Continuing with our Sascha soaking saga in Georgia, he now heads more westwards, to the the the small town of Vani. There doesn't seem to be much on offer in the town, though of course the only reason why Sascha would want to come here, is for a local hot spring. Sascha is hooked:
'Definitively
my favorite hot spring in Georgia and my first geyser soak [ever]'.
And though we are near Vani, Sascha continues:
'It is located a bit
in the middle of nowhere and I found the geyser only after many discussions
with locals (who often were not even aware of the spring)'.
Concerning users / usage:
'However, it appears
that the geyser is quite common amongst young locals in the evening. As there
is no shadow at all, the early morning or evening soak is indeed a good option. Wild camping should be possible, if you don’t want to stay in a guesthouse in
Vani'.
The soaking experience itself:
'The water of around 43°C sorts out of a geyser and flows in 3 pools. Two of
them are sufficient deep to soak the whole body. There was some littering
around the pools but once in the pool, the littering is not any more visible
and the pools itself are very clean. Some sulphur smell, the ground of the
pools are shaped by the minerals of the water, some sand can be found. The
surrounding itself was quite beautiful, wild horses were passing by and
mountains are visible by far. Bring enough drinking water with you; the sun
exposure is extreme when visiting the geyser at 11 a.m. like I did'.
Getting there:
'How to get
there: take the road from Vani center to Baghdati [town] for around 7 km. Then take a
gravel road to the left for about 1 km. On your right side, you will find the
geyser. GPS
coordinates: N42.104196° – O42.586213°'.
Dumped
Taking a more holistic view or in other words delving into the internet, let's see if there's more info available.
There's not much: you'll find the odd photo here or there on instagram (following), other than that it seems to be a dusty neglected corner of the internet.
Close to the village of Bzvani [or Vani?] there are a few hot sulphur spring pools
which posses healing qualities. Some of them are open to everyone,
available free of charge and practically the only visitors are local
people. One of the pools is located in particularly beautiful spot – in a
field, in the middle of nowhere. The silence and surrounding meadows
create a tranquil atmosphere which makes you feel like you the only one
in the world. When you look to the South you will see amazing views of
the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.
'Location : left bank of the river Rioni terrace, 1.8 km to the north from the road Bagdati-Vani, between the villages of Vani and Amagleba. From the road to get there can be a simple machine.
Infrastructure: no.
Description : 100 m from the riverbed Rioni, there are 4 source close - to look for. The water is very nice warm, not hot, shallow pool. Near the river Rioni, can be washed after bathing. But the place you should choose, as where the local road builders dump trucks loaded with pebbles'.
Ванны на горячем источнике ранним утром @startkayak Рома и Наташа - просто кладезь интересных мест в Грузии #georgiatrip #georgiaonmymind #earlymorning #hotsprings
The local government website also mentions the hot springs, but not as a big attraction; apparently tourists should visit Vani for it's history. It's wording (translated):
'Resort "raising [a translation of ამაღლება]"The balneological resort is located in Imereti lowland on the left bank of river Rioni, 8 km from Vani, 80 m above sea level. Mineral thermal waters contain sodium, chlorine, carbon dioxide, and celery. They are treated by: chronic arthritis, hypertensive diseases, atherosclerosis, radiculitis, cardiosclerosis'.
The geyser is not the only hot spring in the area. Theculturetrip in an article named
'7 hot springs in Georgia you must visit'.
notes the Sulori Spa resort:
'Located in Vani municipality, 11
kilometres (6.8 miles) away from the city of Vani, this resort took its
name from the Sulori river. During Soviet times Sulori was a favoured
visitor spot, and hosted hundreds of visitors each season. Today, the
hotel is still going strong, with 32 individual bath rooms. People
usually come here to treat conditions affecting the musculoskeletal
system, peripheral nervous system, and metabolism to name a few'.
