I will be in madrid in 3 weeks. Most of these messages speak of purses and pouches and not carrying bags. I will be always on the go with my large backpack holding everything i need for 4 months of travel. How will this effect me as a target?

It defintely marks you as a tourist, but I never had anything stolen from my large backpack. The good thing about large packs like that is that usually, to get to anything, you have to either reach up and get in from the top, which is difficult to do without people noticing - or cut it open from the bottom or sides. Who wants to cut through an enormous backpack and have a huge pile of dirty clothes fall all over the street? It would certainly attract a lot more attention than pickpockets want.

I actually bought my backpack in Spain - pretty flimsy, with big outside pockets. I don't know if anyone ever stuck their hands in there when I wasn't looking. If they did, they were welcome to the q-tips and extra roll of toilet paper I kept in there.

My passport was in a money belt, safely tucked under the waist of my jeans... The only time I have ever had anything stolen was on a bus in Chile. I had just a regular back pack, and stupidly, along with my gym clothes had my checks a and credit card sitting in there. The little b*st*rd got them too. I knew I shouldn't have kept my stuff in there, but I got lazy.. so, oh well. That could have happened anywhere.

Back to everyone feeling uneasy and scared about Spain. DON'T!! Just take a few precautions. I always said, if someone is going to take something from me, I would rather that they do it quietly instead of putting a gun or knife to me (which is a lot more likely in the US).

Does pretending that you are German work for short people too?

Nicole - People keep saying how dangerous the US is compared to Spain...but it all depends on where you're from. I just checked your profile and you are in Los Angeles so naturally you think it's dangerous there. Sorry but MOST of the USA is not like La, NYC, Boston, or any big city. I live in Boise Idaho...400,000..suburban area. There is no danger here of violence to me. Most of America is like this. To tell you the truth the only time I was ever physically threatened was in Spain and the only time I was ever in a fight and got beat up was in Madrid. Of course Madrid is a city of over 5 million people.

So think of it like this....

Big City/Congested Area - people's tensions run high

Leche

[This message has been edited by Leche (edited 11-03-2000).]

Actually, Leche, I grew up in Peoria, IL and went to college in Iowa, and spent the last two years in KC. I have been in L.A. only two or three months. To be honest, I feel totally safe/comfortable here. I did grow up pretty sheltered, but I am sure there were parts to those cities that weren't super safe, as there are in most cities, depending on who you are and what part of town you venture into.

I happened to work in a really rough part of KC, lots of crack hos and drugs.. Through that I learned better how to gage the difference between neighborhoods with a lot of poverty and neighborhoods where there was some reeeeeeally shady stuff going on.

Typically, more people in the US carry guns than in other countries, and in my opinion, we have a lot of violence. It is not "organized" violence by terrorists with a political purpose. It is random -school shootings, periodic hate crimes, drug related deaths, etc.

I just hate to hear Americans saying that they don't ever want to travel outside of the US, because these countries are so dangerous. Obviously there are parts of te states that are safer than others. I loved coming back to Iowa City after being in Spain - no more money belt, and I could leave my wallet sitting in the grocery cart while I wandered around the produce section of the grocery store (probably wasn't too smart though, even for Iowa City).

I guess we are all just more comfortable in our own settings and have a better feel for what to look out for. One of my Chilean co-workers had to come to Fort Lauderdale for a conference, and she was terrified. She never left the hotel once the whole week. They see all this stuff on the news, and it was right after a couple of school shootings. I understood, but I thought it was such a shame, because there is so much to see anywhere you go. Why let everything you do/don't do be determined by fear?

You know it's funny though. I have always thought of the states that way - like there is kind of a general U.S. culture and then these cities that have their own independent cultures that make them unique and interesting (as well as a few regional flavors) - compare New Mexico to Texas to Lousiana..

[This message has been edited by Nicole (edited 11-03-2000).]

I think we agree....it depends on the area.

Leche

Your both right but I still want to know if faking a German accent while hollering NIEN NIEN works for short people????? Think it was Nicole that asked - so Leche - what's the anwser?

My real question is, why in the heck would that even work!!!! I am totally fascinated. All you Spaniards out there, explain that one to me - what secret do the Germans hold?

I think the German thing has to do with all of the bratwurst consumed there. I'm not sure how it all ties in, but I'm sure there's a hidden correlation.

Actually, I was in Rome and the gypsies marked the Germans as "deep pockets", so I'm curious as well. We actually foiled a pack of gypsy kids who had ripped off a 6'4" German. Read about it on RoaminRoman.com. Only Spain here!!!

I wondered if it wasn't the sauerkraut and beer. Whew! What a combination!

I still cannot imagine it was anything but Kurt's tone what shied the thieves away... Or maybe they think that Americans are even more excited about Spain than Europeans, so excited that they do not pay attention any more to what is happening and are easy targets?