General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you travel to Europe this summer, beware of this: [View all]Texin
(2,590 posts)It's especially common in the southern areas of Europe near the Mediterranean. I saw it frequently in Nice. The trick is not to dress like an American. i.e., white sneakers, affinity-branded caps or tee shirts, etc. I never had any issues anyplace I traveled, and I was a single Caucasian woman during my first two visits to Europe, and I was traveling solo, so really had no one else to speak English with. The next couple of times I traveled with my spouse, and both of us speak a little French, and he speaks German and a smidgen of Italian. The only thing that ever happened to me while traveling abroad was when I set my sunglasses down in our Rome hotel and I forgot I'd done it. I went back to the lobby area immediately when I realized I'd done it, and they were (naturally) gone, and no one had turned them in to a Lost & Found. I've heard of people losing stuff on night coaches, but baggage, handbags, etc. simply can't be left unsecured and if you're traveling with a backpack, it needs to be on your person at all times, with valuables secured within your clothing in a money belt, etc.