50 States, Day 213

50 States, Day 213 Frankfort, Capitol and candy tours,  23 Miles

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."

~Confucius

We decided not to don the (PP!) Gerbing gear even though the temperature hovered around 39. No, we're not stalwart, nor masochists. With a shade over four miles to go, gearing up and... ungearing- would be too much trouble. And it worked. We got into the Capitol building, unfrozen. 

After parking (for free) in front of the building, walking right in the front door (Yes!), and a perfunctory strip search, we met the friendly lady who claimed their capitol to be one of the top three. Well. We've seen over twenty- five, so we'll see. 

The center features a huge statue of Abe Lincoln, and while many places feature him, Kentucky happens to be his birthplace. Henry Clay and Jefferson Davis statues watch Abe from the sidelines. 

The center takes your eyes upward to the dome, a thing of beauty that has been updated with LED lighting, morphing from purple and lavender to dark and powder blue to orange and yellow, green and green... Very nice. The hall extends over 300 feet with granite columns (Twelve tons each and no machinery to erect them) holding up the massive roof. Marble everywhere, imported from Tennessee, Pakistan and elsewhere. 

To tour or not to tour? We love tour guides, but the next one included forty Girl Scouts. We worked up our courage and tagged along, prepared to bolt at the least giggling, wiggling, shrieking or chaos. The girls behaved very well. The tour guide kept it light however, good for the potential wigglers, but a bit light for us. The girls asked plenty of questions, including raising their hands without actually having a question, to "What is that door for?" when the T G just answered the question. 

After viewing the Supreme Court, Senate and House, the gang went to the Secretary of State's office to do some stamping, so we spun off and gawked at the place. One hallway honored Kentucky women with paintings and bios beneath. Another featured KY First Ladies dolls in their inauguration gowns. And time for a Rant. 

One doll was of the Governor, the first woman. So why wasn't there a doll of the First Man in his tux instead of her? I'm feeling discriminated against. I'm going to write a letter to the National Organization of Men. Okay maybe not. 

Like a moth to flame, QG found a display of a quilt from the National Quilt Museum in Paducah. Oh, yes we will go there. 

We decided this Capitol earned a solid third place, behind PA and Iowa. Give it up for Kentucky as they built the joint in 1910 for $2 million, a bargain. 

Off we went for a half dozen blocks to Rebecca Ruth Chocolates. It looked rather small in a house with a low building attached to the back. Inside, they hawk chocolate in a plethora of choices. Mary took us on a factory tour. While in a small facility, they mix up a batch, load it in a machine and it pops out little candies that ride along a belt and slide over a chocolate foot bath, exit and ride another belt, cooling their chocolate bottoms, then get another layer. Next they get a chocolate shower. Imagine a chocolate shower...   

Uh, where was I? Oh, then they get a little tickle of wires on top to give them some aesthetic beauty and they are cooled. Next, in a Lucille Ball moment, two people struggle to keep up with the conveyor belt and put the finished chocolates in a box. Voila, ready to ship and eat. 

After the tour and as a reward for being good, (I wonder if the Girl Scouts would?) we were rewarded with their signature treat, Bourbon Balls. First, the history. Ruth went to a party and a big shot drew her aside and said, "We love to eat your chocolates like this; a shot of bourbon, a bite of chocolate." She thought about that, experimented and the rest is history. 

I decided to try one. Chocolate with bourbon taste, a pecan on top. Oh, my, a tango of taste dancing in my mouth! Incredible. How cool was that? You could eat two pounds of chocolate and get drunk and go into diabetic shock at the same time. One was enough or I'd end up at an AA meeting talking about ODing on chocolate.

We bought a half dozen virgin chocolates. 

And now, Quilter Girl! (Wipe your mouth dear...)

The snow that was expected last night did not materialize, but it was very cold this morning.  We ate breakfast and went back to our room to decide what to do.  We got another night here and left a bit later than normal to allow the temp to warm up.  I loved the First Lady dolls as well as the capitol.  We learned that the building is the capitol, while the city is the capital.  I never knew that.  

We had trouble finding a place for dinner, but finally found a Mexican place near the freeway.  It was very good with creative dishes.  Kevin had Blackened Mahi with pineapple salsa and I had Enchiladas Rancheros which was my favorite cheese enchiladas with pork, onions, tomatoes and green peppers sautéed together on top.  Both were very, very good.  Now we are all toasty warm in our motel room with a warming trend on the way beginning tomorrow.

QG

Off to Bowling Green tomorrow. See you then and thanks for following.