There are old traditions in the Balneological Health Resorts or SPA Resorts all over the world use mineral water. Very popular are mineral water drinking cures. Especially strong traditions in this medical field are in Europe. Resorts are not only healing springs, thermal water, spa hotels, rehabilitation centers or other infrastructure but also resort traditions, events, special goods, souvenirs etc.
In 19th century for mineral water drinking was designed special form tight glasses and cups with hole in loop for siping. Some doctor explained that slow, dozen drinking is more effective because diffusion of mineral water starts in a mouth. Another explanation is created probably by dentists. As concentration of chemical elements is high special form of cup loop forward water to throat escape teeth. But more believable is explanation that such form of cup is useful to walk around and drink the healing water. Such special cups sometime glasses have been made from different materials (stone, glass, china etc), in different forms and shapes and the geography of cups are wide from
Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) in Czech Republic till
Essentuki (Caucasus, Russia). Interesting examples are from Germany, Finland, England, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, etc. The oldest cups in collection are from beginning of XX century and in some resorts such spa cups are widely used until now days.
In my collection are more than 800 different cups traveling as an exhibition. The first time collection was exposed 2005 in Jurmala City Museum ( Latvia). Later it was exposed in
Baldone,
Liepaja,
Cesis,
Kandava,
Krimulda,
Slutiski Old Believers farm,
Lutrini parish library, rehabilitation center "
Jaunkemeri" , SPA hotel "
Pegasa pils". Also in
Druskininkai ( Lithuania) municipal museum and SPA hotel "
Vilnius SPA" and
Parnu ( Estonia). German Health Resorts hosted exhibition -
Bad Schwalbach,
Bad Shmiedeberg,
Bad Doberan,
Bad Salzuflen ,
Bad Rappenau. In Russia
Hilovo and
Sestroreck Health Resorts.