Hot spring next to a river at midnight 🌡️ . . #hotspring#iceland#nature#view#summer#river#waterfall#hot#spring#night#midnight
It's difficult to get a blog started without a leader; lot's of bits and bobs this time, nothing too substantial.
As always there's new reports on Iceland to mention. There's the ongoing struggle in Viterbo (Italy). The usual never ending stream of photo's.
Well, maybe something more general to start with.
From Der Spiegel (Aug. 21), a state of affairs report on how tourism is developing in Europe. And mostly it's about the degeneration, as tourism becomes more and more about consuming rather than experiencing.
From a bookstore in Porto to a field of lavender in the Provence, tourism in Europe is becoming so massive it's close to being uncontrollable. Life for locals at the same time becomes unbearable.
Cities are becoming real time leisure parks, and there's little direction in what could be the next hot thing. Let's hope it's not hot springs.
If I look back at the past summer of instagram, I see for instance Saturnia - Cascate del Mulino (Italy) popping up quite often with whole armies of soakers enjoying the waters.
Out of curiosity I looked up more recent info on this Toscan termi. The Travel.com (Jul. 15) in their article on 25 [!] reasons to go to Saturnia:
'The springs are equally as popular with locals as they are with the masses of tourists who come to marvel at them each year. Beware that depending on the season that you choose to visit, it can be quite hectic during peak hours with throngs of people taking in the springs'.
Just a grab of reviews from Tripadvisor from this and last month (based on 11):
'... but its popularity spoilt it for me, as it was just heaving with crowds of people, with nowhere left to sit, and long queues for the loos'. 'Should not praise it too much as it gets too busy for "locals"...'. '... crowded place, people even bathing their dogs , can you imagine ? ' 'And from 6 o'clock in the morning until 23.00 it is packed with people... even when it was pitch black new groups arrived'. 'Is always busy ...'.
Even then, the recent ratings are still very good.
And the popularity of Saturnia is not lost from the local point of view. According to this article in Il Tirreno (Aug. 25), local enforcement agencies raided illegal camping sites close to the springs, confiscating tents, fining their owners and fining wrongly parked cars. However in the local council of questions were raised about the wisdom behind these actions:
'The waterfalls [of Saturnia] are in fact one of the most popular and loved Maremma attractions (top attraction on Tripadvisor), with their thermal waters accessible for free, and attract thousands of people every day'.
The authorities don't want the springs to be associated with heavy handed anti-tourist tactics, but also understand the need to regulate the streams of their no. 1 money spinner to avoid further damage to countryside and avoid complaints from locals. To be continued?
Felicidad en estado puro!#elmondelalu #felicidad #termes #piscinas#naturaleza #termasnaturales#francia#friends #belleza #tranquilidad #amor#moments #happy #girls
Pride
While with Italy, let's just move a little to the south, to the town of Viterbo (Lazio) surrounded by quite a few hot springs.
If passionate about your local soak, then doing nothing in the face of adversity is not an option. Viterbo24 reports (Jul. 14) on actions of the Bullicame association president, a true believer in the public course. Translated:
'''Bullicame is in a disastrous state and a desk commissioner is useless''. Giovanni Faperdue, yesterday morning chained symbolically to the gate of the thermal pool in Viterbo, criticizes the non-action of the councilor for the Termalismo Claudia Nunzi.... Giovanni Faperdue, who for years has been struggling to revive the Viterbese spa, the pride of Tuscia, was protesting yesterday morning in front of the closed gate of the Bullicame pools. His is a battle that has been going on since 2014 when, after an intervention on the San Valentino spring, Bullicame no longer received enough thermal water, despite the attempt to maintain the supply through what Faperdue calls '' drip of fury therapeutic'''.
Photo above from Il Messaggero (Jul. 13) with the symbolic chaining of Bullicame president to the entrance gate.
