Drug Dealers in Orvieto, Italy?

Old Sep 26th, 2015, 05:38 AM
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Drug Dealers in Orvieto, Italy?

We were in Orvieto two weeks ago and observed some odd behavior in this Umbrian hill town. We had about an hour to wait at the train station for our train back to Rome and since it was a lovely day, we sat outside.

A few minutes after we sat down, a man sat next to us with a huge jar of what appeared to be moisturizer with a bright pink lid. That's it, no man purse, or anything else but his phone. (We were only there for the day but did have our purses and other bags.) He tried engaging us in conversation, which we ignored, but soon moved away because it was annoying.

Then two men from NY arrived and they looked like gang members. Yes, I realize I'm making some major assumptions here but my sister, who has worked in an inner-city hospital in NJ for 30+ plus years, recognized the "type." One guy said he'd like to "f" me and although there were a few people around, including some Americans who we were talking to earlier, there wasn't a cop or any type of official in site, so we became concerned and moved inside.

We were able to see them through the window where they were joined by others and they seemed to lose interest in us. One of the Americans came into the station and said that one of the guys was bragging about the fact that he's killed people and would happily kill again.

Our best guess was that this was a drug deal or some other crime taking place and that the pink jar was used to identify the guy to the NYers. Any thoughts as to what all of this was and please don't say nothing because it was quite obvious that these guys weren't there to enjoy the Duomo?
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 05:48 AM
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You seem to live in a totally different world than normal people who live in Italy.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 05:55 AM
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nochblad, thanks for your astute insight. Most useful in helping me understand what we witnessed.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 06:17 AM
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I am surprised and appalled, LouisaH. Easy to say from afar but since no one in authority was around on the platform, I would have let the conductor know.

See something, say something.

I don't understand nochblad's comment.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 06:31 AM
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If you were so concerned did you report it to anyone?

If not this seems a total fantasy. NY gang members in Orvito of all places. What were you smoking?
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 06:38 AM
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TDudette, yes, in hindsight you are correct but in reality, I doubt ticket agent (only person at the station) would have done a thing. Honestly, at that point we just wanted to become invisible and not draw any more attention from these guys while we were at the station. If they had gotten on the train we certainly would have.

I don't understand nochblad's comment either.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 06:51 AM
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nochblad, actually if you think about it, Orvieto is the perfect place for drug dealers or other criminal activity. Close to Rome, tons of tourists, and again not one cop in site in the hour we were there.

Trust me, if I'm going to have a fantasy, it's not going to be about disgusting gang members but instead it would be about any of the other drop dead gorgeous Italian men we encountered on our trip.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:01 AM
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I don't know why you think proximity to Rome and tourists is great for the drug dealing business in Italy.

Most drug dealers I've known -- and yes, I've known some! -- don't call a lot of attention to themselves, and they try not to annoy potential customers, or do things that would attract complaints to train station personnel, authorities.

I'm not going to dispute you had a bizarre experience, but reading other posts about your recent trip to Italy with your sister -- now represented on Fodor's as both an authority on invisible mold and international gang behavior. You do seem to dramatize and have reactions others don't, and come to conclusions others don't. (Why wouldn't the only ticket seller in the station not want to know about potentially dangerous people in the station? They've got cell phones.)

Don't know who the guys were, but maybe they enjoyed freaking out tourists. As for the guy with a jar and pink lid, he sounds harmless even if odd.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:04 AM
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For something as serious as described this should have been reported. Why not? WHY NOT?

Since you didn't this sheds considerable doubt on what occured or on what you thought occured.

In over 30 years in Italy I have never come across anything similar and certainly not in a place such as Orvieto.

After failing to report it to the authorities why has it taken you 2 weeks to post it to Fodors?

Also the station is not in Orvieto but in the plain below so the individuals may not have had no interest in Orvieto and its Duomo. The location may have been quite fortuitous if the event occured as described.

