France September 23 Arriving back to Paris

The train from Avignon to Paris was fast, taking almost 3hrs, and we experienced our first attempted pick pocket. There were lots of warnings in tourist guides, but we felt very safe when we first arrived on August 22^nd and used the metro, and the experience was the same in every village we visited throughout our trek. However today when arriving in Paris we used the bus that was much easier to reach our hotel. But I can see how the bus is a better place for pick pocketing to occur, especially when the bus is crowded, which was the case today. We have always been on the alert taking care of our backpack and other belongings. In this case we were standing up and our packs were against the window. However, Julie's purse was in front and Mario's wallet in his front pocket. The first warning came from the bus, which posted an alert of pick pocketing on it's electronic display. Also, we were standing in the back door that was very congested, but I (Mario) could sense the presence of a man who, on first glance did not stand out from the crowd. The man was well dressed in his mid to late-50s, however there were some clues. He was dressed nicely, except his pants were too long,

He was not wearing his suit jacket and was holding in his hand rather than on his arm. No one else on the bus was holding onto their jacket. Also, he carried a black leather bag with the strap across his shoulder. The bag had a flap cover, but the bag was more of a purse rather than a business briefcase. The flap cover would make it easier and quicker to slip stolen material into. Lastly, even though we were in a crowded area, there was room to avoid physical contact, therefore when he came close to us the clues were confirmed. I saw him reach with his fingers under his coat ready to lift the flap on my pocket shorts. That's when I told him to get his hands out of my pants. He quickly protested, and stayed mute until the next bus stop where he got off. This is a reminder to stay alert in all major congested areas. Also, I wear a money belt and only keep enough cash for the day in my wallet, therefore if my wallet is stolen, the loss is minimal.

Did you loose a ring?

This is another scam to watch for. A women approaches and supposedly finds a ring on the ground and makes a big fuss and to show her generosity she gives you the ring as good luck. She then walks away, but returns immediately to ask for money for a pop. Should you give her money and walk away with the ring, a man soon appears looking for his ring. You give the ring to the man and you're out some money. Pretty slick, but not for travel-savvy people. This scam was attempted twice on us. The first time I gave the ring back to the lady, and the second time, as the women bent down to supposedly pick up the ring, I told her not to bother. I then told her male partner, as he approached that his scam didn't work.

Please note, these scams were attempted by gypsies, which is a sure signal to be alter. The gypsies are easy to spot because of their darker skin.