Polish envoy offers Boryeong leaders tips to expand mud festival

Ambassador Krzysztof Majka of the Republic of Poland in Seoul hosted a luncheon at the Seoul Club near Hotel Shilla on March 29, 2016 in honor of the leaders of the Boryeong City. The luncheon was attended by Vice Mayor Lee Sang-yeong of the Boyreong City on behalf of the mayor with other leading members of the City and Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post media.
The occasion, among other things, stood out in the fact that it provided both Poland the Korea, Boryeong in particular, with an opportunity to exchange valuable information interesting to both Korea and Poland?in the development and promotion tourist assets.

The Boryeong City has a major tourist promotion event named Boryeong Mud Festival which is held in July every year.
Ambassador Majka suggested that the event could be substantially expanded based on similar events taking place in Poland.
For The Korea Post, it was a rare occasion to introduce the tours that it arranged playing the role of a bridge between the hosting local governments and the invited ambassadors and other senior members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps.
Ambassador Majka introduced similar events in Poland to the Boryeong Mud Festival and offered many interesting ideas for further promoting the Boreyong Mud Festival and expanding the scale of the event such as inducing the participaants in the mud festival to take part in spa events.
“From the distinctly fresh air found in most areas of Poland to the mineral-rich ground and sea,” said Ambassador Majka, “everything comes together to create a relaxing and healing environment that will leave you feeling refreshed and, for this reason, Poland has been at the forefront of natural beauty and health treatments since the 13th century.” (See excerpts from his introduction of Polish spas at the end of this article.)

Poland: For Health and Beauty
Many Americans return from European vacations exhausted and in need of yet another vacation just to recover their energy. However, there is one place in Europe that you can leave looking and feeling even better and more energized than when you arrived: Poland. Poland’s popularity as a spa destination is longstanding and steadily growing. The spas here are a far cry from a typical resort spa where you might get a good massage and a manicure. Poland’s spas are world class medical facilities that utilize the curative powers of local natural resources.
If you’re not a spa industry insider, you might not be aware of Poland’s excellent reputation when it comes to health and beauty tourism. However, the country’s unique combination of natural resources make it an ideal location for rejuvenating the mind and spirit. From the distinctly fresh air found in most areas of the country to the mineral-rich ground and sea, everything comes together to create a relaxing and healing environment that will leave you feeling refreshed. For this reason, Poland has been at the forefront of natural beauty and health treatments since the 13th century.
Health and beauty tourism is a huge subset of the Polish tourism industry and as such, more than 40 resorts and sanatoriums throughout the country are created specifically for this purpose. Most of these establishments offer packages that include boarding in the hotel, spa treatments, and medical supervision as well as outdoor recreation such as swimming and horseback riding. They are usually located in tranquil, idyllic settings that offer visitors the true escape they are seeking. Guests are truly able to disconnect and let their troubles melt away as experts work on improving their body, spirit, and appearance.
In the past, visitors turned to spas in Poland to cure medical ailments, often on the advice of their doctors. These days, the spas in Poland are also a big draw for stressed out individuals who just need some time away and a bit of pampering. Regardless of motive, all guests experience both physical and mental benefits from escaping to Poland’s spas.

Healing Waters Restore and Relax
Poland’s location on the Baltic Sea gives its spas direct access to the clean waters of a sea that has one of the lowest salt contents in the world. The abundance of natural springs, wells, and geothermal waters makes it a natural choice for restoring health and good spirits.
Many of Poland’s health spas are equipped with a comprehensive team of professionals to ensure you are receiving safe and effective treatments. When visiting a spa in Poland, you can benefit from the expertise of doctors, dieticians, beauticians, and other trained professionals that the various centers have on staff.

Poland’s Health Spas Are Everywhere
Anyone visiting Poland can enjoy the country’s many treatment centers. If you are going to a bigger city like Warsaw or Krakow for business, you can still enjoy a taste of Poland’s spas. Many hotels offer at least a few treatments using the famed local resources. Just twelve miles outside of Warsaw, you can find Konstancin, a spa with a healing microclimate set in the forest. Krynica-Zdroj in Southern Poland is the country’s biggest spa town and has earned the nickname “The Pearl of Polish Spas”. Naleczow has a special microclimate suited for heart disease sufferers. Whatever ailment you are looking to cure, Poland is sure to have a center specially equipped to deal with the problem.

