nessundorma

I don't engage with strangers in train stations anywhere when I'm traveling. Not on the street either. I do in restaurants and on trains themselves, but I just don't think it is prudent to behave otherwise, especially when I'm obviously a tourist with map and luggage.

daisy58

should we be looking out for these men in the stations in Rome, Venice, Florence, Genoa, Pisa, etc??

grantop

Just a thought: make sure that you share jcasale's experience (and others) with your traveling companions. Not as a scare tactic, but just so more than one of you is privy to what can happen. We all like to think that we would react appropriately in situations similar to this, but when you are traveling you are having a good time, dealing with luggage, tickets, maps, camera, notes, your purse or day bag, and quite possibly a different language and it is easy to get caught off guard, make an error, and later think "HOW could I have done that?" I am not advocating paranoia, but if you are all aware things like the Blue Jackets you can look out for each other.

nessundorma

daisy,

You should not accept offers of help from strangers with your luggage when you travel.

DejaVu

daisy: My post above was re: Rome (Termini station).

bellastarr

I know this is ab old post, but the Blue Jacket phenomenon on Napoli is even older, there's a charmong hidden reference to it in the film "It Started in Naples", when Clark Gable arrives at the Station and his bag is grabbed from his hands by a man who turns out to be legitimate, but who acts like a Blue Jacket. The fill also has a Glorious shot of Sophia Loren riding through the Spaccanapoli in a Giant clam-shell carriage as the Queen of the "Festival of the Madona in Chains". It's not the greatest film, but I love how it shows Sophia in her own neighborhood, and captures the special humor that belongs to Napoli..

BTilke

Hmmm...there was an episode of the Sopranos in an earlier season that took place in Naples. Did they include an encounter between Tony Soprano and his gang and the Blue Jacket guys? That could have been a good scene.

PrincessOfPenguins

>> You should not accept offers of help from strangers with your luggage when you travel.<<

Ditto. Reminds me of this one time when some guy offered to carry my luggage. I slowly looked him up and down and then said in the most demeaning tone possible "I doubt you're able to lift it" and then scurried off...

Sue_xx_yy

"They can spot the wildebeest tourist across the room!"

SeaUrchin, that was priceless. Now if I can just get shoes to fit my hooves....

*****

jcasale, we had what we called the 'barnacle man' attach himself to us in the Naples train station. Had both bags strapped across our shoulders (thank heaven we packed light) or else our bags would have been kidnapped as well.

I see SeaUrchin's point about people needing to make a living but I got the feeling that any display of indulgence would be seen as weakness, so we were ruthless. Or rather, we behaved as if we were marginally insane (which is not totally inappropriate behaviour for that train station.) Glad you are otherwise okay.