Escaping Pickpocket Artists In Barcelona By Bill Harbin Jr.
A common problem in the beautiful city of Barcelona is being the victim of theft. Before traveling doing research is very wise. Reading this real life experience could give you some valuable tips on how to avoid a lot of grief. After traveling around the world and back I have been fortunate not to have been robbed, but I head the warnings given me. Practice what you read here and keep your money.
Walking along the beach at the Olympic park area is perhaps the most exciting and romantic place in the world. The fresh smell of special Spanish dishes cooking along the harbor brought to your nose by the ocean breezes is delightful. There are beautiful women swimming at the beach with handsome men. Couples young and old are holding hands walking along the board walk. It is a beautiful life experience.
Bicyclists cruise by you in this area and that is where this charming fairytale story can come to an end. The hotel clerk warned us of these guys. They can snatch a purse faster than Mohammad Ali could deliver a punch in his younger days. Women should not carry a purse in this area, especially with a large strap. Even European men are not seen with their popular handbags there. They know better.
Wear clothing with pockets instead of going with the purse. Even better is to have a money pouch hidden under your clothes. They can hold quite a bit of stuff. This item saved us a lot of agony and worry. Murder in Barcelona is not as popular as pickpockets. That is what it might take to steal the money pouch. Violence does not appear to be a popular sport there. Their culture seems to accept thieves, not murderers.
The greatest con that I had read about happened to us. We were approached by two men late at night asking us questions in English. My wife says my greatest personality flaw is yelling too much or speaking too loud at times. This flaw finally saved us from being robbed that night. I raised my hands and started speaking very loudly that I could not give them directions to any place in the area. I believe I even spoke in tongues for the first time. My character flaw was proven to not exist.
Be very observant when traveling to those around you. Stay away from crowds bumping into each other. Watch for distractions and move quickly while holding on to stuff in your pockets if this happens. We had to find a restaurant with pictures of the food to order, because English is not spoken commonly here. If some one asks you a question in English, beware. This city is wonderful, but not English friendly.
Barcelona should be on your list of really cool places to visit. The architecture, the food, the lifestyle and the unique culture is a real treat. Live the good life here. Take some simple precautions to protect yourself from being a target of theft. Enjoy the artwork, not the pickpocket artist. Life is too short not to enjoy it to the fullest. You might even be able to prove that you do not have any character flaws here.
