People talk about the pick-pockets wherever they travel: New York, Berlin, Paris, Prague, San Francisco.
I have heard the story of my friend's mom's aunt's husband who was sitting on a park bench in Rome, suddenly a swarm of gypsy kids surrounded him and slashed his backpack with a razor, taking everything. I myself have met the "Gold Ring" Gypsy woman in France, confronted the train car full of Africans who spill the soda on you for a distraction in the Italian train, had the drunk follow me slurring insults in Mexico, and watched the Roma work a crowd in Alexanderplatz in Berlin. We walk the streets of Paris, Rome, San Francisco and Budapest well past midnight, and I am often up wandering, taking photos at sunrise. But I have not been robbed, mugged, really bothered (except the soda was annoying), or afraid. But, I am not stupid. Here are some money-carrying ideas and tips that help me feel safe, and I think would help in some dicey situations: WALKING AROUND
TRANSPORTATION DAYS
I dunno. Maybe we have just been lucky. Maybe people like us. Hopefully we have good Karma. Want to buy a luggage lock, cheap? My friend Aura was heading to France and asked me about "chip and PIN" credit cards. If you have not heard of them, you are in good company. A lot of people in the US don't know about the EMV Smart Cards. Throughout a lot of the world, people use chip and pin credit cards. They are the thing in Europe; more secure and used everywhere. Not unexpectedly, they are not available here... because as always, we do things our own way in the US. But that is changing, and this year they are becoming available at some banks. Just not at mine. So the worry is, can you use your "swipe and sign" credit card in Europe? Yes. And no. Most places I have been able to use my existing cards, but once in France at a toll booth I had to scramble for "small money" (coins) and once in Germany I could not use my card at a restaurant. So I have been lucky so far. BUT... they keep saying that the swipe and sign cards are on the way out. So, do you need one? Not yet, at least I haven't. Do you want one? I sure do, but until my credit card company offers it, and with the terms I want, I am waiting. There is always cash.
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June 2015
AuthorThis is me, at home in Northern California. like the photos?
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