Strawberry Springs

Located 7 miles from Steamboat Springs and nestled between Rocky Peak and Copper Ridge. The water from the springs usually trickles down the hillside at approximately 150 degrees before it enters the stream. The largest pool is kept at 104 Degrees while the smaller shelves of the cells are cooler due to geothermal venting.

Krause Springs

Krause Springs is located 34 miles from Austin, Texas and is known to be the most prevalent in the state. The springs are a compilation of two separate cells that overlook Cypress Creek. The lower levels are adorned with Cypress trees and waterfalls which made it a spiritual place by the Native Indians. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "Two springs feed the 70' by 20' swimming pool at a rate of 70 gallons a minute at a temperature of about 70 degrees."

Crab Cooker Hot Springs

The beautiful Eastern Sierras viewed from Crab Cooker Hot Springs. This spring is among several located in this highly popular camping and backpacking area. It's quite shallow but big enough for several people and the scenery that surrounds the bathing hole is spectacular.

Wekiva Springs

One of my favorite places to call home; the Wekiva Springs is located in Longwood, Florida where the Timucuan Indians fished and hunted for years. These thermal springs are fed by five diverse sources, while the fish come directly from the springs into two large cells. "The thermal water flows at a rate of 130 liters per second with a daily capacity of 5,760 people." The temperature is usually kept around 72 Degrees which at times can feel like bathing in ice cubes. These healing waters contain calcium, sodium, magnesium, chlorine, and carbon dioxide which can cure neurological disorders, arthritis, and skin deficiencies.

Banjar Hot Springs

The Banjar is located in Bali and not too far down the road from the only Buddhist monastery in the area. These hot springs are marvelously landscaped with tropical plants. Being they are proven to help with ailments and spiritual clarity, local residents and tourists are urged to spend a couple hours a day relaxing to sooth the soul and clear the mind.

Onsen in Nachikatsuura

The Onsen Spring in Nachikatsuura, Japan located on the premises of the Nakanoshima Hotel on Nakanoshima Island. The island has six different hot springs with high sulfur content and this is just one of them. The spring is said to aid in the healing process of arthritis, female infertility, gout and rheumatism.

Chena Hot Springs

Chena Springs is located northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska near the Chena River State Recreation Area. The resort is using the first low-temperature binary geothermal plant built in Alaska to explore alternative energy sources.

The main attraction at Mammoth Hot Springs is the terraces. The Mammoth Hot springs are continuously changing. As cells grow, water is forced to flow in different directions and the constant changes create a living sculpture made from heat, water, limestone, and rock fractures. The colors are derived from natural living organisms attaching themselves to the side of the terraces.

The bath house sits on the road along the promenade looking out over the long beach. It's old, Edwardian I think, and purposely not modernised, but so well-kept. There are the usual expensive pampering products to buy but they're optional and unnecessary. Just call in on a whim, without an appointment, towels and whatever else you might need are provided.

An attendant draws the bath and leaves you to it in your private bathroom after giving instructions. The first stage is to sit in the old-fashioned, cedar wood steam box with your head sticking out. The amount of steam is controlled by a leaver inside the box so you have as much or as little as you can tolerate.

When you've been sufficiently well steamed you get out and climb into the ancient, big glazed porcelain bath filled with roasting hot water and armfuls of squelchy seaweed. Sink into it, lie back and rest your head on the back of the bath with your head just above the water, close your eyes and luxuriate. Concentrate on the different textures of the weed, rub the stuff over your body, do whatever comes to mind.

When the novelty runs off or when you get bored just get back in the steam box and let your imagination run away with you. Luxuriate some more. Take as much time as you want, there's no limit. Top up the bath with more hot water and take a freezing cold shower of sea water, or don't. Go from the steam to the bath and the shower as often as you want. There's no right or wrong way, just lie there and enjoy and come back for more.

1. Sculpt

What do you do with a huge block of cheese? Sculpt it!

That's what Troy Landwehr of Wisconsin did in mid 2007. The cheese carver and winemaker used his carving tools to sculpt a 700-pound giant block of Land O' Lakes cheddar into a replica monument of Mount Rushmore, custom-built for the manufacturer of Cheez-It snack crackers. What happened next? After Troy and his creation went on a road tour across USA, the cheddar block end up in Oklahoma and was cut into cubes for public consumption.

2. Auction

Why not auction it?

10 years ago, Diana Duyser who was about to bite her grilled cheese sandwich realized that there was a familiar face, resembling the image of Virgin Mary on the said cheese sandwich. She put it in a plastic box and kept it for 10 years. The amazing thing is that it never grew mold and looks fresh as ever. The item was eventually sold through an auction on eBay, reportedly for $28,000 by Golden Palace, an online casino.

3. Smoke

Can you really smoke it?

In 1966, Stuart M. Stebbings patented the world's first cheese-filter cigarette, under the US Patent Number 3,234,948. What a brilliant idea to enjoy grilled cheese flavoured ciggies.

4. Perfume

Wear them as perfume!

This was featured in my earlier article. As part of a campaign to encourage the public to eat more Blue Stilton cheese, The Stilton Cheese Makers Association (SCMA) of UK, through ID Aromatics perfumers of Manchester developed the Eau de Stilton cheese perfume. Don't worry because this perfume is definitely wearable.

5. Play Games

Have you heard of cheese-rolling game?

It only happened at a place in Gloucestershire, UK. Here, for the past 100 years, the Cooper Hill Cheese-Rolling Festival is held each year on 2nd May Bank Holiday. It is actually a hazardous game whereby a cheese (usually a 7-pound wheeled of cheese) is rolled down the steep hill and people are expected to chase after it. The first one who can reach the bottom of the hill is the winner. I supposed only a professional stunt man can do this as the game has resulted in many injuries thus far.

6. Musical Instrument

Can you really make music using cheese?

Actually you can. Walter Willems, a Dutch artist created his artistic drum set using cheese. This piece of art form was featured in the Mocca Contemporary Art Exhibition. It was reported that the cheese used to make the perfect sound of drum beats must be a rather aged cheese. Hmm, talking about cheesy music.

7. Bathe

You can bathe in it?

Perhaps you can visit the Gerschni Alp in the town of Engelberg of Switzerland. The bath at the cheesemaker's farm in Gerschni Alp actually utilizes a bi-product of cheese curdle called whey. It is reported that it looks like oily melted cheese and it smells of sweet hot milk, which is perfect for smoothening skin. The perfect cheese bathing temperature is 37 degrees Celsius, and oh yeah you can eat them too. You can enjoy both the bath and the magnificent view at the mountain top at the "outdoor bath tub", with starting price of about 40 francs.