MichaelB Eurasian Adventure!
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Author	Topic: 12/30/02 - The Russian Reflex
michaelb	Last Replied 2003/02/13 @ 00:11:01 Hotel Gloria, Rome, Italy 12/30/02 18:29 GMT+1 When we arrived in Rome (a train station I'm quite familiar with), we began the hunt for accomodation. After a few phone calls, a very professional-looking man approached us and offered us lodging help in perfect English. I was highly suspicious of this "free" service. He did end up finding us adequate accomodation for a couple days, so whatever scam it was, wasn't so bad. New Year's accomodation for a decent price would be harder to come by. In any case, we made ourselves at home at the nearby Hotel Elsa Manor and grabbed a bite to eat at my favorite pasta/pizza joint where Chris and I ate our last Roman meal a month ago. It was as yummy as ever. The next day we spent mostly wandering and seeking a New Year's home. We found the relatively affordable Hotel Gloria where we are currently staying and will be till Jan 1st. Yesterday, after moving our crap to the new hotel, we headed to the bus station to catch a bus to the Sunday morning market. To preface this part of the story I will say that a few weeks ago I had joked that I will have gone so many months in Europe without a single pickpocket story of my own. Be careful what you wish for. As we ran for our bus #75 and hopped on, five or six girls, who couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen going on fifty, ran up and crammed on behind us. It seemed instantly unusual to me since the bus wasn't full and it wasn't in any hurry to leave. My instant Russia-born, clostrophobia, pickpocket, paranoia reflex made my left hand immediately reach for my most valuable pants pocket. As I looked down, my hand had grabbed the lead girl's hand which was cleverly concealed beneath the coat she was carrying in her other hand. In her hand were both mine and Georgina's passports halfway out of my pocket. Half a second longer and she would've made off with them both and possibly my bank card from the same pocket. She had managed to unzip the pocket and remove the goods with unbelievable skill and speed. I stared at her in disbelief and all she could say was "scuzzi" as her clan ran off the bus. I shouted something hardly useful in English and felt the shock settle into my system. Well I got the story I was foolishly looking for, and I still have all my valuables. I suppose I could've chased her and then dragged her to police but it would've been her word against mine, and I don't speak Italian. The market was huge and great although it was full of people and I was now paranoid of everyone. Last night we went to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps where we drank from the boat fountain out front. We then went up Pancino Hill for a spectacular view and found an ice-skating rink at the top. It's bizarre to se a skating rink with palm trees around it. Even though Chris and I spent five jam-packed days here last month, I still find myself being amazed by this city and run into grand things I missed last time.
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