Do you want to visit a real-life fountain of youth? Then you might want to visit the Pitch Lake in Trinidad, the largest asphalt lake in the world.
This place may not look like the fountain of youth you have in your head, but thousands of tourists visit this place annually for the lake's apparent therapeutic properties. Because of its high sulfur content, visitors often go to the lake and wade in its waters to have beautiful, young skin and cure some varying diseases.
The whole surface of the lake looks like dark, gray clay, and you'll find that the lake seems to be alive somewhat because of the burping and hissing sounds visitors often hear when they step on its surface. Mining of its asphalt contents started in 1867, and since then millions of tons of tar and asphalt have been extracted, with the current supply said to last for the next 400 years!
The locals residing near the lake believes that the whole lake was a punishment of their God because a certain tribe who lived there eats hummingbirds, which is a sacred bird to the Amerindians. Their God apparently made the lake swallowed the village tribe whole and as a result the Pitch lake is formed.
Because of its immense deposit of asphalt, the international market mostly gets their supply at Pitch Lake, which they use for the construction of their roads and highways and airport runways. Asphalt refineries are located near the lake.
The whole surface of the lake measures 250 feet deep, and covers an expanse of 100 acres. Although most parts of the lake are safe to walk on, some parts have the tendency to swallow objects like quicksand.
Tourists are advised to visit during the rainy season, where sulfur-rich pools of water form. For 30 dollars, you can gain access to this naturally-made wonder, and see for yourself the healing properties the lake is famous for.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
