Inimitable

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Les Mentonnais dans le Valais 🏞

#valais #suisse #pontsuspendu #niouc #pontdelaraignée #grotte #cave #dive #sourcedeauchaudenaturelle #28degrees #naturalhotwater #swim #minedesel #secretplace #sunnyday #friends #teatime #rencontre #apero #sion

Let's start with some lengthy topical info from Switzerland, a country we don't often highlight here. Well, basically there's not much wild and free soaks to be had.

An opening of a thermal spa in Baden (Aargau), named Fortyseven:

'Mit 47°C sprudelt das Wasser der Thermalquellen aus den Tiefen der FORTYSEVEN Wellness-Therme.Wussten Sie schon?

«Wasser mit Wirkung»

Thermalwasser unterscheidet sich generell von normalem Quellwasser durch seine Inhaltsstoffe. Diese werden über die Haut aufgenommen und wirken sich positiv auf die Physiologie des Körpers aus. Die wohltuende Wirkung auf den Geist entfaltet sich vor allem durch die Wärme und die entstehende Ruhe.

Das Wasser reichert sich in bis zu 1,200 Metern Tiefe vor allem mit Kalzium, Eisen und Jod an. Vorhandenes Schwefel wird herausgefiltert. 4'000 bis 12'000 Jahre dauert die Reise des Badener Thermalwassers im tiefen Gestein. So wird es zum mineralreichsten Heilwasser der Schweiz. Vergleichbare Quellen gibt es in Westeuropa keine. Das macht das Thermalwasser des FORTYSEVEN so einzigartig'.

In itself nothing too spectacular. 

But not all is going to plan. Argoviatoday (Nov. 29) and google translate:

'The "Fortyseven" in Baden celebrated its grand opening on November 20th after three and a half years of construction (ArgoviaToday reported). The thermal bath, which was designed by the Swiss star architect Mario Botta, offers a wide range of spa facilities in addition to the bathing area. This includes a total of three different sauna zones. However, these cause trouble for some visitors.

Nina Suma, managing director of «Fortyseven» rejects this criticism. «A textile sauna was created because it also meets a need. With the Fortyseven wellness spa, we are also addressing a younger, urban audience, which up to now has not necessarily belonged to the classic sauna-goers, "Suma told ArgoviaToday. In addition, the managing director emphasizes that the visitors to the wellness oasis also include employees from companies in Baden who do not always want to sit naked across from each other.Critics of the textile sauna have a problem with the swimwear requirement not only because of preferences. Textile saunas are also questionable for health reasons.

Google review by Sascha Krähenbühl

The sauna culture in Europe is primarily textile-free and there are legitimate reasons for this. Because the swimwear is left out for reasons of hygiene, taste and safety.

Another visitor writes that he understands that not everyone wants to take a sauna naked. However, he finds it incomprehensible that the «Fortyseven», as a wellness oasis with health claims, propagates the sauna in clothes. Concerning the criticism, Nina Suma says that she does not know whether saunas without clothes are more hygienic than saunas in the nude. You also do not know whether there are studies that prove it'.

A month later the Argoviatoday (Dec. 28) reports that the above has resulted in changes. Translated: 

'Since Christmas Eve, guests have been able to relax in the Limmat sauna without wearing clothes. The change has become apparent, as managing director Nina Suma reveals: "We didn't want to rely solely on individual feedback, we also conducted a survey of the guests."

Most of the more recent reviews (and there are many) reflect on the changes (positive), though there still seem to be a lot of smaller issues to be ironed out. In itself it's quite surprising that users views are noted and acted upon.

Anyway, while on the town of Baden and it's soaking possibilities, I stumbled on the website of the Swiss Verein Bagni Popolari. The Verein wish to highlight the role of thermal bathing in Baden. Literally translated:

'From 2015 to autumn 2021, Bagni Popolari operated temporary thermal fountains in the spa district, art installations intended for use that addressed the thermal water in public spaces and the role of the fountains as social and sociable meeting places in the city. And Bagni Popolari planned the two resulting hot fountains, which have made the thermal water permanently tangible for everyone since November 6th. Since then, the association has been accompanying the operation of the hot fountains as a "water guard" on behalf of the municipalities and has used the former Bad zum Raben with art interventions and exhibitions as well as various events. The aim of the association is to revitalize the old bath as a cultural city bath and bar.

fotogunni

Testing the new Bagno Popolare. Nice and hot 🔥

One of the latest activities has been the establishment of a guerrilla bath. SRF (Nov. 30):

'Der Verein «Bagni Popolari» hat sich ganz dem Thermalwasser in Baden verschrieben. Am Limmatknie sollen wieder alle unter freiem Himmel und ohne Eintritt das heisse Wasser geniessen können. So wie es über Jahrhunderte Tradition war in Baden – von der Römerzeit bis ins 19. Jahrhundert.

