Tales From Jamaica: Day 4

We once again ventured off the resort today to do a shopping excursion. The gift shop at the hotel had some things but we wanted to find a few specific things they didn't have. The bus picks you (and lots of other people) up at your resort and the driver stays with your group the entire time. We made three stops, all of them at very, very similar places. Everyone in Jamaica is an entrepreneur and every day is "Half Off Today Only."  The first place we stopped was called Rainbow something and the staff follows you around, telling you about anything you touch, suggesting something for you to buy ( not sure how many times I was asked why I didn't look at the T-shirts), and giving you a price that's much lower than the one on the sticker. Guess what they had at the Rainbow store?! That's right, the **very rare**palm tree bottle opener keychain! 🙄 At least it was the same price as what I paid last night. When we went to pay, the man running the register kept his head down and said, "What are the prices?" twice, and I assumed he was asking the other staff. Nope. He typed them in and then asked me if they were right. I told him that the man in the back said this price for that and this price for that, pointing to the items on the screen. He replied, "Oh I didn't know, my psychic friends didn't tell me the prices for my customers."  😳😳😳 Um, ok..that's not how we do it in US. I thought he was being an ass but Phil(ip) said he didn't think so. Either way, his customer service skills could use some work. 

The next shopping center was called Taj Mahal and it filled a  plaza with stores that all sold the exact same things. At the first store we went to we found some things we wanted and the employee came to the register with us and told the clerk the deal she had made us. In another store a guy came up to us and stuck the items Phil(ip) was holding in our other bag (which made me really suspicious that he was sliding something else out but I watched his hand come out empty), said he would give us deal 🙄, took our money and said we were good to go. No receipt. Nothing. We're not even sure he worked there. We didn't really care though as long as we didn't get accused of stealing. In the hour spent walking around that plaza, our "offer" count increased by 4, making a total of 7 so far. We saw lots of designer knockoffs--Coach, Michael Kors, Louis Vitton, etc. So if you're looking, they're half off in Jamaica 😉. One notable thing about all the stores was the selection of explicitly carved anatomical figures, both male and female. Tourists must like that? I don't know. 

The last place we stopped was the most interesting but also the most annoying. This was called the flea market but it's not like the flea markets you see at home. There are no vintage mason jars or Ty Beanie Babies. Nope. Just more of the same crap you saw at the plaza, only this one is organized into a high pressure sales situation. 

When you get there they tell you that each couple (there were 6 couples on our bus) would go with a different vendor (there are probably 20-30 little shacks like this). They said they all sell the same things so it makes it fair for them to take turns. The lady who "chose" us took us over to her shop and told us to take a look while she fanned us with cardboard (which felt really good because it was hot AF). She asked if this was our first time in Jamaica and I told her that it's our third. She said, "Oh, you're a Jamerican. Welcome home." 🇯🇲🇺🇸 She explained to me how her cover up wraps work and said they're easy access (if you know what she means 😉🙄) and asked what color I liked so I could try one on. I told her I wasn't interested so we moved to the jewelry. She went on and on and I did choose a few things I liked but Phil(ip) finally told her we didn't have much cash left and put an end to it (he's good at stopping bullshit). She wanted too much money for it but we paid her for the one item anyway and walked out. When we did, another tried to get us and someone else told her it wasn't her turn, we needed to come down the line, but the first lady said this one had asked for us. We told her we weren't going with anyone else and she walked away without an argument. We must've looked pretty wealthy for them to be fighting over us! 😂 I was wearing a shirt I got at Target that says "Nama-stay in Bed," not sure what about that screamed money. They all give you a sob story about this being their only chance to make money this week...sure, until the next hotel chain sends a group your way 🙄. All in all, I was glad we found the few things we were looking for but I wouldn't want to do it again. And if I did, I would definitely lie to the man at the register to get a better deal 😝