Karlovy Vary aka stomping grounds for the Russian Mob

Pictures: Me tasting the hot springs water, the saint mary madgalena church, the Grand Hotel Pupp (James Bond Hotel), downtown Karlovy Vary

This weekend, I went on an overnight trip provided by NYU to Karlovy Vary. It's a small spa town two hours west of Prague. It has natural hot springs running through the town, so it quickly became a popular spot for royalty and the wealthy. King Charles discovered the hot springs in the 14th century when he was there hunting. His dog fell in the water and started to yelp because it was so hot. The water supposedly has healing powers, so it quickly became a spot to see. We were told that it is a very big destination for the Russians, and supposedly the mafia would bring their families to vacation there.

We tasted the water coming out of 13 separate little springs. It has a very distinct, metallic taste. Not many people liked the taste of it. We were taken to the Becherovka Museum for a tour. It was very interesting, and I knew nothing about it before moving to Prague. It is the national drink right behind beer. The tour guide said most people do two little glasses a day. One in the morning to start your day off, and one right before bed. 

The tour was led by the professor who teaches the Czech architecture class, so it was very informative. The buildings are mostly from the Renaissance period. We were able to see the inside of the Church of Saint Mary Magdalena. It is more Baroque in style, and beautiful. We also saw the hotel from the movie Casino Royale where James Bond is at the casino. Grand Hotel Pupp.

The highlight was actually going to the spa. I got a 25 minute massage, which was wonderful except for the fact they had a Madonna playlist running. Not your typical spa music, that's for sure. I also did something called electroaerosol inhalation. You sit in a sauna type room, and the hot springs water is turned to steam and you sit for 15 minutes breathing it in. It's supposed to be good for your respiratory system.