Street Life

This trip we adopted a policy that when asked if we spoke english by anyone who was not clearly a US/UK native we said no. The gypsies appear to target this group of people and left us alone. particluarly when we answered them in French. Obiously this will not work if you dress like a tourist.

We walked extensive around the city for days and felt no personal threat outside of a few aggressive vendors.

We watched one beggar at the catherdral adjust his tummor to another part of his body at one point. People give which only encourages this activity.

Have fun

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What screams %26quot;tourist%26quot; in terms of dress?

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If you are reading they tend to leave you alone as well. Particularly if you are reading a French magazine or newspaper. Fake reading works just as well!

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Maybe a T-shirt with %26quot;W - still our President%26quot; written across the chest......

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Les - just make sure that you don%26#39;t turn the newspaper upside down....

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Gitte -

The ability to read French upside-down is even more likely to cause the average scam artisi to seek easier pickings elsewhere. :-)

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Dress

Logo wear like I love NYC, Hawaiin shirts, us cities, sports shoes ( they wear keds) not nikes, loud colors, us team shirts, ipods, you get the idea

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I just ignore them and walk right passed them ..... no need to even open your mouth!

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I always wondered why they asked %26quot;Do you speak english ?%26quot;%26quot;. I suppose it is a scam to get a response ?? Well, I found saying nothing or saying %26quot;%26quot;non, desole%26quot;%26quot; or %26quot;non merci%26quot; works fine.

They are always standing at the base of the Arche de triumph. But, once they came in very handy when it started pouring rain. I got a decent umbrella for 5 euro !!

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Give them a really mean Sylvester Stallone-face %26quot;Back off, punk. or else..........%26quot;

That usually does the trick.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Obiously this will not work if you dress like a tourist.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

Then equally obvious, your %26#39;..best defense..%26#39; is to wear a bright green jumpsuit like those worn by public works employees and carry a street sweeping broom everywhere you go. The notion that gypsies, tramps and thieves only accost English-speaking tourists is only marginally nonsense.