The Ore Mountain Forests and Karlovy Vary
On Saturday, June 14, we packed into a van - considerably smaller than that bright yellow tour bus, might I add - and headed over the Cambisols (fertile agricultural soils) toward the Ore Mountains, northwest of Prague. Dean Podrazsky lead us on a hike through the forests to see damages to the trees caused by air pollution and past poor management. It was refreshing to be back in the woods again!
After our hour and half hike, we piled back into the van and, to tease us, drove within spitting distance of Germany. We passed through the infamous coal mines, gaping at the kilometers-wide, hundreds-of-meters-deep pits, simultaneously awed at the human power to move earth and mountain and reflective of the ecological damage this must have caused. But, on a brighter note, we also saw restoration efforts in progress.
The final major stop of the day was Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), colorful, high class, seated among beautiful mountain forests, king of the spa towns. Our group dispersed in all directions, with fingers crossed that everyone would find their way back to meet the van at 5 o'clock.... Karlovy Vary offers the curious visitor a challenge as he or she explores the city: to drink from all twelve mineral springs. More pleasantly said than done; the spring water is hot and very noticeably charged with sulfur and iron... and Caity even insists, a hint of ham. But it's supposedly healthy. The fountains out of which the famous spring water trickled were situated in both modern and ancient colanades. The surrounding forest trails offered views of Karlovy Vary -- and good exercise. It was a day well spent and enjoyed.