We left about 5:30 a.m. and had a rainy travel day, with heavy rain coming out of Nashville and until about Jackson. At first it was hard to see the roads coming out of Nashville. I also was driving and went on autopilot taking the exit that we use to go to Mom’s instead of staying on I-440 and going West. Ooops. However, even with that little 8 minute detour – we were back on our route and missed a chunk of the Friday morning rush hour. We also made it to Memphis after their rush hour so that timing worked great. Things began to dry up or at least just be a mist by Jackson and Memphis. We hit a second batch of moderate rain as we went further into Arkansas but it got lighter as we reached the destination of Hot Springs.
The doggies were antsy at about 2.5 hours. Humans could go about 3 to 3.5 but of course we tried to honor their schedule. Once they start getting antsy, it’s just time to start looking for a place b/c everyone gets miserable when the pets won’t sit still, in fear the worst will happen and no one wants that. Maisy was happy sitting in the area behind us as the seats were down and it gave her a good bed. Roger curled up in our laps but prefers George. If he is in my lap he has to be faced to see George or he is not happy. lol
We got an executive suite so they would have a sofa and it feel more like home.
Then George and I set about to get some play time in. We hung out on Bath House row, got a flight at the Bath House Brewery, walked around, toured Fordyce Bath House which is a museum of sorts, giving you a window of the past.
The snack below was so good and very welcome. We had not had a proper lunch but we had McDonald’s for breakfast at some point. That held us as did a thermos of coffee and I got some iced tea at Wendy’s in Arkansas somewhere, where the staff just loved the doggies. They came out to see them in the parking lot, lol. Anyway, we were ready for the snack below.
We even had our picture taken in a tub. lol
George had heard a lot about the Ohio Club – a lot of history here where some of the gangsters in the past had been. It adds to the mystique of the place.
Gangtah Marg at Ohio Club 
We shopped around a bit and here are a few random pics here and there.
What the heck? lol 
Great shot with hands on the sides, lol. 
Look at the charm of these buildings. 
A coffee bar inside one of the shops 
Christmas was everywhere!
Lots of fun hanging out there and walking around until about time we thought the dogs should go out again and be fed, before heading out again for dinner. George let me choose dinner and I chose to have steak and salad and baked potato at Bone’s Chop House.
Our steak was good and big and thick and came with creamy horseradish sauce and au jus. The salad was incredible and the loaded baked potato was excellent and I could not say no to Creme Brulee.
As with anything while good things are happening in the world, horrible things are also happening. George could see from where he was sitting a LOT of police activity nearby on the street beside us. It was behind me but he mentioned it a couple of times. The waiter said that someone who was heavily intoxicated walked in front of a car and unfortunately the situation was not good and he was deceased so a lot of investigations/markings/pics and such were being done and keeping everyone away from the area. That was sad. All the folks sitting around us began ordering the same thing we did and they had run out of the strip steak we ordered. We all ended up in conversation a bit. And they told us to enjoy our stay. Wasn’t a long conversation but I thought it was neat b/c that wouldn’t happen a lot in Nashville – everyone does their own thing. So everyone seems friendly here.
We headed back to the room for a “food coma” sleep. All was well, until about 11:30 Maisy woke me up panting. She does that when she either needs to go out or is thirsty. Our room is really hot. It was 40 outside but we had the a/c on and it’s dry – very dry here. Feels like Arizona. We were all thirsty. I had 3 glasses of water overnight myself. So I tried water first for the dogs. And both dogs seemed grateful to have some water brought to bed to them. They better NOT get used to that. That said….. lol George did the 3:00 a.m. water shift. And by 4:50 a.m. they needed to go out. Well of course they did! We both took them and got hot coffee from the welcome center thermos (probably yesterday’s but it was still hot and good). You should have seen us coming on and off the elevators “before coffee”. We were a ball of confusion – leashes tied up and wrapped around us, dogs going every which way but on the elevator, and us trying to get them on so one person not holding the leash and the elevator take off w/o the dog in it with the person holding it. So trying to get dogs on elevator in a hurry while all tied up was interesting.
Anyway coffee sorted the situation out so we could get back to the room and with a more alert attempt at the elevator on the way back.
So today we will do our free hotel breakfast and we will go to the bath house for our steam cave tour. And I’m leaving the do not disturb sign on the door. I am afraid the dogs will go running out the door if the maids come in. So best to just get any needs or towels at the desk than have no dogs in the room when we come back.
The sun is coming up and I better get ready. We are going to the National park here today as well and George has some places he wants to eat. But we sure picked good last night. That steak place was close to the hotel and very good.
Better go. What all you all doing this weekend? Wish you were here – you could go join us at the Bath House, lol! This should be interesting for sure.
It makes my day when I hear from you…