial obelisk still stands.
If you ever end up visiting NZ, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. There are so many things I didn’t mention that are so worth visiting. Remember Lord of the Rings was filmed there so there are plenty of tours that run for that too.
PS - Thank you so much, Bronwen, for sharing your experiences. You can see Bronwen's blog at www.rubyna.com
