Comments on: Reykjavík Swimming Pools: The Naked Truth

by: Five things to remember when visiting Iceland at How do you like Iceland? - a weblog by Iceland Express

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:24:49 +0000

[…] 1. Bring a bathing suit. Iceland’s national sport is swimming. (”Swimming” here loosely defined as sitting in a hot tub talking.) There are about 200 swimming pools in Iceland, and you could say they’re the Icelandic equivalent of the English pub. Oh, and the hot pots are a great place to pick up gossip with the locals. […]

by: Why Stop at the Showers? at How do you like Iceland? - a weblog by Iceland Express

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:28:07 +0000

[…] Almost a year and a half ago we warned you about the nude bathing requirements at Reykjavík’s swimming pools. The inquiries from terrified travellers were overwhelming. […]

by: An Introduction to Icelandic Mannerisms at How do you like Iceland? - a weblog by Iceland Express

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:19:27 +0000

[…] Get naked Icelanders are notoriously hygienic. You must shower naked before you swim, paying special attention to your special areas. If you’re not sure which parts we mean exactly, refer to the classic Naked Androgynous Diagram. […]

by: Slimy Little Secret at How Do You Like Iceland? - a weblog by Iceland Express

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:10:03 +0000

[…] So you’ve come to Iceland intent on sampling its renowned pool culture, but find the Blue Lagoon a bit touristy and the Laugardalslaug a bit hectic. You need something off the beaten track, something wild, something enticing, something to make you feel like you’ve landed in a sci-fi movie from the ’30’s. You need Lýsuhóll. […]

by: Rebekkan í útlandinu

Fri, 25 May 2007 12:18:34 +0000

[…] Fann svolítið skemmtilega síðu sem fjallar um íslendinga og sundlaugar. […]

by: Angela Delglyn

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 09:51:39 +0000

I find the writing and comments on this site refreshingly honest and always liberally laced with humour. This is how I keep an eye on what’s going on in Reykyavik when I’m back home in UK.
See you again in the spring :-))

by: Siggers

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 03:12:43 +0000

Very entertaining reading - this article should be handed out to all newcomers!

by: Catherine

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:47:21 +0000

Having travelled through my teenage years with my best friend who then moved to Iceland, I was very surprised to find that after years of undressing and changing at school and at sleepovers together, that no longer did she employ the art of carefully and covertly, changing beneath the clothes she was already wearing and standing in a corner, with her back to me, modesty firmly intact, not a square inch of flesh on show. However, after a few months of regular swimming in Iceland, here she was flinging her clothes off, right in front of me, and soaping herself in places that I wasn’t sure cheap swimming pool soap should even be used, whilst chatting to me about some project at work!

When she noticed my quizzical and bemused expression, she told me that if I didn’t do the same, a woman would come by and beat me with a stick! I wasn’t taking any chances.

It’s only a bit embarrassing for us Brits the first time you experience it, after that, it comes as second nature and it’s obviously preferable to being beaten by a woman with a stick or being stared at for being the odd one out, trying to clean the imperative places, whilst struggling with the elasticity of your swimming costume.

by: Fernán

Fri, 24 Nov 2006 23:57:24 +0000

A friend of mine (Spanish like me) went to Laudardalslaug some days before I did. When he came home he was really shocked by the “experience”. He told me about it, so when I went through the swimming-pool routine for the first time it was less shocking than it would have been if I hadn’t known anything about it beforehand. Though it still was strange for me (even though I had used common changing rooms in Spain when I was a child).

Then it just takes a couple of times to get used to it. Really, nobody’s looking and nobody cares.

To Mary: Yes, sexes are separated :).

by: mary

Fri, 24 Nov 2006 11:50:54 +0000

I have a VERY large swimming costume but didn’t get to use it on my trips to Iceland, too scared of the changing rooms!
But that swimming pool scene in ‘101 Reykjavik’ where the youthful hero de-bags the large lady comes to mind, she must have braved the showers.
please tell me that the sexes are separated.