Raul's: The Gatekeeper Is a Thief

markham2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2000 Posts: 6

I went to Rauls today, and it is a great spot. But my rear car window had been broken in Baja before, and so I asked the guy at the gate to watch my backpack, which I gave to him along with a tip as I drove through. I am talking about the guy on the south side of Rauls restaurant.

I must be one of his best regulars. I have been there maybe 100 times, and literally have often been his only customer. I am always super friendly, and he always seemed super friendly right back.

Well, this guy has no class. He rummaged through my backpack while I was out sailing. When I asked to have it back, my keys and my Mexican insurance papers werent in the pack at all, but were sitting on his table. I had $12 in the pack, which likewise was gone. I was obviously pissed, and he gave me the $12, the keys and my insurance papers. But my frickin drivers license was missing! (I had travelled there only with my license, a little money, and the other things I mentioned precisely because my car right now has a smashed rear window.)

I yelled at the dude, but he pretended not to understand me. Then finally he said that he didnt have it, but if I come back tomorrow he might find it and give it to me!

This is a great spot and I dont want hassles with this guy, but man am I pissed that I asked him to hold my backpack. I had even tipped him at the outset to hold it for me!

I dont care, I love Baja!

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Posts: 1928 | From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Mar 2002 | IP: Logged

jibes · Joined: 30 Jun 1999 Posts: 44

howd you get back without your DL? BTW, how was the South swell down there?

pacspeed · Joined: 14 Sep 2000 Posts: 627

So lets see, you go to Mexico with a missing window, and hand over your money, keys and drivers license (aka general admission ticket to the USA) to a guy who probably makes 10 bucks a day, and then get shocked and angry when your stuff has been rifled? Dude, its time to get a clue.

To everyone else:

1 - have a secret stash spot in your car. Put your docs and $$ in there when nobody is looking.

2 - learn spanish, so when you have to yell at someone, you will have some credibility, and they wont be able to play dumb.

3 - Mexico is a third world country. People are desperate, and your average yuppie gringo spends more on the toll road going to Rauls than your average Mexican makes in a day. They know you have lots of money, and they know you can get a new DL. So use your head, and dont whine when your lack of planning bites you in the A**!!!!!!

trburl · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 196

Whoa, ease up there pacspeed. It is standard Baja practice to pay locals to watch your gear. Just because markham2 used a typical Baja trick and got worked doesnt mean he planned poorly. Even with your secret stash, a typical Baja thief might take an additional 30 seconds to find where your goods are. Just because the Mexican government has run the country into the ground, and the locals have no money, markham2 should feel like an unplanning idiot when they rip him off? I think it is more than acceptable to get pissed and bitch when you get put through the paces in Baja, it sucks. I bet you think its helping the local economy when the Federales steal gear from our trucks at the checkpoints?

markham2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2000 Posts: 6

In fairness, pacspeed has a good point, except that I was perhaps this guys best regular customer, and I paid him to watch my backpack! But we have to remember how poor they are down there, and on the whole the people in Baja are friendly and decent. I try to show respect to them every time, and even know how to apologize in Spanish for not speaking Spanish!

I have crossed the border now several times with only a temporary license, and got hassled over it only once.