Impact

'Water spring bath

Hot water spring at Banjar, Buleleng, Bali'

From the flickr site of I Putu Budi Astawa

To follow
Does anybody recognize that the social side of internet is dumbing down? With the advent of broadband and higher speeds, there's been a shift from text based write ups to mass photo ops.

In this case, do you notice that after all these years there are still only just 8 followers on this blog? that's not much ... The Tumblr site Soaking Spirit on some days welcomes 8 new followers!
I do get it. On Tumblr a follower is just a single click away, whereas if you become a follower on blogger there are a few steps to go through. 
But I simply believe that the intellectual stimulance blog entries offer, simply can't stand up to the instant (in your face) photo visualisation. And yes in some cases one pic can beat many a lengthy blog. But a blog offers more ...

Anyway this leads me to Pininterest. I don't understand Pininterest. I have put up a board of Thai hot springs, but nothing seems to happen. I follow a couple of boards, but again nada: no updates. Doesn't look like anything will happen here ... Can someone explain to me what the existence of Pinterest is meant to be?

And what is happening at Flickr? Are they really trying to drive away their customers? And their visitors?

Hmmm. 

Light headed
The Global Times, China not so long ago warns potential soakers for health concerns (January 20):

'However, even though the hot springs are reputed to have beneficial effects, doctors say the hot springs are not some supernatural elixir and that there are many risks involved in overdoing it, from light-headedness to infertility.

Even for young and healthy people, hot springs have risks that often are not posted.

...

"In Japan, bathing in the hot springs is a very popular and enjoyable thing. But in Japan, the hot springs are a more natural resource. It's underground water with a lot of minerals, such as sulfite," he [Yan Hongbiao, a doctor at the Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital] said.

In China, there are many fake hot springs and the quality cannot be ensured, he said'.  

Infertility is a remote possibility apparently.

'People soak in the hotspring in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 13, 2012. 

Local people went to hotspring during snowy days'. 

(English People's Daily Online, Dec 14).

The ultimate list? Lonely Planet's 1000 ultimate sights of this planet. Under the heading best baths are a few hot springs (Beppu, Dogo (Japan), Hot water beach (New Zealand (been there)), Szechenyi Baths (Hungary) and Blue Lagoon (Iceland)).

These are their ten choices for Best Natural Springs: (1) Rift Valley, Ethiopia; (2) Oymyakon, Siberia, Russia; (3) Deception Island, Antarctica; (4) Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua, NZ; (5) Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, USA; (6) Jigokudani Monkey Park, Yamanouchi, Japan; (7) Troll & Jotun Hot Springs, Svalbard, Norway; (8) Pamukkale Terraces, Turkey; (9) Landmannalaugar, Iceland; (10) Blood Pond Hot Spring, Beppu, Japan.

Most hot springs I presume ...

Lonely Planet has another list, this time of Europe's best hot springs (May 17). A couple from Iceland, likewise for Austria, Italy and Hungary. Language barriers mean the need to include the sole Anglo-Saxon soak, aptly named Bath. How they compile this list seems to be besides the point. Who cares, as long as you have a press release every day ...

Nudity is common in northeast Asia hot springs. Equally common are the western (or better said conservative) reactions. Example from Soul to Seoul (11 June) visiting a local Jimbilang (hot spring bath) near Seoraksan National Park:

'People, the scene facing my small tribe when we opened the change room doors will never leave me. I had entered some alternate reality where I was taking part in a Cleopatra-esque era movie Korean style. There were more than ten big (think typical Aussie backyard pool big) rectangle baths spread out before us. There were hot baths, hotter baths and even hotter baths to choose from (temperature readings at the top told you what to expect) along with a walking bath, a mud bath, a cold bath and the outside bath (where, as we discovered, there was no where to hide thanks to the water clarity). Along one side of the enormous cavern were rows and rows of mirrored benches where groups of women sat on small stools facing the mirrors and vigorously scrubbed each other using special gloves and brushes. All totally naked. Despite all the activity - women walking from bath to bath, from bath to scrubbing area and back to bath - there was an unbelievable sense of calm that exuded from all. One might even say it was somewhat liberating and strangely comforting all at once. I would like to report that I soon got used to being this naked but I did not. Oh no, not at all'. 

She didn't relax ...
  

