mickey@cca.UUCP (Mickey Levine) (04/09/85)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** Having just returned from Paris and after managing to almost get my wallet stolen, this message is for anyone going to Paris to 'see the sights'. There are a number of full time pick-pockets working the major sights in Paris, especially the Louvre and the Metro. Men, don't carry your wallet in your backpocket, and women, make sure your purse is in front of you. If you carry a 'daypack', carry it instead of wearing it on your back. Your paranoia is nothing compared to trying to replace cash, credit cards, passports, etc. As an aside, I travelled 2 1/2 weeks in Israel and Europe before this incident, and I have been lead to believe that Rome and Paris are the only real problem spots. It never hurts to be careful. Mickey Levine decvax!cca!mickey
johnnyr@ihu1m.UUCP (John R. Rosenberg) (04/12/85)
Also beware of large groups of small children. They tend to surround thier victimsand appear to plead and beg, all the while grabbing for any valuables thay can lay their grubby little hands on. They go for purses, wallets, jewelry or anything else interesting. It is very upsetting to have to start slapping at boys and girls 10 years old, but that is the only way to escape with your belongings. This incident occurred at Sacre Coeur in Paris.
srm@nsc.UUCP (Richard Mateosian) (04/15/85)
In article <2177@cca.UUCP> mickey@cca.UUCP (Mickey Levine) writes: > >There are a number of full time pick-pockets working the major sights in >Paris, especially the Louvre and the Metro. > >I have been lead to believe that Rome and Paris are the >only real problem spots. > My wife's purse was snatched in Trafalgar Square, and pickpocket warning signs are posted all over London. -- Richard Mateosian {allegra,cbosgd,decwrl,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo}!nsc!srm nsc!srm@decwrl.ARPA
yip@megatest (Mike Yip) (04/15/85)
Yes, I have heard nothing but bad things about visiting Paris.
During the past 2 years I have both friends and relatives
visiting Paris. All of them are "almost" victims of pick-pockets.
On two separate incidents, the pick-pickets even tried to get the
wallet in the front shirt pocket from my brother-in-laws, and from
a friend of mine. There was another incident like this from another
friend but I forgot about the details.
--
Michael E. Yip,
UUCP: {decvax!decwrl, ucbvax, ihnp4} !sun!megatest!yip
{amd, ubvax} !megatest!yip
ARPA: megatest!yip@{Glacier||Shasta}.ARPAcarl@bdaemon.UUCP (carl) (04/16/85)
> Also beware of large groups of small children. They tend > to surround thier victimsand appear to plead and beg, all > the while grabbing for any valuables thay can lay their > grubby little hands on. They go for purses, wallets, jewelry > or anything else interesting. It is very upsetting to have > to start slapping at boys and girls 10 years old, but > that is the only way to escape with your belongings. > This incident occurred at Sacre Coeur in Paris. Thievery while travelling can happen anywhere. One of the joys of travelling to Fiji is a several hour lay-over in Honolulu in the middle of the night (from approx 22:00 to 02:00 or longer). Several years ago, the departure from HNL was delayed an extra hour or two and all the passengers were not terribly awake. Just as the flight was announced, one of the passengers has his camera bag snatched by a speedy runner who took off down the concourse. Since we must have been the only people in the airport at that ungodly hour and since there are only two flights a week, the unfortunate passenger could only hope to find some reasonable duty free shop in Fiji. Carl
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (04/16/85)
In article <2598@nsc.UUCP> srm@nsc.UUCP (Richard Mateosian) writes: >>I have been lead to believe that Rome and Paris are the >>only real problem spots. >> >My wife's purse was snatched in Trafalgar Square, and pickpocket warning >signs are posted all over London. Sign posted at the Shrine of Fatima: This is a holy place. Please observe silence. Meditate and pray. Watch your pockets. -- -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp TTI 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
gam@amdahl.UUCP (G A Moffett) (04/20/85)
> Also beware of large groups of small children. They tend > to surround thier victimsand appear to plead and beg, all > the while grabbing for any valuables thay can lay their > grubby little hands on. They go for purses, wallets, jewelry > or anything else interesting. It is very upsetting to have > to start slapping at boys and girls 10 years old, but > that is the only way to escape with your belongings. > This incident occurred at Sacre Coeur in Paris. I had a similar incident in a Metro station (St. Michel, I think). While a crowd of passengers was moving out of the station, I was approached by two small (10 years is about right) children showing me bits of newspaper and murmering something at me. My friend with me told me the newspapers were a distraction and they were probably pickpockets. I said, "Go away!" and nothing happened. One of them tugged at my jacket (I had valuables in the inside breast pocket), at which point I raised my umbrella and shouted "Go away!" again. They left. [ Paris is a wonderful city and should not be judged by such incidents. In any major city one must be careful with valuables. ] -- Gordon A. Moffett ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,sun}!amdahl!gam
oaf@mit-vax.UUCP ([Oded Anoaf Feingold]) (04/21/85)
A different kind of caution re Paris: The bottom has dropped out of the culinary standards. I went to a restaurant where the first bowl of onion soup was spoiled (like two days old, man...) and the second "made fresh today" was _soapy_ water with a piece of bread on top. When the maitre'd told me the second bowl was fine and I didn't know what real onion soup was supposed to taste like, I offered him $20 if he'd eat it himself. (Offer turned down.) If it tastes funny, don't be afraid to cuss. They may be pulling a fast one on you. By contrast, in Switzerland and Italy (in my experience) no matter where you go you will get decent food. Maybe not great, but at least the real thing. Of the two, you're better off in Italy. -- Oded Feingold mitvax!oaf MIT AI Lab oaf%oz@mit-mc.ARPA 545 Tech Sq. 617-253-8598 work Cambridge, Mass. 02139 617-371-1796 home
desjardins@h-sc1.UUCP (marie desjardins) (04/23/85)
> Yes, I have heard nothing but bad things about visiting Paris. > During the past 2 years I have both friends and relatives > visiting Paris. All of them are "almost" victims of pick-pockets. I was pickpocketed in Paris (but luckily got my wallet back). But that doesn't mean there aren't good things about Paris! It's still one of my favorite cities in the world, and there are a lot of wonderful things to see and do. Just hang on to your money and passport! (People love to steal passports, too, by the way.) I would suggest keeping your money in your front pocket and your passport in your locked luggage (although I suppose this depends on how safe the hotel you leave your luggage in is). marie desjardins
klein@ucbcad.UUCP (04/24/85)
> Yes, I have heard nothing but bad things about visiting Paris.
Arrgh, let's not put this incredible city in such a bad light!
My wife and I were there 3 years ago, and loved every minute of it.
We took your basic precautions: money belt under clothing, money
separate from tickets and passports, always took camera and anything
else half valuable with us wherever we went. Now, we don't know
if anything would have happened had we not done this, of course.
We were there a total of about a week and had no bad experiences of
any kind, and would jump at the chance to go again.
We did, however, make an interesting observation: you should go
before the tourist season starts. We came in during mid-May for
a few days, liked it so much that we cut days off the rest of our
trip so we could return for a few more in mid-June. We noticed
that tempers were shorter throughout on our return. Still no
problem, but I don't think I want to find out how short they are
in August.
--
-Mike Klein
...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein (UUCP)
klein%ucbmerlin@berkeley (ARPA)