15 ASTONISHING Natural Springs
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00:00Crystal-clear waters, stunning landscapes, and unique ecosystems come together to
00:06create the most breathtaking natural springs on the planet. Today, I'm counting
00:11down 15 of the most astonishing natural springs, starting with number 15,
00:16Terme De Saturnium. Tuscany, it's known for its rolling hills, great views, and
00:22fantastic wines, but what it doesn't get enough credit for are its incredible
00:27natural springs. It's located near the village of Saturnia. The Terme De Saturnia
00:32is a geothermal spring that flows over a terraced waterfall. It's been used ever
00:36since the time of the ancient Romans, and at a temperature of about 37 degrees
00:40Celsius, it's the perfect substitute for a hot tub. Number 14, Frying Pan Lake. Of
00:49all the hot springs on the planet, the one that holds the number one spot for
00:53being the largest is Frying Pan Lake, located on New Zealand's Northern Island.
00:58It comes in at an astounding 38,000 square meters. For reference, that's about
01:04as large as seven football fields. It was created as the result of a volcanic
01:09eruption. You see, in 1886, the nearby Mount Tarawera erupted, and while much of
01:14the area was destroyed, a volcanic crater was created. Once it filled up with
01:18rainwater and heated groundwater, it became what it is today.
01:23Number 13, Tambomachai. While Machu Picchu may be the most famous Incan ruin,
01:30Tambomachai is a close second. Located high up in the Andes, speculation
01:35persists as to whether it served as a ceremonial site, an Incan spa, or a
01:40military outpost, or a mix of all three. However, what is clear is that the whole
01:45thing is built over a natural spring, which continuously feeds a series of
01:49small aqueducts, canals, and waterfalls built into the terraces. This, in turn, has
01:54given it the nickname the Bath of the Inca, and on my end, I think it's a
01:58pretty cool use of a natural spring. Number 12, the Boiling Lake. With no
02:05international airport to speak of, the island nation of Dominica is one of the
02:09least visited places on the planet. However, if you decide to make the trip,
02:13you can enjoy an incredible natural spring known as Boiling Lake, a World
02:17Heritage Site. It can reach a temperature of up to 92 degrees Celsius, thanks to
02:22its direct line to the molten subsurface of the earth, with vents pumping
02:26scalding steam and gases into the water. And while no swimming is allowed, it is
02:31possible to view it from above, however, given the fact that the 13-kilometer
02:34hike takes about three to four hours to complete. You've got to be in pretty good
02:38shape to make this trip. Number 11, the Benja Thermal Baths. While Italy, France,
02:45Spain, and England may be some of the most popular vacation destinations in
02:49Europe, Albania is a small Balkan country that deserves a bit more love. Not only
02:55does it have a slew of beautiful beaches and scenic mountain ranges, but it also
02:59has got a set of thermal baths that are truly world-class. Located in the south
03:04of the country near to the border with Greece, the Benja Thermal Baths are born
03:08from the geothermal waters near Permet, Albania. From there, heated water flows
03:12down the river. This water is not only comfortable, but reportedly has healing
03:16properties. Therefore, as long as you can stand the smell of sulfur, Benja is a
03:21great place to go for a plunge. Number 10, the Ma'in Hot Springs. While not quite as
03:28famous as the nearby Dead Sea, Ma'in Hot Springs is a go-to spot for receiving
03:34healing effects of mineral water. It's located about 74 kilometers south of
03:38Jordan's capital city of Amman. The area contains a grand total of 63 springs.
03:43Surrounded by palm trees and dramatic travertine formations that were created
03:48thanks to the interaction between the spring water and the atmosphere, these
03:51springs are a lush canyon paradise in an otherwise dried desert. Now, while
03:56generally the water is hot, the temperature differs from spring to
03:59spring. However, the one constant is that all the water has a chemical composition
04:03consisting of sodium, calcium, chloride, radon, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon
04:08dioxide. This is important because in tandem, they work together to act as a
04:12natural remedy for everything from joint pain to skin conditions. Now, the reason
04:16why these springs are hot at all is thanks to their proximity to a large
04:19fault. This fault provides frequent exposure to underground lava fissures,
04:24causing the mineral-heavy groundwater to heat up as it reaches the surface.
