zebec

Similar thing occurred to us once in Quito, Ecuador. Tight pressing in a crowd, "Golly Hun', why are these folks crowding against us?" Turned out that the would-be thieves had slit our clever decoy bag with a razor---the bag containing nada which was atop our real bag! Mrs Z was nonetheless so upset that she demanded we head into the nearest shop to gather our wits. The clerks there offered her a glass of tap water to calm down, which was ironic given how stringently careful we'd just been that week around drinking water that could make one ill.

Frankly speaking, Rome doesn't rank among dangerous cities, not even close. For that, you must risk a visit to Sao Paolo, Joberg, Kabul, Somalia's big city____ or parts of Chicago.
I am done. the trastevere

annhig

<<Wow...Ann what a man, I assume nothing spilt.

Nothing funny happened in the Forum, he grabbed my bag, I held on, he moved very quickly away. Crime traumatizes you, you are shocked because life is suddenly odd. Your focus narrows, you only deal with the bag not the person trying to take it>>

No, nothing split. He was very quick witted, Bilbo. We did however change our breakfast routine and eat it inside the cafe after that, I asked a local if it was a common occurrence and she said she'd never heard of it and neither had I til then. Good way of getting a free drink though.
And yes you're right. Even such a small thing as happened to me discombobulated me a bit, though mostly the sheer audacity made me laugh. You were lucky that your thief gave up so easily - there are plenty of stories of people who weren't so fortunate. The worst thing I saw in the Forum was a french mother berating her unfortunate offspring for drinking from the water fountain - he was trying to tell her it was safe but she wasn't having any of it.

<<Frankly speaking, Rome doesn't rank among dangerous cities, not even close. For that, you must risk a visit to Sao Paolo, Joberg, Kabul, Somalia's big city____ or parts of Chicago.>>

You are most probably correct, zebec. Danger is relative.

millie2112

"Young British guy" told you this.. did you ask why he felt unsafe.

I would hate to stay outside of Rome.. that makes no sense to me.
Was in Rome in 2016 and loved the city. Never felt unsafe. DH and I in our late 50's then.

I will go back to Rome..as soon as we can travel again. In Rome we stayed at Albergo Del Senato. great hotel and location.

zebec

I volunteer Bilbo to visit Sao Paolo then report back to us. He must wear a Messi football jersey all the while and also flash a Rolex.
I am done. the dangers