Yes, Madison, I think you were being naive. First of all, so called traveling romances, are usually just that, "traveling", if you really thought something would come out of it, you were/are extremely naive.

Lost/forgot his wallet? Wow, he actually took the Gigolo 101 class!!!

No, I've never been approached by gigolos, but then again, when I travel especially alone, I don't advertise it and I certainly wouldn't let some strange man take me here and there...I guess you could say I'm the absolute opposite of Naive, I'm very leery of people who want to strike up a "frienship" with me when they've just met me and they know I'm only visiting...also, I'm visiting a city/country, I don't have to waste on some man who wants attention.

Madison, That was You? Us working guys need to make a living too. Now I feel like a cheap Amsterdam Hooker.

To avoid the gigolos' advances, I would recommend wearing running shoes, big ol'satin gym shorts, white crew socks, a stained Packers t-shirt, remove most of your teeth, and gain 60 lbs. In other words, try to look like my neighbor. If said gigolo's pursuit continues, then his heart must be pure, and you should bring him home.

Somewhere in a Sophia Loren movie she says, "Keep your nose up and your skirts down".

Wow, Madison, what a story! Better than the one I heard where a friend went to Europe and every man she met wanted to discuss politics!
I would not think of him as a gigolo, since he did pay you back, the same thing could happen at home..and just remember it as a nice interlude on a trip.
Will you see him again if you go back ?
((F))

Ira,
I love that advice!

edovre:

LOL!!! I can actually see your neighbor clearly, it's scares me but it's a truly great visual.

I did see what i thought was a gigolo in action in Paris. I was standing at the observation point near Tracadaro snapping a few digital shots of the tower. I overheard an american woman saying, "You don't even know me. I am much to old for you."
A few days later I observed the same gentleman(loosely used) making time with another woman. I thought it was hilarious. He was so cheesey I could not imagine anyone falling for that kind of shuck and jive.

sure, I have, several times. Mainly in the Middle East (Egypt) where they all want to marry you within a day of meeting you, or get your address and talk about love. I met these guys in a hotel bar, at a disco, etc. It didn't bother me because I knew what they were doing so never gave them my address. One guy wanted me to be his third wife, a tour guide in Luxor. Yeah, sure, that sounds appealing.

I've also been approached by the typical Italian males who like to pick up female tourists as a sport, but I'm not sure he was a gigolo or wanted money, etc., probably just sex. He was really Italian, not another nationality. I didn't fall for any of this stuff because I don't find those attitudes appealing, nor circumstances of men without decent careers when they are too old to be without one. I couldn't find a waiter, etc. interesting who is over the age of 25. I'm sure there are very rare exceptions, but most guys who pursue and like to pick up tourists are not, by definiton, very substantive.

Have not had the pleasure, wish I had! Sounds like a truly "charming" overseas experience.

In some ways you have good fortune Madison. Since I look, as they say round here, like the back of a brick shithouse,(please excuse quotation), it's always pretty obvious when someone has an ulterior motive.

I should be so lucky............

My Italian boss told me that in his younger days he used to go after American girls in Rome to improve his English (though that wasn't all he had in mind); I suspect that language and sex, rather than visas, are the major motivators for most Italian men, since most of them wouldn't want to leave Italy if you married them!

That said, I would observe that (a) many foreign women come to Italy hoping for a romantic adventure with a handsome Italian man. and (b) many of those who find it do end up marrying! I found my Italian man in the US (wasn't even looking for one), but I've heard quite a few stories of women who come here on holiday and are "struck by lightning," next thing you know they're married. Most of these stories have happy endings, too.

I guess any advice I could distill from that is "Don't be so suspicious. You never know when something wonderful may actually be happening to you."

best regards,
Deirdré Straughan

http://www.straughan.com

Hi Scarlett - you are right he did pay me back and it was a lot of fun and I got to see some lovely countryside that as a tourist may have never happened.

Ira - I did keep my skirt down and my legs crossed, thank you very much.

Lyb - I'm not naive enough to think something permanent could have come out of this.

Scarlett - If I went back I'm sure he'd welcome me with open arms. We did have fun, but like I said before something just doesn't ring true about him, sorry to say and he was very evasive when I asked him certain questions.

I guess you live and learn and try to remember to fun part of it. But I still think he had the makings of a gigolo and had ulterior motives had I gone along with his chitter chatter.

By the way where is m_kingdom during all this? I was sure I'd hear from him by now.

Madison,
Maybe m_k was your gigolo! :)

JJBhoy - That did cross my mind :)

Believe me, Madison, if you had met up with a real gigolo you would NOT be posting the words, "I think i met up with..." Honey, with a real one you'd not only know, you also wouldn't be telling us about it!

Could someone please help me. I fear I might be a gigolo. I travel alone and often try to befriend women. Does this mean I am a gigolo? And if I am are there meetings I can go to for help?

Larry J

LarryJ, you might be going about it all wrong. Befriend the ones WITH money! Hanging out around 1* hotels is a loser idea.

To Chat Noir

" LarryJ, you might be going about it all wrong. Befriend the ones WITH money! Hanging out around 1* hotels is a loser idea."

Chat Noir, please wear a yellow ribbon in your hair this summer all throughout Europe so I will recognize you, avoid you and avoid having my feelings hurt.

Larry J

It's true - you can never tell, but it's good to follow your gut instinct. ALthough not all Italian men opt to stay in Italy. 2 of my close friends are married to Italians-one from Florence, and one from Capri-both chose to stay in the States to raise their children.

But a thought occurs-
I've had my heart well and truly broken by someone I met while traveling in Italy-and I always wondered how many others had this happen to them, since I never wrote about it online.

I wonder what would happen if we women actually started talking to each other -would there be a "friendsters"-style network? Scary thought!

I appreciate this thread, as it is the first time it seemed OK to mention it!