Tourist Etiquette

Kobi · 05-28-2011, 11:05 AM

I like to say some behavior is just because people dont think. I'm
not sure but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt before
I react to it.

Often times, I find people think everything is there for their amusement,
is a disney thing rather than a living thing or history, or is just something to take a photo of.

When it comes to wildlife, I have no patience for people being people.
Beachings of dolphins and whales is a big problem here. It is not for your enjoyment, or facebook page or something for you to gawk at. It is a lot of work to save as many of them as can be saved. And it is very ugly when they have to be euthanized. It would be really nice if people respected the life at stake.

Same with allowing your children to chase seagulls and other shorebirds. Or using standed sand sharks, snails, crabs and other living things as toys.

I really dont want to be the one to educate your kids or you on toys versus life. Nor do I appreciate your attitude when I do so. Perhaps you would prefer if I let something bite or mangle your kid....lord knows sometimes I wish they would....but common decency prevents me from doing so.

Why is this such a complicated concept for people?

Toughy · 05-28-2011, 12:03 PM

ok converse.........laughin.........you brought up New Mexico

All of these heard at the Santa Fe/Taos/NM state tourist info center and/or various hotels in New Mexico (and these are all from anglo-american citizens):

Do I need a passport?

Do I need to change my American dollars for peso and what is the exchange rate?

At what elevation do deer become elk? (honest to the goddess this is a true question)

Is there electricity and running water?

Can you drink the water?

Is there an airport?

Are all the roads paved? (actually there are lots of dirt roads)

Exactly where is New Mexico? (it's the state between texas and arizona, then tourist says with an incredulous voice: there's a state between Tx and Az?????)

Are there cattle drives through town?

Will we see cowboys on horseback in town? (actually I can take you to the Mora (population about 300 or so) and you will see cowboys on horseback and hitching posts with horses attached)

Do Indians still attack white people? (for real)

What language is spoken....do I need an english to spanish dictionary?

Can we take pictures of Indians if we see them? (depends....always ask first...at Taos Pueblo they will charge you 20 bucks to bring a camera into the Pueblo and I think it's $20 more to take pictures...laughin....)

Do the Indians who sells jewelry on the Santa Fe Plaza take dollars? Do they speak English?

UofMfan · 05-28-2011, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Converse

...<snip>"[/B] -- An irate man to a travel agent, after returning from a trip to Orlando. The man was upset because his hotel room did not have an ocean view.

Oh my, this made me laugh out loud!

Kobi · 05-28-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toughy

ok converse.........laughin.........you brought up New Mexico

All of these heard at the Santa Fe/Taos/NM state tourist info center and/or various hotels in New Mexico (and these are all from anglo-american citizens):

Do I need a passport?

Do I need to change my American dollars for peso and what is the exchange rate?

At what elevation do deer become elk? (honest to the goddess this is a true question)

Is there electricity and running water?

Can you drink the water?

Is there an airport?

Are all the roads paved? (actually there are lots of dirt roads)

Exactly where is New Mexico? (it's the state between texas and arizona, then tourist says with an incredulous voice: there's a state between Tx and Az?????)

Are there cattle drives through town?

Will we see cowboys on horseback in town? (actually I can take you to the Mora (population about 300 or so) and you will see cowboys on horseback and hitching posts with horses attached)

Do Indians still attack white people? (for real)

What language is spoken....do I need an english to spanish dictionary?

Can we take pictures of Indians if we see them? (depends....always ask first...at Taos Pueblo they will charge you 20 bucks to bring a camera into the Pueblo and I think it's $20 more to take pictures...laughin....)

Do the Indians who sells jewelry on the Santa Fe Plaza take dollars? Do they speak English?

