# 20 Ridiculous Complaints Made by Holidaymakers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 21, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229 "2009-03-21T01:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/21 "2009-03-22T18:28:36Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > How much dye did you folks have to put in this here [lake](http://www.juddpatterson.com/spotlight/images/canada_43.jpg)? You can imagine the questions about [Emerald Lake](http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanvernon/3290088845/) in the Yukon Territory. It’s a beautiful thing IRL. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/22 "2009-03-22T21:53:54Z")
When I worked downtown at a tourist bar, I fielded several complaints about “why are there so many MEXICANS here?” I also had one lady whose observation was, “So…I figured there would be lots of Mexicans here…but walking around the Riverwalk, I also saw more than a few _black people._ Nobody told me about the black people down here…” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/23 "2009-03-22T22:18:17Z")
**Audrey** , did you explain Junteenth to them? “There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners.” Maybe they would have been more comfortable with a “Do not disturb” sign on their door. I take slight comfort that those of us from the Excited States of America aren’t the only ugly tourists out there. Now, do I need to get a visa before or after I fly into New Mexico?.. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/24 "2009-03-22T22:22:19Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > When I worked downtown at a tourist bar, I fielded several complaints about “why are there so many MEXICANS here?” Reminds me of my next door neighbor in the Bronx. When I asked her if she enjoyed her vacation in Puerto Rico, she said, “No! There were too many [bad word for Puerto Ricans] there!” I’m not sure if she was kidding or not. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/25 "2009-03-22T22:34:56Z")
An entertaining book on the subject is ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/26 "2009-03-22T22:36:25Z")
An entertaining book on the subject is _A Stingray Bit My Nipple!: True Stories from Real Travelers_, by Erik Torkells. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/27 "2009-03-22T23:23:44Z")
This thread claims to be about 20 Ridiculous Complaints Made by Holidaymakers, and yet it contains well over 20 examples. I wish to be compensated for this oversight on behalf of the Board Administration. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/28 "2009-03-22T23:37:01Z")
Yeah, good list. Although, after this one: “No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled.” All the others seem kind of unimpressive. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/29 "2009-03-23T00:05:52Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Yeah, good list. Although, after this one: > > “No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled.” > > All the others seem kind of unimpressive. That is my personal favorite as well. Sorry, Charlie… ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/30 "2009-03-23T01:23:21Z")
My folks are RV workkampers, and one summer they worked in Skagway, Alaska, working in shops that catered to the cruise ships. Oh, the questions my dad got…and he loved messing with their heads. Among the best were “Do you accept American money?” and “Where is the zoo? We want to see the mammoths.” I think my dad told them the mammoth zoo was on the other side of the mountains because of the smell. The tourist nodded wisely and said, “That makes sense.” ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/31 "2009-03-23T01:28:23Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > An entertaining book on the subject is _A Stingray Bit My Nipple!: True Stories from Real Travelers_, by Erik Torkells. A stingray ønce bit my sister… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/32 "2009-03-23T04:53:13Z")
> [@Vlad\_Igor](#): > > Now, do I need to get a visa before or after I fly into New Mexico?.. I actually saw a reference once on a local message board over here from someone looking for the Hawaiian Embassy or a consulate. That left me scratching my head. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/33 "2009-03-23T05:20:40Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I actually saw a reference once on a local message board over here from someone looking for the Hawaiian Embassy or a consulate. That left me scratching my head. Well, Hawaii _was_ independent and a monarchy during the nineteenth century… maybe they were reading really old newspapers? ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/34 "2009-03-23T06:28:42Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I too was thinking that when I read the title. I thought it was an odd thing. I familiar enough with the term \*Holiday \*for \*Vacation \*- some of my friends are Brits - but it didn’t connect. Hah. My boyfriend (who is Irish) mentioned this exact article a few days ago, and I had to stop him and ask “wtf is a holidaymaker?”. Cue heavy sigh and disparaging comments about Yanks not knowing Proper English. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/35 "2009-03-23T08:29:17Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > So…a holidaymaker is a tourist, not someone who works for Hallmark? (Hey, when’s Sweetest Day, again?) You know, I’ve never really thought about it before, but I’ve just realised that, in my mind, there’s a subtle distinction between the two. Tourists are the ones with cameras and guide books and special wallets for their travel documents – holidaymakers have “Kiss Me Quick” hats and carrier bags full of duty free. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/36 "2009-03-23T09:55:40Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > “wtf is a holidaymaker?” “I went to America, and described myself as a holidaymaker, and they all looked at me like I was an idiot! I demand Americans learn about my country before I visit.” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/37 "2009-03-23T10:22:07Z")
My favourite: “Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women.” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/38 "2009-03-23T10:32:54Z")
So what does “holiday” mean to Americans? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/39 "2009-03-23T10:51:58Z")
[quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:38, topic:490229”] So what does “holiday” mean to Americans? [/QUOTE] Christmas, Easter and the Fourth of July are all holidays. Holiday refers to an observed day off on the calendar. The time off during the week of Christmas is Christmas vacation. If you leave work for an extended period of time and spend it traveling, you’ve gone on vacation. You are vacationing. You are a vacationer. Which is not to say we’re not familiar with the term, ‘‘on holiday.’’ Green Day uses that phrase in their song, ‘‘Holiday.’’ Holidaymaker, I have to admit, is a completely new one to me, but I still figured out what it meant pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229/40 "2009-03-23T10:57:05Z")
[The Holidaymakers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO-9W9iSsqk) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-ridiculous-complaints-made-by-holidaymakers/490229.md?page=3)