Eureka!

I'm not really sure how to describe Eureka Springs. In the northwest corner of Arkansas, it's not as big as Hot Springs and unlike Hot Springs, the springs are not hot. In the Ozarks, it's a favorite spot with bikers. It has an old, haunted hotel, The Crescent, and plenty of old Victorian houses and hotels that have been turned into B&Bs. There are also several old downtown hotels that have been renovated and offer an excellent value for people who like to be in the heart of things.

There is no shortage of places to eat and by Dallas standards, most of them are bargains. The place that supposedly serves the "best burger" is Dehli on the Deck, an Indian restaurant that only has curry on the buffet (and only one curry on the buffet, at that)! I find it somewhat amusing (and disturbing) that I can't order a curry in an Indian restaurant. I also find the notion of an Indian restaurant serving beef completely wrong, although I do accept that not all Indians are Hindu and for Muslims and Christians, beef is perfectly acceptable. But an Indian restaurant that serves any hamburger, much less the best hamburger, is a source of amusement for me. (And no, I didn't try it.)

There are more places for live music than you can shake a stick at - even at lunch time. We enjoyed live music during our lunches at the Crescent Hotel and the Basin Park Hotel. There were bands in all of the night spots, most of them exceptionally good.

The place is full of artists and galleries - and not many bargains. But if it's a piece you love, price is a secondary consideration. Eureka Springs seems to have more than its share of refugees from the 60s. Hippies are alive and well there. You'll be able to spot them. Some of them you can find by sense of smell - they're the ones burning incense in their shops.

But it's a great little weekend getaway. Very different from our usual San Antonio, but equally enjoyable!