Eiffel Tower pickpockets force landmark closing
byThe Eiffel Tower was closed due to pickpockets most of Friday. Once again, this so-called “petty crime” has affected tens of thousands. How many…
The Eiffel Tower was closed due to pickpockets most of Friday. Once again, this so-called “petty crime” has affected tens of thousands. How many…
It’s my birthday, and we’re on the road, as usual. This time it’s an okay low-budget hotel in Anchorage. Our plan for a nice…
At check-out time, you call a bellman to collect your luggage. You pay your bill, then tip your bellman for loading your bags into…
With over two million views, our 50-minute National Geographic documentary “Pickpocket King” continues to raise questions. Here, Bob Arno addresses the frequently discussed issues…
A year ago, psychic swindler Rose Marks was sentenced to more than ten years in federal prison for fleecing clients of her fortune-telling business…
Closing up our Stockholm house, I’ve been selling things on the local version of Craig’sList. Many items sell in the first day, even in…
Can you read this? I love bedside controls, but this one was tricky. The buttons were small, the text tiny, icons obscure. Who designed…
Fagin—heard of him? An 1837 fiction. Hamidovic—know that name? He’s an actual, living, pickpocket kingpin. Reality. Hamidovic, arrested in late 2010, ran a network…
Ego-stroking sex-based scams target vulnerable loners, or those who appear to be single. In a bar scene or come-on, some people suck up flirtation…
Steal. Drink and snack from the hotel mini-bar, the unethical blogger advises in his unethical December 10, 2014 article. Go ahead and have a…
This intriguing basket was waiting in our room when we checked into the Shangri-La hotel in Singapore. It had been a long journey for…
So, I’m expecting a couple of packages. The FedEx tracking site says they’re “on vehicle for delivery.” Yippee! When your box falls off a…
Like shopping? Like to be forced into shopping? Ever feel like boycotting a store because of the arrogant manner shown towards its customers? Arlanda…
What has the Four Seasons Sultanahmet in Istanbul not thought of? I’ve already written about its coffee delivered with wake-up call, a practice worthy…
“No, no, I won’t steal from you,” the little boy says. “You’re my brother! Family! Family!” He touches his heart, repeating “family, family.” He…
Pickpocketing in Paris is out of control. Or rather, the pickpockets in Paris are in control. The police arrest them regularly then see the…
Sometimes an exhausted traveler just has to give in and conk out. You can intend to be productive. You can try to be productive….
Four Seasons wake-up call: great morning! I recently had the great fortune to stay in the Four Seasons Hotel in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district. The…
Bob Arno writes about his brother. Bambi interrupts. Over the years I have written about my mentors, my old friends who have had a…
“Torture has become such an integral part of policing in Nigeria that many stations have an informal torture officer, Amnesty International says. “Both the…
Pickpockets are free to steal as usual on London’s Tube and trains, but they’ve lost their biggest buyers of smartphones. British Transport Police nabbed…
I recently wrote about beggars on the streets of Stockholm. I observed that an abundance of beggars are now stationed in the streets, and…
The pickpocket pair was plain as day to us. And we were just as obvious to them: tourists—by definition, filthy rich and fair game….
In Stockholm, it’s that time of year. Fresh, delicious, Swedish potatoes. Get them in the neighborhood grocery stores, dirt and all. I’ve never seen…
Window magic at Hotel Luna Baglioni I was happy to discover that all three windows opened in my beautiful room at Hotel Luna Baglioni….
So, we’re standing at a bar near the train station, drinking espresso with pickpockets in Naples (how we got here is described in Part…
Coffee with Thieves An August Sunday in Naples. Holiday time for all of Europe and most shops were shut. We bought bus tickets at…
Overcharge Scam “Do you take credit cards?” “Si, signora,” the salesman replied. “How much is this pepper grinder?” “€12.90.” So why was the credit…
Beggars in Stockholm—everywhere! Just a few years ago, one never saw beggars in Stockholm. Today, one never sees Swedish beggars, but beggars from Romania…
The mysterious case of the dirty toilet This time, the “hotel” is my own six-star guest room. We’d been away for six weeks and…