jomar30, Nov. 2022
I came from a morning tour so I was at Cafe de France as early as 12:40PM (I asked the morning tour guide to show me where the Cafe was, instead of bringing me back to my hotel), and left probably around 3PM. I purchased a private tour. I ate lunch inside the cafe as it was hot outside. Just before 2PM, I went outside. Stood by the front entrance where the menu of Cafe de France was posted. I was looking for a guide who was alone, as the other tour guides, had people with them. Not once did I hear my name uttered. Nor did I see anyone with a sign with my name on it. Remember, I booked a private tour. There was one male guide who was also looking for his customer and asked me if I was that person. I said "no", and I was waiting for my tour guide for the Medina tour. He told me it must be the guide to my left, who was with several people. This male guide went to this other guide, and I followed him, so I was beside him when he asked if he was the tour guide for the Medina and if he had my name on his list. The other guide quickly answered "no". There were other guides that came but they all had an entourage, meaning, not a private tour. I walked from right to left to see if there was any tour guide that looked like he or she was looking for his customer. NONE. Still, I waited patiently. People can be late at times. But when it felt like I waited long enough, I messaged the tour operator. After a short while, the tour operator responded saying the guide WAS THERE! Imagine my shock! Then I felt angry because I knew this operator was lying. I told him I was there so I should be refunded. I do not know if I should be happy or not, but the operator said immediately my refund was on its way. THAT FAST. But there are no perfect "crimes" you see. Because the tour operator added that these things happen, but the guide was there, and the other members of the tour found him/her. See, the tour operator was trying to make it appear I was the only one who missed the guide. Big mistake! At this point, I messaged back that my tour was supposed to be a private Medina tour. So it's possible the tour guide and tour operator really dissed me because mine was a private tour, and they would make more money with a bigger group. I even sent him a picture of the male guide who helped me out asking this other guide, because he thought he was doing a Medina tour. I messaged the tour operator that if he could send a picture of the guide who was supposed to be there, then I would be able to identify if it was that guy who denied me flat out when asked, or some other guide who was there, since as I said, I was there at the appointed time. Had I been asked, I would have been fine with a non-private tour. I told the operator I would be able to identify the guide if he/she was there. It is possible, that one group of people was actually together, and this was a private tour for them as well, except with more paying members, compared to me who was a solo traveler. Also, If the guide was really there, I thought, this was a walking tour, the group could not have been too far ahead. But as I said, the tour operator was just quick to refund me.