My last blog was from the Hotel Oasis in Barcelona. We liked Barcelona. The area we were in was right near the port or marina and a popular place to be. One of the things I like most about travelling overseas is the chance to do as much non-touristy things as I can, travel the trains/subways, eat at local places, and the like. While you do that its part of why you travel is to see the sights. We headed out of the hotel with good directions on how to get to Sagrada Familia, a huge church that was started by Gaudi and is still under construction.
We headed down to the metro station, down the stairs, finding our way to make sure we were headed the right direction. It was a busy day on the train and as it arrived we stepped in, at least Kim did, I tried to but some decent looking guys wanted the spot by the door. I tried to push through, explaining without words the best I could, “I need to get through.”
The next few moments still play over and over in my mind. The ring that indicates the door is about to close goes off and I’m trying to get through. All of a sudden there’s a bump and the guys blocking the door give way, and quickly get out, only for me to realize, they stole my wallet! I realized it just a split second after it happened. After all, I was carrying it in my front pocket like you’re supposed to.
I hollered at Kim, "they stole my wallet” and rushed out the door right behind them. Kim quickly followed by putting her hand in the train door, despite it closing. Thankfully it opened and she was able to follow. I quickly confronted the guy who bumped me and of course he holds up his hands as if to say, what?” I continued to follow him, demanding my wallet. And truth be told, he didn’t steal my wallet, his cohort did. Up the escalators we went me right behind demanding my wallet and back down the other side of the station. I’m hollering at him with Kim not far behind. Of course there’s no wallet.
All of sudden I see Kim standing with some older gentleman, holding up my wallet, of course cash free. It all happened so quickly. We looked and found a security gal, who kind of shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “duh?” It was done. Fortunately there was not too much cash that was lost. We decided that when we needed cash we would use the ATM and that has worked fine, though losing any is more than I would have preferred.
After a few moments of settling down to take in what had happened, realize all our cash was gone, and to sort things out, we headed back to where we had been, continued on our way to Sagrada Familia, at a hamburgesa at McDonalds, stopped at the ATM for more cash, again by train to Las Ramblas, the major happening area in Barcelona, walked talked, had more Tapas in a streetside café, and eventually walked back to the hotel. By the time we got back and laid down, all I could think about was what happened. What I could’ve done differently. I think it was a miracle I got back my wallet at all, credit cards, ID, drivers license, ATM card all still there, along with my hiding cash. All they wanted was the quick cash and they got it. I had a hard time sleeping because of it.
After breakfast the next day, we couldn’t get to the cruise ship fast enough. Next stop the southern Italian coast.
More later,
de & ke
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