Thursday, November 20, 2025

Vibes

Cuando te permites lo que mereces, atraes lo que necesitas ๐Ÿฉต
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#nature #landscape #naturalpool #hotspring #clearwater #dog #mountaingirl #love #world_bestnature #instant_es #autumnvibes #perfect_capture #beautifulpic #wildlife #adventure #paradise #strong #travelling #natureshot #vegangirl #nomad #exploremore #awesomeplaces #lifestyle #bnw #earth_focus #photography #dream_image #picoftheday #๐Ÿ“ท

News and views on hot soak and assorted culture of Europe.

News from the hot springs. 
Timeout Budapest on the Gellert baths news (Oct. 1):
'Spas are a huge part of Budapest’s cultural fabric – and the Gellรฉrt, a legendary art nouveau spa richly decorated with Zsolnay tiling, is one of the most iconic venues in the city.
However, as of today (October 1), you won’t be able to visit the Gellรฉrt until 2028, as the century-old spa – first opened in 1918 – is closing for three years of renovation. Reconstruction work will now run alongside the overhaul of the equally venerable hotel of the same name, which has been closed since November 2021.
The primary consideration in the project is the preservation of the historical heritage: the restoration of the art nouveau interiors, tiling and aesthetic appearance. In addition, sustainability and energy-efficient solutions will be introduced, by modernising the use of thermal water and heating.
According to plans, the changing rooms will be unified, and a new sunbathing terrace, a modern wellness area and panoramic garden sauna will be created'.
Over to Baden (Switzerland), where they celebrated Badsgemeinde 2025! ❤️ (source). Translated:
'On the 28th. & 29. In August we celebrated the first implementation of the Badsgemeinde on the Kurplatz, Baden. We spent the whole program in a temporary basin filled with fresh thermal water. The GV of the cooperative Bad zum raven was held, debated under the moderation of Monika Schรคrer, the future Bad zum raben auctioned by Simon Balissat @sigats and a poem by Simon Libsig @simonlibsig given to the best. At the end, there was a concert by Strello under the starry sky in Baden. ✨
So many exciting things happening right now:
๐Ÿชถwe are in the final part of the build of our home in wheels (soon we will share more)
๐Ÿชถwe are soon moving to a new house… I lived here since I was 18
๐Ÿชถa person that lives far away but that I love deeply is coming to visit very very soon
๐Ÿชถwe are attending an amazing festival this weekend (the festival cancelled due to weather forecast :(((, but it has been rescheduled for sometime soon ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿซถ)
Honestly, our head has been in the clouds for the whole year, we cannot believe everything unfolding in front of us. ๐Ÿค
Open to everything that’s coming next.
Happy to share here more details soon ๐Ÿ˜†
Skai.gr has a vdo on the mud baths / hot springs of Krinides. There is the possibility to autotranslate the vdo. 
Briefly: they want to extend the summer mud bathing season, earlier and later in the year (before mid-June and after September). 
Whether or not it's only for the reportage, but clothesfree mudbathing seems to have been discontinued. Question mark. Note: recent photo's are less clothed (Sep. 24).

Staying with mudbaths. And vdo's. Nowness has a feature vdo (Aug. 25) on the mudbaths of Akhtala. Description:
'Travelling to Georgia, director Sasha Kulak observes the mud between the softly exhaling landscape, to the full-body treatments that transfer its restorative powers, for the short film The Great Mud of Akhtala. Against storytelling passed through generations and understanding shaped by engaging with this strange landscape, the short documentary captures the profound respect that connects the spa’s visitors and practitioners, seeking its healing mud to restore balance and wellbeing in accordance with nature'.
Vanlife: Il Bollore
Bagni di San Filippo Siena province Italy

Wandering Carol visits (and reports, Nov. 9) on Bath, UK's only thermal spring, though much of the attraction is due to the Roman remains of their original bath. It does though look like it's an original post, rehashed again. Very glowing all, suppose if it's all you have, then it must be very precious.

Earlier (Aug. 5), Carol also reported back from Baden-Baden.