More info from the Verein (and translated):

'The two hot fountains have been open since November 6, 2021 at 2 p.m. and are operated by the municipalities of Baden and Ennetbaden. They are warm from approx. 7 am to approx. 10 pm every day. The pools are warm (depending on the air temperature and wind) between approx. 37 and 43°C and are fed by undiluted, natural thermal spring water from the Schwanenquelle (Ennetbaden) or Heissem Stein / Limmat and St. Verena spring (Baden)'.

As stated the Verein also holds temporary exhibitions around Badens link to thermal waters.

There are more acts of soaking guerilla in Switzerland, though also somewhat officially condoned. Basically heating up spring water and encouraging public soaking.

Such as in the village of Tschlin (Graubünden), where during the summers of 2018 and 2019 only, a bath was created using traditional fountain (report). Evidence:

engadinscuolzernez

Quite warm today 😅 How about a refreshing bath in a village fountain? In Tschlin you can 🤗 

📷 by @dominik_taeuber .

Or the city of Basel where cultural collective Hotel Regina has instituted a new front. Badische Zeitung (30 Jan. 2020):

'Basel hat einen neuen Volkssport: "Brunnen gehn". Während der Wintermonate heizt das Kultur-Kollektiv Hotel Regina historische Brunnen an wechselnden Standorten auf angenehme 39 Grad. Der Badeplausch für Jedermann ist eine gute Gelegenheit, die Stadt einmal ganz entspannt aus einer neuen Perspektive zu erleben.

catarinasinde

#throwback: after work. 1oC outside, 39oC inside. Every two weeks #profontaineschaudes warms the water of one of the Basler fountains.

Profontaineschaudes is part of the action. It's website notes that soaking is a very social / community event, at least in some countries (Iceland / Japan). With Brunnen gehn they hope to use wood fired heaters to heat up selective fountains / springs. A translated snippet:

'The Brunnenheizer*innen, the so-called "Chauffeurs · ses des fontaines", heat the water in selected wells to a comfortable bathing temperature between October and March using a wood-fired, mobile stove. From 6 p.m., bathers can report to the reception and are introduced to the bathing ritual from there via the cloakroom and cold shower. Tea is served in the warm fountain basin, lifeguards ensure compliance with the bathing rules and general well-being.

...

Brunnen Gehn wants to connect with this [community] spirit. In Basel, where brunnen gehn is currently the most active, you are not only breaking new ground. In contrast to other Swiss cities, it is common there to bathe in public city fountains in summer; the IWB [local electric / water provider, manages roughly 200 town springs] even offers a fountain guide with the best swimming spots. The adaptation for winter seems obvious.

They call their action Crowdfountain.

Lausanne is another city, where Fontaine de la Palud is a steaming soak, organized by the crowd action organisation jacuzzi.ch. They have developed a heater exchange which can be externally used to heat up selective waters, as in this case fountains (photo from website page concerning this project (2015)):

Uncovered

More rarities, this time topical notes from Portugal. Chaves (Vila Real, northern Portugal) have opened a museum concerning their Roman thermal past. From Facebook (Dec. 21):

'Located on the right bank of the Tâmega River, the Termas Romanas de Chaves are the most important Portuguese thermal complex, but also one of the most monumental in Europe. Its prominence is given to you by the awesomeness of the structures, both their size and architectural quality and their state of conservation.

The visitor can find a building that collapsed in full operation in the fourth century, being ′′frozen in time′′ until discovered in 2008, by chance, when excavations were on site for the construction of an underground parking lot'.

TSF (Dec. 21) translated:

'Opening to the public takes place 16 years after being identified. It was in 2005, during excavation work for the construction of an underground car park, in Largo do Arrabalde, in the center of the city of Chaves.

Unsurprisingly, the park project was abandoned and work immediately began to uncover several pools. Two large ones, seven small ones and a complex hydraulic system to supply them, which still works today.

