Creative Connections by Sara Aeikens

Sara Aeikens is an Albert Lea resident.

This is the first year of 40-plus years living in Albert Lea that I recall so anxiously awaiting the snow to thaw.  Actually my apprehension is more connected to the numerous zigzag layers of slick ice from our backdoor to the garage. Just after returning from a two-week trip to Acapulco, Mexico, my husband tells me the piles of snow on the backside of our double garage seep in as they melt and refreeze to form a permanent-like ice sheet right under the car door when I step in or out. Even when it’s almost April, the ice still sneaks up on me, plus slush on the pathway between our transportation and the safety of our home.   

Switch to a number of weeks earlier on the day before we left for our trip to Mexico. We chose to drive under 30 mph in storm-like weather to the Twin Cities to stay overnight in a Minneapolis hotel that willingly transported us to the Twin Cities airport at around 3 a.m. for a flight to Acapulco.  We enjoyed the two-week trip so much that I am wondering why I’m writing about winter weather, but know that the contrast between temperature and conditions really left an impact on me more this year after four stays in Acapulco throughout the years.

The most cherished memory for me emerged because my husband presented the idea — when usually I’ll make a suggestion for a travel destination. The fact that friends from Minnesota invited us to stay made a difference since the Los Flamingos destination not only fit into our schedule, but we’d even be able to spend time with friends from Minnesota and several other states.

The hotel is not a fancy coastline affair. I’ve probably written before about it’s movie star reputation, as an old hide-a-way purchased or visited by some Hollywood stars such as John Wayne, Errol Flynn and the movie actor playing Tarzan. They stayed in the octagonal shaped home near the higher edge of the coastal side of the mountain, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, where viewers could relax and watch the whales jump or swim in the nearby kidney-shaped pool.

Three dozen-plus rooms are placed in units tucked into the mountainside, all painted a bright pink like the house at the top — thus the name, Los Flamingos. Walking up or down the hundred or so steps also provides exercise. Just lounging in available hammocks is possible for watching ships cruise by, gazing at iguanas on the ceiling or spotting a raccoon or native birds.

With new pink couch cushions in the open air lobby area, on this trip I perched on the pillows and enjoyed the mingling of some of the cruise ship and bus tour tourists after they finished staring at dozens of vintage film star photos with tour guides explaining the history of Los Flamingos.  Since an improved and direct route from Mexico City has been opened up, many more local tourists now visit Los Flamingos. 

The present main owner of the hotel, who worked as an employee of the film star owners, ended up being able to buy the business and expanded the hotel to employ several generations of his extended family. While speaking Spanish — which is one of my goals for going — with the owner’s son, he shared with me his plans to have the hotel be designated as a museum. I‘d like to revisit Los Flamingos as a museum for a few more weeks of balmy, palm tree weather without chopping away at ice slicks.

If you’d like to join this updated dream, google Los Flamingos and flip through all the pages of pink photos, before spring finally arrives. Then let me know what you think!