04:27Also known as fossil groundwater, it is highly coveted, with much of it being
04:32captured by the area's pools before eventually flowing over to the nearby
04:35Zarqa River. Now, in the not-too-distant past, access to these springs was
04:40unrestricted and free. It was a tradition for city dwellers to brave sketchy
04:44desert roads to get to the springs, where they would celebrate holidays with a day
04:48filled with soaking and picnicking. However, capitalism has gotten its hands
04:53on the site. Nowadays, a large percentage of the springs has been fenced off for
04:57guests of an upscale resort. However, for a fee of 15 Jordanian dinars, or
05:02about 21 US bucks, you can get to a public section. While it may be less than
05:06ideal to pay for something that was once a public good, the good news is that the
05:11fee is definitely worth it. Once inside the springs, you can enjoy one of several
05:15terraced pools located against the cliffside, with all of them being
05:19continuously filled by waterfalls and springs. In a way, this is a continuation
05:24of something that's been happening for a millennium. After all, there are a grand
05:28total of 109 references to these springs in the Bible, and many believe that even
05:32the biblical King Herod the Great himself enjoyed lounging in the therapeutic
05:36waters. As such, if you decide to make the trip and relax in these springs, just
05:40know you're part of a long tradition. However, also know that due to the
05:44location, it's probably best to dress in a relatively conservative swimming
05:48attire.
05:509. Pamukkale Of all the spots on this list, few have a
05:55history quite as interesting as Pamukkale. It's located in southwestern
05:59Turkey, and at first glance, it may look man-made. However, the reality is that
06:03its super-round pools were not carved by human hands, but instead made with
06:08sedimentary rock. More specifically, mineral water from the 17 hot springs
06:13located nearby caused the travertine to form. This, in turn, created layers upon
06:18layers of beautiful white pools. Nicknamed the Cotton Castle in Turkish,
06:23it's achieved international recognition for its picturesque white pools with hot
06:2735°C water. But beyond this fame, it's also got a strong cultural and
06:32historical significance. The earliest archaeological evidence available
06:36suggests that the Phrygians built a temple near Pamukkale sometime after the
06:40first half of the 7th century BC. Then, in the 2nd century BC, Pamukkale was
06:45really put on the map after the Seleucid Empire founded the city of
06:48Hierapolis nearby. This was done in order to facilitate access to the thermal
06:53spa, and throughout the reign of Emperor Antiochus the Great, thousands of
06:57Jewish families are said to have set up shop here. In fact, at Hierapolis'
07:01height, they had a population of as much as 50,000 people, and while this may
07:05seem quite small today, by ancient standards, this was absolutely massive.
07:09By 133 BC, the city was in the hands of the Romans, who, rather strangely,
07:14were gifted the city in a will after its ruler died. It soon became part of
07:19the Roman province of Asia, and over time, Hierapolis became an important
07:22cultural center. In fact, it was an early stronghold of Christianity. Once
07:27the Eastern Roman Empire fell, the Byzantine Empire took over, and over
07:30the years, the city continued to flourish as an important center for the
07:33Catholic Church. However, the late Middle Ages were not kind to the area.
07:38After all, Hierapolis faced multiple invasions between both Persian and
07:42Crusader armies, and in the 1300s, it was ultimately abandoned.
07:46While neighboring Pamukkale was left mostly alone for quite some time, it soon,
07:50too, began to face new challenges. Throughout the 1900s, the area became
07:55heavily commercialized. Hotels began to be built at the top of the site, and
07:59both neglect and commercial development soon threatened to seriously damage
08:03the pools. Thankfully, though, both Pamukkale and the ruins of Hierapolis
08:07were designated as a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, leading to a
08:12lot more regulation and conservation. Thanks to the protections afforded by
08:16these increased standards, it is still possible to visit Pamukkale today and
08:20swim inside its pools, making it a great travel destination for those who love
08:25the intersection of history, nature, and beauty.
08:298. Manatee Springs Of all the species in the animal kingdom,
08:34few are as strange as the manatee. Also known as the sea cow, they're massive
08:40gray mammals that come in at up to 4 meters in length and 590 kilograms in
08:45weight. While found on the Atlantic shores of Africa, South America, and
08:49North America, those who live near the state of Florida spend most of their
08:52time in the Caribbean Sea. However, during the winter months, they venture
08:57into the Gulf of Mexico or one of Florida's many springs in search of a
09:00warmer climate. It's because of this that Manatee Springs became a reality.
