A Czech Spa Town

Today, I redesigned my blog to have a cleaner, more accessible appearance. I hope you like it. One of the reasons I did so was to include more photos as part of the blog. If you look in the upper right hand corner, you'll see a pic of Lake Bled, former home to Arnold Rikli, a Swiss naturopath who had a sanatarium on the banks of the lake. Click through and you'll see some more photos of one of Europe's most scenic places.

In addition to the time I spent at Lake Bled, I also visited Márianské Lázně, a small spa town in the Czech Republic, built around a series of mineral-rich natural springs and nestled into a small valley. Once frequented by such celebrities as Frédéric Chopin, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Thomas Edison and Richard Wagner, not to mention King Edward VIII, Czar Nicholas II, and Emperor Franz Joseph I, there are still many hotels there which offer restorative spa treatments.

It was a cloudy day when I visited this little town, but that almost added to the nurturing atmosphere. Hope you enjoy these pics as well:

There are a many, many spa towns throughout the Czech Republic, and you may be wondering why the Czechs are so active in taking care of their health. Well, here's why: 

Delicious? Hearty? Satisfying? Soul-replenishing? Yes, it's all of those, but let's just say... it sticks to the ribs. Thank god for exercise!