The "fake gringo" tales

Long ago, in my college years, I learnt about the importance to give credit to researchers and those who had discovered new lands and so on...Well, in our case, I have no other option rather than acknowledge and "thank" to Josh for giving me the "fake gringo" nickname.

Although, it is not the first time that the looks lead to funny situations, on this occasion, it would be one more twist...

To start off, probably due to the places we visited, quite a few ex-pats seemed to be in possession of many properties, giving them the "right"to speak only in English (that reminds of those residents in Costa del Sol, that after many years barely speak a word in Cervantes language).

Roaming around Cabo San Lucas streets: "Massage, massage" No thanks a million!; anywhere, 'hello my friend", with that tone that gave themselves away the only interest of selling you whatever stuff they had in store; and the one that I'll never forget: after driving for more than two hours on dirt roads (trust me, those were really what the words mean), turning at some point after a post for San José del Cabo, holes on the paved road, probably even worse than the dirt ones. Eventually, I met with a couple of car driving in the opposite direction, which kind of surprised, not much time would pass before finding out why...Down the hill, a chain closing the road down, and one local man as the guardian:
-"Hola, buenas tardes"

The guy moves his head with that universal message, "Wrong way""This is a private road"
-"Disculpe, es la primera vez que paso por aquí, y simplemente seguí la señal que indicaba hacia San José"
The guy looked at me sort bewildered, what is this gringo saying in Spanish. He tried me several times, by asking  questions, to test  language level...Needless to say, he asked me for a "propina" 
-¿Cuánto?¿Veinte pesos?
-Sí, eso está bien
 Ready to go to the boot of my car (sorry Jeff for using this British word again...) to grab a couple of  ten pesos coins, he asked again "¿Vas a San José o a California?
-"Como ya le dije, voy a San José"
He lifted the metal chain, "Váyase"
For once in the trip, using my mother language helped in spite of the appearance...