I feel for you guys. It doesn't happen to me but I see it on the beach
Cap
I feel for you guys. It doesn't happen to me but I see it on the beach
Cap
Linston's Zion Hill Taxi
Captain Dave
Thinking back, I remember how nice the higglers used to be and how they used genuine (or well acted) friendliness to get you to buy their goods. The goods back then were usually handmade or homegrown and although not the highest of quality at times, they were genuine and the kind of things you felt proud to take home as a remembrance of your vacation.
On my first trip, I remember vividly my wife dragging me along to the Vendor's Market to do a little shopping. It was very hot and I was very tired from the night before. The very last thing I wanted to do was look over stuff that I had no intention of buying. I shuffled along behind her and stood back with hands on hips watching her talk and laugh with it seems like every vendor. Buying a little woven basket here and a colorful placemat there; she was having the time of her life and I was hot and irritated to even be there. What I needed was a place to sit preferably in the shade. I noticed a step in front of a shop that would work so I wandered over and asked the middle-aged lady shop owner if I could sit for a spell.
I was shocked when she shook her head in disapproval and went inside only to come out with a wicker chair. She placed it on the small shop verandah and told me to come and sit. I immediately noticed that a lot of people who worked there were watching me to see what I would do. I said thanks and walked up and sat down. She brought out a souvenir hand fan and started to fan me and I noticed out of the corner of my eye that a lot of people were watching so I hammed it up a little but unbuttoning my Hawaiian shirt. She asked me if I was looking for a girlfriend and I pointed over in the general direction of my wife and told her I was married. She said that was no problem and that my wife would say it was okay. I laughed and said she didn't know MY wife.
We joked back and forth a little about meeting later all in good fun. She asked me if their was anything I was looking for and I said a tropical shirt maybe if she had my size. She called over to another stall and an extra large shirt with pineapples was rushed over to my seat. It looked like it would fit and I didn't want to take off my shirt to find out so I asked the price. The two ladies got into a discussion over the price and I could tell that my host was negotiating a better price for me even while she continued to fan my neck.
Just then, my wife came over with a quizzical look on her face and asked me how I was doing. I said fine and introduced her to the two ladies who were by now sizing her up for a matching pineapple printed shirt. Another chair was brought out for my wife and she we both were intermittently fanned by our host. After an hour or so, we were ready to leave. With two pineapple printed shirts and a slightly used fan in hand, we walked back to Secrets Cabin feeling good about our day in the market.
Free Opinions Offered. No tipping required. Hours: Open when I feel like it.
Thats a great story! Much better than our first time..we were told to watch out and be careful and still got taken advantage of. But lesson learned. Now we just say no thank you and respect and move on.
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Sometimes it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.
A couple of years ago I was practically surrounded by women with their little stalls all together all expecting me to buy from each of them and they were so aggressive. It was honestly a little scary and our last reach I steered clear of them. It's sad actually, that the more they are in your face the more you will avoid and not buy, but if they relaxed and were more friendly their chances of a sale would increase tremendously.
[url=https://www.TickerFactory.com/]
Accompong, what a wonderful story and after all these years a great memory.
Regards,
Bob
That's a sweet story/memory, Accompong. Thanks for sharing.
also enjoyed the story and it brings me to mention as a over 50 time visitor i love Negril and love the people. i have has maybe 3 bad experiences in all those trips and they were all in the last couple years. this last year was the worst but it was just the one guy and he was an *******.
I had a similar experience at The Jungle. Except what *they* were trying to sell me was not jewelry ...Originally Posted by Sophie2012
What I noticed this year was that the security guards where we stay were more protective of the guests than in past years. The minute they perceived that a higgler had "outstayed his/her welcome" they were right there making them move on. Similar thing happened to me at a restaurant at lunch time. My companion had gone back to the hotel to get some money to pay the CD vendor and a young higgler approached me. I don't even remember what he was selling, but I said no thank you. He tried to say something else, and the owner of the restaurant (who was sitting in another area but obviously watching closely) lit into him to leave me alone, I had said no.
querty,
I noticed that as well, where I stay, they have a new security guy, and when vendors approach the chairs of the guest, he goes up and stands right next to the chairs, and watched and listens while transactions are made. If it gets to much, he tells them to move on. Also, I always every year, try and walk the beach, the whole beach at least a few times . I always start out at Cosmos. ( I know they are closed now ) I purchase a drink at their bar, and sit outside on the table, and drink it before my walk. When dudes come up and try and talk, the manager, or owner , not sure which, will come up and tell them to move on. I think years of complaining about this has been heard by the hotel owners.
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