Mineral Waters!

As I've mentioned previously, this place is called Caliente Springs - which means Hot springs because the swimming pools here are fed with the natural hot springs. There are signs posted everywhere about all the health benefits of being in the mineral water.

I'm skeptical, however, there are a lot of really old people here so perhaps I should be less cynical - and I have been spending a LOT of time in the pool so I'm hoping that bodes well for me....

There is a man walking around here that we have dubbed 'skeleton man'. He is basically brown skin over a skeleton. He sunbathes by the pool on a lounger and sleeps with his mouth open. You have to look very carefully to see if he's breathing.

In the discussion about whether the mineral pools are actually any good, someone said that 'skeleton man' is 98 so the pools must do some good. So I replied, 'Yah - and that guy died 4 years ago....' ha ha. OK - that was funnier at the time than it is by blog but what the hey....

The swimming pools here are appx 90 degrees. It's a real chore getting in.... The day we arrived, the pool was 95. That's getting a little too hot, I must say. But it sure is nice in the evening! The hottest hot tub is about 104.

Today we went to Joshua Tree National Park. This week is National Park Week so they are all free so we saved $15. The park is big - there is a place called "Keys Ranch" where an old homesteader lived until 1969. You can go on a guided tour there for $5 and it's about 90 minutes long. Our tour-guide 'worked in tv' for 16 years until he gave it up about 6 years ago to become a park ranger. After we Googled him when we got home, we found out that almost his entire career was spent as 'miscellaneous crew' and his work was as a stand-in. HA HA.... however, we contemplated on whether or not there really are guided tours up at Keys Ranch. Perhaps, since he was supposedly an actor, maybe he threw on a ranger suit and just made $130 from us up there feeding us a bunch of bullcrap.... Ah, whatever - it was entertaining anyway....

As we were filing out, the group of us in our car (we had guests too) were contemplating how old he was. I said 42. We decided to ask him, so we pulled up as he was letting us out the gate and randomly asked him how old he was. When he said 42 - we all laughed hysterically especially because I said YES in a loud voice - and sped off down the road cackling like hyenas. He must have thought we were nuts.

On Saturday, we went to The Living Desert which is basically a zoo. We hit it on a good day because it was half price due to Earth Day. So 1/2 price at the zoo and free at the National Park.... We're doing pretty good here!

It is funny asking anyone who lives here about a good place to eat. They have no concept of simply knowing a place for the food. It's all about whether it's under $10 or not.... and if the food is too salty. I think it wouldn't enter anyone's mind here to eat at a restaurant that charged regular food prices... The Emperor's Buffet has been recommended to us although we haven't been able to find it yet. $6.60 for lunch and $9.95 for dinner! Sounds good to me.... it's not like I'm against getting a good deal. We ended up eating at a lovely Italian place in Desert Hot Springs which is right on the main drag, has been there a long time, supposedly has the best steaks in the valley (but we didn't try one) - and yet the pasta was $14.50 and the steaks started at $20 and went up to $35..... so I'm guessing that place is not even on the radar around here.....

But I shouldn't poke fun since having a fixed income is no joke! Especially if the hot springs will make you live forever like skeleton man - you need to conserve your $$ for future meals....although, if skeleton man is any indication, I guess you don't need to eat MUCH..... lol

I missed waterball today.... damn! But it was a good day despite that. I'm staying 'home' tomorrow so I don't miss any waterball. I guess I'm addicted.

Guess I should sign off now. Still loving this place! Glad to see the weather is looking better at home so I won't have too hard an adjustment next week.