This lead to some movement. Tuscia Times (Jul. 15) reports on calls to the local government as to why soaking waters are diverted away from the public springs of Bullicame. And on August 8, the local commisioner makes some promises concerning the site, though they might lack sustance concerning resurecting the pools of Bullicame, while earlier (Jul. 19) promises were made to enhance other free soaking sites nearby. Magic
No better way to start the day than by skinny dipping into an Icelandic hot pot and watch the sun rise 😍#iceland #hotsprings #hotpot #mountains#wellness #travel #wanderlust#travelgirl#solotravel #sunrise #samsungs7 #roadtrip#outbound #outdoors#travelpic #instagay#igers #camping #outdoorliving #naturelover#backpacker#lifestyle #fitness #instadaily#travellover #skinnydipping #explore#adventure#relax
Let's continue with dotting the i's, over to Iceland.
The n.e.w.s.. Icelandmag announces the opening of a new geothermal sea bath in Húsavík, called Geosea:
'The baths overlook Skjálfandi bay and the North Atlantic. The water in the baths will be 38-39°C (100-102°F). Rather than adding chlorine or purifying the water with other chemical or mechanical methods the designers plan to simply have the flow of water in the baths rapid enough to ensure the water is always clean, freshly extracted geothermal water. The flow will be 35 liters per second (9 gallons per second). As the new water is pumped into the pools, the excess water flows over their banks, and is collected into a stream which then runs down into the beach and the ocean. ... In addition to soaking in geothermally heated seawater with a spectacular view the sea baths offer a sauna and a spa, and a stylish restaurant. Individual entry is 4,300 ISK which compares favorably to the two blue water pools in Iceland. Individual adult entry to the Mývatn Nature Baths, located about an hour's drive from Húsavík is 4,200-5,000 ISK, depending on the time of year, while individual entry to the popular Blue Lagoon is 6,900-9,990 ISK. The sunset from the baths is something else!'
Then the lighter side, visit accounts and advise on soaking in Iceland.
Crazy Chamois has a guide (Apr. 13) on the hot springs of Iceland, 15 personal experiences, not too expansive.
Livelifewithaview (Jun. 11) looks at alternatives for the Blue Lagoon:
'Today I’m going to tell you about five alternatives to the Blue Lagoon. So if you want to experience the hot spring culture in Iceland, but you don’t want to pay the hefty price, I’m going to tell you about them. Let’s get into it'.
Reykjavik Grapevine (Jun. 27) presents a best of list: best bathing spot of West Iceland:
'Lýsuhólslaug, a.k.a. the Green Lagoon, was the unanimous choice of the panel for best bathing spot. “It’s an organic pool that’s cosy, locally run, and has no chemicals,” one panel member says. “I recommend it to anyone that wants to swim in Snæfellsnes.” The pool is, like its name, green, which is caused by algae naturally found in the carbonated water called Chlorella. Chlorella is full of silica and iron, so if you suffer from things like psoriasis, eczema, and acne, the Green Lagoon might become your magic pill'.
Taking some hot natural 🛀 #hotsprings #skinnydipping #38C#travel#iceland#nature#backtothenature#lovemylife
On Jul. 4 followed by the best bathing spot of South Iceland:
'This run down, barely serviced pool [Seljavallalaug] is located in a wild valley with natural hot water, built right into the mountainside. It’s a wildly unique Icelandic moment. Be warned, there are no facilities, and it gets crowded in the summer these days, but go late on a glorious bright summer night and it can’t be beat. “Just look at the location – mountain babes everywhere!” said the panel. It’s about a fifteen-minute easy hike from the road and it’s not for the prudish or faint of heart, but the payoff is incredible'.
'If you’re looking for something different from the classic Icelandic pools and geothermal spas, you’re in for a treat at the Beer Baths. Soak in a mixture of beer, water and yeast to feel as decadent as a modern Cleopatra. If soaking in fizzy beer is not your thing, however, you can always hop into the water-filled hot tub that overlooks the harbour and get lost in your thoughts'.
pumprdlicek at Askja (Viti crater), northeast Iceland:
#nakedboy #like4like 🤔
Another feature, 7 hot springs in Iceland: where are they authentic? Bythevacationgals(May 12), it includes the very unauthentic Blue Lagoon and elicits this response:
'Beth Blair What!?! The Blue Lagoon is FAKE?!? (Meaning not a natural hot spring?) No one ever, ever, ever posts the industrial side, only the pretty scenic background. I am completely stunned'.