"In Roman times, there was a great concern to keep a healthy mind, which was achieved through therapeutic spas", highlights Rui Lopes , a municipal archaeologist. And in Chaves, formerly Aquae Flaviae, they would have great use, namely to treat ailments and war wounds'.

Fox News (Nov. 12) in even rarer and may we say weirder news:

'An 11-year-old Austrian girl was reportedly infected with gonorrhea after bathing in a popular thermal pool while on vacation in Italy.

The girl was diagnosed with Neisseria gonorrhoeae following a dip in the hot spring off the island of Pantelleria's crater lake Specchio di Venere, also known as the "Mirror of Venus."

...

The experts believe that the temperature of the slightly acidic water served as a potential source of the infection.

The study's authors said that there needs to be public understanding regarding the risk of exposure to pathogens by bathing in heavily frequented shallow thermal pools.

They suggested adding a sign, a shower and antibacterial soap near the hot springs'.

It's odd that in these days when we attribute so much to personal health and hygiene, when it comes to swimming (in open water) and / or soaking the practice is entirely the opposite. Who of us wish we could emulate Japanese culture? Or it least Icelands strip showers first?

(Note though, there's a instagram post concerning above Basel fountains in which it's proven that the fountains are way cleaner than other (open water) swim sources).

However when you read the study with more care, there's no direct evidence that the waters are the source of the disease. It's just a hunch:

'Our case serves to illustrate that the very uncommon diagnosis of gonorrhea in a child may be the result of nonsexual transmission of the infection, and that contaminated hot pools are a very rare source of infection that should be considered'.

The story has gone worldwide and I'm afraid it might just stick. So the Lago di Venere might just see less bathers. What's even more worse though, is that the story has been published with photo's of many other hot springs. Mostly though, by the so-called gutter-press, what could you have expected?

simonemaddalena from the dirty(?) Lago di Venere:

When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls.

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#lagodivenerepantelleria #pantelleria2021

#island #libertà #pantelleriaisland #freeday #loveislove #fanghi #prospettivafotografica #italiasuperscatti #photooftheday #photoart #lifecompany #blackandwhite #photoblackandwhite #pantellerialove #illusioneottica #opticalillusion #huaweip40pro

Again rare, but slightly off topic. From Ireland a report on a seafront sauna. Irelands Independent (Nov. 10):

'A sauna, which opened its doors at Bray Seafront, is already booked out.

Fad Saoil Saunas have set up their Finnish style sauna at the harbour side of the Bray promenade for one week only, offering free sauna sessions. Booking opened on Sunday night at 5 p.m. and high demand meant that all the slots sold out quickly'.

Accents

Nudeblog.ru presents (Mar. 26) a third party interview (Calvert Journal, Feb. 21) with the bloggers themselves. Their blog concerns Russian restoring Russian sauna's / banya's as well as traditional bathing culture. A translated snippet:

'3. Baths are often considered something from the past - do you think the interest in baths is growing among the younger generation and why?

Yes, there is definitely a fleur.

But this phenomenon cannot be avoided. Very opposite feelings about the bath, either a bright yes or no.

In our country, like nowhere else, values ​​and foundations are shaken every 100 years and a constant search for oneself and foundations is inevitable.

With the bath, a substitution of concepts took place, saunas created a separate market that does not fight with the visual memory of the grandmother’s bath and gives a fictitious effect on the body.

Within this experience, an internal dispute arises in society, which leads to immersion in the topic, and with the bath.

In an attempt to find an honest, young generation is looking for their own space and forming a bath renaissance.

...

7. Bath is, of course, about nudity and physicality. In Russian culture in general, and especially recently, there is a rather conservative attitude towards the body and nudity, especially women. Has it always been like this - and do you think that a bathhouse could somehow help and liberate people?

Before, everyone washed and bathed, from childhood they saw a naked body, did not accentuate.

Then the aristocracy got the opportunity to swim in shirts and a private bathroom made its contribution to the social separation

Naked - at home, dressed - in ponds.

The desire to be higher, to change one's position in society has changed the natural path.

Over the years, the naked contact got lost and off we went.

They got out of the habit, they invented, they began to be afraid of the unknown, time and the regime aggravated.

The bathhouse removes the ban on corporeality, the bathhouse replenishes the overlooked, the bathhouse teaches not to assign anything to the body, it leaves it empty, but always beautiful.

sashakulak

Nudity is not about obscenity, but about purity, soul, and spirituality. @annartemieva shared her thoughts on the liberating, intimate, and transportive world which exists within Russia’s bathhouses for @calvertjournal'.