At 39°, waters enriched with minerals flow like liquid silk, wrapping the body in warmth while lush greenery surrounds every pool ๐ŸŒฟ♨️⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Here, volcanic origins meet garden calm — a sanctuary where bathing is both deeply soothing and beautifully restorative.⁣⁣
♨️ Terra Nosta Park Hotel, Azores
Suggested
Sauna business then.
A missed opportunity. Badstufest 2025 [Sep. 19-21] is a collaboration between the Norwegian Sauna Association and a group of sauna operators in Southern Norway [Arendal]. 
'The festival is a celebration of Norwegian sauna culture, but first and foremost a good excuse to gather people who really enjoy saunas, nature and good vibes for a hot autumn weekend by the sea'.
Not to be missed: International Sauna Congress 2026 (Sep. 24–26), in Oslo, Norway. Billed as world's largest sauna event. Without reference as to what marks it as largest.

A report (KW Magazine, Sep. 3) on a community sauna in the center of the Flemish city of Kortrijk. Translated:
The founders envision the space as more than just a sauna. "Dreaming and building a place where we can meet without class and freedom," they say. Their core values ​​are clear: creating through connection, accessible, and open to everyone. The sauna grows with its community and must be able to stand on its own. The result is an eight-person infusion sauna, equipped with a plunge pool, cold shower, and a cozy atmosphere. Admission is pay-as-you-can, with a suggested price of five euros''.
Some sauna culture?
Vegoutmagazine has an article (Sep. 22) on experiencing a German sauna:
'The biggest shock isn’t the nudity; it’s what the nudity dismantles: your self-consciousness.
Ten minutes in, your inner critic is too sweaty to speak. Bodies blur into bodies.
Scars, bellies, boobs, flat, round, old, young—none of it matters. This isn’t a nightclub; it’s a human defrosting drawer. That modesty panic you anticipate? It drains away in the steam.
You will become very aware of your towel (good), your breathing (better), your heartbeat (hello, you), and—surprise—your appetite.
There’s always a cafรฉ. And yes, there will be cakes, pretzels, soup, a beer or an apple spritzer, maybe a potato salad that tastes like your grandparents would approve.
Shock five: you will eat after being naked with strangers and feel absolutely fine. More than fine—normal, companionable, like you’ve been through a tiny, polite rite together.
My first time, I sat in a robe, hair wet and wild, dunking a pretzel into mustard, and felt… wealthy.
Not money wealthy. Nervous-system wealthy'.
In Estonia, we have a saying: “Naised saunas rรครคkisid,” which translates to “Women in sauna talked.” And it’s more than just a phrase.. It captures exactly how sauna encourages genuine connection.
Outside the sauna, conversations might stay polite, short, or even superficial. But step into the gentle heat, surrounded by calming steam, and suddenly barriers fall away. You’re relaxed, honest, and ready to share openly.
Beyond its many physical health perks - like better circulation, detoxification, and muscle recovery - sauna time significantly boosts our mental wellbeing. It encourages authentic conversations, strengthens bonds, and helps ease social anxieties and feelings of loneliness.
Sauna truly brings people closer ๐ŸคŽ
Have you noticed that sauna makes conversations flow more freely? ๐Ÿ’ฌ
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#huumsauna #sauna #saunalife #saunatime #saunawisdom #saunatraditions #nordiclife #nordicliving #nordicstyle #saunaselfie #saunabenefits
An Irish experience (Irish Independent, Nov. 7) of an Austrian sauna experience. Which was naked. And this was repeated oft enough in the article. As in:
'And now, sloppy globs of shea butter are being ladled into my hands. As the only non-German speaker in the steam room, I’m not entirely sure why… until I see my naked brethren rubbing it all over their bodies. I follow suit, and we let it sink in before all leaping into the icy cold lake, modesty be damned'.
The Times concerns itself (Nov. 8) about the rules concerning taking a sauna. Because on the British Isles it's becoming a thing:
'Brits are finally catching up: the British Sauna Society counted more than 400 public saunas across the UK this year, up from 45 in 2023. If you’re a newbie, here’s what you need to know'.
  • Is it healthy? A(nswer): yes, 
  • What makes a sauna good? ?
  • Naked? A.: it's common somewhere else ...,
  • How long? A.: fifteen- twenty minutes,
  • Cold plunge? A. a short dip is fine,
  • How hot is too hot? A.: depends.
A longer reference. 
Starting with the French Naturisme magazine (Oct. 21) which highlights an article (in German) published by Swiss 20min.ch (Oct. 20) on the sauna divide through the country. Swiss but talking German: naked. Others: not.
Translated from French:
'20minutes specifies that "in German-speaking Switzerland, nudity is part of an authentic spa experience and people are less prudish. In addition, saunas and hammams are very popular, especially urban couples under 40. In French-speaking Switzerland, on the other hand, aesthetics, architecture and light take precedence. Well-being is less about sweating and steam jets, but more about massages, perfumes and design, the study concludes ."
...
For its part, LeMatin notes that "Nationally, more than half the population feels uncomfortable in the presence of naked strangers. In German-speaking Switzerland, however, this barrier is much less pronounced: for many, nudity is an integral part of the authentic spa experience. In French-speaking Switzerland, on the other hand, the need for privacy and discretion prevails."
In France, if the survey were done…nudity would not win, the fear of “exhibitionists” in saunas means that the vast majority of establishments offering saunas require the wearing of swimsuits.
The original article (by 20min) has 180+ comments, mostly echoing the article which itself is based on a questionaire by Baden's Fortyseven.

