An hour and a half away by car northwest of Guangzhou is the township of Conghua which is renown throughout China has having amazing hot springs. I went this past weekend with friends and was stunned to swim in clean natural water and breathe clean air from blue skies. it didn't seem possible to me that this much unspoilt nature could be so close to such a polluted city, but I have been fooled. The most amazing thing from the weekend-apart from driving a jeep, wading like an octagenerian for several hours through a pool, eating snails, and drinking rum with chinese herbal tea was having a clear head. I could actually sense that I was changing the air in my head-and I could think more acutely as a result! 3 days until the Olympics!