I promise we didn't actually do any
mooning'. Actually...there could have been one instance of moonin'. When the time is right, the time is right. We did honeymoon and we honeymoon'd the best way we knew how. We explored back roads, we slept in a treehouse, we hunted for all the springs that were left in Eureka Springs, we made friends, we hit caves (literally, I got a concussion in a cave),
the Waffle Box was attacked by a llama, I loved on a baby camel, and we ate...we ate A LOT (I brought home 6 extra pounds to prove it!)
I loved searching for the places we had been, finding the places we didn't get to find last time, and seeing how little the town has changed. Then seeing how much it had changed. It broke my heart to see how some of the little shops I had fallen in love with, with their cute doors, were boarded up with 'For Sale' or 'Closed' signs. The economy seems to even be able to affect what I had previously looked at as a story book world. I imagine it untouched by hardship. I was so happy to see that shops still boasted signs that said, "Be back in 5 mins" or "Next door" and the doors were open for you to go in and browse. We didn't do much shopping. I enjoy looking at the shops more than I think I enjoy seeing what's inside. Eating we did a lot of.
When dining in Eureka Springs, you can't judge a book by it's cover. My favorite place to eat is a little joint called Oasis. If you didn't know where it was, you'd walk by it 15 times before you found it. Then when you found the entrance, after you realized it's down the stairs, you'd think you were at the wrong place. You'd walk in and realize the entire restaurant is smaller than your kitchen at home, and you'd think about backing out slowly, like you'd just walked into the wrong place. It would be a mistake, a big mistake. It's the absolute freshest and most amazing food you could ever eat. and every little hole in the wall in the area is exactly the same. Hence where those extra 6 pounds came from!
Eureka Springs is history, poured over history, with a little bit more history sprinkled on top. It was amazing to listen to each person's story of how they ended up there, why they never left, and why they never will. Each shop is decked out with it's own little take on art. Everyone is an artist. I fell in love with this place over six years ago and stepping out onto Spring Street, I am at home. For the week we spent there I didn't feel like I was on a vacation, I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. I know what you're thinking. "If you love it so much, why don't you marry it (move there?)" It would never work out. Eureka Springs was not designed for dual wheel trucks or rodeo arenas. Will could never be truly happy there and for that very reason, Eureka Springs will always have to be the tryst I have away from home. The place where I never feel like I'm a tourist (except for when it snows in May and I'm forced to purchase a big, hot pink hoodie that says "Eureka Springs" in big, bold letters.) It will always be the place I feel most at home at.
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