July 2019
Karlsbad
After the fall of the Iron Curtain there were two places in then Czechoslovakia I wanted to visit - Pilsen and Karlsbad. On trips to Munich I nagged MAP to make a trip to either place, but he refused - and rightly so! In the early days after the fall of the Soviet Union as the former Eastern Bloc shook off the vestiges of socialism people were poor and car theft (especially of rich Germans) visiting Czechoslovakia was a real concern. Finally, I just gave up on the idea.
Years later I was in Prague for a longish stay doing day trips in the Czech Republic and I decided finally to see Karlovy Vary. It was a long and tedious train ride from Prague. The last part of the journey was the best, through the Bohemian hills. The train stopped at a new railway station built on a hill overlooking the river and town. The view was idyllic. The city actually stretched along the Ohře River where all the hotsprings were located. The layout was reminiscent of an onsen town in Japan, except most of the buildings were from early 19th century Europe instead of the Meiji Era (around the same time actually). One thing was very clear - Karlovy Vary was dripping in cash.
The legend of the place is:
In 1325, Obora, a village in the today's city area, was mentioned. Karlovy Vary as a small spa settlement was founded most likely around 1349. According to a legend, Charles IV organized an expedition into the forests surrounding modern-day Karlovy Vary during a stay in Loket. It is said that his party once discovered a hot spring by accident, and thanks to the water from the spring, Charles IV healed his injured leg. On the site of a spring, he established a spa mentioned as in dem warmen Bade bey dem Elbogen in German, or Horké Lázně u Lokte (Hot Spas at the Loket). The location was subsequently named "Karlovy Vary" after the emperor. Charles IV granted the town privileges on 14 August 1370. Earlier settlements can also be found on the outskirts of today's city
(Wikipedia)
I followed the river upstream and passed by hotel after hotel and several public gardens. This was not a place for "common" people. Carlsbad was famous for its "colonnades" which were columned spaces with public access to the hotsprings. From ancient times humans were aware of the hotsprings, but in the modern era they became famous for their healing powers and people flocked to the town in droves. At its peak, Carlsbad was an elite German resort town complete with an opera house. After the division of Europe post World War II, Karlovy Vary became a resort for the communist party elite of Russia and other Eastern Block nations. No matter who was in control, Carlsbad/Karlsbad/Karlovy Vary attracted rich people. A walk along the main street following the river made that very obvious.
When I visited, Karlovy Vary was Russian. I mean, everyone was Russian - the signboards were all in Russian (and Czech) and the restaurants largely served (expensive) Russian food. I had to walk far out of the "spa area" into the more modern part of town to find a normal coffee shop for Czech people (which was fantastic). The running joke was that when the Czech President was getting "out of line", Putin called him and said "Now you wouldn't want us to have to come back and bomb Prague would you?" to which the Czech President reportedly retorted, "Go ahead. We only need bomb Karlovy Vary because that is where you all will be" Ouch!
Carlsbad was my first official spa town in Europe and it was a sight to see. Something of a time-machine, the buildings and the baths reminded me of a forgotten age. People's beliefs in the miraculous waters had changed (or had they?), but the need for luxury in a spa town seemed to transcend the ages. Karlovy Vary was not for me - I was not rich enough. In fact, a litmus test for someone very wealthy may well be if they ever spent time there. If someone responds affirmatively, it is highly likely they are wealthy. Not rich, WEALTHY.
I was satisfied with the spa town day trip and my little local coffee shop find for a caffeine fix. I hopped the train for the long ride back to Prague. I had checked one more city off my list of places I always wanted to visit.
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