 This is Madrid, but you see this in Paris too by nachoz | Beggars / Aggressive Vendors tips posted by real travelers and Paris locals. • 46 Photos
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 By Sacre Coeur by CoAir13Leave a Comment
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 At the Sacre Couer by kentishgirl
Our story goes something like this -
I was waiting to use the loo by the funicular station, hubbie was wandering around, and a guy with cottons comes over to him.
Now I had warned him about these people before, but hey ho!!
The guy put a piece of string around hubbies finger whilst chatting away to him and makes a cheap looking cotton braclet thing, its made up in no time at all and slid onto his wrist tightly so that he cannot take it off.....At the same time another guy comes across to me, grabbing my hand and shouting to me to respect his tradition and let him make the braclet......Yes, I told him in no uncertain terms to "get lost!".
I go into the loo, at the same time the guy who has put the braclet around hubbies wrist is demanding 8 euro! I couldnt believe it - 8 euro!!!
Hubbie tells him he only has 50 cents! And so the guy replies, thats your wife in the loo, go and get the money from her!
No way would I pay 8 euro for that! A couple of guys surround me as I come out from the loo, and hubbie runs over with a very concerned look on his face, much shouting later we ran off to catch the funicular, with a cheap braclet, without paying the 8 euro.....very nearly turned dodgy!!
You have been warned my dear VT friends! Leave a Comment
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Yes, that's the famous phrase: Do you speak English? Beggars with some kind of papers will be coming to you and saying this. Just say "NO!" or just ignore them. Don't feel guilty of not helping them.
If you help this people, you are actually patronizing their lifestyle.
While the children were taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower as a group, one of the gypsy woman based at the foot of the Eiffel Tower took a black pair of gloves that was probably dropped by a tourist. The gypsy woman took the black glove and kicked it in front of the children ready to take a remembrance group picture. One of the teachers in my group, yelled at her "Hey, do you speak English? Don't ever do that? What the "f----!" you are doing? "Bi----!! The group of the gypsies started laughing and smiling but our teacher was really mad. She went and kicked back the pair of gloves! The gypsies left and we were lucky to have the police just right in time.
The police officers in bike run after the vendors who were selling souvenirs and almost got one and we started cheering. "Go get 'em! Go get 'em!" The chase was captured in a video and it is probably on YouTube right now.
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 Picturesque Paris by shutterlust
Obviously this is common sense, right? Well, I'm sure you know about the saying that Europeans don't value "personal space" the way Americans do, which I'm totally aware of. I grew up in NY so I'm not exactly "street naive," however, I was totally not prepared for Paris. Everytime I started to get CLOSE (not even there!) to a major sight, like Tour Eiffel, some guy would start talking to me.
When I told him I had to go, trying to skirt this guy, he would try to say bye by first hugging me, then kissing my cheeks, then trying to go for my mouth, all the while his hands trying to go elsewhere. I screamed for help, but all the police did was to tell the guy to go away. They did nothing! In my 4 day/3 night stay in Paris, this happened to me at the very least 8 times.
Essential phrases: 1) Laissez moi tranquille!=Leave me alone 2) Fichez moi la pas=Go away 3) Je suis occupe= I'm busy and ***4) Je suis marrie. I'm so sad to say I used these 4 phrases more than I was able to practice my "Bonjours" or "Comment allez vous".
But seriously ladies, if you are traveling alone, play down your looks, look unfriendly (?), and watch who you respond to when men ask "are you american?". It'll save you from unwanted physical contact or worst. But don't let this stop you from seeing Paris.
Although I may have had a terrible time in Paris, I still desperately want to go back...most likely with some large, lumbering, intimidating-looking guy wearing a police uniform, but still. It's a gorgeous city and I only wish I had gotten pictures of all the sites I had visited, rather than worrying about who might try to talk to me next. I just hope my opinions of men haven't been scarred by this experience. :-P Leave a Comment
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 Illegally selling souvenir
items like key chains by joiwatani, 4 more photos
These guys are illegal sellers and if you buy from them, you are patronizing their illegal activities. While we were there, a police officer chase some four street vendors and one crossed the traffic so fast that he was nearly hit. The police officer in a bike was almost an inch of grabbing one of the guys but he was just lucky that he jumped on the pedestrian lane which is about six inches higher than the street and the police officer can't maneuver his bike fast enough to catch him...
These souvenirs are very cheap but they rust really fast, anyway. They cost one euro but after few days, they turn black. It is better to buy from the store owners.
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When you are in Montmarte you’re not in the best part of town. There are aggressive vendors selling braided bracelets. They will approach you and take your hand and they will start braiding a bracelet for you. They were on each level of the stairs/hill going up to the church, as well as near the funicular entrances and exits. We were not approached since I think they clearly saw that our hands were full with a toddler, stroller, backpack…all in the rain. Leave a Comment
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You will also see a lot of poverty in the French capital. The amount of beggars in the metro and outside, or people trying to sell you stuff on the streets is huge. Many of the beggars are actually pick-pockets, who will first find out where you put your wallet.
Especially around the Eiffel tower, there are far too many of them and the French police should do a little bit more about it! Leave a Comment
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Be careful around Sacre Coeur because there a hoards of people willing to make your wallet lighter. The favourite trick involves a man who comes up to you, and offers to show you something. He then puts a piece of cotton round your finger and deftly weaves a crappy bracelet. The person is trapped and can't get away without paying, because these guys are huge. I saw about half a dozen operating on the steps up to the church. Leave a Comment
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Beware of young women hanging around Notre Dame and the Arc Triomphe asking, “Do you speak English?” Nine times out of ten, they already know you speak English because they have been watching you. They then show you a card asking for money because they’re Bosnian refugees. They work in groups and they are well dressed. They also circle around you when they question of, will you give them anything, is addressed to you. We did come across older women that also had signs in English asking for money. They also claimed to be Bosnian refugees. Leave a Comment
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We were approached by two separate Asian women wanting us to help them buy some handbags at the Louis Vitton store on the Champs Elysees.
I don't understand how the scam was supposed to work but I guess that's the point isn't it. You wouldn't realize you'd been had until it was too late. Leave a Comment
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