09:06Located in northwestern Florida, the area was found by American naturalist
09:10William Bartram in 1774. When he first saw it, he named it the Manatee Springs
09:15because he saw a manatee that had passed away on the shore. However, the happy
09:19reality is that nowadays, almost all of the manatees there are very much alive.
09:23The reason why Manatee Springs is such a manatee hotbed is not due just to its
09:28warm water, but also to its resources. After all, the river bottom is covered
09:32in grassy kelp, which is a manatee's favorite dish. While its sheltered status
09:37inland also protects it from any natural threats. It's because of this place's
09:41special status as a manatee haven that the springs were designated as a state
09:45park in 1971. To date, though, swimming here is allowed during the summer, but
09:50prohibited in the winter to allow the manatees space and shelter. While this
09:54may sound like a bit of a bummer, you'd be happy to know that kayaking is
09:57allowed all year round. Since manatees tend to be anything but shy, they're
10:02known to swim up to the boats and allow kayakers to pet them. If that wasn't
10:06cool enough, some visitors have even reported seeing baby manatees, as the
10:10place doubles as a nursery during the spring. Therefore, if you want to visit
10:14Florida but are tired of places such as Miami, Tampa, Disney World, and
10:18Universal Studios, perhaps a visit to Manatee Springs is in your cards.
10:22Oh yeah, it's also worth noting that the area also has a long indigenous
10:26history. According to archaeological evidence, the Timucuan indigenous
10:29peoples inhabited the area as far back as 9,000 years ago, and allegedly the
10:34park's picnic area was the site of an old Timucuan village. This site was
10:38ideal because the Suwannee River provided both freshwater and access to
10:42trade and transportation routes. However, when the Spaniards arrived in
10:45the 1500s, they quickly succumbed to European disease, and by 1700, both
10:50disease and slave trades had caused their population to decrease from 200,000
10:54people to just 1,000. Today, while there are some people who may have
10:58Timucuan ancestry, the tribe has unfortunately been wiped out.
11:027. The Grand Prismatic Spring Of all the springs on this list, the most
11:10vibrant and the most colorful is undoubtedly the Grand Prismatic Springs.
11:15As the name suggests, it's both grand and prismatic. Located in the middle
11:19of Yellowstone National Park, its diameter of 110 meters, depth of 50
11:24meters, and a flow rate of over 2,100 liters of 70 degrees Celsius water
11:28per minute makes it the third-largest hot spring in the world. It also has
11:32all the colors of the rainbow around its edges, giving it a beautiful prism-
11:36like look. This colorful look can be attributed to the microbial mats. These
11:41are layers of bacteria and microorganisms that live around the edges of this
11:45mineral-rich water. The mats produce colors ranging from green to red, and
11:49they change seasonally, and while they tend to be orange and red in the
11:52summer, they usually switch to darker green in the winter. Meanwhile, its
11:56hot water comes from the underground, where it's heated by magma chambers. As
12:00it reaches the surface, it cools, eventually evaporates as a cloud of vapor
12:03over the spring. This water is also cooler or hotter depending on where it's
12:08located, and it seems that this also affects the water color. After all, while
12:11colorless and yellow microorganisms grow in the hottest water, all the other
12:15colors tend to grow in cooler water. When you get to the center, things get so
12:19hot that the pool becomes sterile, meaning that the deep blue color at the
12:23center is in fact the intrinsic blue color of the water. Now, while indigenous
12:28people had known about the spring for thousands of years, the first Americans
12:31to find the spot ventured into the area in 1839. In that year, trappers in the
12:36area reported seeing a boiling lake with colorful water. However, it wasn't until
12:411870 that it was examined in detail. The 1870 discovery was made by the
12:46Langford-Dohan-Washburn expedition. This was expanded on by notes made during
12:50the Hayden expedition in 1871. In 1872, the area was officially turned into a
12:56natural park, and soon a steady streak of tourists flowed into the area. It's
13:00also worth mentioning that despite the hot water, park employees have actually
13:03ventured out into the spring by boat. In order to do so, a boat builder by the
13:07name of Mark Poppert created a craft known as a little dipper. At 2.4 meters
13:12long and about 1.2 meters wide, it was made in a relatively flat design, fitted
13:17with flotation chambers so that it wouldn't sink. In fact, it was so stable it
13:21would continue to float even if the bottom fell out. The boat also had a
13:26porthole in the middle which allowed for direct access to the water for both
13:29tests and instrument measurements. In any case, if you want to visit the Grand
13:33Prismatic Spring yourself, I'd suggest booking a trip to Yellowstone and
13:37taking a hike up to this incredible site.
