Bud scheduled a 7 a.m. appointment in Des Moines a while back. As the day approached neither one of us was too gung ho about arising at 4:30 a.m. in order to be on the road by 5:30. We decided to spend Sunday night in Des Moines.We usually stay out on the west side somewhere, but due to the appointment location, Bud wanted to stay around the Merle Hay Road exit off I-80, so he made the hotel reservation.
Let me just say, "He did good." Neither of us knew anything about the Ramada he booked. When we arrived, I recognized it as the Holiday Inn from the '70's.
The old HI offered a "Secretary's Club" membership to those of us in a position of making reservations for out-of-town clients. The main perc, for me, was use of their outdoor swimming pool. (Very few indoor pools back then.) It was great to get home from work on a hot summer day, load the kids into the station wagon and go for a couple FREE hours of swimming. In addition to my three, I sometimes had my nephew and niece staying with me for a week. I wonder what the paying guests thought as we all trouped into the pool? I always kept my 'secretary's club' card handy, though I don't remember ever being asked for it.
The picture above is of the Pirate Ship in the new indoor water park at the Ramada. There is also a dinghy, a 3-story slide, fountains, spa pool, regular pool, basketball/volleyball pool and a poolside bar for adults. What a difference from the little outdoor pool! How much fun could those five kids have had in this place?
Parts of the Ramada are still being renovated. The room we had was complete. New paint, carpet & beds; a refrigerator and microwave, tiled walk in shower with half glass - a nice up-scale feel. I'm looking forward to a return trip for this year's family xmas get-together.
A Sunday afternoon shopping trip to Merle Hay Mall also evoked memories of earlier trips there - like before the mall was enclosed when it meant walking outside from store to store along the pedestrian mall. I learned that Merle Hay Road and Mall were named for the first Iowa soldier killed in WWI. And I learned that he was buried in the Glidden Cemetery when we went to that area to visit Denny's relatives.
It has been several years since I shopped at Merle Hay. What was once THE shopping mall in Iowa now feels a little worn; not quite as sparkly as it once was. Even so, it was a successful shopping trip.
Oh, and that pirate ship, even though it was the day after 'Talk Like A Pirate Day' there was still one guy shouting "Ar-r-r-g-h!" before he went down the slide head first.
I remember when Merle Hay was an outdoor mall. I got a turtle at a pet store there one time...but we usually shopped in Omaha - closer to my hometown of Atlantic.
ReplyDeletei was going to say we always went to Omaha, too, so I don't remember MH when it was open, but I think my brother does. I do remember shopping there quite a bit when I lived in Beaverdale. I still like the Target there. I think I've stayed at that Ramada, too. Another perk is the North End Diner down the road.
ReplyDeleteBut what a neat idea: sec's club! great deal!