Paul and Becky 25th Wedding Anniversary

    Even though the "closing" on our new house was continually moved back until it threatened to interfere with our 25th wedding anniversary we did manage to get away for a week of R&R. A little more than 48-hours after we returned the U-Haul truck we left behind a house full of boxes and left the pets in the care of neighbors at our "old" house.
    After getting high recommendations on Eureka Springs, Arkansas, we decided to spend a few days there and a couple of days in the tourist Mecca of Branson, Missouri. Eureka Springs was nice, filled with small stores and antique shops and it apparently has lots of entertainment....in the Summer Months. So much like our honeymoon to a nearly abandoned Niagara Falls we spent only 1 night in Eureka Springs before heading to Branson.
    Shown just below are the few photos taken in Eureka Springs...click on each for a larger view.

A photo of the "Bed and Breakfast" cabin we stayed at on our anniversary night. We had the upper cabin.	A view of the cabin from across the lake.
Getting ready for a pre-dinner toast.	Trying to not spill!
	A "retired" fire tower on the outskirts of Eureka Springs. Becky was not foolish enough to climb the rotting wooden stairs to the top. Paul, however, ignored his fear of stairs and inched to the top where he took the photo shown above.
A "table" rock found at a park somewhere near Eureka Springs	Looking through a rock bridge.

    We visited an antique store, cruised the narrow downtown streets, toured an old home, and stopped briefly to get a burned out headlight changed before moving on. But by the afternoon of the 29th we arrived in Branson. It was off-season in Branson, too. But there was still plenty to do. We wanted to see Andy Williams but his show was closed down while converting for the Christmas show. We spent the first evening viewing the Kirby Van Burch Magic Show and Country Singer/Comedian Jim Stafford. During the day we took a trip on a 1950's style passenger train and "rode the ducks."
    The Duck is a World War II amphibious vehicle that goes on land AND water. It was a great tour of Branson, the surrounding countryside, and a Duck cruise on the lake. We even got free duck call "quackers" which we used to get discounts at various places around town.
    Yes, Branson is a great vacation place. But if it was this crowded during the off season I'd hate to see it in summer.
    Branson photos are shown below...click on each for a larger view.

Paul and Becky before "Riding the Ducks" in Branson, Missouri	Here's the "duck" on land. Here's the "duck" in the water!	A wildcat seen outside Branson from the duck. Perhaps it is a duck-eating cat?
A duck splashing into water.	A view from inside our duck as it splashed into the lake. Hey, is that Barbara Bush??	Conductors on the Branson Scenic Railway
	The train enters a tunnel (left) and emerges again (below)	The train enters a tunnel (far left). Emerges from the tunnel (top left). Becky and Paul on the train (bottom left) Back at the station (above)

The last stop on this trip was Paris. Paris, Texas, that is. We continued our tradition of going well out of our way to see much touted and usually-not-worth-it larger than life attractions. In this case, the Paris, Texas version of the Eiffel Tower!

A photo of the "Bed and Breakfast" cabin we stayed at on our anniversary night. We had the upper cabin.

A view of the cabin from across the lake.

Getting ready for a pre-dinner toast.

Trying to not spill!

A "retired" fire tower on the outskirts of Eureka Springs. Becky was not foolish enough to climb the rotting wooden stairs to the top. Paul, however, ignored his fear of stairs and inched to the top where he took the photo shown above.

A "table" rock found at a park somewhere near Eureka Springs

Looking through a rock bridge.

Paul and Becky before "Riding the Ducks" in Branson, Missouri

Here's the "duck" on land. Here's the "duck" in the water!

A wildcat seen outside Branson from the duck. Perhaps it is a duck-eating cat?

A duck splashing into water.

A view from inside our duck as it splashed into the lake. Hey, is that Barbara Bush??

Conductors on the Branson Scenic Railway

The train enters a tunnel (left) and emerges again (below)

The train enters a tunnel (far left). Emerges from the tunnel (top left). Becky and Paul on the train (bottom left) Back at the station (above)

A photo of the "Bed and Breakfast"
cabin we stayed at on our anniversary
night. We had the upper cabin.

A view of the cabin from
across the lake.

A "retired" fire tower on the outskirts of Eureka Springs. Becky was not foolish enough to
climb the rotting wooden stairs to the top.
Paul, however, ignored his fear of stairs and
inched to the top where he took the
photo shown above.

A "table" rock found at a park somewhere
near Eureka Springs

Here's the "duck" on land.

Here's the "duck" in the water!

A wildcat seen outside Branson
from the duck. Perhaps it is a
duck-eating cat?

A view from inside our duck as it
splashed into the lake.
Hey, is that Barbara Bush??

Conductors on the
Branson Scenic Railway

The train enters a tunnel (left)
and emerges again (below)

The train enters a tunnel (far left).
Emerges from the tunnel (top left).
Becky and Paul on the train (bottom left)

Back at the station (above)