Nice to see the results of all that money we spend on education.

betenoire · 05-28-2011, 12:24 PM

So for those of you who don't know - my second job (I have two jobs! Ask me how!) is in a reservation centre for a ginormous hotel chain. Anyway. A couple of weeks back I got a call from an American. (I do believe I posted the condensed version a while back, the full thing is funnier)

Me: Thank you for calling ____ reservations. My name is Brandy. How can I help you?
Her: I want to go to Canada.
Me: Great! We have lots of hotels in Canada, where in Canada are you travelling to?
Her: Canada. On Victoria Street.
Me: What city and province is that in?
Her: Victoria Street.
Me: Do you want to go to Victoria in British Columbia?
Her: No. I want to go to Canada.
Me: ....okay. What were you going to Canada for? Was there an attraction you want to be near?
Her: I want to go see the falls.
Me: *lightbulb moment* OH! So you'd like to go to Niagara Falls, Ontario?
Her: No. I want to go to Canada.
Me: Yes, Ma'am. Niagara Falls is a city in Ontario which is in Canada.
Her: No. Niagara Falls is in New York. I want to go to the Horseshoe Falls.
Me: There's also a city called Niagara Falls in Canada, it's right across the border from Niagara Falls in New York. The falls on the Canadian side are shaped like a horseshoe so they got the nickname the "Horseshoe Falls".
Her: Are you sure?
Me: I'm Canadian.
Her: ....well. I guess you'd know.
Me: Yes.

The thing that makes this even worse is that she was from New York state, like Buffalo area or Rochester I think it was. So she should have fucking KNOWN that stuff.

EnderD_503 · 05-28-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betenoire

So for those of you who don't know - my second job (I have two jobs! Ask me how!) is in a reservation centre for a ginormous hotel chain. Anyway. A couple of weeks back I got a call from an American. (I do believe I posted the condensed version a while back, the full thing is funnier)

Me: Thank you for calling ____ reservations. My name is Brandy. How can I help you?
Her: I want to go to Canada.
Me: Great! We have lots of hotels in Canada, where in Canada are you travelling to?
Her: Canada. On Victoria Street.
Me: What city and province is that in?
Her: Victoria Street.
Me: Do you want to go to Victoria in British Columbia?
Her: No. I want to go to Canada.
Me: ....okay. What were you going to Canada for? Was there an attraction you want to be near?
Her: I want to go see the falls.
Me: *lightbulb moment* OH! So you'd like to go to Niagara Falls, Ontario?
Her: No. I want to go to Canada.
Me: Yes, Ma'am. Niagara Falls is a city in Ontario which is in Canada.
Her: No. Niagara Falls is in New York. I want to go to the Horseshoe Falls.
Me: There's also a city called Niagara Falls in Canada, it's right across the border from Niagara Falls in New York. The falls on the Canadian side are shaped like a horseshoe so they got the nickname the "Horseshoe Falls".
Her: Are you sure?
Me: I'm Canadian.
Her: ....well. I guess you'd know.
Me: Yes.

The thing that makes this even worse is that she was from New York state, like Buffalo area or Rochester I think it was. So she should have fucking KNOWN that stuff.

Lmao! I was expecting her to be a prank caller or something. But she was actually serious? God, that's sad.

"So you'd like to go to Niagara Falls, Ontario?" "No. I want to go to Canada."

Priceless!

betenoire · 05-28-2011, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnderD_503

Lmao! I was expecting her to be a prank caller or something. But she was actually serious? God, that's sad.

"So you'd like to go to Niagara Falls, Ontario?" "No. I want to go to Canada."

Priceless!

Not a prank caller, either! She seriously booked a hotel room, I couldn't believe it.

Oh, and about that particular hotel I frequently get this question from people: "Now, that fallsview room...will I be able to see the falls from it"?

I always want to say "fallsview is our secret codeword for crack alley."

God. of COURSE you can see the falls from the "fallsview" room. Lordamercy.

Kobi · 05-28-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betenoire

Not a prank caller, either! She seriously booked a hotel room, I couldn't believe it.

Oh, and about that particular hotel I frequently get this question from people: "Now, that fallsview room...will I be able to see the falls from it"?

I always want to say "fallsview is our secret codeword for crack alley."

God. of COURSE you can see the falls from the "fallsview" room. Lordamercy.

This one I can actually sympathize with. Tourism is about marketing.
We have ocean view rooms which are self explanatory. And we have water front rooms. This can mean it overlooks a pond, a stream, a pool, a flooded parking lot, a poorly functioning septic......always something to clarify!

