Friday, November 16, 2012

Vultures and scams here in Mexico!

We are staying the huge Grand Mayan resort. The building, resort, golf course, restaurants employ many people and even the building that services the resort is very large.  Waiters and staff are more than generous and involved in our daily life. It is very nice. People introduce themselves and love to talk to practice their English. I feel very much at ease.

So when we visited Playa del Carmen I was not surprised when a man approached me and acted as though he knew me and told me he had waited on me on the resort. It seemed very possible. But, after a visit with fellow shuttle travelers I am finding that this is a new con in this area.  The story goes like this:
Hello, how are you? Don't you remember me? I waited on you at the resort. It is my day off. I am working for my grandfather. He is getting ready to open a new shop. Do you want to see it before we open? My grandfather is at home/in a wheel chair/very ill. He makes the jewelry by hand.
Then they go on to try to sell a piece of silver jewelry at an outrageous price.

Doggone it, everywhere we travel we run into this kind of thing. Talk about mistrusting everyone you meet! I really don't trust anyone anymore.At the airport they trap you inside the lobby of the exit room and promise to get you free shuttle to the resort (you are entitled to a free shuttle that you can get it yourself.) These people are breeding I swear! It makes me kind of cranky!

This is what I hate about travel...really. I suppose that people like tours for that very reason. The tour groups will protect you from the vultures.

It rained today and we sat under an umbrella in the rain with two men that clean the pools. I love talking with the people. I suppose I will always be an innocent in the woods but why would I change that? Life goes on!

b

4 comments:

  1. I can emphathize with your situation. In certain countries the culture is built around aggressive interaction with tourists. For many of those folks their economic well being depends on it. That doesn't make it less irritating, but at least more understandable.

    Avoiding those folks and spending time with locals who are simply doing their jobs is much more enjoyable and probably more representative of the country as a whole.

    Stay safe and we'll see you in Tucson sometime next year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad you are having fun...I leaned much when I lived there for 6 mo...Stay aware...Hope you get some snorkeling in...Gary

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  3. Bob,
    We are safe...it is all part of the experience. But it is sad because the people do not need to do this. Work is plentiful.

    We had a lay over in Phoenix. Thought about you guys.

    b

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gary,

    Staying for 6 mo. would be ideal. I always enjoy the locals and even accept the vultures!

    Be well.

    b

    ReplyDelete

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