The Czech Republic 2008

THE CZECH REPUBLIC - THE SPA TOWNS
We decided that in the time available it would not be possible to visit all the regions of the Czech Republic so we concentrated on the western side - Bohemia. At the western border are three famous spa towns mostly developed in the 19th Century. Mariánské Lázne(Marienbad), Frantiskovy Lázne and the largest Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) were quite different each with distinct characteristics.
We bought a 7 day motorway vignette at the border for €9.36 before stopping briefly in Cheb (Eger in German) where we walked around the attractive town main square and changed some of our Euros to Czech Crowns (although Euros are widely accepted in the major tourist areas). The town outskirts were as we expected with many blocks of flats and industrial areas but the first campsite we stayed at, Camping Václav, was pleasantly situated in the countryside on Lake Jesenice a few kilometres to the south.
Cheb main square	Cheb - Spalicek old house
After a lazy day with no driving and catching up with some of the chores we visited Marianske Lazne about 35km south. The main attraction was the ornate Colonnade and spa wells set in gardens surrounded by majestic hotels. We managed to see the dancing fountain which performs every two hours to a selection of music. Taking the mineral waters for various disorders is still an important activity and most people wandering around were sipping from their "bechers" with spouts to prevent discolouring the teeth.	Hhmm - using a Becher
Mariánské Lázne	Colonnade
Mariánské Lázne fountain	singing fountain
We took a circuitous route to look at some of the small villages with uninspiring (to us anyway) traditional "Chod" houses then headed back to Cheb, diverting just past an amazingly conspicuous mobile phone mast to a folk museum with more interesting old houses at Doubrava. Unfortunately the back road to the campsite was closed so we had another long diversion passing a huge Vietnamese Dragon market, a feature of many of the towns near the Czech borders, selling the most amazing garden ornaments and other tat!
Doubrava - traditional houses	Typical mobile phone mast
The next morning we stopped at the large Tesco supermarket in Cheb to replenish our stores The shop had a mix of Czech and UK products although the food items were cheaper than at home. We drove the short distance to Frantiskovy Lazne, a smaller and quieter spa town. In fact it was virtually deserted. Having found free parking in a smart back street, a stroll around the gardens led us to the Franz statue of a small boy holding a large fish reputed to help with fertility once his (well polished) vital parts, and the fish, have been stroked! There are many classical style buildings and a Russian Orthodox church near the town centre.	Franz Statue Frantiskovy Lazne
Frantiskovy Lazne gardens	St Olga orthodox church
Narodni trida (main street)	colonnade and statues
Continuing our travels we drove along more minor roads to the nature reserve at Soos (not well signposted) where there are salt mud flats unique in mainland Europe, with bubbling gaseous wells, luckily emitting carbon dioxide so not smelly (and many vicious flies). There is also a small museum with many stuffed animals and geological displays (in Czech and German).
Gaseous well at Soos	Soos mudflats
From there we took the back roads to Sokolov, a large industrial town surrounded by quarries, then on the busy main road to the largest of the spa towns, Karlovy Vary. After a couple of circuits through the centre - not recommended in a motorhome, we found a road out to the south west past the massive ornate Hotel Pupp heading for a mini-campsite listed in the guides but now closed, and spotted a Caravanning banner which led us a hotel garden. Luckily when we booked in we were helped by a very pleasant Dutch couple, who spoke excellent English and German, touring in an immaculately maintained Autohomes Leyland Sherpa motorhome, who had arrived at the same time. After a few delays we were parked on the grass next to a smelly drain (until we moved over a few yards). We were then offered a sample of the local Becherov liqueur - surely an acquired taste (more akin to alcoholic mouthwash to my palate!).
Karlovy Vary - taking the waters	Karlovy Vary mineral well
We drove the short distance to coach park and ride the next morning which cost 75CZK (3€) for three hours with free bus to the town centre, and had a look around the spas and wells, the heavily mineral encrusted spouts not looking inviting enough for us to partake of the waters. Karlovy Vary is far more touristy than the other towns, with a mix of grand and ornate, scruffy, and incongruous modern buildings often with large advertising banners. As always we found ourselves wandering around the back streets away from the crowds, and came across another beautifully decorated Russian orthodox church and some severe Communist era statues. We treated ourselves to a box of Kolonada wafer biscuits on sale everywhere before walking back past the Hotel Pupp through a leafy garden to the coach park.	Russian Orthodox church
Thermal sanatorium with Becherov advert market colonnade	Communist era statue
Thermal sanatorium with Becherov advert market colonnade	waiting for customers
Hotel Romance	Hotel Pupp
We headed south on back roads through a couple of ordinary towns then across country to Loket, a gem of a small town with an impressive castle above the river. Parking in the free carpark just over the river bridge to the west of the town we walked up through the pretty cobbled streets to the castle grounds but as it was getting late in the afternoon the castle was closed. We returned to the van and eventually found a small rustic campsite to the north-east of the town by the river along a rough narrow track, marked on the map but not signposted. There was one other VW camper and many youngsters with tents and canoes. The facilities were only basic, but with a bar and snacks available in a wooden shack we could hardly complain about the €3 overnight fee!
Loket castle	Loket main square

The next morning was damp again so we decided to head towards Prague. We drove along mostly empty and poorly surfaced minor roads passing through large areas of uncultivated meadows to Bochov where we joined the main road towards Prague, but turned off through wooded countryside with deep gorges to Beroun with its ceramics factories and across where we got lost (the signposting of B roads is a bit hit and miss) and after negotiating the usual long diversions due to closed roads we reached Karlstejn.
<< Germany - Harz and Thuringia	Around Prague >>