Mariánské Lázně, Czech Republic

On our drive toward the Czech Republic we saw Zweibelzopf for sale at a roadside stand. They are a decoration made of braided onions, and have been around for centuries, linked to the Onion festival in Weimar every October, and hung in homes to repel illnesses. I thought they were quite beautiful, and if I could have gotten one home in one piece, I would have brought one for Ed's mom. 

We had one night to kill before we could check into our room in Prague, so we opted for a picturesque Czech spa town that saw its heyday in the late 19th century. Obviously created and cultivated for the wealthy who wanted to escape the cities for fresh air and thermal baths, it is today much more touristy, but still caters to a wealthy, though more aged, clientele. The architecture has been well-preserved and perpetuated, and I think the majority of the town is hotels. But we hit the perfect time to visit--the fall colors were at their absolute height, and exploring the valleys and hills of the town took my breath away.

A view across the town.

One of many hotels, and this wasn't one of the more beautiful ones All of them are in the art nouveau style. 

The city park.

One of the more common street performances we have seen in the Czech Republic consists of a musician, with full electronic back-up, with a display of his (they have all been men) CDs for sale. We had to laugh because this particular style of music seemed to perfectly match the town's target tourist: older, female, the Czech version of a Lawrence Welk watcher, perhaps?

Called the Laska Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this was built in 1909 by the local theatre director to honor his deceased mother. As you drive along the country road on the outskirts of town, you can just see it peeking through the trees on the side of a hill. I took time to walk up there, then continued on the paved but well-concealed trails through the trees and found a restaurant, a tennis court, and public bathrooms. I could just imagine writers and thinkers of the 19th century coming to Bohemia to try to heal from TB, or big city smells and pollution, being wheeled around in their chairs by their nurses, taking turns around the park with pretty young ladies. 

We stayed one night in a much less lovely part of town, in an extremely basic house; no ultra-fancy hotel for us. The next morning we tried a ropes course (the high course was closed, but the kids could run around on the low course) and The BoheMINIum. Similar to Madurodam in the Hague, this was a collection of miniature (1:25) landmarks from throughout the Czech Republic. I have learned that Bohemia refers to the west and north parts of the republic, while the south and east was Moravia. I liked this place better than Madurodam--the setting was much prettier and everything was nicely spread out. We unfortunately had to leave after 45 minutes to get our apartment in Prague, just after the kids discovered the playground WITH BIKES. There was some kicking and screaming. 

The ropes course. I love the Fall!

                                

This was my favorite miniature at the Boheminium. Called Zdar nad Sazavou, this pilgrimage chapel was built by Czech architect Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel in 1722 to celebrate St. John of Nepomucky. When St. John died, a five-pointed crown appeared in the spot where he drowned, and thus Santini-Aichel used the five-pointed star as the motif for his architecture. I had hoped to get there for a day, but it unfortunately closes to the public in October, and I would have to schedule a private tour. The kids would never behave for a whole tour. Oh well. Something for next time.

I have to share one story. When we arrived at the ropes course it was fairly deserted. Being a chilly and wet morning, there was almost no one around. The course was owned by a resort that also had thermal baths and a large set of tennis courts. I found my way around to the office, and, as I had been doing all the way around the building, I peered into the windows to see if I had the right place. There were definitely people inside--two people who happened to be making out. I quickly backed away, opened the door with my head down, and wiped my shoes carefully to give them time to regroup and get presentable. I had a hard time keeping my cool, though, because when I got inside I realized that the two people were the boss (a 50 year old graying man) and his employee (a beautiful young girl about 20). I was shocked, but tried to keep my cool. The girls was blushing a little and a bit giggly, but a tried to pretend I knew nothing. But that moment has stayed with me for weeks. How limited must a beautiful, athletic, intelligent young girl's options be for her to have an affair with her boss? Sad and Yuck. Ed says it's because we are closer to Eastern Europe, and maybe that's true. But maybe not. Maybe he's a great guy. Maybe not.