Posted by cynthia on Monday, May 15, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

Living in Cefalu, it is almost impossible not to spend a substantial amount of time on the beach.  Most people like to sunbathe and read in the sand, while I prefer to make sandcastles and take a dip in the cool seawater.  However, with so much time and beach (that has extremely soft and warm sand) on my hands, even I have succumbed to lazing around for a mid afternoon nap on the shore.  With the cool breezes, warm sunlight, and surprisingly comfortable sand, the conditions for a perfect nap were all present.  That is, until you wake up to the smiling face of a beach vendor.

PHOTO: Going for a Dip

My first encounters with the beach vendors were pretty interesting- mostly because I was originally taken aback by their assertiveness.  I wanted to learn more about them and understand them a little bit better, so I decided to observe them a little more closely.

Today, I went to the wall on the beach and sat there for about 30 minutes (around 3:00PM) watching the vendors go about their work.  There were two Asian women- both looked to be about 40 or 45 years old (they looked younger than that)- carrying backpacks and offering massages.  I recognized one of those ladies from the other day.  A couple of my friends and I had been relaxing on the beach and she came over 3 or 4 times (during the two hour period we were there) to ask if we wanted massages.  We politely refused each time, but she told us that if we wanted a massage any other day, that we should look for her hat (a cute sunhat with pink ribbon- an easy way to recognize her).  There were also a couple of men, perhaps also in their 40’s, selling scarves and jewelry (beaded necklaces and shiny things mostly).  All these men had darker skin- the one selling necklaces looked African, and the men selling scarves looked maybe Middle Eastern (it’s hard to say).  They all dressed in basics (jeans, sandals, either a t-shirt or short-sleeve buttoned shirt).  Although I wasn’t at the beach all day, the vendors seem to always be there.

PHOTO: Beach Vendor

This is what I noticed about their use of language and body to do their work.  Firstly, they don’t stand in one place and yell about their products.  They walk around the beach, targeting beach dwellers individually.  They walk right up to you (this is what alarmed me at first, since in my experience, American vendors don’t often physically burst your personal bubble) and usually talk to you in a conversational tone (where as American vendors would shout about their products or motion you over to them).  This technique is a lot more aggressive than I’m used to since the vendors literally come to you and there’s no easy escape.  They stand right next to your beach towel- a bit too close for a stranger- and show you their product.  It’s hard to say no, especially when they are so persistent.  Even when you do say no, they continue to show you their products.  I never want to be rude, but then again, saying no over and over gets annoyingly redundant (I just want to enjoy myself on the beach!)

These are some of the methods I’ve used:

-Saying “no grazie” or saying that I have no euros

-Shaking my head no

-Playing dead

All of them have about the same success rate, except I think playing dead works better (although it feels wrong to ignore them like that) because it’s hard for them to persuade you when you’re unresponsive.

PHOTO: Relaxing on the Beach

There seems to be a good reason for their assertiveness though.  Tourism is a major part of Cefalu’s economy; my guess is that these people make their livelihood off of these sales.  To be competitive and to bait tourists, they need to be aggressive (as indicated by the massage lady who wanted us to recognize her hat).  Based on their normal clothing, yet laborious work in the sun and long hours, I can also infer that these people make enough to get by… but they are definitely not drowning in euros.

Here are some questions I have about the beach vendors:

1. Are these people independent vendors, or do they actually work for a company/business specifically targeting the population on the beach?
2. How well do these vendors actually do (profit-wise)?  Do they have families and can they support them?