Heaven? You'll find it in west-central Mexico

Rio Caliente means "hot river" in Spanish, and in the cool of an early January morning, you don't even need to dip a toe to understand how this river got that name. Steam rises from the hot-spring water rushing over the rocky riverbed, vanishing into the trees of the Primavera Forest here in the mountains of west-central Mexico. The gurgling water makes its own soft music, with rustling leaves and an ensemble of bird calls as accompanists.

By Terri Colby

March 1, 2009