Arising from the entrails of the earth,
just at the border of the stream
of
Cidacos river, we can find this gift of the nature,
where abundant water springs at a temperature of 52,5 ºC,
restored and made
suitable a few years ago by the City
Council
of Arnedillo.
The place is known popularly as ‘the spring
of the poor people’, because in front of it we can see the famous Bath
of Arnedillo (supposed to be the one ‘of the rich people'), well-known
by the Romans who started its use, where the ancient Roman road,
that linked Calagurris with Numantia, passed by. It’s not the moment to
speak about goodness ot the thermal baths, ot the waters or about healthy
properties ot mud, of personal attention, quality of lodging, the
calm place, the beautiful landscape around it, etc. Thousands of people
coming from all Spain, specially from the Vasque country and Navarre at
the front, followed by people of Zaragoza, Madrid, Barcelona, etc.
that come to the place again and again can give evidence of this. But
let me speak from my own experience: My father, when he was about
40 years old, suppose it was 1949, suffered from a ‘strange illness’,
(nobody was able to explain to me its diagnostics, may be rheum,
may be circulatory problems, who knows?) and the village doctor (province
of Burgos , about 150 Km. away), lacking of other resources
to help, decided to prescribe him - along with some other similar case
in the village - 15 days rehabilitation in the Baths of Arnedillo. This
was a holy remedy. My father came back from the baths and enlarged the
family up to 7 children (he had already 5). The first one of the two new
‘sprouts’ that came is the one is writing this story. My father
continued working hard in the fields as a farmer to brig up the large
family. He did not suffer ever since ‘strange diseases’ and he
died on the 29th May 1994, just when he was going
to be 85.
After this introduction, it’s better you see what my camera caught on a day of August 2004. The course of the river, the bath in the front, small wall of concrete and stones to separate cold and warm water, details of the people having a bath. This all is a living experience of relax, shared by thousands of clients, visitors and tourists who visit this beautiful Riojan place.
