Warned

espacios_naturistas

Aguas sulfurosas saliendo de las rocas a 60 grados hacen que te puedas bañar en el río en cualquier época del año. Vaya un descubrimiento.Fotografía de @carlos290483

As the pandemic worries extend into a second European winter season, the past few months have not been very kind to the last remnants of our free and wild soaks. No need to remind you all, just look at the posts of the last couple of months.

However there is still more developments to share.

If you paid attention the last few weeks, most of the poor news came from France. Particularly the destruction of the Source Felix Croizat (b.t.w. here's a website with more historical background).  

Though there is also hope here. Apparently the local government that tore out the pools earlier this year, has now decided on an alternative plan which would see new construction of pools, but this time fenced, so at nighttime it can be locked. There is though doubt. The source itself sits within a no-construction / destruction natural zone with international status. 

In the meantime yet another makeshift pool has been composed by concerned locals. Keep on soaking.

In the overall discussion concerning this hot spring, I did come across this info on another free hot spring not too far away from above mentioned: Chateauneuf-les-Bains (Auvergne). 

Not really soakable, it does have a shallow basin in a public park. With temperature of 34-35°C. As can be expected, the majority of the two sources are syphoned off to the local thermal complex as well as to a bottling plant. This is where I delved the above info from.

Then to Austria. Europe's only natural and free and seasonal hot spring is likewise also under threat. Measures in the valley to protect flooding are rumoured to affect seasonal flows. A Change.org petition has been up and running hoping to ensure the seasonal hot spring will not go under as local authorities will see the light.

The soaking and wild swimming culture are very similar; though soaking has less opportunities whereas wild swimming is trending towards compulsive swimming rather than spiritual solace. 

But anyway. 

The Guardian reports (Aug. 26) on belated action concerning fertilizer run-off (a continent wide problem), but in this case Spain. And only after many fish in the Mar Menor (Murcia) wound up dead. Besides swimming the Mar Menor also offers excellent mud baths. However:

'Ecologists have warned for years that life in the lagoon is being suffocated by decades of nitrate-laden runoffs, mostly from agriculture, that trigger vast algae blooms – described as extreme eutrophication – that deplete the water of oxygen.
Wednesday’s ban on the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilisers within 1.5km of the lagoon was welcomed by ecologists, who have spent years calling for action. “We think it’s a good step but it comes very late,” said Sallent.
He called on the regional and central government to take urgent action, such as curbing the intensive agricultural practices of the area and creating wetlands around the lagoon that could act as “green filters”. Failure to do so risks incidents similar to that of the past week becoming more frequent.
“It’s unfortunate. This was a jewel, a singular site that at one point could have been a national park,” he said. “But instead, in the 1970s and 1980s, it bet on aggressive urban development and later intensive agriculture that was also very aggressive. They prioritised these economic sectors and they forgot the environment.”

It's odd that protecting the environment always ends up playing second fiddle to economic plundering. How long can we still use our natural waters?

Perceptions
Thus we come to the now-for-something-different section. And hopefully not too far away from the soaking culture.

Last year, Oslo's art and event center (SALT; complete with sauna) had an exhibition named Sweat. Translated:

'The artist behind the latest art installation at Salt is Mikkel Aaland (b. 1952), a San Francisco-based photographer, filmmaker and artist. In collaboration between Aaland and SALT, we have hung up more than a hundred different towels in the Arctic Pyramid.
Sauna enthusiasts from all over the world have contributed towels, personalized them with art, words and their actual sweat to our celebration of the world's well-being. Along with towels from countries such as Turkey, Japan, Italy, Australia, Russia and Mexico, Aaland's own towels with printed photographs from his world visit are also in search of the perfect sweat. Each towel represents a moment when someone leaves the stress of modern times behind and prioritizes health and well-being. Contrary to the contemporary perception of sweat, it has had magical connotations for traditional societies'.

I believe in the past (March 2018) I may have referred to Irish sweathouses. Very recently BBC has an article (Oct. 18) on these:

'Malone [Leitrim County Council Heritage Officer Sarah Malone] their aim was to identify and demystify these timeworn structures, which are scattered across Ireland and were used as a sort of extreme stone sauna from the early 1600s to the early 1900s. She said they had so far recorded more than 100 sweathouses in Leitrim alone – more than anywhere else in Ireland, and a staggering concentration given that this tiny Greater London-sized county is home to fewer than 35,000 people'.

