Thiefhunters in Paradise

Hotel Oddity #36

Bambi Vincent — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:51 +0000

Our hotel in Naples was on the second floor (they call it the first floor). We didn’t notice it had an elevator until the day we left. We usually take stairs when we can and, when we arrived, we were … Continue reading →

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Horn OK please

Bambi Vincent — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:25 +0000

“Horn OK Please,” in one form or another, is written prominently on the back of almost every truck—large or small—in Mumbai. The signs intrigued me. Why is the horn okay? What’s the point of the invitation? Mumbai is a constant … Continue reading →

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Pizza fumé

Bambi Vincent — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:44 +0000

Sounds good, but it’s not what you think if you’re imagining a fragrant, wood-smoked Margherita pie. Back in Naples, lunching at the tiniest pizza joint in the hillside Quartieri Spagnoli district. The “restaurant” is just an itsy-bitsy kitchen in a … Continue reading →

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The Unattended Purse

Bambi Vincent — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:00:28 +0000

Just a little reminder to women… A thief needs only a few seconds to assume ownership of unattended riches. Those few seconds are easily found when a woman leaves her handbag in a shopping cart or baby stroller. In the … Continue reading →

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Hotel oddity #35

Bambi Vincent — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:52:49 +0000

ANOTHER hotel getting personal, just trying to help. This one’s in Berlin. The sign’s in the shower, where we’re exhorted to pay attention to our tension. Unrelated posts:Midnight sun in StockholmLiving in a Houston taxiGomorrah: The Camorra of Naples

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Interview in an Opium Den

Bambi Vincent — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:00:39 +0000

In a dim, smoky opium den, we faced the backlit profile of the Moroccan pickpocket. He barely looked at us, concentrating instead on our interpreter. Steaming glasses of sweet mint tea sat before us, packed with fresh leaves of brilliant … Continue reading →

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Pickpocket beggars

Bambi Vincent — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:02:10 +0000

On the heels of the Louvre pickpocket debacle, here’s a profile of two exuberant Roma women pickpockets who tell us how they do it, who their favorite victims are, and why. They also told us how they accomplish a quick-change … Continue reading →

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Pickpockets in the Louvre

Bambi Vincent — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:20:29 +0000

Pickpockets running rife in the Louvre—nothing new there. Pickpockets acting aggressively: in our 20 years of active street crime research, we’ve been flipped off, hit, spit upon, and mooned. I hate to say this because it’s bound to be taken … Continue reading →

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Nature’s bedbug trap

Bambi Vincent — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:13:08 +0000

As a very frequent traveler, I can’t let myself focus on the nightmare of hotel bedbug infestations. I’m queasily aware of the increasing problem, but trick myself into considering all the press merely FUD. Otherwise, how could I deal with … Continue reading →

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Hotel oddity #34

Bambi Vincent — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:17:05 +0000

Built into the wall, this spotlit treasure on display in a glass box with an oval opening. Found in our room in Cologne’s lovely Dorint Hotel. If I’d had a long string of pearls, I’d have rested them in the … Continue reading →

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Traveling? Don’t be Self-Ripped

Bambi Vincent — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:05:45 +0000

Pickpockets, thieves, and con artists aren’t to be blamed for all losses. When you travel, don’t rip yourself off due to ignorance or naiveté. So you’ve done your research, studied up on foreign currency, and made the long-awaited journey to … Continue reading →

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Double Duplicity, Innocence, Intrigue

Bambi Vincent — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:46:46 +0000

Film options for The Impersonator, by Ann Mann, are sure to be promptly snapped up. I’ve seen the film in my mind, so richly drawn and fully developed are the novel’s characters. Not that a film requires such depth when … Continue reading →

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Stolen bag tag

Bambi Vincent — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:18:55 +0000

Who steals bag tags, and why? It couldn’t have fallen off. I had just received my Star Alliance 1K tags from United and, having lost many previous luggage tags, I added a sturdy cable tie to the wimpy strap provided … Continue reading →

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Hotel sex sounds survey

Bambi Vincent — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:58:15 +0000

Do you like hearing the sounds of lovemaking from the hotel room next to yours? I’ve had my fair share of overhearing neighbors in hotels. Not surprising, given the number of nights I spend in hotels each year (average: 240). … Continue reading →

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Hotel oddity #33

Bambi Vincent — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:52:02 +0000

Cadiz hotel mystery knobs. What could they be for? They’re way up there, beyond my tiptoed reach. There were no connectors, no hoses—not even a bidet, although they’re de rigueur in Spain. Any ideas? Unrelated posts:Thieves and witchdoctorsThe mosaic sidewalks … Continue reading →

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