Where oh where Wednesday - Spa

Around the world people who speak English will talk about going to the spa. This could mean a day at a place where you can luxuriate in pools and hot waters and in, well, spa’s, while also getting a massage and/or beauty treatments of all kinds. But that word comes from a real place, a city called Spa. 

In Roman times the area of the town of Spa was known as ‘Aquae spadanae’. In medieval times drinking from a spring with iron-bearing water was thought to help some illnesses. The Walloon-French word for fountain was ‘espa’. But this Roman custom became popular everywhere and the word 'spa' took on a general meaning. 

The town itself has hosted noblemen in the 16th century who opposed King Philip II as well as the exiled pretender to the English throne, Prince Charles in the 17th century. There has been a casino there since the 18th century. In 1918 the German army established its headquarters there from where they finally signed the armistice ending World War I. 

It is still a town full of tourists coming to take the waters or play at the casino, and is Now it is also known for the formula 1 race at Spa-Francorchamps. For us Spa is the nearest town to our Bible camp. This is where we go for a day outing with the kids, where the swimming pool is and where we do our grocery shopping. There is a factory where the mineral water is bottled and a putt-putt golf course to take the kids to. The floods in the summer of 2021 raced straight through the downtown of Spa, but things have since been restored to their normal situation.