Reconnect

Some highlights from around the continent.

Albania warrants our first note, and it's not a positive one:

fromrusttoroadtrip

A lot can change in just a few years.⁣

That was something we were learning more and more on this journey, revisiting places that held good memories, finding them changed often irrevocably.⁣

Llixhat e Benjës was one place that we never thought would change, and it held for us such symbolism we would never want to see it so. It was the first place we came to on our first time in Albania, featuring in our first ever YouTube video, and a place we had returned to every time since.⁣

The landscape had changed very much in four years; the road was now well-paved, new pools had been constructed, a bar had sprung up in place of the old building on-site, and the village of Permët seemed to be prospering from the increase in tourism.⁣

We bathed in the large pool at sunrise where we met a family doing the same; it turned out they were regulars, coming down from a nearby mountain village to sell honey, raki and mountain herbs, all harvested from their land.⁣

What we weren’t expecting was to hear that a wealthy Arab had visited the Benjë hot springs recently, and was now hoping to “invest” in them.⁣

What this entailed was building a paid spa complex on site, thereby pricing out the locals and privatising one of the most beautiful natural resources in Europe. This was devastating news; we’d learned of similar problems across France and Spain, but we never imagined this would happen in Albania. But of course money talks, especially in an impoverished Balkan country.⁣

Why anyone would fall in love with a place so much they decide to change it entirely was beyond us.⁣

Perhaps pressure from local and international communities could halt these plans instead of allowing them to slip quietly under the radar- who knows?⁣

On a more positive note, we spent the rest of the morning exploring the Langarica canyon and its hidden gems, a place previously inaccessible to us during the winter, where we met the most wonderful group of elderly people and a couple of young sisters, and it reminded us instantly of why we felt so at home in this incredible country.⁣

We've compiled a list of 40 hot springs across Europe and a guide to each one- hit the link in our Highlights ♨️

Italy. Wanderingcarol (Nov. 20) has an article on the best spas and hot springs in Tuscany. It's mostly geared towards the spa's, the author finding little time to head off and experience the free hot springs. Her loss.

A (Spanish) comprehensive guide (Oct. 10) on visiting the Tuscan San Filippo termi. Translated:

'Did you know that the Tuscany region of Italy is full of hot springs ? Yes, natural waters at high temperatures in the middle of nature where you can take a warm bath even in winter . And best of all, some of them are free!'

Spain then.
Decadenzia has an article (Aug. 6) on Montanejos springs (Valencia):

'The original baths of the harem do not exist anymore but you can still swim in the same waters in Fuente de los Baños.

While you can swim in other areas of the river Mijares, this is the place with the hot springs. We recommend river shoes like this ones as the bottom is a bit rocky.

The water comes out around 26 degrees all year long. However, be aware that, although they are far away from the usual freezing waters of any river, they are not a balmy warm bath either.

But regardless of how warm you like your bath, we can guarantee you will enjoy the breathtaking landscape and crystalline waters in one of the most beautiful parts of Valencia'.

wanderersofestonia

Ask and you will be given... 🌸

After discovering Northern Portugal in a series of rainy days, sleeping in the car, brushing teeth in the rain, changing clothes in the rain, going to pee in the rain (you get the point😆), we felt we need a relaxing spa day. However, we couldn't find anything suitable and budget friendly, so we continued our trip. A few hours later we ended up parking our car next to Roman Hotsprings and had even better spa day we could have imagined in the middle of nature with 40 degree water 🥰🛁

#wanderersofestonia #travel #nature #europe #spain #thermalbath #roman #adventure #wander #travellingcouple 

Some possibly outdated info on the seasonal availability of Termas de Yesa / Tiermas (Aragon). Translated:

'Ancient Roman lands are discovered in the Yesa reservoir for only a few weeks throughout the year, just after the dry summers, almost always in the month of September-October'

However it seems there's more to this than meets the eye. As some previous (possibly seasonal) hot springs such as this and at Zujar (Andalucia) are now available for longer times. Is climate change (and drought?) to blame?

There are ideas to raise the levels of the Yesa bassin even higher (ensuring soaking will altogether cease), though on the other hand there is also an opposition group, yesano who want the levels to decrease.

noortjeschrauwen

Ultimate chillings in a natural thermal spring after being on the road and learning & working on ecosystem restauration! My gosh, this place is amazing!

