Gardenia Swimming Pool, Hotel Ruiz Galindo, Fortín, Veracruz, Mexico

A swimming pools photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park.

"Alberca del Hotel Ruiz Galindo. Fortin Ver."

Translation and elaboration: "Swimming pool at the Hotel Ruiz Galindo. City of Fortín de las Flores in the Mexican state of Veracruz."

As seen in this real photo postcard, gardenia blossoms floating on the surface of the swimming pool apparently helped to attract visitors to the Hotel Ruiz Galindo, located in the Mexican city of Fortín de las Flores ("Fort of Flowers"). An article in Life magazine, May 14, 1945, for instance, featured photos of Mexican movie actresses swimming among the flowers and described "the hotel's enormous swimming pool, which is frequently covered with gardenia blossoms for the guests' pleasure."

A Google search also uncovered later hotel promotional materials that refer to the pool as "The Famous Gardenia Swimming Pool" and to the hotel as "The Gardenia Resort." I haven't been able to determine, however, whether the hotel is still in business.

Mouse over the image above to see enlargements of the left side and right side of the pool. Note the woman sitting in a poolside chair on the left and a group gathered around the diving board at right.