13:40Number 6. The Capetia Hot Springs
13:43The jungles of Africa are known to be some of the most biodiverse places on
13:47the continent, and it's due to their density and size that colonizers often
13:51had a difficult time traveling in them. However, against all odds, there exists
13:55a British colonial estate deep within the Zambian bush that's home to a serene
14:00set of hot springs. Now, the springs themselves are incredible. Completely
14:05natural, they're all very well-maintained, making them a perfect place to sit and
14:09relax. Best of all, a retaining wall keeps the naturally heated reservoir at
14:14a perfect temperature, while also keeping curious crocodiles at bay. But the
14:18grounds themselves are also very notable. The story goes that in 1914, the land
14:23was bought by a colonial boundary commissioner, Sir Stuart Gore Brown, who
14:27after stumbling across the springs deemed it picturesque enough to create the
14:31estate of his dreams. He named it Chiwungandu and got to work building the
14:35estate, with his beautiful English manor house being completed in 1925. In time,
14:41it was home to a red-brick gatehouse, clay-tiled roofed workers' cottages, a
14:45long approach avenue, formal gardens, and even its own chapel. Sir Gore Brown
14:50passed away in 1967, and the estate was taken over by his daughter Lorna and her
14:54husband John Harvey. Unfortunately, they met an untimely passing in 1992, and due
14:59to a lack of funds, the estate fell into a disrepair. It wasn't until their son
15:04Charlie and his wife Jo rescued the estate in 1999, and since then, they've
15:08restored the house and estate to its former grandeur. Best of all, if you get a
15:11little bored there and you're looking for some adventure, lodge owners Joe and
15:14Charlie can fix you up with some activities. These include whitewater
15:18rafting down nearby the river, or hiking the incredible Shewa Valley. If you're
15:22into history, like me, you can even visit the estate's lake. After all, it's here
15:26that British adventurer David Livingstone lost his dog due to a crocodile. And it's
15:31said that this is also a place where he completed his final writing before his
15:34passing. Now, if you'd like to visit here, do keep in mind that it's pretty
15:38remote. It's located in the northeast of Zambia. It's about a 12-hour drive from
15:42the capital city of Lusaka. As such, it's advisable to travel by bus until you get
15:46to the town of Mpika, where you can then grab a taxi to take you to this
15:50rainforest paradise. Number 5. Jigokudani Monkey Park
15:56If you've been on the internet for long enough, chances are you've seen pictures
16:00of those snow-covered monkeys bathing in a hot spring. These famous monkeys are
16:04located in central Japan's Jigokudani Monkey Park. Now, translating to Hell's
16:09Valley in English, the area is not for the faint of heart. After all, it's a harsh
16:13landscape, and frigid temperatures here make it hard sell even for the most
16:17hardened of outdoorsmen. However, these conditions haven't stopped a local troop
16:21of Japanese macaque monkeys from venturing into the hot springs. For
16:25millennia, the local macaque population lived high up in the area's rainforests,
16:29holding the distinction of being the most northern living non-human privates.
16:33However, holding this distinction also means it's quite cold, and so in the
16:371960s, the monkeys took a risk by testing out the waters of the hot springs.
16:42Soon, they were spending much of the wintertime in the pools, doing everything from
16:46making, throwing, and eating snowballs to swimming around in the hot water.
