With a Sense of Wonder

Exploring ION

Back in the Northern Lights lounge at the ION Hotel and again, I’ll be damned if I know where everyone is!

See the wire chair to the right with the white sheepskin (sheep’s wool?) skin on it. I’m curled up in it writing.

The hotel is fully booked (albeit only 38 rooms), but here I am again in the lounge all by myself. I just got chased out of the hot tub by the wickedly blowing snow and I know they’re not there. It is the “ION Adventure Hotel,” and they’re happy to book whoppingly expensive private tours of the countryside or snorkeling between the tectonic plates or glacier walking. I suppose that’s where everyone is. I came more for the peace and quiet, less for the cold water snorkeling.

Silfra is the hotel’s single restaurant. Where I had THE MOST AMAZING shellfish soup with scallops, shrimp, apple (!), cauliflower and herb oil! OK, moment of truth: I had it at dinner last night, and AGAIN for lunch today. And I may or may not have it again tonight with dinner. I will attempt to recreate it and am taking requests.

The oft-mentioned hot tub.

Yep, that’s me (and my toque, eh) as the sun set yesterday afternoon. It’s only two and a half feet deep. I’m sitting on the bottom. That’s lava rock from the volcano behind me.

And the meditation room (that’s my term, maybe it’s the quiet room or the spa waiting room … ) looking out on the hot tub. It’s my fall back when the lounge gets busy (it happened).

Both of these photos were taken yesterday as I sat in the room (yep, by myself). Notice how fast the sun dropped?

It’s Thursday afternoon as I write this. I have the rest of the day here in my little bubble of quiet and peace and a few hours tomorrow morning before I head back south, past Reykjavik to the Blue Lagoon. Before arriving in Iceland, I hired a car (and its driver, the delightful Maron) to bring me here from Reykjavik and then to the Blue Lagoon on Friday. Between blowing snow and windy, icy roads, I’m SO glad I opted for Maron rather than rent a car as I had originally planned.

So tomorrow I inch closer to the airport and my return flight on Saturday. Yikes. Two more nights in Iceland.

 

Comments

  1. So … in the meditation room, what kind of animal donated its skin/fur for that rug? White polar bear? Wow, it’s huge!! The hot tub looks wonderfully situated with a bit of a roof and what looks to be a glass breakwall that I’m sure cuts down on the wind. So will you return to Iceland?

  2. I was wondering the same thing about the rug. I’m not sure; but now I will have to find someone with an answer. Goat? Icelandic horse? It’s awfully soft and furry. I know I can confirm it’s not polar bear.

    Yes. Yes, I will return to Iceland. With some luck, to the ION. I would love to return and see more of country. Maybe at a time of year where I could rent a car and drive around the entire island.

  3. You have a knack for finding great places. Don’t get rid of your cardboard box filing method, it is serving you very well! Thanks for sharing your experience.

    • I think it actually warms up decently. At least enough to get rid of the snow. July and August AVERAGE temps are about 10C, I believe. And a warm wave might come up to 20C-ish? But lots of rain during the summer, I believe. I’d like to come back in the summer months and drive the ring road all around the island, without fear of whiteouts.