The main reason my humans wanted to go to Methana was to have a hot bath. It is a very peculiar human habit, favoured more by Mr B than F, but even F has been known to sit in hot water if it comes up out of the ground.
As we approached the main town on our first day there we passed the 'bath house' and a huge outdoor bath of milky looking water that even the most devoted hot-bathing human would possibly think twice about (with bits of plant material drifting about, and everything looking in a general state of dereliction), and even then I (with my sensitive cat nose) could smell the poisonous smell that goes with hot water that comes out of the earth.
I remember that smell from when we visited the hot water on Evia (I liked the beach there - it had very nice underfloor heating.) On day two of our tour of Methana we set off to visit Pausania Baths.
After a few stops to photograph wild flowers, rocks, sea, we backed into a narrow parking space, where my nose was immediately assaulted by 'that smell' and I refused to leave the van - not even to have a quick look. From the back window I could see my humans carrying their swimming clothes down some steps towards a BATH. To call it 'baths' might have been a bit of exaggerated advertising.
However:
This sign was on a little building at the bottom of the steps. Bathing in the hot water here was absolutely free. They filled the little bath, wallowed in it until it cooled, dried themselves off and returned stinking of sulphurous fumes.
How often have you soaked in a hot bath for free on the edge of the sea, on what felt like the edge of wilderness, without another human in sight - and only your cat to keep guard from the carpark above?
And just a note on the garbage...our observations of roadsides around Methana would place it near the top of a list of least littered places in Greece. Either they have very few mindless tourists, or the locals are very 'house proud' and keep their nearly island spectacularly tidy.
I thought for a few horrified moments that you were going to say you had a hot bath, Tigger. Phoebe would have her legs and claws out horizontal if you held her over one.
ReplyDeleteI worked out the hot bath thing in UK - the biggest white porcelain bucket in the room at the top of the stairs. You can't walk on the foam. So I'm in league with Phoebe. I've had my hair washed in the small white porcelain bucket (not happy). And, no sensible cat goes near the middle sized porcelain bucket with the rapids in it. They are safe when a human is sitting on them but best avoided at all other times.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question, that would be a 'never'... though described like that, I could see the appeal! Hugs and whiskeries from a less than balmy, not yer dipping pool weather, Dunoon. YAM-aunty xxx
Dear Yam-Aunty, F says that coming from a country with an adequate supply of free hot water (if you know where to find it), that doesn't seem such an unusual experience. See Linda below - she knows what F is talking about. There is a great hot water beach in the North Island where you dig holes in the sand at low tide and they fill with hot water. F knows places in mountain streams in the South Island where you can do the same in the riverbed - and you regulate the temperature by digging a trench that lets the river in, or building a small dam to keep most of it out. It is nice to know that not every spurt of hot water that makes it through the earth's surface is harnessed to make money for someone. Here in Greece we have seen it run away for free - thousands of gallons an hours of it at Loutra Edipsos. Furrings and purrings Mr T
DeleteMy little brother is one of those digging holes at Hot Water beach this week. He says you have to pick your spot or you'll get a burnt bum
DeleteWell done humans. I've always wanted to do that but my human keeper doesn't like the idea . We sail on past, me eagerly sniffing up that smelly air that reminds me of home and that other human holding his nose.
ReplyDeleteYour human keeper surprises us for a traditional person. My humans say it makes their skin feel nice and smooth, and F spent ages exercising her sticky thumb in the hot bath and said it felt sooooo much better. Tell your traditional human that your smell receptors burn out quite quickly and then you can enjoy it. She lived in Rotorua for years. (DOn't tell him that's what makes the stuff so dangerous - you can't smell yourself being poisoned.... which only happens when it builds up in enclosed spaces ....and which is why these outdoor baths are so bloody marvellous all round.)
DeleteAnd that traditional persons mother was born in the little village above, Megalohori. All he is thinking about is fish with the oregano and some local wine.
DeleteFresh dried oregano you'll find probably in late summer
I would love to get in the stinky water and soak, even though I don't care for the smell. Tigger, my grandmothers house here in Florida had sulfur water in the pipes, she drank it and we bathen in it. we had to put water in pots on the stove and heat, then put cold water from faucet in the tub, pour hot water in it and bathe. is smelled awful and tasted even worse. she thought it tasted good. she made tea with it and if it sat in the fridge overnight the taste got better. i have never bathed in it in a pool, but bathed many times in her bath tub. Said bath had GIANT SPIDERS that walked on the ceiling and was outside off the back porch. we had to go from house to porch and accross and into the bathroom. at least it had a flushing commode.
ReplyDeleteI think, stink aside, it would be lovely to have a hot mineral bath by the sea
ReplyDeleteThe rotten egg smell would take the shine off the experience I’m sure
I've burnt my toes at Hot Water Beach and soaked many times at Rotorua and other hot pools around the place (we seem to have a lot of them!). And, yes, my skin feels lovely afterwards, but as for that smell of sulphur!! The first thing I do when I get home is have a hot shower.
ReplyDeleteMittens would join the anti-water club, but we once had a kitty name Misty who loved water and would even hop into the bath with us!
F said she nearly got eaten by sandflies when sitting in a hot pool in a riverbed in the South Island bush somewhere. It seems that all such luxuries have their drawbacks.
DeleteI enjoyed my vicarious visit to the baths. Alas, it will be the only way I can visit. Those stone steps minus guard rails would have me tumbling down.
ReplyDeleteThere were handrails LC (blame the photo). We would love to share the earth's hot water with you. Its very relaxing. Xxx Mr T and F
DeleteLucky you! I miss not having a bath, we live in a townhouse and both our bathrooms only have a toilet, sink and shower.
ReplyDelete