_ I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited to wake up in my entire life than I was today. Our private hot springs bath at Quapaw Baths was at 10AM followed by a trip to the ‘steam cave’. We arrived at 9:45 and signed a couple things.. not really sure what they said.. but we signed them anyways. An older man led us back to the locker rooms and told us to get into what we wanted to wear for the bath.. or take off what we didn’t want to wear in the bath. This place was most certainly clothing optional, and I opted to go ‘au naturale’ and wore my birthday suit. It wasn’t really awkward at all! The lady came in, asked me if the bath temperature was sufficient, told me she would be back in 20 minutes, and said if I needed anything, to ‘ring this little gold bell like hell’. After BHW and I each had our baths in the mineral water, we were told to change into our suits and follow the guy back to the ‘steam cave’. We assumed it was going to be like a sauna, but from 1922. They also had some peppermint extract in the air, it cleared our sinuses right up! No matter how ‘touristy’ it seemed, I suggest everyone tries the baths at least once! Many people in the past and people still to do this day, believe that the water has healing powers. I met this elderly lady in a wheelchair who says she comes to the baths 2 times a week to soak. ‘I don’t look this young because of make-up! It’s the water young lady!’ is what she told me in the locker room after we had both had our soakings. My apologizes for not having pictures, check out the link above! Hester’s was our last stop in Arkansas before we headed to Galveston Island Texas! LS told us we needed eat there before we left, so, taking her advice, we stopped in. If you’re looking for year-round access to a Thanksgiving dinner and the most amazing fried chicken, Hester’s is your place! It’s a buffet for $10 a person but they also have a full menu too. We decided to get the buffet and gorge ourselves before our 8-hour drive. Everything was tasty! My favorite was the fried chicken, it was just so crisp! BHW also favored the fried chicken but the stuffing took 1st place for him. We admit, we weren’t looking forward to this 8-hour drive but it went by swimmingly. We stopped for gas once and I was in desperate need of some coffee. We were about an hour outside of Houston when we stopped. I asked the lady at the gas station if there was a Starbucks or a donut shop around here and she shook her head sadly and said ‘No mam, not in these parts.’ The lady in line behind me piped in and said ‘I’m from Houston and honey, you’re in the twilight zone out here. Ain’t no Starbucks for miles.’ I grabbed the 99 cent coffee from the gas station and guzzled it down, trying not to think of how much better it would have tasted from somewhere that actually knew how to make coffee. Driving into the campgrounds, we were so giddy. We could hear the ocean and smell the salty air. We were supposed to call if we were going to be in after 10PM.. or so I thought. We got there at 8:30 and not a soul was around. After a minor freak-out, BHW said we should just set up camp and explain it all to the park ranger in the morning. Setting up camp about 200 feet from the ocean, we’re all settled in for an awesome.. but freezing night on the beach. Here’s to hoping we don’t get arrested!
4 Comments
Monkey Momma
3/5/2012 09:43:22 pm
Naked...Yikes. Your brave little soul. I gotta get back there and do the bath thingee... Did you ever find a place in New Orleans?....Your blog is a masterpiece...something you will cherish later....I know I sure cherish it NOW. Love feeling like I am almost right there with ya . ps...the stuffing would have been my favorite too!
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Lesa Lou
3/6/2012 01:03:10 am
So glad you liked the baths! Now I've got to go to that bath house and try it for sure! As for Hesters....yep, the fried chicken is to die for!!!!!
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Renee
3/6/2012 02:15:38 am
Thanks for keeping us updated! I am so jealous but it sounds like you are having a blast! I would love to try Hester's sometime. Maybe I'll just have to retrace your steps on everything you are doing haha. At least I would know where to go and what's good :) I'm so glad you're having a great time! This blog is helping me not be too jealous of you haha. I'm loving the pictures too! Keep 'em coming!
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Uncle Stoney (The Godfather)
6/1/2012 01:42:40 am
I love you and the trip looks very cool.
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