Pool Culture

Iceland, having a population of only 300,000, is inevitably at the top of many global "per capita" lists, and some of these statistics give an interesting cultural snapshot of the country. For instance Iceland can boast the most chess grandmasters per capita and the most Nobel literature laureates per capita, and anyone with even a passing interest in the Icelandic nation will appreciate why.

A less highbrow statistic, but equally telling, is the fact that Speedo sells more swimsuits per capita in Iceland than in any other country in the world. Iceland is a nation of swimmers; enjoying the abundance of geothermally heated water as a physical and recreational pastime is a national obsession.

Being descended from sea-faring Viking types and historically having had such an economic reliance on the surrounding ocean it is perhaps inevitable that swimming is such a large part of Icelandic life, but a foreigner in modern, cosmopolitan Reykjavík might be surprised how pervasive swimming pool culture is. In much the same way that no stay in Paris would be complete without sampling "café culture", a trip to one of Reykjavík's many swimming pools should be an essential part of a visitor's itinerary.

At the pool you will see people from all walks of life and of all ages going about their business and just being typically Icelandic. In some cases they are literally going about their business. It is not unheard of for politicians to soak in the hotpots whilst fielding questions from their electorate on the weighty matters of the day. Many of the famously hardworking citizens take their lunch break at the pool, and I know of one woman who often makes good use of call divert to make the pool her office. For Icelandic children compulsory swimming lessons start at four years old, but it is not unusual to see amphibious toddlers who appear able to swim before they can walk.

Whilst all complexes have what is recognizable as a fairly conventional pool, with lanes roped off for the business of taking serious exercise by swimming repeated lengths, the real action takes place in the assorted ancillary pools and hot pots. In most establishments you will find a shallow, circular affair somewhat like a large puddle clearly intended for the kids but frequently populated by relaxing adults, particularly in fine weather.

The hot pots are a hotbed of activity and discussion for some, and a place for tranquil reflection for others. If it is tranquil you are after it is wise to take note of the temperature of each hot pot. They rise incrementally from somewhere around scalding to hellish. Foreigners who are used to artificially heated water are best advised to use extreme caution when testing the Icelandic volcanically heated geothermal variety. Once ensconced and acclimatized, there is no finer place to enter into engaging conversation or merely observe the Icelandic way of life.

Like all ways of life peculiar to a particular culture or country there is a certain way of doing things, and it is important to respect the local customs and rules, which begin long before you have dipped a toe in the water. To many tourists these might come as a bit of a shock but they should not be shirked nonetheless. One of the many reasons swimming is such a pleasant experience in Iceland is that there are not the same outrageous levels of chlorine in the water. Among other reasons this is possible because the natives are a pretty clean bunch and will expect you to be too if you want to share their water.

When you visit any pool you will see signs in all languages instructing you to wash with soap thoroughly before you enter the water. One assumes they are in so many languages to ensure foreigners cannot claim to have misunderstood, but the graphic depiction of the areas that must be scrubbed thoroughly is impossible to miss. You are expected to shower naked, which might be daunting for the inhibited brought up changing behind towels whilst struggling to maintain balance. It is in fact strangely liberating and you can be certain that nobody is taking a sneaky pervy peek. Your fellow exuberant scrubbers will have showered in that fashion thousands of times since birth and will be totally uninterested in yet another naked body. To be fully forewarned is forearmed so the swimming pool routine is as follows:

1. Pay for your entrance to the pools and receive a locker token.

2. Undress at your locker and take your towel and swimsuit to the showers. Soap is provided, but you may want to bring your own soap and shampoo. If so, take it to the showers too. Stash your towel etc. in the rack provided.

3. Shower (without a swimsuit), put on your suit, and head for the pool.

4. When you return, shower again, and dry off before you go back to your locker: wetting the floor in the locker room is frowned upon.

Apart from obeying the rules and ensuring you do not get scalded by the water the only other thing to worry about is which pool to go to. Where you come from, a pool is just a pool, but here each individual pool has its own characteristics and characters who frequent it, much like a restaurant or bar. If you need any further evidence of the importance of the swimming pool culture in Iceland, there are no fewer than 16 swimming pools in Reykjavík and the surrounding suburbs. You should make it your business to visit at least one.

Laugardalslaug, located next to the youth hostel, is the biggest pool in Reykjavík with great facilities as part of a larger sports complex. It is convenient for the city centre, but maybe a little less relaxing than others since some people here do appear to actually want to swim rather than bask, which is unusual and can be unsettling for the idle.

Sundlaug Vesturbæjar is also handy for the city centre, and enjoys a much more local and intimate feel of a neighbourhood pool, with regulars and perhaps the odd pub bore.

Sundhöll Reykjavíkur is the city's oldest and only indoor pool, though it does have outdoor hotpots. Despite the central location it is best avoided since swimming indoors is rather missing the point somewhat.

If you want to venture out of the cosy confines of 101 Reykjavík, and you should, Árbæjarlaug is definitely worth a visit. Difficult to find but worth it, as it has a wonderful setting with a view conducive to ruminating on Iceland's natural resources, whilst developing a certain envy of so much free hot water.

Clement Wilson is a freelance writer based in Edinburgh.