Bathing In Crude Oil

While most people head to the spa for an indulgent massage, facial or pedicure, those in Naftalan, a city in Western Azerbaijan do things slightly differently.

This small town offers all sorts of unique spas, such as crude oil baths. Azerbaijan has tons of natural resources, such as underground gas and crude oil, giving the country the nickname The Land of Fire.

According to ancient records, people would bath in the oil as early as the 6th century. Under the Soviet Union, the treatment became popular once again, and is now embraced by Azerbaijans.

The people who were brave enough to give it a try describe it as similar to chocolate, believe it or not. Apparently, it makes a tingling sensation. The bath is warm, and does smell as strong as one would expect.

The treatment itself lasts for ten minutes, since any longer could be dangerous for the heart. It is followed by a cleaning process of 40 minutes that scrapes the crude oil off of the body.

A medical specialist in the area claims that it kills fungi, bacteria and viruses, and can cure 70 diseases. It is supposed to help skin and neurological disorders. The crude oil used in Naftalan is not the same as people use in their cars.

Not everyone agrees with the claims of the health benefits, and believe that it could cause cancer and other side effects. But on the other hand, where else in the world can you emerge yourself in a bath full of warm oil?

You may also like

World Record Cheese

The Italians have finally done it. They've lifted the barrier; they've ascended the transient plain; completely consumed by holy cheese insanity, they've shed their mortal shells and ascended into cheese eternity. Last July, Italy had at long last claimed what was theirs, and earned the bragging rights to the world's largest block of sheep's milk cheese. They became the proud parents of a 1,320-pound Pecorino monolith measuring 5.4 feet wide and 2 feet tall. This enormous feat begs the questio

A Short History of UFOs

Our obsession with strange, unrecognized celestial phenomena and their supposed connection to the extraterrestrial began in the years after the Second World War. It is often supposed that what sparked this interest was the sudden advancement of rocket technology and its theatrical disclosure to the public: First as an existential threat, and then as an opportunity to traverse space, to break the earthly barrier which had defined mankind up to the 20th century. In that sense, rocket technology be

Asia’s Exotic Fruits

The world is filled to the brim with weird, flamboyant fruit. In fact, there are so many fruits that most people probably won't even come close to trying half of them. The sheer amount of them is quite bewildering; how could mother nature even come up with these? Well, she did, and we decided to survey the most exotic fruits out there, starting with Asia, home of some of the most beloved, yet under-rated fruit on Earth.

Three Romantic Valentines Day Albums

Valentines Day is coming up, and what better way to materialize the romantic vibe in the air than to listen to some really romantic, sentimental, heartfelt music? This isn't only true for those of us lucky enough to celebrate this day of love with their significant others, but also for the ones like us who'll be riding this day out solo, lone-wolf style. So throw your tacky chocolate boxes out the window and make room for some feverish, wholehearted, tenderhearted, love-sick, and very much sick-

The Most Lucrative Leagues in the Sports Industry Outside the U.S.

People enjoy sports. That much is a given. It probably won't come as a surprise then when we say that the sports industry is huge. It may, however, come as a surprise to see just how big it really is: No matter how much we tell ourselves we know it, seeing the numbers in their raw form is sure to shock, even if just a bit. That's why we've compiled a brief list of some of the most profitable sports leagues outside of the U.S.

Top Stories