%cgThose Lightning Fast Fingers! and other Rome, Italy Warning Or Danger Tips

There are enough horror stories about pickpockets and thieves in Rome to fill a pasta pot several times; I’m not here to add more to it. I’m also not going to tell you that all stories are myths that are created to scare the naïve tourists. In fact, there are thieves and pickpockets in Rome, just like there are thieves and pickpockets everywhere else. Name a big city, and I will guarantee you there are people there whose income comes solely from other people’s wallets.

That said, Rome is not the best playground for members of the pickpocket trade. Far from it. There used to be a fair amount of gypsies in crowd-gathering places, but lately, there are also enough police to match wits with them. In Termini, the police patrol is sufficiently such that suspicious activities and characters have decreased significantly. On your part, it is important that you prepare yourself not be a pickpocket victim.

Please see my tips below (The Modern Armor) on the best way to deter thieves and pickpockets.

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Pickpockets and Purse-Snatchers: The Modern Armor

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Updated by Ciambella

on Aug 5, 2005

Security pouch

The most common advice against being pickpocketed is to be aware of your surroundings. When on vacation, however, it’s hard to be vigilant at all times; it’s more natural to let your guard down. Thus, you should be equipped with the most effective weapon against thieves: the security pouch.

Security pouch is NOT fanny pack (bum bag). It’s common knowledge that anything with a zipper is an opportunity for pickpockets to refine their skill. As a security matter, fanny pack is the most vulnerable; an average thief can unzip it, empty out the contents, and zip it back without ever touching the person -- the location of the bag notwithstanding. As a fashion matter, fanny pack is loud attention-getter, the clearest and surest sign that tells everyone you’re a tourist and an easy target.

Replace your fanny pack with a security pouch. Rather than being worn outside the clothing, security pouches rest underneath your clothes. The pouch is typically a very soft pocket attached on an adjustable cord. It’s suitable for men and women. The pouch is designed to be worn around your neck. For women, I would suggest wrapping the cord slightly below the waist, under the waistband of skirts or trousers. You can pull the adjustable knob to one side and let the pouch hug the side of your hip or thigh; this way there’s no bulk added to your tummy, no strings showing under your neckline, and you maintain discretion while still providing easy access.

Keep everything (e.g., passport, credit cards, and serious money) in the pouch. In your pocket, keep € 10 or € 20, enough for gelato, postcards or coffee, but not enough to cause you grief if you lose it.

For bulkier things like a camera, guidebook and map, get a bag that has a heavy-duty leather pull string with clasp inside, reinforced by a flap-over with sturdy snap on the outside. That way, it would take a thief twice the effort and both hands to open it.

With a security pouch and a sturdy bag, you can be in any crowd and never have to worry about losing anything valuable.

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Warnings Or Dangers: Illegal Tour Guides

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Updated by Ciambella

on Jun 16, 2006

A tour group

There are 1,200 licensed tour guides in Rome. In order to work, they have to pass a gruelling test about the city’s long list of cultural treasures and the country’s tourism legislation. There are written and oral components to the exam; the main test is exclusively in Italian. If a guide wishes to conduct his business in another language, he has to take the equivalent test in that language in addition to the Italian one. There are many multi-lingual guides in Rome who had to go through multi tests in multi languages before being allowed to practice their profession.

After passing the test, the guides must belong to the guild, pay union dues, and pay all taxes on income they make. Their fee is determined by the city at €60 per hour no matter the size of the group.

The rigid regulations imposed upon the guides make the members feel very protective of their profession. Illegal tour guides are not welcome.

Many illegal tour guides think the test should be in English to make it easier for people from other countries to participate. Jobs in Italy are hard to come by, however, and the government naturally wants to protect the jobs for the residents first. Moreover, with national pride and sentiment run strong, the verdict was if anyone wants the job, he should learn Italian to compete in the fair game.

Most illegal tour guides cull their material from the Internet, guidebooks, or other unreliable sources instead of history books. They also make things up as they go along. The quotes and stories they tell are entertaining but often incorrect.

However one feels on the subject of legal/illegal guides, Rome has declared war on illegal tour guides. The fine on first time offenders is €172 and double after that.

Don’t get yourself in a situation when your tour guide is handcuffed and taken away -- ask to see their license before you hand over your hard-earned money.

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Warnings Or Dangers: The Wrath Of Summer

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Updated by Ciambella

on Sep 21, 2005

Tourists rest in the park

Depends on the year, summer in Rome varies from unpleasant to unbearable, and the level of humidity runs from muggy to suffocating.

The average temperature in the summer is 33C (91F), but in recent years, there had been days and weeks when the mercury crept up to 43C (109F). When temperature soars to this high, there is not much one can do to stay comfortable when one is outside. Wearing the right kind of clothes, drinking a lot of water, splashing your face and body often with cold water, all are advisable but help little.

The best thing to do in the high heat and high humidity is to wake up before dawn, get as much sightseeing done as possible before the sun starts to rage. First, visit the sights that are always open (Foro Romano, Fori Imperiali, fountains, monuments, and statues, etc.), then the places that are open early (most churches are open at 8 AM, most museums are open at 9 AM).

When the temperature climbs, stop all activities, have an early lunch, then go back to your accommodation, take a shower and a long nap, and do not go out again until it’s cool down.

You still can pack in a good seven or eight hours each day of sightseeing and picture taking if you divide them into two sections, the first half before 11 AM, and the second half after 5 PM. In between, allow your body to receive plenty of rest to combat against the brutal temperature.

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Warnings Or Dangers: No, We Are Not Hitchhikers!

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Updated by Ciambella

on Mar 6, 2006

Waiting for a ride, ladies?

Each time I am in Rome, I would find a few things that I have not seen before. Most of the finds are in the way of restaurants and fountains (yes, I still find more fountains, but you don’t want to read about my fountain tips anymore, do you?). Sometimes, a façade of a palazzo would appear after years of hiding behind scaffolding and it would stop me dead on my track. Other times, the mint leaves of spring would change the look of the city and I would be mesmerized for hours.

Guess what I saw this time? A few ladies of the night. There is nothing new about prostitution, of course. It doesn’t get to be the oldest profession for its new-and-improve method of working. Women still stand on the streets; men still stop their cars to exchange greetings. The locations are still the same, concentrated around parks. However, the hours have moved up a bit because these women are now working from morning to evening. I guess they think it is safer to be out on the street in the daytime than at night. Either that or they are putting in long hours because they are a hard working group of people.

The women in this picture were standing outside the entrance to Parco di Scuola Traffico, where parents take their young children for lessons in driving and riding. I wonder what they had in mind when they chose this location?

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Warnings Or Dangers: The Morning After

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Written by Ciambella

on Aug 9, 2005

On Ponte Sisto