This morning I woke up not feeling so hot, like either I’m getting another sinus infection or my body has had enough of all the rich food, fried food, pizza, and beer I’ve been shoveling into it. Or both. It’s probably both. Regardless, I’m thankful that my health has held out this long. The schedule the last nine days has been fairly rigorous, and I think my touch-and-go immune system has done pretty well, all things considered. Anyway, I’m actually looking forward to returning home tomorrow, getting some rest, and detoxing.

This morning our group went to Garvan Gardens on Lake Hamilton, an over-two-hundred-acre and once-privately owned garden that was gifted to the University of Arkansas and is now open to the public. Y’all, it was absolutely stunning. There were dozens of trails to walk (although we got chauffeured around on golf carts for time’s sake), beautiful bridges, waterfalls, a koi pond, you name it. There were even whimsical things like a miniature village for fairies (tree spirits, not homosexuals), an electric train set, and a real, live peacock.

Oh, and there was a chapel (Anthony Chapel). Talk about gorgeous. I was blown away.

For lunch we ate at The Avenue, the fine-dining restaurant here in The Waters hotel. Y’all, it was the fanciest, healthiest, thing I’ve had all week. First, they served lunch in courses. Who does that? Second, there was carrot puree soup for an appetizer, salmon on polenta (sort of like cornmeal mashed potatoes) for the main course, and some sort of sherbet for on granola for dessert. I realize that may not sound as good as fried chicken and biscuits, but it was truly delicious from start to finish.

Here’s a picture of the dessert. Isn’t that flower adorable?

And no, I didn’t eat it.

After lunch and a group tour of the hotel (really cool), I went with a few ladies to the Quapaw, one of the bathhouses still in operation. Thinking that our group would be getting a spa treatment, I quickly found out that we would simply be sitting in the hot baths, which are basically like large hot tubs except that they are filled with naturally occurring hot, mineral water from the local springs. And whereas the ladies left within half an hour, I ended up staying for two-and-a-half hours, rotating around to the different pools that were heated (or technically cooled down) to different temperatures (95, 98, 102, and 104 degrees). It was the perfect thing–simple and relaxing.

Between not feeling well and sitting in warm to hot water for the last two hours, I’m so ready for a nap it’s not even funny. However, that’s not going to happen–dinner (our last official activity) is in thirty minutes. And since I still need to rinse off from the baths, I’m going to cut this short. This last week and a half has been fabulous, but–simply put–my body and brain are tired and need a break. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight, travel well tomorrow, and recuperate at home.

As always, I’ll let you know how it goes.