Grand TURK They DON"T love us

Old Jan 9th, 2003, 04:34 PM
  #1  
whit
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Grand TURK They DON"T love us

I have traveled through out the Caribbean and Grand Turk (Salt Raker Inn)is the worst place I have ever stayed.per Fordor's Caribean 2003 pg# 685 Unpretentiou...yes friendly... not the guy that runs it...
"New management' The guy told me he didn't like "rich americians' I wish I was one ...you too will qualify if you are there on vacation.
The 2 of 3 places to eat on the island take 2 hours to get the food to the table and I'm not talking about 5 star dinning.
I would guess the night of our most intense native experience(this is what the inn keeper guy called it) envolved several locals attempting to gain entrance into our quarters several different times!...while we
were in our room. not once ,but 3!!!
times. Thankfully my Salt Raker inn keeper was their to "protect me even though he hated me ,the American. It was scarry my daughters were freeked out. it was almost midnite Even 2 of the local women wanted into our rooms,whch I refused,They wanted to "piss'.
They Island is Dead.
I even went to the local Bank of Nova Scotia considering opening up an account a business thing... "ever feel like a criminal? I guess they get drug smugglers or something alot.

they tell me 4 of the cruise lines are going to call grand turk a port of call...give me a break. the word is the the cruise lines will show up open up and run "local" tourist shoppes & other cool "local" business.Are we so stupid? Whatever is there will be built by them and it will be fake...typical
 
Old Jan 9th, 2003, 05:15 PM
  #2  
Whitless
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
"They island is Dead"

Was that a big surprise to you? Did you think you were going to Nassau maybe?

"I even went to the local Bank of Nova Scotia considering opening up an account a business thing... "ever feel like a criminal?"

hmm...not trying to launder anything were we? I have a legitimate American business and can't think of ONE other reason to open up a bank account in a foreign country...

give it up, whit. you ain't got one whit of sense, and your post has not one whit of credibility!

 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 03:05 AM
  #3  
Eva
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Wow. What a different experience from the one I had in Grand Turk last year, when we felt welcomed and embraced by the local community. Sure, service is a little slow, but I attribute it to "island time" (where else do I need to be? why not spend the time enjoying a chat with my fellow travelers...). Part of the attraction of Grand Turk is its sleepy ambiance. As for "locals" trying to get into your room, that hardly sounds like the local people I met, who were warm but reserved and quite conservative -- are you sure it wasn't drunk tourists who were pounding on your door?

In any event, it's unfortunate that you have attempted to tar the reputation of an entire island and its people -- with which many others have had nothing but positive experiences -- on the basis of isolated incidents.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 05:01 AM
  #4  
whybother
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Whit, you should know never to report anything negative on these forums. These people who love the Caribbean will defend any of the islands regardless of a personal experience, regardless of crime. If you were held at gunpoint, they would blame you. Never the Island. They all have rose colored glasses on and all a majority o see is the beauty of the beach. So save your breath. (Or typing fingers.) It is a futile waste of your time and energy to ever cast any enlightenment on any specific place or experience. It just doesn't work on here.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 05:25 AM
  #5  
gvy
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
What a difference from what I experienced at Salt Raker. Didn't know there was new management. The banks are a bit skeptical of those doing offshore banking but it's not a criminal activity nor do they treat it like one but they are wary since the American connection and laundering money. It's one of the many tax free places to store your money. Which cruise lines are planning to go to Turks? Sure glad the Caicos reefs protect it from that. Did you eat at Calico Jack's? Doesn't even sound like the same place I visited.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 06:17 AM
  #6  
Mary
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Whybother: I totally agree with you about getting bashed for anything negative being said about a destination and that's too bad. But I hope people will continue to post negatives as well as positives. While I think it's important to take it with a grain of salt at first, if I hear more and more of the same, I will seriously consider another destination and I think that's important information. Not that I would have the same experience if I went but it could help me decide where to go next. Not to mention, it can make for interesting reading. Bottom line: I'd rather hear the truth, even if it's not so good, than a bunch of sugar-coating.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 06:38 AM
  #7  
Eva
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Other than the post from "Whitless," I don't perceive that "Whit" is being bashed for his opinion here. I simply posted that I was surprised to hear of his unsatisfactory experience, and that my own experience was different (after all, how can people make a judgment about a place if they don't have the opportunity to hear varied opinions?).

Another point is that expectations of destinations vary -- if they are not realistic, the traveler will most certainly be disappointed. You don't go to Belize for the beaches, you don't go to Saba for the shopping and casinos, and you don't go to Grand Turk for luxury accomodations and 5-star dining.

