WE DECIDED, SINCE WE HAD TIME, WE WANTED TO SEE MORE OF THE OZARKS, SO WE HEADED TO HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, WHICH IS SORT OF ON THE WAY TO SAN ANTONIO. HOT SPRINGS IS NICKNAMED "THE SPA CITY", AND PROMISES THEIR HOT MINERAL WATER WILL RELAX AND REJUVENATE YOU. JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, BEFORE WE START SELLING CHRISTMAS TREES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
IT WAS ONLY A FIVE HOUR DRIVE FROM BRANSON.
OUR CAMPGROUND IS LOVELY, BEAUTIFUL SHOWER ROOMS AND LOUNGE AREA, AND BEST OF ALL A DOG PARK RIGHT ON LAKE HAMILTON.
WHEN WE WENT OVER TO PLAY THIS WAS OUR VIEW.........
WE DROVE TO DOWNTOWN HOT SPRINGS AND AS WE GOT OUT TO GO INTO THE VISITOR CENTER, WE NOTICED ALL THESE FOLKS FILLING WATER JUGS.
OF COURSE, I COULDN'T STAND IT, I HAD TO WALK OVER AND TASTE THE WATER....CUPPED MY HAND TO GET A DRINK AND THE WATER WAS HOT!!!
CONTINUED ON TO THE VISITOR CENTER AND GOT SOME TOURIST INFORMATION, AND FOUND OUT, YES, MOST OF THE WATER IS HOT, THERE ARE A COUPLE COLD SPRINGS. THE LADY WHO WORKED IN THERE SAID, ALOT OF THE RESIDENTS GET THEIR DRINKING WATER FROM THESE WATER STATIONS, BECAUSE THE WATER TASTES SO GOOD. WE FOUND OUT THAT WHEN WE LEAVE THERE AND WALK A BLOCK WE WILL BE IN HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, THE SMALLEST NATIONAL PARK IN THE U.S.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO BATHHOUSES OPEN.
THIS IS THE QUAPAW, THIS IS WHERE THEY HAVE THE PUBLIC BATHS, WHICH IS WHERE WE BATHED. THERE WERE FOUR POOLS IN VARYING DEGREES OF "HOT".
THEY RANGED FROM 93 DEGREES TO 104 DEGREES. WE ENJOYED ALL THE POOLS, BUT 104 WAS A LITTLE TOO HOT AND 93 WAS A LITTLE TOO COLD. THE 101 WAS THE MOST COMFORTABLE FOR US.
IT WAS WONDERFUL AND RELAXING! THEY SERVE YOU ICE COLD MINERAL WATER. YOU CAN STAY AS LONG AS YOU LIKE. WE WERE THERE THREE HOURS.
WE BOUGHT SOME JUGS SO WE COULD TASTE THEIR WATER.
TOOK IT HOME AND LET IT COOL OFF.....IT IS THE BEST WATER I HAVE EVER TASTED.
HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS IS ALSO PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON'S HOME.
WALKING DOWN BATHHOUSE ROW I NOTICED THERE WERE HOLLY BUSHES....WOW! BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES FROM FLORIDA.
AND THE BIG LEAFED MAGNOLIA TREES, I HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT THEM!
THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK A RIVERBOAT RIDE ON LAKE HAMILTON.
THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT AND THE VIEWS WERE GORGEOUS!
WE LEARNED A LITTLE HISTORY OF LAKE HAMILTON TOO!
AS WE WERE LEAVING THE RIVERBOAT, I NOTICED THESE GROWING!!!
BANANAS!!
SATURDAY MORNING, WE WENT TO A FARMER'S MARKET, BOUGHT GREEN BEANS, HOMEMADE PLUM JELLY, CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES, ALL ARKANSAS GROWN. EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS!
WE ALSO FOUND FRESH PECANS AT A LOCAL PRODUCE MARKET. THEY ARE SO FRESH, ARKANSAS GROWN, OF COURSE!
WE VISITED HOT SPRINGS MOUNTAIN TOWER, RISING 216 FEET.
THE VIEWS DRIVING UP TO IT WERE AWESOME!!
THIS IS RIGHT DOWNTOWN HOT SPRINGS.
DUALLY LOOKED LIKE A SPECK FROM THE TOP.......
THERE WAS AN ELEVATOR TO THE TOP....THANK GOODNESS!!
WE FINALLY FOUND THE WIND......WE COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW UNWINDY ARKANSAS IS......WE ACTUALLY COULD PUT OUR AWNING OUT ON THE RV ALMOST EVERY DAY. FROM UP THERE, WE COULD SEE HOW LARGE LAKE HAMILTON IS, IT JUST KEPT GOING ON AND ON! LAKE AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE!!
WE DID ALOT OF "TOURIST STUFF", BUT WE SPENT SOME OF OUR DAYS RELAXING AT THE RV,PLAYING WITH MAGGIE AND MARLEE IN THE DOG PARK. WENT TO THE MALL ONE DAY FOR A WHILE.
ONE DAY I TOOK IN BUCKSTAFF BATHHOUSE, THEY ADVERTISED PERSONAL MINERAL BATHS.
I HAD A PERSONAL ATTENDANT, I SPENT 20 MINUTES IN THE MINERAL WHIRLPOOL BATH, THEN INTO THE SITZ BATH, THE STEAM CABINET WAS NEXT, AND IT WAS A CABINET, MY HEAD WAS JUST STICKING OUT. I DID NOT LIKE THIS, IT WAS WAY TOO HOT FOR ME! I WAS THEN WRAPPED IN HOT TOWELS FROM HEAD TO TOE...AHH.................. SO RELAXING!! THE FINALE WAS THE NEEDLE SHOWER, WHICH, WAS VERY REFRESHING!!! BLESS HIS HEART, DARRELL RELAXED ON THE PORCH WHILE I TOOK MY BATH!
WE JUST WALKED AROUND HOT SPRINGS THEN, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CITY.
THIS IS THE GRAND PROMONADE, IT IS BEHIND BATHOUSE ROW, IT LEADS UP TO THE MOUNTAIN TOWER. I WAS REALLY GLAD WE DROVE UP, IT IS QUITE A CLIMB!!
WE ENJOYED OURSELVES IN HOT SPRINGS AND BRENDA, THE VERY NICE MANAGER OF THE RV PARK, INVITED US BACK TO WORK FOR THEM. I WANTED TO GO VISIT LBJ RANCH BEFORE GOING ON TO SAN ANTONIO, SO AFTER SPENDING TEN DAY HERE, IT WAS TIME TO GO!!
