Having a 50% Maghreb / Muslim population in 30-50 years does worry me...

However, it is difficult to discuss (illegal) immigration without being considered a racist - at least that is what I have experienced every time I mention the subject. And which is why I always try to overemphasise that I have nothing against Maghrebs only because they are Maghrebs.

Anyway, maybe we are not really discussing the original post anymore!
K

Somehow, I doubt you're a 'racist' - aka, believing you're superior to another because of inherent racial and genetic features. I find the term 'racist' is thrown around quite loosely these days, ever so confused with socio-economics prejudices and cultural predispositions.

If racism is nothing more than being culturally biased, then I dare say we are all somewhat racist.

And yes, I digress. I have derailed this thread. My apologies.

hey everybody

dont worry rocinante i assure you she wasnt referring to you... but maybe ERT?

check for yourself.

sorry ERT but its true because it was actually you changed the subject.

I wasn't worried. But thanks. We're all smaprt people and can openly discuss things of this manner in an intelligent way. That's the beauty of this forum.

I just got back to the States from five days in Madrid and a nine day drive from Romania to Madrid. I had absolutely no problems on the road or in Madrid. In Madrid I stayed at hotels in both the Plaza Castilla and Prado Museum areas. I got out and walked around central and north central Madrid alot during those five days since I will be returning to Madrid for four years beginning the end of August. I was very impressed with the police presence in the central part of Madrid. There were enough out and about on foot to reassure wihout being overbearing. I also didn't get any hassle as an obvious American.

One of the other indicators that Madrid is a relatively safe city is that there is an absence of obvious private security. It seemed in the last three cities I've lived in, Bucharest, Buenos Aires and Ciudad Juarez, there were private security guards everywhere and walled gated communities were the residence of choice for the well-off. While I don't expect to be a victim of crime anywhere, I did feel Madrid was as open and safe a city as any I have visited in Europe, Latin America or the U.S. over the past fifteen years. Still, don't eave your cmmon sense at home and don't project any more of an image of helplessness than you can avoid. My Spanish is rust, but it was clearly a help. Same with my limited German and French, nothing would have helped me with Hungarian.

I really do think this PARANOIA thing is worldwide.
I am a Londoner, live in both London and Barcelona and visit Madrid frequently. I love all three cities.
The Paranoia about pickpockets and muggings is really too bad. What else can I say? I feel very comfortable in all three cities and have to admit that I have never even felt uncomfortable in any of them.
Without putting to fine a point on it, perhaps if tourists did not do their darnest to dress and look like tourists - what on earth do they need all that "stuff" for in their backpacks???? Perhaps they wouldn´t attract the "baddies" the same "baddies" that every single town in the world produces - along with the goodies.

I agree with the last post. We recently returned from 4 weeks in spain and how many times have I looked at tourists and wondered why they need to travel with SO MANY THINGS!! Huge suitcases, Huge Packpack, Huge Cameras....A bottle of soap for every application: shampoo, conditioner, body soap etc. WAKE UP CALL....they are all (within reason) the same! Bring 1 500ml bottle that is all you need. I could go on forever.
Bring only the essencials, if you don't know what the essencials are you can teach yourself by practicing before you leave. If you really need something you can always buy it there.
We never felt threatened, I never saw anything suspicious. Be a bit martial in your actions, be kind to people, stay calm when they don't understand, watch your stuff and PLAN what your doing and where you are going.

Electracity is 100% correct in travelling light and being on the qui vive!
My 3 aunts recently went to a family wedding in Aviles and they took 5 huge suitcases! my poor uncles! They had tourists written all over them...and they were born in Spain! One of my aunts was pickpocketed at the Corte Inglés because she was inattentive and acted like a tourist even though she spoke and looks like a native Asturiana. She opened her purse took out her wallet to pay the saleslady and then placed her wallet back into her purse, but failed to zip up her purse, in view of every passer by. Neither she nor the saleslady saw the wallet disappear.

She had been gone too long! First, she was inattentive of her surroundings. Second, she carried her all cards and cash in her wallet.