Four Friends At the Rock

The "Little Rock" isn't so little after all!

October 8, 2011

By Friday evening, all four of us were together amidst much laughing, squealing and hugging!  We had secured a suite at the Residence Inn by Marriott Little Rock so we'd have plenty of room to stretch out and we spent all of Friday evening just enjoying each other's company.  Saturday had some things we'd planned to do, but the idea was to just spend time together, so we also hoped there would be a lot of easy spontaneity.  And there was!

We started the morning at the Curran Hall Visitor Center where I'd made friends with the volunteers on Friday and gotten their permission to leave a car there for several hours while we toured the downtown area.   Aren't these hyacinth's outside the visitor center just beautiful?

Little Rock takes tourism very seriously and I'll have to say that it shows.  The downtown area is clean, it is pedestrian friendly and feels quite safe.  I have strolled along its streets alone and with three female friends and was never once uncomfortable or apprehensive.  

We visited the Saturday morning farmer's market and then made our way down to the Junction Bridge where we took the same walk across the bridge I had taken the day before.  The obligatory group photo was made in front of the "Little Rock" which BTW, does have significant meaning to the city.  

Here's the explanation:  

Little Rock derives its name from a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River called la Petite Roche (French: "the little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing.

We rode the Little Rock Trolley for its entire loop which goes through downtown, across the river to North Little Rock and out to the Clinton Presidential Library. 

We exited the trolley at the Clinton Presidential Library complex in order to walk across the newly opened Clinton Presidential Park Bridge. This was kind of cool because the bridge had just opened the week before and is so pretty.  Gorgeous yellow fall mums are growing in planters down both sides of the bridge.

Following a terrific lunch at Dizzy's Gypsy Bistro, we headed back to the Marriott for some rest and lots more laughing and talking.  There just never seemed to be any lack of things to talk about!

A late afternoon light dinner at Panera and a very early night capped off a perfect day.  

Sunday morning was just a quick get together to say goodbye. I had by far the longest drive home which I had originally planned to break up into two days, but learned we were going to have some guests of our own.  Wonderful college friends that sadly to say, we had not seen in more than two years.  I couldn't think of passing up the chance to see them, so I left Little Rock a couple of hours earlier than everyone else.

It was a long boring drive across I-40 east, but easy overall and the excitement of seeing even more friends made the day pass quickly.   I arrived home around 7.

It has been an incredible five days.  Never, ever underestimate the "rock" solid strength that strong friendships provide.  And never pass up opportunities to nurture those relationships!

Stay tuned - the fun just keeps happening.  Bill's fall break begins on Friday and boy, do we ever have an adventure planned.  One that for sure will draw some laughs and perhaps, roll some eyes!!

Thanks for reading!