Goodbye F! Hello Františkovy Lázně, Czech Republic

Mariánské Lázně view from my hotel window

Mariánské Lázně view from my balcony with sun

Left view from my balcony Mariánské Lázně

View from my balcony Mariánské Lázně

Right view from my bacloncy Mariánské Lázně

Forest Park Mariánské Lázně near spring water fountain

Mariánské Lázně Forest Park

Mariánské Lázně Forest Park stream with dense mineral buildup

I woke up early to the dawning sun and the promise of a bright, beautiful day which did not disappoint. It was glorious sunshine from morning until night and although very cold it was perfect for traveling the hour and half from Mariánské Lázně to Františkovy Lázně, a town in Cheb District of Karlovy Vary Region in the western Bohemia (Czech Republic), near the town of Cheb with about 5,200 inhabitants.

This is my last spa town stop and will be here for a week. I found an incredible deal online for the week including food, hotel and treatments and the hotel has a small pool and its sister hotel down the road has a sauna so it will be nice at the Praha Hotel and Spa. Františkovy Lázně is the smaller of the three largest spa towns in Western Boehmia and the three, Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně make up the Spa Triangle and each is easily reached from the other by either bus or train. Today I took the public bus to Cheb (about a 25 minute ride through the beautiful countryside) and then from there another public bus that went the whole 10 minutes from Cheb to Františkovy Lázně. It was so easy and stress-free and inexpensive (around $5.50 total.)

Goethe Statue in Františkovy Lázně park. Goethe clearly was in every Czech Spa town and he had a love for the spa world  - we are like two peas in a pod just separated by over 250 years. Perhaps I should read some of his works.

Františkovy Lázně fountain in colonnade

Františkovy Lázně is unlike either of the other two not only because it’s so small but also because there are no mountains or hills surrounding it. The town is basically a square with several parks in the middle of it. And unlike the other two as well this town is virtually in perfect condition. There are a few buildings in need of new paint and a fix up and one that I saw that needs a bit more repair but other than that it’s perfect and beautiful and quiet and completely noncommercial with virtually no shopping to be done and certainly no major store brands or chain stores anywhere in sight.

Massive Map on the wall of the information center

It’s gorgeous and simple and the buildings all look pretty much the same in a warm butter yellow but really just perfect for rest, walking and fresh air and yes, of course, the water cure. This water is a bit better than the last but has many of the same qualities.

Wooden sculpture in Park across from the Hotel Praha (my hotel)

František (after Emperor Francis) Statue

Františkovy Lázně is known for its medicinal purposes in relation to gynecological problems. I’m hoping a week here will make a huge difference in eliminating many of the awful symptoms of my endometriosis.  It’s also good I’m told for infertility treatments and in fact there is an adorable bronze statue in the park near the main town square that you must go and rub and it will bring you good luck in getting pregnant. I did rub his nose and other parts of his little body that were well worn from others wishful thinking but I wasn't sure if this will help in procuring the baby daddy as well. I mean a baby is great but a baby daddy is pretty essential. I don’t think there is a spa town for the hopelessly single or at least not in the Czech Republic. The statue’s name is František (after Emperor Francis) and he is said to have miraculous powers. Locals believe that if a woman touches his statue in a certain place (yes, you are thinking of the correct place,) she is guaranteed to become pregnant.

František Spring interior

Not far from the well-known statue you can drink from the František Spring which is housed in a lovely small glass pavilion with yellow curtains and tables and chairs to relax and enjoy your water. I’m pretty sure this is the drinking fountain for the wannabe mommy’s since it’s so elegant with many female touches and the others are more bland and utilitarian.

František Spring Pavilion exterior

AquaForum Building

I walked for about 2 and a half hours today which was fantastic even in the cold since the sun shone so beautifully and in the late afternoon before dinner I went to the public spa, AquaForum for two hours which is a newly built (2005) large building with a grand, warm swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna, children’s pool and semi-warm outdoor pool. I enjoyed much of my time inside relaxing near one of the many massaging jets and bubbling water beds. There is even a titled cave where you can sit surrounding by bubbles. I tired the outdoor pool for only about 5 minutes because the water just wasn't warm enough and my head as getting cold since my hair was all wet and the wind was blowing.

Františkovy Lázně caters predominately to German guests so it’s exceptionally clean and orderly here and oddly quiet even when there are lots of people walking by you. It’s really a lovely place and I can see why several Czech people in Karlovy Vary like the massage therapist Lenka spoke so highly of the place. There are a good number of Czech guests as well but I’m not sure they drink the water. I met one Czech business man in the whirlpool and he said no on the water and no on the treatments he just comes to relax. To each his own!

Church of Holy Cross Exaltation

St. Olga Orthodox Cathedral.

So glad I decided last minute to come and spend a week here, I think it will the perfect end to a visit to the Czech Republic and to my health and well and weight loss goals and fingers are crossed that it will also do wonders in elevating those pesky and painful endometriosis issues.

And at the moment, as I type I am in the lounge in the lobby of the hotel as wifi doesn't reach the rooms and a Germany family who were playing cards and Skyping with a friend and holding up their bottle of wine to show how it was from California have just left and a Czech gentlemen came in and is watching a Czech soap opera on the large screen TV and he really seems to be enjoying himself.

“Františkovy Lázně is world renowned as a spa. The salutary effects of the springs were known from the 15th century on. First, the water was used locally for salutary purposes, later sold all over Germany. In 1700, it reportedly sold more water than all other German spas combined. In the year 1793, the town was officially founded under the name Kaiser Franzensdorf (Emperor Francis II's village) and later renamed to Franzensbad, under which name it became a famous spa.

Until their expulsion in 1945 the majority of the population of the city was German (see Sudetenland).

It was the first peat pulp bath in the world and operated 24 mineral springs, 12 of which are still in operation.

The local natural mineral water has a relatively high content of dissolved carbon dioxide. The effects of the carbonic baths are shown in the better performance of the cardiovascular system, in the mild decrease of blood pressure in the pulse, in the lower occurrence of chronic inflammatory processes in the body, and also in terms of rheumatics, and in the improved blood circulation in tissues and the vegetative stabilization.

The local mud treatments represent a traditional curative method which has thermal, chemical and mechanical effects. The mud treatment consists of a thick mushy combination of mud and mineral water which is heated up to a temperature which is significantly higher than body temperature. The treatment has a positive effect on mobility of muscles and the pain in treated tissues.”