“A representational photograph says, ‘this is what Vienna looked like.’ An interpretational photograph goes one better and says, ‘this is what Vienna was like. This is how I felt about it’.”
– David DuChemin
High drama at the Spanish Stables!
Roma (Gypsy) thieves/pickpockets make two runs at Lisa’s backpack just after we arrive in Vienna’s Imperial Centrum.
Two teenagers, male and female, nicely dressed with trendy hair, reading a map every time we saw them to appear as tourists. We realize later they are tailing us in the shadows (photo evidence appears at end-of-day review of snapshots).
We notice the clasp and drawstring of Lisa’s bag unexpectedly open (she senses nothing – they are artful!). Still clueless, we fasten her backpack and continue around the corner pausing to photograph the marvelous Lipizzaners in their street-facing stables. The plot thickens….a bump in the crowd.
Lisa softly gasps, surprised and perplexed: “that woman just touched my backpack”!
The Gypsies immediately turn and slither away silently. Alarmed, we check the bag – nothing missing – apparently, they are thwarted again.
When we realize their larcenous intent, I give chase yelling “robbers! robbers!” I catch up to the pair in 75 meters near the Palace Gate among horses and carriages. The guy takes off down a side street, lost in the crowd. I yell at the anxious girl: “you are a thief!” while desperately looking for police to assist in her arrest. None in sight.
I don’t grab her or take possession of her large purse (which I figure contains other stolen goods). With no police around to corral her, she weasels off in another direction from her brother/cousin. A peripheral concern is a possible confrontation with their “manager”. I remain inexplicably calm throughout the action sequence.
Nothing actually stolen, although we feel our karma violated for a few hours. Now Lisa positions her bag front-facing, and we constantly survey for dodgers. (Saw some others today who had a puppy with them – seems they use the pitiful doggy as bait to attract “marks” to rob.)
No real damage. The upside is that Lisa saw me run real fast, and thinks I’m a HERO!
Once this Dickensian chapter is behind us, we ramble for four magnificent days among the tranquil treasures of this once-Imperial capital.
We know what we like, having been here several times before: coffee every morning at the open-air Naschmarkt; neighborhood discoveries alive with local citizenry; the pageantry of an obscure performance of the Czech opera “The Cunning Little Vixen” at the grand Staatsoper.
Dinners are a relaxed promenade in glorious Spring weather to favorite eateries. Huth, where crispy char is served over beet risotto; aged, stuffy Gmoa Keller for required Wiener schnitzel – where we are sure the Bolshevik revolution was conceived.
All photos taken on iPhone6s+
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Another wonderful sharing. Thanks so much.
XO,
Martha
What a story Howard! So glad it ended the way it did. Yikes.
So glad your encounter with Romas ended up well. We had similar encounters in Rome with no loss of property, but weren’t as lucky in Paris where I lost my wallet to thieves (not Romas) in the subway many years ago. We made a report to the police and a couple of weeks later, after our return home to Canada, I received a letter from the Paris police advising me that they had found my wallet in a garbage bin, minus the francs, and I could pick it up any day, Mon. To Fri. Between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. I guess they have a sense of humor.
Enjoying your report and pics. Look forward to the next instalment.