16:51Soon, park attendants began feeding the monkeys at the springs, causing them to stay
16:54there year-round. And while these springs don't completely delay their monkeying
16:58around, after all, they return to the security of the jungle in the evening,
17:02the monkey park is one of the only places in the world where you can consistently
17:06see monkeys at a hot spring. It's also worth mentioning that there are scientific
17:09reasons behind the monkeys' decision to stick around here. You see, Japanese
17:13macaque monkeys have high levels of glucocorticoids when it's cold outside. In
17:17plain English, this causes stress. However, when the monkeys dive into the water,
17:21this stress decreases. Best of all, the presence of humans doesn't seem to
17:25increase their stress. As a result, scientists have deemed it acceptable to allow
17:30hundreds of spectators to watch these monkeys every day on one condition,
17:34that nobody jumps in the water alongside them. Now, the reason why this park has
17:38hundreds rather than thousands of daily visitors is due to its very remote location.
17:43While the city of Nagano is just 45 minutes away, the buses there only take you to the
17:47park entrance. From there, you have to embark on a narrow, two-kilometer-long
17:51hike with an elevation of 850 meters, with this generally taking about 30 to 40 minutes.
17:57In the wintertime, heavy snowfall often makes the trek even longer. So, if you're not in good
18:01physical shape, I wouldn't suggest coming there. And it's also worth noting that the timing is
18:06really important. You see, the monkeys are fed during the morning, bathe in the hot springs
18:10after, and then head off into the night to sleep. This means that it's best to visit early to midday
18:15to get the view of both the feeding frenzy and the bathing. For the best pictures, it's also
18:19wisest to visit in the wintertime. This is when everything's covered in snow and when very
18:24Instagrammable photos can be taken. 4. Badabi Surt
18:30Due to the current geopolitical situation, it may be hard for those watching to visit Iran. However,
18:36if you do manage to make it out there, then the one spot that should be on your itinerary
18:40is Badabi Surt. Located in the north of the country, it's a range of stepped,
18:44rust-colored travertine terraces that have been created over thousands of years,
18:48thanks to the running water of the mineral spring. More specifically, it appears that two
18:52different mineral hot springs spent thousands of years sending bubbling water down a nearby
18:56mountain for more than 1,800 meters above sea level. When the water cooled, it left behind
19:01its carbonate minerals in a jelly-like substance. This substance eventually hardened to give the
19:07slope its current staircase shape. As this hardening occurred over the course of thousands
19:11of years, the combined mixes of minerals and water have created several orange, red,
19:15and yellow-colored pools. From an aesthetic point of view, when the light hits the terraces just
19:20right, it makes the puddles glow with the red, orange, and yellow tones. When combined with blue
19:26and gray reflections in the sky and clouds above, the end result is a sight with a watercolor palette
19:31that's absolutely stunning. However, it is worth noting that the pools themselves are quite
19:36different from one another. You see, while one of the hot springs spews salty water that's said to
19:40have healing properties that can cure everything from rheumatism to certain skin conditions,
19:45the other spring is quite the opposite, spurting a sour sediment full of oxides. While this gives
19:50the water a beautiful orange tint, it doesn't do much in terms of human health. However,
19:55it's partially because of this that Badabi Surt got its name, as it comes from a combination of
19:59the Persian words for gassed water and the old name of the nearest village, which means intensity.
20:06In any case, if you want to visit here, just know that getting there is a bit tricky. After all,
20:09it's about 95 kilometers from the city of Sari, and the journey there requires driving along
20:14isolated roads. It's also somewhat off-limits. After all, there is a 15-meter pool for bathers
20:19to swim in, but most of the pools here are places that you can look but not touch.
20:24It's also worth mentioning that Badabi Surt is one of the only places of its kind in the world.
20:28That's because one of the only places like it, which was the pink and white terraces of New
20:33Zealand, were either blown to bits or buried during the eruption of Mount Tarawera in June of 1886.
20:39And while there are some efforts to restore these terraces, the reality is it may just be a pipe
20:43dream, making the continued existence of Badabi Surt truly unique.
20:483. Men's Water of Kladanj When you go to a natural spring,
20:54chances are that you hope to sit back, relax, maybe take advantage of the minerals in the water.
21:00And after all, according to some, these minerals can sometimes have medicinal properties.
21:04However, the medicinal properties of the Men's Water of Kladanj are a bit out there.
21:09That's because its waters are supposedly a form of natural Viagra.
21:13Now, to give you a bit of a primer, Kladanj is a town in eastern Bosnia.