Marvelous Minerals form the Basis of Poland’s Unique Spa Treatments
Ciechocinek, on the Vistula River, is the location of the famous saline graduation towers which are reputed to improve respiratory and cardiovascular issues, among others. Cryotherapy is offered in Szczecin at Baltica Spa & Wellness, where you enter a chamber set to an extremely cold temperature in order to boost the immune system. Natural underground salt caves such as those found in Wielieczka, near Krakow, provide an iodized atmosphere that is said to have a profound effect on respiratory and thyroid issues.
Therapeutic mud from Poland is considered top of the line and is used in making premium cosmetics throughout the world. Nearly every spa in the country offers treatments made with local therapeutic mud. Oxygen bars, selenium water, and detoxification are just a few of the other options available throughout the country.
Whether you have a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks, you will be able to find a program that meets your needs. You can plan an entire spa vacation in Poland or go there to unwind for a few days at the end of a whirlwind vacation touring bigger cities in other parts of Poland or Europe. If you want to look and feel great, Poland is the place to go.
Peloid
Peloid is mud, or clay used therapeutically, as part of balneotherapy, or therapeutic bathing. Peloids consist of humus and minerals formed over many years by geological and biological, chemical and physical processes. Numerous peloids are available today, of which the most popular are peat pulps, various medicinal clays, mined in various locations around the world, and a variety of plant substances. Also, health spas often use locally available lake and sea muds and clays. Peloid procedures are also various; the most common of them are peloid wraps, peloid baths, and peloid packs applied locally to the part of the body, which is being treated.
Peloid treatments have been used for rheumatic disorders, osteoarthritis, gynecological disorders, sciatica, skin diseases, trauma and many more various afflictions and ailments. Peloids are widely used in cosmetology. They are applied as face masks. Applying peloid masks once a week helps to revitalize the skin, tighten it and bind fluids in the skin layers. Regular use of peloids cause wrinkles to disappear and prevents new wrinkles from appearing.
Peloid rechabilitation centers are located in the northern part of Poland, especially in Szczecin as well as Sopot.

List of the most popular Polish Spa destinations
Krynica: It is the best-known spa town in Poland, two hours south of Krakow in the Carpathian Mountains. In addition to its stunning wood and brick architecture, the spa has one of Europe's most beautiful pump rooms with an indoor promenade, winter garden and theater complex. Treatments are available for maladies such as diabetes and blood diseases, while the Eris Spa, connected to Eris cosmetics, features a pool, sauna and fitness center. Naleczow: It is in southern Poland, is a spa town catering to coronary disorders. Located in a 50-acre Spa Park are five sanatoriums, including one specializing in cardiology; the Malachowki Palace is the most popular spa treatments facility. Cultural attractions include an annual carnival of folk traditions (January) and the International Piano Festival (August).Locator: 20 miles from Lublin
Ciechocinek: South of Torun in central Poland, is a region of pine forests and meadows; the spa attracts guests with respiratory, rheumatic or cardiovascular ailments. The spa dates to the 19th century when rich thermal brine springs were discovered.Locator: 120 miles northwest of Warsaw
Polanica: lies in the Bystrzyca River Valley, surrounded by forested mountain slopes and flowering park landscapes. The qualities of the spa's mineral springs have drawn spa-goers here for therapeutic treatments since the 19th century. Treatment specialties are circulatory and digestive system disorders.
Duszniki Zdroj: Started in the 18th century, the health resort lies in the picturesque Bystrzyca Dusznicka Valley and is known not only for its healing-power waters but its cultural life, including an August Chopin festival.
Kudowa Zdroj: In the Sudety Mountains, known for its mineral springs since the 17th century. Boasting Lower Silesia's largest sanatorium and pump room, other facilities in the health resort include a running track, a pool, tennis court, fitness center, and an enormous room of drinking and bathing water.