Out of faith for quite some time (150+ years?) these were mainly built and maintained in areas with poor access to health facilities / know-how. They are believed to have come into existence organically and rely on raised atmospheric temperature to induce a sweat which assists in improving blood circulation and filtering out toxins (as the article states).

Lonely Planet also has an article (Sep. 9) on Europe's Best hot springs. Pretty much drawn up from all over Europe, there are just 1 or 2 free soaks to be had on the list; many though require splashing the cash.

Travel Tomorrow (Sep. 29, 2020) has 5 naturist-friendly thermal spas in Europe:

In many European countries, nudity inside spas is the rule and not the exception. Of course, you can wrap yourself in a towel or wear a robe when walking around, but you’re not allowed to wear any kind of swimming suite. So forget your swimwear and jump into one of these naturist thermal spas!

Note that what they don't mention is that these natural thermal spas are not so thermal; some of them  don't even have any access to natural waters!

tumimii

Dulces termas☺

#trip #happy #amazing #nature #hotsprings #termas [] #spain #backpacker #mountains #lake #water #picoftheday #naked #beautiful #lovetotravel #aragon #goodvibes #therapy 

While we are heading down this lane, I might as well bring up an article (Jan. 13) by the excellent Nakedwanderings bloggers concerning etiquette at Europe's spa's:

'Many naturists take their first steps into social nudity at the nude beach. But in parts of western Europe, another phenomenon is quickly becoming the new number one place where people get naked with strangers for the first time. Or even with friends. Especially in countries like Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, the wellness or spa center has proven to be a great stepping stone for naturism.

Of course, these countries are not particularly known for having year-round great weather and perfect nude beach days are rather limited. Spa centers, on the other hand, are great to visit on a rainy day. With lots of indoor facilities to keep you warm. And even on sunny days, the outside pools are refreshing and the garden is excellent for working on your tan without sand crawling into places where it’s not supposed to be'.

It does need to be noted that the sauna culture works often contradictory to the general (beach) culture. For instance, all spa's in France are very much clothed de rigueur.

Another snippet from the article:

'Ever seen a very upset naked European? Try leaving the door of the sauna open after you exit. It takes a while to heat these things up, so warmth is very precious. If you hear someone yelling “this is not a church!”, it means that you didn’t close the door fast enough'.

Busted
The culture shock area. 

Germany's sauna culture once again dishes up a haunting experience. Wanderinggermany (Sep. 8):

The little board stated nonchalantly that I was entering a naked German sauna- no exceptions! It was nude or bust (no pun intended). As I glanced down at the sign and then timidly back up to the Saunahof, it was as if being naked in the sauna was absolutely no big deal to everyone wandering around inside. Apparently, for a sauna in Germany, it wasn’t. But for this little American girl….I wasn’t so sure!

Luckily, I’ve always been a bit hippy footloose and fancy-free. And when it comes to travel, I say, “Hey, when in Rome….well, Germany!”

So, off went the suit and into the German Sauna baths I went!!!

Despite the shreiks and shocks, a good and informative article. 

silvatica__

Giorno 5: bagni silvatici 🌿🛁

 []  #termenaturali #naturelovers #visittuscany #toscananelcuore

Wanderingcarol (Sep. 19) visits the thermal baths of Baden-Baden:

'If you visit Friedrichsbad, you’ll be shedding your aches, and also your clothes. Yes, the Friedrichsbad bath experience is completely without clothes. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.

...

Today the bath circuit at the Friedrichsbad spa is a 17-step wellness ritual of dry air bathing, steaming, soaking and being pummelled and scrubbed with a brush – all while being very very naked.

It’s a dream of a building. You’ll be sweating amidst richly-painted tiles and a Beaux Arts dome, but clothing is not an option.

And don’t expect to get dressed again for awhile – the complete bathing process takes more than three hours. It also includes views of the opposite sex you might not want to see.