๐‘†๐‘– ๐‘Ž๐‘š๐‘Ž๐‘  ๐‘™๐‘Ž ๐‘›๐‘Ž๐‘ก๐‘ข๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž๐‘™๐‘’๐‘ง๐‘Ž,
๐‘’๐‘›๐‘๐‘œ๐‘›๐‘ก๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž́๐‘  ๐‘๐‘’๐‘™๐‘™๐‘’๐‘ง๐‘Ž ๐‘’๐‘› ๐‘ก๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘Ž๐‘  ๐‘๐‘Ž๐‘Ÿ๐‘ก๐‘’๐‘ ..
๐™Ž๐™ค๐™ฎ ๐™๐™–๐™ฃ ๐™™๐™š ๐™ก๐™ค ๐™ฆ๐™ช๐™š ๐™ข๐™š ๐™™๐™– ๐™‹๐™–๐™ฏ ๐ŸŒฟ⛰️๐Ÿ’š
#AlmaLibre #NocheEstrellasBaรฑosTermales
#disfrutona #librecomoelviento #MeEncanta

Monday, September 22, 2025

Honours

The small German border town of Epe has the honour of having a higher than average rated public sauna complexes. Though the size would curtail the thinking in terms of complex. It's not really big, more compact.
Higher rated?
Google notes 4.5 stars (1142 reviews), most reviews in German with just a few exceptions, those from the Netherlands. There are some negative comments concerning temperature of both inside and outside pools.
Tripadvisor reviewers (50) are less enthusiastic: 4.3 stars, though not that many recent reviews.
Facebook doles out 4.6 stars, with the page having 6000 followers; cant actually read what this means.
Yelp's 2 reviewers meet midway between 4 and 5.
Elsewhere the Dutch language website Blootgewoon rates it 9.8 out of 10, but only based on 3 reviews. Likewise Dutch naturismegids, dishes out a perfect but singular reviewed 10. 
Odd though that there's otherwise precious little info available. Is the internet shifting from content to just dishing out a couple of handles to make life less complicated?

Offically called Saunapark Epe, it's located 5 km from the Dutch border in a retail / services area.
Entrance is €34,90 or €29,50 for 4 hours. Note on weekends there's a €3 surcharge. The owners themselves note there's no need to make a reservation for entrance only. In practice, it wasn't that busy (weekday, first week of September). 
The sauna park has 2 pools (unheated outdoor, heated indoor), a steam room a variety of sauna's, even up to 120 degrees (too hot to handle). 
Every hour there was an Aufguss, the ritual not so special, though the technique was excellent, only just bearable combination of heat and humidity.
The restaurant starts from 13:00, good choice (for vegetarians), service excellent, huge portions of cake.
My marks would be 8.75, a nice place.