05-28-2011, 11:05 AM	#1
Kobi Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Biological female. Lesbian. Relationship Status: Happy Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hanging out in the Atlantic. Posts: 9,234 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,840 Thanked 34,634 Times in 7,640 Posts Rep Power: 21474861	I like to say some behavior is just because people dont think. I'm not sure but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt before I react to it. Often times, I find people think everything is there for their amusement, is a disney thing rather than a living thing or history, or is just something to take a photo of. When it comes to wildlife, I have no patience for people being people. Beachings of dolphins and whales is a big problem here. It is not for your enjoyment, or facebook page or something for you to gawk at. It is a lot of work to save as many of them as can be saved. And it is very ugly when they have to be euthanized. It would be really nice if people respected the life at stake. Same with allowing your children to chase seagulls and other shorebirds. Or using standed sand sharks, snails, crabs and other living things as toys. I really dont want to be the one to educate your kids or you on toys versus life. Nor do I appreciate your attitude when I do so. Perhaps you would prefer if I let something bite or mangle your kid....lord knows sometimes I wish they would....but common decency prevents me from doing so. Why is this such a complicated concept for people? __________________

05-28-2011, 12:24 PM	#5
betenoire Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Satan in a Sunday Hat Preferred Pronoun?: Maow Relationship Status: Married Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: The Chemical Valley Posts: 4,086 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,312 Thanked 8,739 Times in 2,565 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	So for those of you who don't know - my second job (I have two jobs! Ask me how!) is in a reservation centre for a ginormous hotel chain. Anyway. A couple of weeks back I got a call from an American. (I do believe I posted the condensed version a while back, the full thing is funnier) Me: Thank you for calling ____ reservations. My name is Brandy. How can I help you? Her: I want to go to Canada. Me: Great! We have lots of hotels in Canada, where in Canada are you travelling to? Her: Canada. On Victoria Street. Me: What city and province is that in? Her: Victoria Street. Me: Do you want to go to Victoria in British Columbia? Her: No. I want to go to Canada. Me: ....okay. What were you going to Canada for? Was there an attraction you want to be near? Her: I want to go see the falls. Me: lightbulb moment OH! So you'd like to go to Niagara Falls, Ontario? Her: No. I want to go to Canada. Me: Yes, Ma'am. Niagara Falls is a city in Ontario which is in Canada. Her: No. Niagara Falls is in New York. I want to go to the Horseshoe Falls. Me: There's also a city called Niagara Falls in Canada, it's right across the border from Niagara Falls in New York. The falls on the Canadian side are shaped like a horseshoe so they got the nickname the "Horseshoe Falls". Her: Are you sure? Me: I'm Canadian. Her: ....well. I guess you'd know. Me: Yes. The thing that makes this even worse is that she was from New York state, like Buffalo area or Rochester I think it was. So she should have fucking KNOWN that stuff. __________________ bête noire \bet-NWAHR\, noun: One that is particularly disliked or that is to be avoided.

05-28-2011, 12:03 PM	#2
Toughy Senior Member How Do You Identify?: pervert butch feminist woman Preferred Pronoun?: see above Relationship Status: independent entity Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Oakland Posts: 1,826 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,068 Thanked 7,653 Times in 1,522 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	ok converse.........laughin.........you brought up New Mexico All of these heard at the Santa Fe/Taos/NM state tourist info center and/or various hotels in New Mexico (and these are all from anglo-american citizens): Do I need a passport? Do I need to change my American dollars for peso and what is the exchange rate? At what elevation do deer become elk? (honest to the goddess this is a true question) Is there electricity and running water? Can you drink the water? Is there an airport? Are all the roads paved? (actually there are lots of dirt roads) Exactly where is New Mexico? (it's the state between texas and arizona, then tourist says with an incredulous voice: there's a state between Tx and Az?????) Are there cattle drives through town? Will we see cowboys on horseback in town? (actually I can take you to the Mora (population about 300 or so) and you will see cowboys on horseback and hitching posts with horses attached) Do Indians still attack white people? (for real) What language is spoken....do I need an english to spanish dictionary? Can we take pictures of Indians if we see them? (depends....always ask first...at Taos Pueblo they will charge you 20 bucks to bring a camera into the Pueblo and I think it's $20 more to take pictures...laughin....) Do the Indians who sells jewelry on the Santa Fe Plaza take dollars? Do they speak English?