If I was a public official of Orvieto or even a simple citizen I would be most offended by a posting which is quite denigratory.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:22 AM
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I posted this because I thought someone might have some useful insight as to what we witnessed, obviously a pretty foolish thought on my part.

nochblad, I'm well aware of the location of the train station and proximity to the Duomo. As to why I didn't post before, Internet service was sporadic throughout our trip, which I'm sure you understand after 30 years in Italy. I returned home this week and am just now catching up on things. For what it's worth, I'm most offended by your comments as to my motives and reactions.

sandralist, at the risk of striking some as paranoid, I believe you've disliked me and made disparaging comments about me since the time when you were posting as zeppole. You argued with me because you didn't like my review of Albergo del Senato. Normally I wouldn't care or even but you were quite offensive about it.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:29 AM
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I completely understand your concern and agree that you did the right thing by just removing yourself as far away as possible from what was an uncomfortable situation.
Your experience reminded me of a interesting encounter about 15 years ago in Scopello, a small village in Sicily.

My husband and I were on a lovely trip to Sicily and in addition to visiting the better known cities such as Palermo, Siricusa, Taromina, Messina, Monreale we also wanted to experience some small towns.
We spent time in Erice and Scopello.
Scopello was a highlight of our trip, a very lovely very small village with a water well in the center of the town square for people to come and get water to bring back to their homes.
One day while sitting by the well a man came to us and started to speak to us in English. We discovered he came from New York and when he told us the exit he took on the Long Island Express to reach his home we told him we had a home a few exits further East..

He was so eager to talk to Americans and particularly someone who lived near where his home used to be.We talked with him for about 10 minutes. We understood that he would not be going back to the States
He seemed to miss the USA and we fantasized that he may have been deported by the USA government because of his ties to 'THE MAFIA"
Obviously we did not ask him why he did not return to the USA.
Sometimes it is better not to be too inquisitive .

Our experience was not a frightening one like the one you experienced but it did add some excitement to our stay in Scopello.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:30 AM
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I agree with sandralist

this whole story seems very OTT
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:40 AM
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tdk320n, thank you for understanding and for sharing your charming story. You're absolutely right, sometimes it's best to remove yourself from the situation and not to be too inquisitive.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:57 AM
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Louisa, Is it possible that they were just a**holes who got off on scaring tourists? Blowhards?
But you definitely handled it correctly.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 08:21 AM
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First thought on reading title of this thread was " duh.. there are drugs everywhere.. and so therefore drug dealers" .

Then I read the thread and laughed. I think they had fun at all you tourists .. playing Mafia for you guys.. lol good fun.

Just out of interest.. you said the first fellow tried to engage you in conversation but it was annoying..do all locals annoy you , or was it because of something he said in particular.. or was it because he was a man and you are afraid of foreign men talking to you in public places?

I don't believe for a minute that the pink jar had anything to do with anything.. drug dealers do not draw attention to themselves for goodness sake( and yes.. I too have known some)

My second thought was.. outwest and sandralist are probably well on target.. they just wanted to freak you out.. you likely look like total tourists and they just wanted to be rude and have some fun with you.

In any case removing yourself was the correct solution.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 08:30 AM
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How did you know they were from NY?
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 08:44 AM
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justineparis, the first guy was not a local. He had what seemed to be an African accent, and yes, I'm aware that there there are several different accents from the various countries. He was like the street vendors who approach you with selfie sticks, umbrellas, etc. and thus we had absolutely no interest in talking to him. My guess about the pink jar was that he was using it to identify himself to those he was meeting.

joannnyc, the NYers announced to us upon their arrival that they were from Brooklyn.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 08:59 AM
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Those guys pulled your leg so hard I'm surprised it's still attached.

I have no doubt you were upset, though, which is why I suggest you try to curb your flights of fancy in future, for your own peace of mind.
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 09:10 AM
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NewbE, why do you bother posting when you've added absolutely nothing of any value to this thread?
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 09:12 AM
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LouisaH

many, many postings ago you said -

I posted this because I thought someone might have some useful insight as to what we witnessed, obviously a pretty foolish thought on my part.

just let it go ....
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