If Whit had a bad experience at the Salt Raker, it's absolutely fair for him to express his opinion. And if the innkeeper was a boor, Whit should tell us. But if my experience was different, am I not entitled to express it as well? And if something about his account seems "off" based on my experience, am I not entitled to question it? I'm not bashing, and I'm not knee-jerk defending the island (there are certainly many islands I feel ambivalent about), but I sure would like the opportunity to get more of his story without being accused of being a Pollyann-ish island defender.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 06:42 AM
  #8  
dim
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Regional opinions aside, Its almost impossible to take seriously a "review" that is almost illegible. The public schools have outdone themselves this time!
Sorry whit, if you are an american vacationing in the carribean, you ARE a rich american. Well over 90% of the worlds population will never be able to afford a vacation across the street much less to any caribbean island.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 07:48 AM
  #9  
Mary
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Eva: If your last response was aimed at me, I wasn't insinuating that you were bashing, just that negative posts get bashed in general but not by everybody. It's just as important to hear all sides. I felt your post was just as valuable and yes, you are more than entitled to it.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 08:09 AM
  #10  
Eva
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Mary, my response was directed at "whybother," who implies that any defense of an island destination is baseless and clueless.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 08:28 AM
  #11  
grain of salt
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Mary,

Brilliant, exactly how these boards should be used. As a guidepost and not the definitive word. I like the negative and give credence to both sides of a story. If you are legitimate and doing your homework you can learn something from the good and bad.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 11:43 AM
  #12  
t&c
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
For a view of what some non T&C people who tried to create businesses in those islands, and the corruption they encountered, take a look at
http://www.turksandcaicosexposed.com/

These people actually live in T&C, and their view is similar to Whit's in a few ways.
(But with better spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

Afraid I have to agree with the poster who said if you're an American and vacationing on almost any of the islands in the Caribbean, you are a rich American as far as the islanders are concerned. Not liberal whining, merely a statement of fact.
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 12:02 PM
  #13  
surprised
Guest
 
Posts: n/a

I'm am very surprised that someone would AGAIN bring up this TCI exposed website.
Is it you whit? I think there's someone here who really hates Turks...hmmmm...
 
Old Jan 10th, 2003, 01:00 PM
  #14  
whybother
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
This was exactly my point. Now someone just "hates" Turks.
 
Old Jan 11th, 2003, 06:06 AM
  #15  
whit
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
FODORS travlers might want to know what happened to a fellow traveler.. That's all.
I found the place (Salt Raker) via FODORS. I would recomend stearing clear that's all.
They were not drunk tourist @ midnight trying to gain entrance, the Inn keeper was not a nice guy,.

It was a dangerous situation.

Hey ...go to Salt Raker @ Grand Turk I really don't care, but for those who want to be informed... this was simply my experience.

As for my character bashing... save it for someone who cares. I'm not out to get anyone. The majority of the people were very nice. A few bad apples do spoil the whole bunch,unfortunately truth sometimes hurts & there seems to be more than a a few of those apples.
C Ya
 
Old Jan 13th, 2003, 05:27 AM
  #16  
t&c
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
My dear Surprised:

Let me see if I understand your posting. You say you are surprised that, in a thread describing a bad time a traveller had on T&C, that someone would provide supporting documentation that T&C is not the heaven on earth you believe it to be. Is that the gist of your post?
And your conclusion is that someone must hate the T&C.
So what I infer from your post is that no one should provide information that concurs with an opinion other than yours, and, if there is such information provided, the provider must have some hidden agenda, such as hating the island(s) in question.
Does this just about cover you position?

Well, listen up Chucky. This board is established for the free flow of information about the Caribbean, the islands in the Caribbean, the inhabitants of the islands in the Caribbean, and the travel/recreation/vacation/exploration in, on, and of those islands.
SO, when someone posts their opinion, or posts a trip report, or shares some information that can be helpful to other potential travellers to the Caribbean, it is absolutely proper for them to do so.

If you want to challenge the conclusions of the poster based on your own personal experience, you are free to do so (we are all free to do so). But limit your comments to the facts and drop the personal innuendoes.

Neither Whit nor I 'hate' the T&C. Whit reported on a very unhappy circumstance, and I provided an opportunity for posters to add to their depth of knowledge about the T&C by providing a web site that shows a side of the islands that people don't normally see, and may help explain some of what might be a reason for the actions of those few who made Whit's visit so unpleasant.

Hate the T&C? Not me. Blindly love and support them? Not me either.

So just keep the exchange at a civil level. OK?

Good.
 
Old Jan 13th, 2003, 11:37 AM
  #17  
yikes
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Whit: I could possibly sympathize with your post, except I couldn't understand a single thing you were trying to say. It reads like a stream of consciousness, with terrible grammar and spelling to boot. I hope for your sake that English is a second language -otherwise you're screwed.
 
Old Jan 13th, 2003, 12:06 PM
  #18  
more on T&C
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I never had a bad experience in Grand Turk but I would NEVER recommend going there unless you are a keen SCUBA DIVER...in which case it is a fabulous jumping off point for some of the most amazing dive sights in the world. Otherwise it is sleepy, slow, ugly, no zoning, etc. and I fail to understand the attraction of people in flocking to that destination. Any divers reading this, check out Peter Hughes for their great Turks live-aboard diving trips.
 
Old Jan 13th, 2003, 12:30 PM
  #19  
surprised
Guest
 
Posts: n/a

t&c

It's too bad you feel that way about my post - but again - we are all free to our own opinions. My concern and annoyance comes from people who boast about this website. It has been going around soooo much on sooo many other forumn. It's boring and I have heard many saying that it is untrue. Now, maybe whit had all these experiences, it just seems far fetched when you have experienced it yourself. It's very hard to believe, and seemed to me like a troll. This person didn't even make any sense. It was gibberish.
Anyway, think whatever you want to think. Everyone has their own experinces and opinions, I just think that the people of Turks are too nice to do that stuff to tourists. But if it's real - hey, sorry you had a sucky vacation.
 
Old Jan 14th, 2003, 06:16 AM
  #20  
ttt
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
ttt
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -