| Unless you speak fluent Spanish and know how to | | | | quite a bit for a pair of earrings. Being well |
| haggle, if you are an American | | | | traveled, she replied, "That seems a bit |
| you will automatically pay more for trinkets, | | | | expensive." The shop owner was bilingual and told |
| jewelry, etc. Sad but true. I've learned | | | | her she wouldn't find those |
| through experience that when I am shopping in | | | | earrings anywhere else. Knowingly, my friend |
| the second hand stores, unless I | | | | said, "Well, I'll look around for |
| know the owners, I take a Mexican friend with | | | | something else and come back here later." She |
| me to negotiate for what I want. Once | | | | found a pair of earrings that she |
| I've selected the item, I leave the store as if I | | | | liked even better for a lower price after a bit of |
| was disinterestedly browsing and leave | | | | haggling.This is the Mexican way. It is only when |
| my friend up to the haggling.The same holds true | | | | you really get to know people that you don't |
| for shopping in the tourist areas. Most of the shop | | | | get ripped off, but it is true that in Mexico people |
| owners here | | | | see Americans and have dollar |
| in Ensenada will haggle a bit even with their | | | | signs in their eyes. Why? American behavior. It's |
| countrymen, but in the First Avenue | | | | our own fault. For generations |
| (Calle Primera) shops, the prices are high anyway | | | | we've been coming here as tourists waving |
| because it is THE tourist place. | | | | money around, wearing expensive |
| Thousands of people a week come off of the | | | | clothes and shoes, and look like we are dripping |
| cruise ships a week during peak season | | | | with money. Not only that, many |
| to swarm in and pick up a few knickknacks to | | | | tourists wave money around and wantonly give |
| take back home, so the shop owners | | | | massive tips to people just for |
| are not hurting for business. Many of the shop | | | | information. It's amazing.We can't blame the |
| owners are only bilingual when it | | | | Mexicans for their idea of us. Tourists are the |
| comes to money, as in "such and such dollars." | | | | representatives of |
| And make no mistake about it, they | | | | any country, and we've done a bangup job of |
| are math wizards.When my doctor friend came | | | | creating the stereotype that we are |
| to visit, one aggressive shop owner tried to | | | | from the Land Of Milk and Honey and have |
| charge her | | | | money to burn. |