Sam:
Today we went swimming at a pool called Árbæjarlaug. I went on this awesome slide like 20 to 30 times. The pool was better than the pools in Canada because it had a water slide, two giant fountains, about four hot tubs, and an indoor/outdoor pool. There was also a good view of mountains. The water was warmer than at home.
After the pool, we visited Reykjavik. We walked around and got ice cream and yummy chocolates.
Charlotte:
I slept for 15 hours last night! I felt really good this morning.
At the pool it was very fun. I was very nervous at the beginning because of the changing room. Have you ever had to be naked in front of so many people? You couldn’t wear a bathing suit when you’re having a shower, but you really have to have a shower before you’re allowed to go in the pool. It was weird that so many ladies were walking around with no clothes on.
When I was swimming in the pool and was playing, I watched some people go down the slide and make a big splash. I did not want to go down the slide at first, but when I tried it with my dad, I loved it so much that I kept going on it again and again!
In Reykjavik, it was very fun. I got ice cream, and we got to see lots of different things. We had a great walk. I saw puffin stuffies, a HUGE lollipop 🍭, and a blanket that was reindeer fur.
We when got back to the apartment, we went to the park. I can swing super high on the swings.
Dad:
Sam and I started off the day playing Pandemic in Icelandic. We had to use Sam’s Chromebook to help us with some translations.
Mom and Dad:
As a family we researched some local pools and decided to try out Árbæjarlaug, which is about 15 min from the apartment. The views of Reykjavik and the mountains along the way were spectacular!
The pool was excellent – such a different experience than public pools in Canada! Here’s what we noticed:
- Icelandic people are very comfortable with their bodies. This was almost a deal-breaker for Charlotte – she was very nervous about showering nude around so many people. In a small way this was a blessing as it forced me (Mom) to feign body confidence in order to get her through the change room experience.
- The water in all of the pools was quite warm. In the kids’ pool, it was lovely, managing to be comfortable without getting too soupy. The lap pool was slightly cooler, but again it was very comfortable for its purpose.
- There were many hot tubs! All of these pools ranged in temperature from 36-44°C. People brought babies and children into the ‘cooler’ ones and many pregnant women were in them too (in Canada, pregnant women are advised to avoid hot tubs). There was also a sizable waterslide that we all enjoyed.
- Going to a pool is a cheap family activity in Iceland. For all four of us, the cost was only 2200kr (about $26CDN).
When we strolled around Reykjavik later in the afternoon, we stopped to have a snack of fries – a family box cost over 1500kr ($17CDN)! Lesson: eating out in Iceland = super expensive.
The pedestrian street that we wandered was filled with cute tourist shops, restaurants, and high-end clothing boutiques. It was fun to window shop and to peek at the tall peaks and ocean down each little side street.
Sam and Charlotte take on the world! 