The Silica Hotel is an oasis in an oasis and is just 600 meters from the Blue Lagoon via a volcanic rock walkway. The walk is other-worldly. Dark volcanic rock, vibrant blue water, deep green moss and fresh fallen snow makes for an unimaginable palette for this landscape. The milky blue water of the Blue Lagoon is caused by silicate minerals and temperature averages 100°C.
Location: Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland.
We land in Keflavik, pre-dawn, and pick up our rental vehicle. As the sun rises at 10:16 a.m., we are finding our way downtown to kind some kind of breakfast. Sunset would be less than six hours away. Our destination for the evening, The Blue Lagoon in Grindavik. The distance between Keflavik and Grindavik is about 25 km, but the turn on Route 43 felt like we’d left planet Earth. The landscape was completely unexpected. We arrive early for our check-in at The Silica Hotel. Our accommodations came with a pass to The Blue Lagoon, so we took the hotel shuttle to the spa entrance.
I asked the driver to stop along the way so I could take a couple of shots. There would not have daylight on the return. The landscape was extraordinary. The anticipation of what would be around the next corner is palpable. The skies were gray with a hint of sunlight. Lava rock formations were covered with a sprinkling of snow and surrounding the most amazing blue water.
Later that evening, I took a walk down the 600 meter walkway between The Silica Hotel and the Blue Lagoon. I set the camera up and worked for this shot in nearly complete darkness. 25 sec. exposure, 500 iso, 24 mm. I couldn’t wait to see this after the sunrise in the morning, and I couldn’t wait to see more of Iceland . . .
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