21:17The stories of its famous waters have their origin in the 17th century, when the famous
21:22Ottoman traveler and writer Elieve Celebre described Kladanj Springs as the Fountain of Youth.
21:28During the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a hospital for lung diseases was built in the area,
21:33and in the 1960s, a small mountain resort was built near the source of the water.
21:37Given its location in modern-day Bosnia, it was part of what was then Yugoslavia.
21:42As such, vacationers from across the eastern bloc would come to the springs to test its efficacy.
21:47Apparently, studies conducted in Yugoslavia in the late 1960s showed that the water has
21:51a positive effect on reducing blood pressure and blood sugar, improving circulation,
21:56and strengthening vitality, alongside enabling a faster excretion of water,
22:01and a regeneration of the intestinal and gastric tract.
22:04However, anything surrounding impotence was never proven.
22:08It's also worth noting that, in an ironically capitalist fashion, the socialist country began
22:13to bottle and market the bottled water off the strength of the unfounded Viagra claims.
22:18Advertised under the slogan, Men's Water, Women's Joy,
22:22it's expertly crafted to differentiate it in the market.
22:26Unlike other brands of mineral water, which were sold in large, one-liter bottles,
22:29the Kladanj water was sold in half-liter, square-shaped bottles,
22:33more akin to those used for hard liquors.
22:36In all likelihood, this was to emphasize its supposed potency,
22:40and to aid in its marketing, the water was even sold bundled with folk music records,
22:44ensuring that it got out to as wide of an audience as possible.
22:47So, as you might expect, the water had a mixed commercial record.
22:50For a time, it was sold in Western European countries such as Germany, France, and Italy,
22:55and in time, Yugoslav officials claimed it had reached 30 countries around the world.
23:00However, the export brand failed miserably, as it had to be withdrawn from the foreign market
23:05because it was found to be full of bacteria.
23:08Well, despite this, it became popular in Yugoslavia,
23:10with some wives buying it for their husbands' birthdays instead of cologne.
23:14Nowadays, the Men's Waters of Kladanj have become a popular tourist spot.
23:18To get there, your best bet is to either drive by car,
23:20or if you don't want to brave the mountain roads,
23:22pay a local in the nearby village of Kladanj to give you a lift.
23:25Thankfully, a good portion of the younger generation there speaks English,
23:28while a good portion of the older speaks Russian,
23:31meaning that so long as you speak one of those two languages, you should be good to go.
23:362. The Huaqing Pools
23:38While the Huaqing Pools may look like a little quaint, relaxed place to go for a dip,
23:44they've got a history and a legacy that goes far beyond what you see on the surface.
23:48A short drive from the famous tomb of the Terracotta Warriors,
23:51the Huaqing Pools are located on the northern slopes of Mount Li.
23:55For the last 3,000 years, people have come there to relax in the geothermal waters of the spring,
24:00which are filled with minerals and reportedly have curative properties.
24:04Unsurprisingly, these incredible springs attracted the attention of powerful leaders.
24:09The first palace on the site was supposedly built by the short-reigning King Yu,
24:13who, strangely enough, was overthrown by his father-in-law
24:16and allied barbarians after he demoted his wife in favor of a concubine.
24:20From there, other leaders have taken up the torch, adding pools, gardens, and palaces over time.
24:25However, it was the Tang emperors Taizong and Zhuanzong who did this the most liberally,
24:30turning the complex into the sprawling estate it is today.
24:33While the Huaqing Pools wouldn't attract more attention for some time,
24:36they suddenly rose to prominence during both the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
24:41You see, in 1936, Chiang Kai-shek, who was the nominal leader of China,
24:45had been resolutely focused on fighting communist factions for years.
24:49However, after Japanese troops invaded the Chinese area of Manchuria,
24:53Chiang's frustrated generals eventually compelled him to reach a truce with the
24:57communists in order to form a united front against Japan.
25:00So, in order to force his hand, on December 12th of 1936, two of Chiang's bodyguards attempted to
25:06kidnap him as he relaxed in one of the Huaqing Pools' palaces.
25:10While shots were fired, Chiang managed to escape onto Mount Li.
25:14However, he was eventually found hidden in a rock crevice and ultimately forced
25:17to accept a truce with the communists.
