Dear Blönduós pool,
I am writing from you from House 35 and I thought that it was important to tell you how grateful I am to have met you. You see, we had already heard such good things about you from Kathleen, but I will admit that I was a little bit hesitant about spending time with you. However, thanks to your lovable, warm, and inviting nature, I fell for you instantly. I mean, who wouldn’t?! Just look at your fun slides!!
I would like to thank you for hosting all of us from Montréal, and welcoming us with open arms as we learned about Icelandic culture. You became a place for us to meet and interact with locals and visitors, and where we came together as a group to chat, drink coffee, relax, and unwind. I think that the reason behind the cool, calm, and collected nature of the Icelandic people is thanks to you. Having time away from devices to simply just be in company with others was really special, too. You always know exactly what we need by just being you.
I really appreciate the fact that everyone keeps you so clean by showering (sans bathing suit) first, cleaning up after themselves, and respecting you as a key figure in their daily lives. What would the people here do without you? What am I going to do without you??
Thank you for helping me appreciate the art of the cold plunge. Sure, I absolutely adored being in the small warm pool next to the 5 degree bath, but sometimes a little reset is necessary. When feeling too hot, uncomfortable, or even just right, a light shock to the system helps to return to a familiar place feeling different, refreshed and peaceful. I appreciate this lesson from you.
Dear pool, thank you for all you’ve given me. You have changed my view on (Icelandic) public pools. You’ve shown me the magic what is possible when everyone can be at ease with and accepting of their bodies, and the treasured human connections that are created when sharing little moments in the day with others.
I love you and will never forget you. I hope we meet again.
Love,
Catherine Faiello (aka. the Canadian with purple in her hair)