More Hot Springs

The sign hangs over a little store close to our campground where we stopped and asked for directions.

Lake Hamilton is a very large lake with lots of developments around it and is very popular with water enthusiasts. I think I've finally found where I'd like to live, Arkansas.

We visited Dryden Pottery where we saw these two little figures, I thought they were a good likeness to Boyd and me.

The mountain scene is typical of most anywhere around here, just lovely.

This Mountain Tower is part of the Hot Springs National Park. We drove up and enjoyed the scenery.

Crystal Springs CG and Lake Ouachita, AR

Crystal Springs CG, I'm sorry to say, is disappointing for a COE (Corps of Engineers)campground. The sites are mostly very unlevel due to (according to the camp host) being lakeside. Our passenger side rear wheel is almost 4 inches off the ground. There is no privacy between sites either. They have tall grass which is full of chiggers and the restroom, forget it! I won't go in there, I'll wash my hair under the hose first.

It's on an absolutely beautiful lake though which makes up for a lot of undesirable features. I'm so thankful to be in a self contained vehicle. There is a lot of traffic, as one leaves, another pulls in and it's been fun watching the fifth wheels struggle to back in tight unlevel sites.

We haven't seen deer yet but Snoopy and I heard them snorting in the woods on a late evening walk.

We've taken pictures of the lake from several different areas but it is very hazy this week, I hope you enjoy them anyway.

A Bath House and Downtown Hot Springs

When reservations were made many months ago I didn't realize how close to the Hot Springs National Park we would be, I just wanted to visit another of their fabulous lakes. What a great surprise this turned out to be. The last time we were here was just to drive by since we were tent camping with two Doberman Pinchers and it was just too hot for them. Well it's hot, 95-99 but since the humidity isn't like Florida, it's quite bearable plus there is a breeze.

We drove through town and got our bearings, stocked up on supplies and took care of business the first day. Then one morning we drove into town and walked all over like the other 5,000 tourists. We happened to step into one of the bath houses, The Fordyce, just as the Nat'l Park Service guide was starting a tour and it was very interesting. The photos are not the Quapaw except for the outside shots. Some of the rooms looked like torture chambers, tons of valves and faucets to control flow and temp, one room was even equipped with what looked like fire hoses that they used on "clients" backsides. The Quapaw has reopened to the public just this week though.

A row of Bath Houses were built for the "elite"and were extremely elegant. Walls of veined Italian marble, beautiful mosaiced tile floors and staircases of pink marble. Lots of stained glass, bathroom fixtures of solid nickel and mahogany stained birch dressing rooms were common. There were cage like showers that gave "needle showers". I don't even want to imagine that! There was even one bath that you could relax in while electric currents were added, I guess you wouldn't need a perm after that! A table next to the electric bath was porcelain and was used to wash off crystals from the "salt glow treatment". This table was actually what an embalmer would have used. Thanks, but no thanks.

After 30 minutes in a sun-ray cabinet, which was a cabinet lined with light bulbs, they stuck you in the frigid cabinet which had a block of ice under the seat. Shrinkage anyone?

Up on the second floor was the "Chiropody" room where your bunions, corns, ingrown toenails etc. were all taken care of. Of unique interest to most weirdos and masochists was the mechano-therapy department, a chamber of scientific wonders and horrors, exhibiting all kinds of mechanical devices. Now for the good part, the massage room, full of different electrical massage devices with various rubber attachments. I wonder if that's what you find in today's "massage parlors." The last room contained the electric "shock" massager which caused muscles to contract or relax. I guess if the electric bath didn't put enough curl in your hair this would do it. I guess you get the idea by now and can hardly wait to book your stay at The Quapaw. Have a good time, I'm chicken. Oh, by the way, the clients stayed for a full three weeks of this pampering.

Welcome to Beautiful Arkansas

We're moving right along as we come now to the Natural State of Arkansas. I really enjoyed all the Crepe Myrtles in full bloom all over Alabama and Mississippi. Since mid-Mississippi and into Arkansas the sides of the roads are covered in pretty pink Mimosa flowers, just growing wild everywhere. Also rather quickly the terrain changed from the low, flat Mississippi Delta region into rolling hills and into small mountains.

Since we stayed up late in Tunica, we didn't get too much sleep so by the time we reached Brinkley, AR I had to stop for a catnap which gave Boyd a while to walk around town and take pictures. He met a wonderful family, who took him in and gave him the grand tour of their approx. 107 year old house. They also gave him a dozen freshly laid eggs from their own chicken flock and freshly picked squash and cucumbers. We cooked the squash that night and what a treat! We are finding that the people in Arkansas are most friendly and courteous.

We drove past Little Rock and it looked bigger than I remembered it to be. Too bad we didn't have time to stop for a while but maybe next time. Hills are getting larger now as we get closer to Hot Springs, we have reservations at Crystal Springs, about 16 miles west and on the largest man made lake in the state, Lake Ouachita.

Tunica, Oxford, Enid Lake and The Kudzu Jungles of MS

We had a blast in Tunica while staying at the Hollywood Casino RV Park. We arrived on the Thursday before Boyd's Birthday on the 12th and spent 4 nights there, getting 2 nights free on comps as well as his great BD dinner buffets. We dragged in at 5 am the first morning, which is normal for us if we're near a casino. We played at them all while there but preferred the Hollywood and the Resorts Casino next to it. The Hollywood is surrounded by farmland and late one night as we drove by we saw a deer grazing on the new veggies and in the background we saw several deer heads stick up as we drove by. Really cute. We also had a friendly armadillo come shuffling by on two different nights that we were lucky to spot before Magic and Snoopy did. We will definitely return here another time.

We just happened to drive into Oxford, home of Ole Miss, and it was a great little college town, we really liked it. Boyd happened to catch this shot of little kids on a field trip. Smart teachers to tie them together. I keep threatening to put a bungie cord on Boyd so I can keep up with him.

Next is Enid Lake where we spent two nights before moving on to Tunica. A beautiful lake as they all are.

The Kudzu Jungles are really eerie, beautiful and scary to me all at the same time. I've read that it's edible but I couldn't convince Boyd to try it. The countryside in this part of Mississippi is just lovely, lots of rolling hills and beautiful farmland.