Friday the 13th

Hot Springs is splendid in it's decay. The entire town is wabi sabi … and utterly charming. 

The view from our room at The Arlington

Driving into Hot Springs is a fascinating trip into a rather benign Twilight Zone. Building after building, house after splendid house, is boarded up and seemingly abandoned. Yet the downtown is bustling with happy activity and friendly people. 

The windows were busted out and the interior abandoned in the upper stories.

Looks like a good spot for dinner

We stumbled into a former speakeasy, called The Ohio Club. In continuous operation since 1905, Joelle and I bellied up to the bar that served the likes of Al Capone, Bugsy Malone, Mae West, and quite possibly Hot Springs native Bill Clinton.

The bar, carved out of mahogany, was floated down the Mississippi on a barge, and then carried by horse and specially built flat bed into town. It is so large, that the front of the building had to be removed to bring it in.

The second floor was the gambling parlor during Prohibition.

We walked off dinner by taking a stroll through town.

Joelle had her fortune read by Zoltar.

What could be better after a day of mining, than to bathe in the restorative waters of natural hot springs? Joelle is a master of research and found the most delightful, historic hotel for us to lay our weary heads on Friday night. Friday the 13th. 

We'd like the room with the turret, please.

Our home for the evening, The Arlington, built in 1924 and somewhat updated in 1963.

Scarlett O'Hara could carry this off.

The restorative spring waters run through the plumbing in the hotel. 

Yes, they put is in Room 911 on Friday the 13th.

Instructions on how to bathe.

Bongos? Who can resist bongos? Live music and dancing until midnight.

Being the curious sort, we decided to go exploring the hotel that night while the other guests danced. Our goal was to find a way into one of those turrets.

"Let's go exploring in this old building" they said. I'm sure it's perfectly safe.

The original details are stunning. 

Oops. Wound up in the basement.

Wonder what is behind this door?

Do you think this is up to code? What with the asbestos and all?

We never found the stairs to the turret, and decided perhaps it was best if we didn't press our luck any further.