"Spa, the original place where mineral... " a Spa Travel Page by Pavlik_NL

Spa, in various languages it has become synonime for "mineral water" or a place where one goes to cure (with bathing therapy and drinking healthy cleaning waters). Here in the Belgian Ardennes it is situated, the town of "Spa" that has won it's fame over the whole world in a centuries long "mondain"ness being attracting the wealthy, famous and rich to it's bathinghouses and sources. Royalty, millionaires, actors, musicians, painters, scientists and excentric persons ... they all came for a taste of "Spa".

Spa-water is bottled and shipped all over the world. The mineral water is, especially in Europe, one of the topbrands with a considerate market-share. This exported water is mostly from the source of Marie-Henriette. Source, though a very French word, is however not used here in Spa. A typical Wallonian word "Pouhon" means "well / source is visible on the maps and roadsigns. Two of these "Pouhons" are downtown, the others are in the surrounding forests of Spa. The "route the sources" connects them all together, for those who have incredable thirst.

Most shocking to see is how the present inhabitants of Spa have taken the tendensy of doing these things the "French" way (the maintaining their inheritance). Most buildings are poorly restored or even not at all (plaster falling off the sides, paint disappearing, leaking roofguthers and cracks in walls and wood everywhere). The streets are dirty and there's chaotic traffic (also beacuse roadsigns are ignorantly placed on invisible spots and even the park is like a garbage-belt. On top of that are the citizens relatively quite rude and annoying (doesn't count for the tourist information where I was perfectly helped). But guys that think it's funny to wave hands in front of a photographer and shouting nitwits in the trafficjams are not my favourit kind of human lifeforms.

This town with it's great history should be a privilige to live in and keep it up shape. The environment is so natural that it should have a positive impact on the residents here.
I was really shocked to see how it all is looking now-a-days and maybe it needs a German / Dutch hand to restore order, beauty and discipline (at least that's my thought immediately to at least create a positive tickle towards the Wallonians). Let's hope that the city and district governement acts, before a world-geritage-site is completely ruined.