25:20This, in turn, had a massive impact on Chinese history.
25:23This truce and the coalition it produced during the Chinese Civil War and Second World War
25:27ultimately gave the communists a leg up on their rise to power.
25:31Today, the five-room building where Chiang escaped from has been maintained as it was,
25:35with the bullets and broken windows still preserved and labeled.
25:38Even the crevice where Chiang was found is marked,
25:41and it's possible for visitors to use a chain to climb up to his escape route.
25:45So, if you want a place to visit that's a hotspot for both history and relaxation,
25:49you can't do much better than the scenic Huaqing Pools.
25:53Number 1. Manitou Springs
25:56When you visit a small town, chances are you'll look around for scenic lookouts,
26:01cute bakeries, or even historic landmarks.
26:03But if you go to the town of Manitou Springs in Colorado,
26:06you'll be looking for something totally different.
26:08That is, you'll be on the lookout for water.
26:10Named after Manitou, who in Native American lore,
26:13is the healing spirit that's the source of the mineral springs.
26:16The Manitou Springs is one of many resort towns to have popped up in the early 1900s.
26:21The reason is quite simple.
26:22This area is, rather incredibly, home to eight distinct natural mineral springs.
26:28Each is public and easy to access.
26:30In fact, the distance between all of them comes in at a relatively reasonable 2.2 kilometers.
26:35Each also offers water that tastes slightly different from its neighbor.
26:39Seven Minutes Spring is one of them,
26:41and it gets its name from the fact that when it was drilled,
26:43it produced a geysering of vent every seven minutes thanks to its carbonation.
26:48It's got the lightest, least mineral taste of all the springs,
26:51and it's located near a gazebo.
26:54Shoshone Spring is quite different.
26:55Located in the downtown Manitou Springs on the side of a round building circled by sculptures,
27:00its water has the highest mineral content of any of the downtown springs
27:03and has a very strong, but not unpleasant, mineral taste.
27:06It's also got a relatively high sulfur content,
27:08and before the advent of modern medicine,
27:10it was highly recommended by physicians for its curative properties.
27:14Navajo Spring is located on the back wall of a candy shop,
27:17yet despite its location, its water is far from sweet.
27:20Rather, it has a salty, bubbly taste,
27:22although it's the second lightest after the Seven Minutes Spring.
27:25It also has the most historic importance,
27:27as once it supplied a large bathhouse and a bottling plant.
27:31Wheeler Spring, too, is also quite salty.
27:33Located far from the center of town,
27:35it's named after Jerome B. Wheeler,
27:37who built the town's mineral water bottling plant and clock.
27:40Cheyenne Spring may just be the most ornate,
27:43featuring a tall bronze sculpture situated next to a round building
27:47which houses the actual spring.
27:49It does have a strong mineral taste,
27:51however, it's slightly less intense than the waters in the Shoshone Spring.
27:55Its other claim to fame is its origins.
27:57Not only is it completely natural,
27:58but its waters are also believed to have come from limestone aquifers
28:02that are about one and a half kilometers underground
28:04and believed to be over 20,000 years old.
28:07Stratton Spring is similarly ornate.
28:10It's located in the middle of town.
28:11It's a part of a bronze and stone sculpture of a woman gathering water.
28:15The water is very bubbly and has a high mineral taste than Twin Spring,
28:19making it stand out.
28:20It's also got a fair bit of history.
28:22It was drilled by the Stratton Foundation as a service to the town.
28:26Speaking of Twin Spring, it's easily the town favorite.
28:28Its water is sweet.
28:30So sweet, in fact, that locals use it to make lemonade.
28:33It is the most difficult to locate
28:34unless you know exactly what you're looking for,
28:37making it a real treat to discover.
28:39And last but not least, Iron Spring is the odd one out of the bunch.
28:42Located far from the others,
28:44its claim to fame is its high iron content.
28:47As such, it would often be part of the daily health regime
28:49for 19th century health seekers.
28:51If a tour around the Spring sounds interesting to you,
28:54I'd suggest giving this resort town a look.
28:56However, if you don't plan on staying overnight,
28:58get there early as parking here is limited.
29:01Thanks for watching, everyone.
29:03I'll see you next time.
29:05Thank you to our channel members.