Summer allows midnight soaking in Iceland.Travelista(Jun. 26):
'The old concrete pool, Seljavallalaug, is nestled in amongst a narrow valley within this intensely dramatic landscape. This pool is the oldest in Iceland. Built next to a rock wall in 1923 to provide the locals with a place they could learn to swim, a hose runs into it from a streaming hot river above, and straight into this 25 by 10 meter wide pool. A mixture of hot and cold as we jump in, temperature changing constantly with heat staying in just one corner so we all huddle around to keep warm. Silence prevails as we soak up the healing energies of this beautifully enchanted evening.
A few more people arrive, a couple being locals, who use the pool regularly. Such a beautiful experience to share, watching as a cascading wide and rocky river with freezing temperatures rushes past along the right, a night sky above with stars trying to make their presence known amongst the eternal light.
It’s 3am when the sun makes her presence known, and we head back to the car where our new local friends offer us their favourite snacks of dried fish dipped in butter! We might stick to our chocolate spread, bananas and pancake-like Icelandic bread! We make a list of the “must try” local foods before taking a beautiful drive back to camp. The ocean glistens now mirroring a reflection of the “night” sky as dawn quickly approaches. Arriving back at our camp, eye masks and thermals a must as we drift off to sleep, listening to the sounds of the cleansing waterfall ‘Seljalandsfoss’ in the distance, waking only when we please, a true reminder that time is simply an illusion'.
Northernwanderwomen (Jul. 24) has another take on Icelandic hot springs, though stops at 4:
'Where in Iceland to swim in hot springs'.
Another hot springs in Iceland experience, this time byBrandslut(Apr. 13, 2017):
'Meandering through trout fishing country we turned a bend and finally Heydalur Country House appeared. We were greeted by a lovely old lady, an African Grey parrot and a piping hot bowl of traditional Icelandic lamb soup. The hotel has a communal, country feel and it’s the kind of place I could imagine getting really festive if traveling with friends or making friends with fellow revelers. The restaurant is in an old barn and it’s filled with books, board-games and things. I chatted to an American lady who appeared to be working tirelessly through her ‘lunch break’. It turns out she’s retired and is spending three months in Heydalur learning the Icelandic language. It’s the kind of place I could imagine writing a novel, or just escaping life for a while. Our accommodation was an apartment, comfortable and heated by the area’s natural geothermals. Although it’s in the middle of nowhere, the Heydalur Country House has a lot to offer and we had a blast in this hole in the wall. If you’re in the market for a wallow in a geothermal pool, or hot-pot as the Icelanders call it, you’re in luck. There’s a hot-pot at the foot of the hills across the river on the farm which features in records dating back to the 12th century. It took zero convincing for Natalie and I to whip our kits off in the middle of the snowy mountains and to plunge into the steamy, slimy hot-pot.
There’s
a man-made geothermal pool at the hotel, as well as an indoor swimming
pool and a Jacuzzi inside a hot-house, both also geothermally heated.
The hot-house reminded me of Great Expectations and it had an eeriness
about it. I think it was the leafless trees growing inside it, and the
basketball hoop that had been claimed by creepers'.
A beer bath in Bjórböðin? Reykjavik Grapevine (Jun. 19) shares their experience:
'The tub welcomes me like a warm hug. It takes a while for the sizzling foam to dissipate, unveiling a nebulous, amber liquid infused with all sorts of herbs. An empty glass sits suggestively under a tap, there to remind me that a river of beer is at hand to quench my thirst—free of charge, of course'.