Yes, in addition to being naked at the spa, you’ll have the pleasure of being in mixed company.

...

The lack of restrictive clothing means better circulation for you. And don’t worry, the atmosphere at the Friedrichsbad baths is anything but wild. It’s more like being in a temple dedicated to water.

After all, being nude is all part of the German spa experience, especially in the saunas where clothing is often forbidden. (I should know. I’ve been kicked out for wearing a bathing suit, and learned my lesson fast.)Avoid my mistakes and read my guide on German sauna culture, and while you’re at it, don’t miss these essential rules of sauna safety.

While there’s no escaping nudity at the Friedrichsbad Roman Irish bath, it does elevate a mineral bath into an adventure – maybe that’s why it’s the best-known Baden-Baden spa of all'.

Rachelsruminations looks (Aug.?) at the European soaking society; but that of the late 19th century:

'All over Europe in the 19th century, nobles and royals traveled to European hot springs to “take the waters.” Many of these thermal towns are still spa towns today, and they’ve united as part of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association, (EHTTA) one of the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes'.

She visits a few German spa's and has more recently published 23 fun facts about Wiesbaden which include 10 about the hot springs of this city.

Revealations

We are now heading into south-eastern Europe.

Lonely Planet (Sep. 20) has put online an article on Budapest's thermal leisure sites:

'Following an unprecedented four-month closure to all of the city’s pools due to COVID-19, Budapest’s thermal baths are now reopen and back in business. Don’t get your towel in a twist deciding where to go, we’ve tried the lot—from the city’s 16th-century Turkish baths to Széchenyi Baths' "Sparty" nights (spa-party, geddit?!!)—and can now reveal all.

Here's the naked truth about Budapest’s thermal baths: Everything you wanted to know (but were too self-conscious to ask)'.

Though it covers many aspects, despite the titillating title and above potential, naturalistic soakers need to heed this:

'Nudity is not permitted in the public areas at any of the thermal baths'.

Ukraine. 10 best hot springs in Transcarpathia (Jun. 26), all very much developed and well visited though.

anastasia_guk15 at Chans - Lumsory (one of the highlighted soaks):

•Feel it and enjoy• ⛰

Kostenurka (Apr. 2) visits the Bulgarian hot springs of Rupite:

'But behind the fence there are thermal lakes in which people sit in the open air. Returning to the car, we moved along the right road to the next parking lot. There is a simple bathing house with swimming pools and recreation areas. Entrance fee is 3 levs (1.5 euros).

And since at the moment all the spas and pools are closed due to a lockdown, everyone is basking in the wild baths. Behind the lakes, there is an unofficial camping site and people in swimsuits and robes constantly come from there.

...

I very carefully dipped my hand into one of the pools - the temperature to the touch was much higher than +40. Like an incredibly hot bath. And people go and go, in bathrobes, in swimsuits from cars and from the camping. They sit down in the lakes, smear themselves with white clay ... Changing rooms and benches are installed near the lakes, everything for comfort even in a "wild" place'.

The excellent World Thermal Springs undertook a recent soaking sojourn to Bulgaria. My admiration to their whirlwind tour: sometimes up to 5 resorts are visited daily. All quite staid though. They also did visit Rupite (Oct. 9).

Getting muddy in Bulgaria. A Danish article (Vesterbroliv, Sep. 27) concerning a visit to Burgas and around. Google's translation is gibberish though. So just a photo then:

More mud to finish off with. Things to do in Kavala (Greek Macedonia)? Midnightblueelephant (Nov. 2020):

'To my utter surprise, the mud bathing [at Krinides] wasn’t done in a bathtub of sorts but in a huge pool of mud. Men and women are separated and there are various grid steps that you can access the pool with, which come in handy getting rid of the big chunks when you leave.

The mud itself feels weird in the best way possible. You float, you move in slow motion and it took me a moment to get over feeling a bit claustrophobic. After a while, I copied the other bathers, held on to a rope, and floated on my back.

THESE LADIES WERE AN ABSOLUTE HOOT. I ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO TAKE SOME PHOTOS, NOT THINKING IT WOULD BE GRANTED BUT THEY LOVED IT AND WOULDN’T STOP POSING'.