Happy New Year! As we continued our journey across the Czech Republuc on the first day of the new year, we had the time to reflect upon how blessed we had been over the past decade to share all these adventures with the family. The physical limitations of our parents reminded us never to take anything for granted, including time. YOLO!
Our destination today was the very pretty spa town of Karlovy Vary, a mere 20km from the German border. We had a mission, to try the thermal waters of all 14 sources in the town. We were all a little perplexed as to why there was a preference to drink rather than be IN the water...but oh well, when in Rome! The classy tourists would purchase a special cup designed to cool the waters prior to consumption. The cheap tourists, like us, used disposable espresso cups obtained from a petrol station prior to entering the township. The visitors to Karlovy Vary would consult a spa doctor and be prescribed a regimen of specific spa water to drink as well as massage therapy. Only very few had "walk up" type spas where one could just soak without a "prescription". The medics in us were a bit indignant that we couldn't self-prescibe. Bah! Apparently you can get a hot chocolate massage and a beer spa. We opted for a bit of exercise instead and climbed to the top of the observation tower (go NY resolutions!) then stuffed ourselves with Chinese food as a reward.
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| Spot the communist building... |
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| In that said building which houses the hottest geyser |
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| This spring comes in three temperatures. The coolder the water, the worse the taste! |
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| Cheers! With our cheap espresso cups... |
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| The geyser had to be diverted to the river to help stop ice formation on the surrounding pavements from water melting then freezing |
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| Nicknamed cupcake town because of the highly ornamented buildings |
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| Time for Italian! Lunch time |
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| I never throught it could be so satisfying to have pasta |
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| Going up to Diana Tower |
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| Majestic views at the top with Germancy behind us |
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| The town is just visible under the fog |
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| Pupp Hotel, where Casino Royale was filmed |
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| Karlovy Museum, a small but good museum outlining the history and nature of the area |
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| Karlovy Vary was visited by Tsar Peter the great. This was used for shooting target practice |
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| The hand of power! Well I actually don't remember what it was but the Mayor held it |
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| Channeling our inner japanese |
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| While we're at it... |
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| A very content Elliot at the toddler section |
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| So much nicer with less people |
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| One of the colonnades housing the thermal spring water |
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| By this stage, half the group had lost their disposable cups |
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| Spring no 2 |
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| Looks nice, the taste is dubious |
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| When one has no cup, one has to be resourceful |
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| Mill Colonnade, one of the symbols of Karlovy vary |
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| Yay for Opa asking for the "Chinese" menu and ordering us a feast! |
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