Hot spring around kavala.#roadtrip #vanlive #outdoor #nature#hotspring #greece #kavala#schwefelbad#river #squat
Tierrassinfronteras enlightens (Mar. 4) us on free hot springs in the province of Granada - Andalusia. Translated:
'The natural and free thermal pool that we referred to came to light a few years ago, coinciding with the low level of the Negratín reservoir; leaving uncovered a natural pool next to the reservoir, with the difference that its waters are of thermal origin and have an approximate temperature of 40ºC.
We are sorry to inform all the followers of www.tierrassinfronteras.com that we have confirmed from the town hall that the level of the swamp has risen and the ponds have been covered. We will be pending in order to inform you if they are again discovered and available for the bathroom'.
A month later (Apr. 1), this post is followed by one on the hot springs of Santa Fé, one of my favourites (have you noticed?). Some translation:
'The truth is that Las Pozas de Santa Fe are on private land and this has been the cause of many disagreements between the owners and the people who go to these natural baths. These people claim that it is a good of interest for citizens and should be public and conserved.
Reason for these disagreements, there have been several occasions where attempts have been made to prevent access to these pools. The first time the environment was enclosed with a fence, which did not last long and from which we will not find any remains. The second attempt was to cover the pools with sand, but little by little the erosive force of the water and the help of the people, allowed them to come back to see the light'.
The same site (Mar. 4) also introduces me to Balsa de Cela warmish spring in the province of Almeria.
Gonomad (date unspecified) on a spa tour of Romania:
'My mission was to wallow in mud and with some persistent searching, (there was no signage),I found the Bai Reci. Under a road and rail bridge, a steady stream of locals clad in only swim wear went and so I followed. And lo and behold through the arch was a doorway where they all disappeared. A small kiosk was selling the tickets 10 lei (€2.50) and I parted with my lei and followed. A security guard made sure of no cameras and I filed right to the Femmi side of life. Here there is segregation of the sexes and I soon found out why. Turning right and then left I emerged, blinking in the bright sunlight onto a beach with showers and lots of nakedness. I found a spot and surveyed the weird scene. A beach, a lake and female naked bodies in nearly fifty shades of grey, standing around arms outstretched'.
The experience also describes a descent down a salt mine and a soak in a thermal lake.
encinadaza at Termas de Perexigueiro (Galizia, Spain)
Strange Budapest baths by wanderingcarol (Aug. 22), as she records a visit to Lukacs Thermal Baths as well as a primer to other bathing places:
'You wouldn’t think a Budapest bathhouse could be so confusing, but the Lukacs Baths is a dizzying collection of outdoor cool pools, courtyards, hot pools, medical spa services and a few centuries of architecture It’s not just the Lukacs Baths. All Budapest baths can take some time to figure out'.
Possibly missed earlier, Hungarian baths where you take you clothes off (Dailynews Hungary, Apr. 30 2017). I suppose they mean totally off. Oddly it only focuses on sauna's, are naked baths / bathing in Hungary off the menu?
'According to termalfurdo.hu, saunas are the most efficient when used naked. Even though, the joys of unclothed sauna is still strange for most people in Hungary, more and more baths provide this service. Naked sauna use is considered normal in West Europe, in fact, several bath complexes prohibit the use of bathing suits in the cabins because it is the most efficient when used without having clothes on. Bathing suits set back the body’s balanced flush and they make the cooling process last longer'.
Culturetrip (Jan. 25) has it's an overview of Hungary's hot springs, all very cultured. Finally, Britain isn't very well known for it's geothermalality. Thinkgeoenergy though, reports (Jul. 26) on an initiative from Cornwall:
'The Jubilee Pool geothermal heat project has announced a crowdfunding campaign to raise additionally necessary funding besides secured funding from loans and grant funding. ... 'Work has already started on drilling a geothermal well which will provide enough renewable energy to heat a section of the water to 35 centigrades. This will mean, for the first time, that the pool will have heated water, transforming it into an all-year attraction which we believe will bring enormous benefits both for the pool, to the economy of Penzance and for Cornwall'.
