vacation time

[a non-amos]

We went to Mexico, with mixed results.  We saw some incredible things, and we also saw the worst of the "ugly Americans".  This was also an exercise in sleep deprivation.

My initial plan was not to speak Spanish.  My wife does not speak that language, so it would be very rude to speak over her head as if she were a child.

That plan did not last very long.  Not speaking the language, they treated us like stupid Americans.  We had enough of that.

We got a little better service after I started speaking Spanish.  I am not talking about the "me Tarzan you Jane" level of Spanish.

I also showed respect for their people, and showed respect for their culture.  They were a bit surprised, which really is a shame.  They were not used to this.

After a couple days of speaking their language and acting like human beings instead of shaved apes, we were more welcome at that resort.  Go figure.

No, it was not rude to speak Spanish even though my lovely wife could not understand it.  She enjoyed hearing me slide from one language to another and back again, translating as needed.

- A

[yelnats]

Me gusta Mejico.

No creo que es descortés para hablar la lengua de una pais aunque su esposa no habla la lengua. Creo es descortés a los mexicanos si se puede hablar Castellano y esperar que los Mexicanos hablan Ingles para ti.

Mi esposa espere que puedo hablar y traducir aleman en Alemania, Frances en Francia, y Castellano en Espana. Pero, por la mayor parte, ella plana las vacaciones, paga por los billetes etcétera.

Did you know that last year the USA became the second largest native Spanish speaking country in the world, overtaking Spain.

I heard the Latinos say that all the original Spanish states, Nuevo Mexico, Arizona, Tejas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, California, Florida were taken by war. They are now being taken back, person by person.

[birdy]

I am inordinately pleased with myself, yelnats, that I was able to read your whole post in spite of not having used much of my Spanish in many years, even in multilingual NYC.  Hopefully I'll be able to understand a very little of it on my upcoming trip to Costa Rica (yes, Pat, looking forward to seeing lots of interesting birds!).

[pat]

It's this month isn't it, Birdy. I seem to remember you telling me. Which lodges are you staying at?

My Spanish is quite rusty but I was able to read Yelnats's post as well. My problem with Spanish is that I can make myself understood fairly well but can't understand a word they say back to me. It's almost like an aural dyslexia.

[Les303]

I'm sure that everyone will be quite surprised to hear that i do not know a single word of Spanish or any other second language for that matter but i still had no trouble reading Yelnat's post.

Simply right click on the body of the text & select " translate to English "

[yelnats]

¡Viva Les & Google!

[a non-amos]

Yelnats, I really do see your point.  I had considered this beforehand.

In most (not all) countries it is a show of respect to speak their language.  I did not wish to offend.

In this case, we were at a bilingual resort.  At least half of their guests did not speak Spanish.  I thought it would be no great insult or inconvenience to them if I spoke English.  On the other hand, I thought it might be a great inconvenience and maybe an insult to my wife if I spoke Spanish.

There is no perfect solution; I tried to do the least damage, based on what little info I had.  This was our first venture into a country that does not speak English as a native tongue.

I guessed wrong.  I picked up on this, made changes as needed, and proceeded to do a little better (speaking Spanish).

I started out a bit rusty.  It had been almost 40 years since I had last spoken Spanish.  My ear for this was not very good.  I got better as quickly as I could.

Midway through the week I was making jokes with our tour guide in Chichen Itza, and he asked if he could use this in future tours.  Not a problem.

Toward the end of the week I was discussing matters of chemistry and business management basics with some new found friends.

Toward the end of the week we also got much better service.  I'm not sure why; that might be a multiple choice question.

[birdy]

It's this month isn't it, Birdy. I seem to remember you telling me. Which lodges are you staying at?

My Spanish is quite rusty but I was able to read Yelnats's post as well. My problem with Spanish is that I can make myself understood fairly well but can't understand a word they say back to me. It's almost like an aural dyslexia.

We're staying at Savegre Hotel, Natural Reserve & Spa; Macaw Lodge; La Ensenada Lodge; and Selva Verde Lodge and Rainforest Reserve.  We'll begin and end the trip with a night at Hotel Bougainvillea.

I'm like you - I can dredge enough words out of the past to ask questions, but not to understand the answers.

[pat]

We're staying at Savegre Hotel, Natural Reserve & Spa; Macaw Lodge; La Ensenada Lodge; and Selva Verde Lodge and Rainforest Reserve.  We'll begin and end the trip with a night at Hotel Bougainvillea.

So many lodges in Costa Rica! It's still one of my two favourite places (the other being Ecuador). I wondered if you might be staying at Tinalandia, which is supposed to have fantastic hummingbird feeders. Unfortunately neither of my trips to CR included that lodge, although Hotel Bougainvillea has been the start and end hotel for both of them. I hope you have a wonderful time there and see some great birds.

[a non-amos]

Yes, maybe we should have gone to Costa Rica.  Live and learn.

[yelnats]

I have a soft spot for Costa Rica. Fifty years ago it was the only country in the Americas where the police did not wear guns, and they had abolished their army!

And last year they were 90+% renewable energy!

[birdy]

Pat, have you stayed at Rancho Naturalista in Costa Rica?  (I may have asked you that before)  It was very good for hummingbirds - lots of feeders - and was a good place to see the snocap.

[pat]

I stayed at Rancho the first time I visited Costa Rica, Birdy. I keep a journal on my birding tours and I've just referred back to that one, from 2006. We stayed there for two nights and, as you say, there were very good hummingbird feeders. The only place we saw the snowcap, though, was at the hummingbird garden, which is just a smallish area just off the road, planted with verbena bushes (which, as you probably know, hummingbirds love) where you're charged a few dollars to go in. We visited the garden this year too but sadly the snowcap wasn't in evidence, although its absence was somewhat compensated for by the presence of a black-crested coquette (poor photo attached. Never did manage to get one of a snowcap).

Anyway, as you mentioned in another thread that you're packing, your trip must be imminent so I hope you have a great time. Which company are you going with?

[birdy]

Hi Pat, went with a British company, Walking with Wildlife.  Only six participants (I was the only American) plus Our Leader and the local birding expert/driver.  We may have gone to the same hummingbird garden - just off the road, house with a long concrete verandah?  We got multiple views of the snowcap, plus brown violetear.  Tropical downpours too!  I took about 2000 pictures in the two weeks, lots of blurred birds (my specialty) plus butterflies and other bugs, a few reptiles, flowers, etc.  I've downloaded them but haven't had a chance to look at them (got home less than 20 hours ago).

And a non-amos, I did use my rudimentary Spanish, and I believe the locals even understood what I was trying to say.  Or maybe they were just being polite!

[pat]

It certainly sounds like the same place, Birdy. How lucky you were to see the snowcap. I've seen lots of brown violetears but none there as far as I can remember.

I hope it was a successful tour - I haven't heard of Walking with Wildlife but I'm going to check them out right now!