#andalucia #zujar

Not on our soaking list: The l’Estany i El Riuet spring (Coma Ruga, north of Tarragona, Catalunya). Elvendrellturistic:

'Currently, the spring water is channeled to an outdoor ornamental fountain, from where it passes into the “Estany” lake and from there to the “Riuet” stream, which flows into the beach. Throughout the year it is common to see people of all ages taking a dip in the Riuet to take advantage of its healing properties'

Despite the highly mineralized waters, temperatures are 19-21C ...'.

manny_la_belle_vie

[Thermal water and fish pedicure]

Between Barcelona and Taragone there is a beach with a small canal leading to the sea, the Riuet de Coma Ruga.

These thermal waters are at a temperature of around 20 ° all year round 🥰 It was gray today and I admit that a little more sunshine would have been appreciated 😉 but it was super pleasant 🙂🙂

Apparently it It's not just me who loves the benefits of these waters since the basin is full of fish, more or less large, and who enjoys eating the dead skin on your feet ... It's surprising at first, but rather fun 🙂🙂

We are in winter so the only people we met were adorable and smiling locals and a little couple who travel in their cars and who asked me if the

So for info, the photos are nice with the palm trees and all and all, BUT the reality is that on one side it is the sea (great 😉🙂) and on the other, behind the explanatory wall it is the sea trip with a big hotel / Marina-type building 😅 (yes, not believing social networks, it's much less glam 😆)

And in summer ... It's stuffed with people 😅

📍 For camper operators, in low season no problem to park along the beach if you are not too wide, otherwise there are several parking lots 😉 we did not sleep here because we are not a fan of overnight stays in the street, so we went to the castle of Calafell

PS: No Christophe did not let himself be tempted,he needs at least 30 ° 😅😆

#thermalwater #hotspring #spain #valenciaturism #comaruga #fishpedicure #fish #thermalbath #wildbath #vanlife #camperlife #vanlifeeurope

A local article in French concerning La Fontaine chaude de la Nèhe (Dax -  Gascogne) from mid 2021. Translated:

Built from 1814 to 1818 , during the reign of Louis XVIII , this fountain would have inherited the name of a water goddess, of Celtic or Iberian origin: Nèha.

The nehae and nehalenia would indeed be “protective goddesses, tutelary geniuses of the cities, and more especially aquatic divinities personifying fountains and rivers”.

The Nèhe would thus be the protective divinity of Dax, which would have given its origin to its famous source.

The fountain was built on ancient Roman baths where butchers and housewives met, who, thanks to its exceptional and natural temperature of 64°C , could use the fountain for cooking.

It offers a daily flow of 2,400,000 liters. Surveys carried out in 1976 revealed the remains of a basin dating from the 4th century'.

Thermal.ru has a plethora of recent reports from Bulgaria, most though concerning developed and decaying concrete thermal palaces. One what did catch my eye was a report on Varna.

A little more Portugal. Wapiti travel have a useful and recent overview of 12 hot springs on the Azores islands, though most are on Saõ Miguel.

Finally, back to Rust to Roadtrip (Oct. 29). They visit the hamlet of Termia, deep in the Rhodope Mountains, north of Drama (we are on Greece now). Finding a soaking opportunity was not a given.

'Between 1990 and 2015 the village of Termia was thriving, full of families who formed one big community centred around the therapeutic benefits of hot water bathing. But recent years had seen a decline in visitors, as we’d evidenced from walking around the overgrown and dilapidated huts left open to the elements.

The spa complex down the road had been built in the early 2000’s but never opened, most likely due to the abundance of free bathing opportunities nearby, but there was now talk of developing the area for tourism, something Greece and the wider Balkan area seemed rather obsessed with- privatising natural resources for profit instead of leaving them to be enjoyed by all, young and old, rich and poor.

The shacks were used only in the summer months, much like the beach chalets we have back in England. But the interest in them was declining among younger people, and as such the village was now mainly full of elderly folk. The idea that bathing in hot springs was becoming less popular baffled us, two of the most dedicated hot spring nerds you’ll ever encounter, but it was a story not unlike others we’d heard in similar areas. The lure of the internet and modern life was too great for a generation whose iPhones were firmly cemented into their hands. You’d be as likely to find a frappé stall as a single bar of phone signal in these parts, but that was what we loved so much, the chance to be stripped away from modern life to reconnect with the wild'.

mmartalopez

retiro espiritual hace unas semanas 💆🏻‍♀️💆🏼‍♂️