Incase you're bored. . .

LabLove86

http://www.brainjet.com/world/1137/13-of-the-worlds-strange-etiquette-rules?til=d-df-1137#slide/0

I found this and thought of you guys - I knew some of them but not all. Just kinda interesting. 

CMGragain

I can't see anything.

LabLove86

huh - the link loaded for me.

Its different etiquette traditions around the world. Like what hand gestures are rude, where its polite to slurp your food - that kinda thing. 

CMGragain

I'm going to Indonesia and Thailand in January, and I'm already researching their customs.  I have to keep an eye on DH.  He can be clueless, especially when he is stressed.  Loosing your temper in public is a big disgrace there.

LabLove86

Oh thats exciting! I would love to see those places! 

I would be researching already too. I think a lot of places will be able to recognize tourists and give them a 'free pass' so to say - but I would want to be as respectful of their beliefs and customs as I possibly could be. 

I would also have to watch BF - I don't think that international travel would be in his best interest. He can be insensitive to things he hasn't experienced or doesn't understand fully. 

pearlsofsteel

CMGragain said:

I'm going to Indonesia and Thailand in January, and I'm already researching their customs.  I have to keep an eye on DH.  He can be clueless, especially when he is stressed.  Loosing your temper in public is a big disgrace there.

I live in Thailand - you're going to offend people no matter what. Things are weird here.

AlexisA01

I can totally vouch for the thumbs up in Iran...Just don't do it.

CMGragain

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

pearlsofsteel

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

CMGragain

I figured most of that.  DH is a very nervous traveler, so we do cruise ships.  He doesn't have to eat strange food or worry about language issues.  We stay with the group.  He has a great time and takes lots of pictures.
Thank you so much for your expertise!  I love museums, and I'm looking forward to Bangkok's.  Not interested in buying jewelry unless it's costume stuff.

pearlsofsteel

Bangkok is an amazing place (this is where I live).

Best place to buy costume jewelry is either the Chatuchak Market on the weekends (the train drops you off right infront of it, so its an easy excursion and an amazing experience) or at the wholesale mall, Platinum Fashion Mall (just down the way from Central World mall). You'll be able to buy five+ pieces for roughly $3. 

Wegl13

@pearlsofsteel‌ ... All of the things you just said? Yeah you just turned me off from ever visiting. Anywhere there is a danger of me getting locked in a building or car... GET. ME. OUT.

AlexisA01

pearlsofsteel said:

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

Woah....hold up....WHAT!? That is crazy....

pearlsofsteel

Well, yeah, it can be crazy here. The police have also started this new thing here where they "search" you and plant drugs on you so they can shake you down for everything you have unless you want to go jail. Honestly, I think being here long-term puts you in the position to encounter all of these things but when you're just on holiday? You'll probably only find yourself dealing with tuk-tuk scams if you don't find out about them beforehand.You can take the right precautions to avoid being one of those people who get taken advantage of. I had one really bad incident where I was blamed for an incident that I had no fault in and had to hand over an obscenely large amount of money to avoid getting sent to court/jail (and this was with the best lawyer in the country handling it). So, I use Uber or FH's company driver to get around these days, rarely wear my ring, never look too flashy and (touch wood) have been fine. I'm heading back to the US soon to get a break from everything for a few months, the perfect time to lock in WR things while I'm there. 

goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

Woah....hold up....WHAT!? That is crazy....

WTF?  Poisoning you HOW?  Gas?  

pearlsofsteel

goldchocobo said:

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

Woah....hold up....WHAT!? That is crazy....

WTF?  Poisoning you HOW?  Gas?  

Yessum. 

AlexisA01

pearlsofsteel said:

goldchocobo said:

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

Woah....hold up....WHAT!? That is crazy....

WTF?  Poisoning you HOW?  Gas?  

Yessum. 

Please give more details. I am totally freaked out by this. :O

pearlsofsteel

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

goldchocobo said:

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

Woah....hold up....WHAT!? That is crazy....

WTF?  Poisoning you HOW?  Gas?  

Yessum. 

Please give more details. I am totally freaked out by this. :O

The Thai FDA never released what it was but said it was like chloroform and released a warning about it happening and what to do. 

It happened to FH and I once. We got into a cab and the driver immediately put his window down, so FH tried to do the same but the driver locked the windows and said they were broken. Honestly, I let my guard down when I'm going about the city with FH so I wasn't paying attention to this happening until he just told the driver that we'd actually like to be dropped off at a location that was a few feet away and we got out of there without making accusations (taking face). This was shortly after a taxi driver killed a foreigner with a sword he was carrying in his trunk after the foreigner confronted the driver about pulling some shady things on him, so it was safer to remain cool and collected. 

AlexisA01

pearlsofsteel said:

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

goldchocobo said:

AlexisA01 said:

pearlsofsteel said:

CMGragain said:

Well, we are big, fat American tourists, and we can't pass for anything else.  I just don't want to be the ugly Americans I have encountered on other trips.

In a rural village in Cornwall I hear a New York voice screeching, "Of course they take American money here, Harry!  They take American money everyplace!"  (No, they don't.)

In a charming Italian village, "I don't get it.  They said we be going shopping.  Where's the mall?"

Watching a tourist climb up a sacred Mayan site in Mexico to take a picture.  (Would you climb on a church at home?)

I want to try and be a good representative of my country when I'm abroad.

Fair enough. I'm an American, as well, and know what you mean about ignorant tourists (though, this isn't limited to just the US... I've seen a lot of ugly from a variety of Western countries). But for the most part, there's going to already be an ever present hostility toward you because you're a "farang" (foreigner). Lots of people will view you as an ATM and attempt to run every scam on you known to man. It is so easy to get just frustrated here but once you do, you're likely taking face from that person and offending them. Once you take face, all bets are off and some folks will get violent. Tread lightly, always be smiling (even when you're pissed!), don't touch anyone on the head, don't cross your legs to where the bottom of your feet/shoes are showing (never show them, period), grab things from someone with both hands, don't tell anyone they're wrong/argue logic, be polite when you barter, never take a taxi that won't turn on his meter, if you're in a taxi and the driver puts only his window down - get the hell out of there because he's poisoning you and will rob you when you're unconscious, the palace NEVER closes, tuk-tuks are more expensive - the ones who say 20THB are going to take you into gem shops and tailors and intimidate you into buying something with the doors locked, etc. 

Woah....hold up....WHAT!? That is crazy....

WTF?  Poisoning you HOW?  Gas?  

Yessum. 

Please give more details. I am totally freaked out by this. :O

The Thai FDA never released what it was but said it was like chloroform and released a warning about it happening and what to do. 

It happened to FH and I once. We got into a cab and the driver immediately put his window down, so FH tried to do the same but the driver locked the windows and said they were broken. Honestly, I let my guard down when I'm going about the city with FH so I wasn't paying attention to this happening until he just told the driver that we'd actually like to be dropped off at a location that was a few feet away and we got out of there without making accusations (taking face). This was shortly after a taxi driver killed a foreigner with a sword he was carrying in his trunk after the foreigner confronted the driver about pulling some shady things on him, so it was safer to remain cool and collected. 

I remember that case. That is insane that people do such vicious things.