The way ahead? Ciater hot spring , Java, Indonesia. From the instagram page of sayisayyie

Yet again New Zealand leads the way in the wackier (literally) side of soaking. First there is the story of a 9 year old volcano hunter. Or should it be a hot spring hunter and volcano vollower ... (NZ Herald, July 7). 
Then from the same source (July 3) the curious story of a hot spring hoist:

'As the man left the hot pools he was hit over the head.
Some of the couple's belongings were then stolen from their van and their keys were tossed into the hot pools.
After the group left, the pair were able to retrieve their keys and drove to Rotorua Hospital.
The woman was not harmed but the man needed stitches to a cut to his head'.

Poetry from from the region

• Indonesia

Meanwhile in Bali, Indonesia. Geothermal projects are off the drawing map (Thinkgeoenergy, June 19):

'Pastika [Govenor of the province] said there are still other green sources such as water, solar energy and waves that could be exploited for it. “It may be more expensive but it also has a price,” he said.

The governor said the main reason for his decision is that because mountains, forests, beaches, lakes and estuaries are holy areas'.

Soakers can continue to enjoy Angseri hot spring, Bali, Indonesia. At least for the time-being? From the instagram page of lealbeny

More bad news for Indonesian geothermal powerfans. On Sumatra there is local opposition to a geothermal project, according to thinkgeoenergy (June 6):

'“The villagers, mainly members of the Rajabasa traditional clan residing on the slope of Mount Rajabasa, staged a peaceful rally at Sukaraja dock in Jeti village, Rajabasa, on Wednesday, demanding that PT Supreme Energy cease its exploration.

Beside being detrimental to the environment, the villagers said the geothermal exploration would also damage the social structure of the South Lampung traditional community, especially those living around Mount Rajabasa'.

On Java, near Sumedang, another geothermal project (100+ $US million) is running into problems due to land acquisition (thinkgeoenergy, June 6). Or not?

'“The land acquisition process is hampered due to public concerns about the impact of environmental pollution resulted from the geothermal project,” he [PT Wika Jabar Power Engineering Director Uum Komarudin] said'.

Is a pattern evolving?

 Hot spring near Bogor, Java, Indonesia. From the instagram site of audreytanzil

Indonesia in the meantime is raising feed-in prices for geothermal electricity. The smaller the geothermal plant, the higher the price (Source: thinkgeoenergy, June 12). So maybe they could buy a few wavering villagers ...

• Malaysia

Banjaran hot springs, Malaysia is very ... umm chic. The yumlist BLOG has a report (June 13). How to describe? Well, the author goes over the edge and picks up on many a detail:

'Earthy hues, natural stone, wood, glass and tropical furnishings transit the outdoor environment to the in. Abundant use of vegetation and running water bring the revitalizing characteristics of nature to the living space, creating both a calming and rejuvenating setting.

The glass windows and doors of the bathroom look over the villa’s most prized feature – an outdoor sunken Jacuzzi with a direct hook-up to the geothermal hot springs. Star filled skies can only be made better with a skinny dip in the bubbling bath allowing the healing properties of the water to do its magic'. 

Note that this all comes with a price ...

• Philippines

More on the proposed hot spring / geothermal plant on Mindoro island, the Philippines (Southern Luzon Inquirer, June 19):

'The potential is endless!  Power firm Constellation Energy Corp. (CEC) will develop lakeshore areas near its 20-MW geothermal power project into a hot spring and wellness center to showcase the healthy mix of green energy and green tourism in this province'. 

Well, that would be a first for the region. In general there is a disregard for soakers vis-a-vis the techno superiority of geothermal projects. 
Note the Dutch connection ....!

The News of Iceland (July 1) picks up on the Dutch connection (IF Technology) as well (leads to credibility?), as it of course does on the Icelandic comparison.

From the instagram site of buddz_06 Hibok-Hibok hot spring, Camiguin, Philippines:

'The perfect way to cap off the day!. Sarap.. Goodnight!'

By the way, Philippines, already one of the global leaders in geothermal energy hopes to up the output by another 75% in the coming 15 years. According to the Manila Standard (July 3).

• Singapore

'Yikes hot'

Sembawang hot spring, Singapore. From the blog of smallwheelsbigsmile (June 16).

• Vietnam

Top 5 most famous hot springs of Vietnam by tripatini (June 25):

1. Kim Boi ('Being immersed in a large mineral water deposit of Kim Boi stream is also not unmemorable for every visitor'.)

2.Bang ('Bang Spring is attractive with its fanciful, poetic scenery'.)

3. Kenh Ga

4. Tay Vienh

5. Dam Rong

No mention of Nha Trang?

Bicol hot spring. From the instagram site of carmelajacinto