On Saturday afternoon, we left my (Ariel's) parents in Granada with my sister to go to Valencia, another part of Spain. That night, our host took Emily, Jessa and I out to meet up with some of her friends for tapas. While at the tapas place, my purse fell off the bench next to me over the edge to the floor. We searched all through the restaurant, but couldn't find it anywhere, which meant that it was stolen. Unfortunately, it contained almost everything important for travel in it (that means passport, credit cards, etc.). Our host Toya and her friends were so helpful though; we split up to search pretty much every single dark alley near the restaurant. We didn't find it though, so thanks to everyone's advice, we decided to go to the Police Station, the U.S. Consulate and the Lost Property Office on Monday when things were open again to file a report for the stolen purse and apply for a new passport.
Monday morning, we made our first stop at the closest Police Station to where it happened. They asked me to write down my name and then started to search through a box of stuffed envelopes. We all got so hopeful that they'd have something, anything of mine because it would just be such a stressful process to get ALL of my important things replaced. Luckily enough, they pulled out a stuffed envelope for me and in it was... my passport, credit cards, ID card, everything!!!!!!!! It was honestly one of the happiest moments of my life! So that was the happy ending!
Now I know what most of you are probably thinking: you must have been completely stupid to just leave your purse sitting there. But the thing is, I was literally sitting next to it the entire time, until it fell that is. I was on the top floor of the restaurant, just over the stairs, but for a person to reach up and grab it from next to me, we figured out that it would have to be an enormous amount of effort from someone over six feet tall and they would almost certainly be noticed. We asked the people sitting directly below the stairs, the staff, pretty much everyone who could have possibly seen what happened to it, and they all said they didn't see anything. Basically, it fell down, a thief took it and ran to somewhere, a dark alley most likely, took out the small amount of cash in there, and left it for the police to find later on. I'm just glad it all worked out so well!
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Not the kind of excitement you like, but thankfully there was a happy ending! This was a lesson no one expects to learn, and probably exposed you to a local side of Spain that most tourists don't experience. It's good to know there are honest and helpful people all over the world. While I'm at it, your new entries are terrific and so informative! And great pictures! Melly Flynn
ReplyDeleteSi, su aventura esta loca!
ReplyDeleteThis story will be a good addition to your “Guide to planning a ‘World Tour’.”
I’m sure that you have been told, or realize that having a photocopy or two of the information bit inside of your passport is always handy to keep around. So too are photocopies of things like driver’s licenses, health insurance cards, and credit cards (front & back).
Having these all on one sheet makes things a little easier too. You can swap these copies with your traveling partner and also keep a copy somewhere on your person.
Some people find that scanning and emailing copies to themselves is nice if you are traveling in places with access to technology.
All in all, this turned out incredibly well. You have your items back and…now that you have gone through the awfulness of this experience, it will make you a savvier traveler.
It will also prepare you for some of the places in the world that are a little rougher around the edges. There are places where gangs of little kids work in conjunction with the police at border crossings to help “lighten” your load of excessive things like passports and wallets.
Up to a dozen kids will come up to you asking for food or money--while picking your pockets and bags. Before you know it they are gone. Of course being at a border crossing you quickly realize what you are missing and find the local police…who mysteriously happen to be right there.
The police then very diligently seek out the usual suspects and tell you before they leave, or sometimes when they come back, that if you bribe the “leader” of the gang that you will most likely get your belongings back. Of course you don’t have a choice.
To your amazement the police officer finds their man and the wallet in a matter of minutes! Hmmmm…how efficient!
So, you get your documents and wallet/purse back…less the cash inside. Plus, they also get a little extra from your traveling partner by way of the bribe…a brilliant two for one. And, as is obvious, the real “leader” of the gangs are the police.
Take care, be safe, make good decisions.
Mr. Finley & Ms. Cioffredi.
“A passport, as I'm sure you know, is a document that one shows to government officials whenever one reaches a border between countries, so the officials can learn who you are, where you were born, and how you look when photographed unflatteringly. ~Lemony Snicket”