While telling a friend about my recent trip to Mexico’s Pacific Coast, he said, “Sounds great. I love Puerto Vallarta, but I like the Yucatan peninsula better.” I tend to agree. But I was curious. What exactly is so much better about the Yucatan? The warm, turquoise-blue Caribbean? The ancient Maya ruins? The fantastic diving and snorkeling? “No,” he said, “it’s better because there aren’t as many beach vendors.”
Ah yes, the roaming beach vendor: Mexico’s version of the telemarketer. Both are selling something you don’t want. Both elevate annoyance to an art form. But the beach peddler is potentially worse. Why? Thanks to Caller ID, the telemarketing pitch can be avoided. But there’s no escaping the vendor walking directly toward you, balancing a Pisa-like stack of gaudy sombreros on his head. “Amigo, how many you need? I give you especial price. Almost free!”
“Gracias, no.”
“How much you wanna pay?”
“Amigo, no” I say firmly.
“I give you two for ten dollar. One for you. One for you beautiful wife. ” If we ever join a mariachi band, I’ll keep the offer in mind.
And so it goes on many of Pacific Mexico’s resort beaches. Like clockwork, vendors toting briefcases full of silver jewelry appear every few minutes. T-shirts, dresses and blankets are waved before your eyes in matador-like fashion. Women try to sell gringas on massages or having their hair braided into corn rows (think Bo Derek, circa 1979). Men trudge through the hot sand, hawking helado (ice cream). On second thought, I do want what they’re selling.
My friend says he’d like to see vendors banned altogether. As much as they bug me sometimes, I have to disagree. Most vendors are cordial, hard working people that drive Mexico’s “informal economy” and do take “no” for an answer. But then you’ve got the pushy, overbearing types who’d make excellent timeshare-condo salesmen.
If you’re not interested in what a vendor is peddling, I’ve found the silent treatment to be an effective deterrent. Don’t look, don’t nod, don’t say a word. Sounds rude, but if you show even the slightest bit of interest, they’ll pounce. If there’s a better way to fend off persistent vendors - or if you have a good vendor experience story - I’d love to hear it.
