An Oil Bath for Xmas…

Unbelievable story from the New York Times from a few days ago about oil spas in Azerbaijan.

According to the Times: “The petroleum spas of Naftalan in central Azerbaijan, one of the little-known but once popular vacation spots of the Soviet Union, are making an unlikely return in a country so awash in oil these days that people are swimming in it”.

“Here in Naftalan, visitors can bathe once a day in the local crude. They and doctors here say it relieves joint pain, cures psoriasis, calms nerves and beautifies skin — never mind that Western experts say it may cause cancer”.

According to the local doctor, apparently the local crude in Naftalan is “unusual” because it contains little natural gas or other lighter fractions of petroleum, and as a result is “safe”.

Each bath apparently uses about a barrel of crude. The resort has 80 rooms and 10 tubs, 5 for women, 5 for men. So if you fancy doing different for Xmas….