I just got accosted leaving the metro in Mexico City...

[a la izquierda]

ask me anything.

(I'm fine, the guy didn't touch me, fwiw)

[Tipperary]

1. What happened?

Do you mean verbally accosted?

[a la izquierda]

2. Yeah and personal space invaded in a big way.

The Mexico City metro is a weird place.
A toothless man with a guitar, clear unwell, came within inches of me and started screaming at me, asking for money.

Then he blocked my way, so I had to kind of scoot around him.

Luckily I'm from a major metro area, so I don't frighten easily. But I'm happy it was in the middle of the day and there were people (and cops) around.

[CottonBear]

3. I had a similar encounter at a Paris train station.

I was a young woman backpacking solo through Europe. I was approached and accosted by an old (maybe homeless/mentally ill) man while I was standing in line for train tickets. I don't speak French and could not understand him. I told him (in English) to leave me alone. And when he did not, I told him to "F*** off", which made him very angry. He shoved me and almost knocked me down. No one offered to help me. Finally, I got to the ticket window. In French, I asked the clerk if he spoke English. He did and so I asked him to tell the man to leave me alone. The old man left me alone and I was soon on my way to Belgium.

[Enthusiast]

9. Geez. I'm glad you're alright.

[CottonBear]

20. I was OK. I was lucky too.

I had an awesome journey with only a few scary moments.

[Major Nikon]

14. I've been to France many times and learned one simple phrase that has served me well

You simply yell "Touche pas" loudly and point your finger at them. Repeat as many times as it takes to get the intended results. Once or twice usually does it. Telling them to fuck off will be understood, but may also get the results you received.

[CottonBear]

18. Thank you for the advice.

I am much older now, however, I wish to visit friends in London and Munich in the future, with the company of my young child.

My four years of high school Spanish and a year of Latin were of no use in France.

[DFW]

21. I'm in France once a week for work

My French is near fluent, and I find that answering in French usually just gets me an argument. English, too. I usually answer in German or Russian, and then they leave me alone.

[CottonBear]

24. Good idea. I do know a little German.

Thanks for the tip!

BTW, I really enjoy your posts. You have a very interesting career.

[DFW]

25. It has its plusses and minusses

Plusses are:
That I don't have to be behind a desk from 9 to five.
I get to say when, where and how long my vacations are
I get paid more than most normal mortals for something I enjoy doing
I get to frequently visit a lot of very nice places I am familiar with (eg Barcelona, Zürich, London, Utrecht, Berlin, etc)

Minusses are:
I sometimes have to work more than 20 days in a row
I sometimes have to travel to places that are not nice to visit
I do not get a lot of sleep, and my health is suffering for it
I have been doing this for forty years now and cannot find a replacement with the necessary qualifications

All in all, though, I'd rather die of exhaustion than of boredom.
I'm sure there are many who find my preference foolish.

[Tipperary]

4. That would be scary.

I'm glad you are ok!

[a la izquierda]

8. Thanks.

Generally speaking, homeless people in Mexico are harmless. I normally keep an apple or granola bar to give out.

[mrmpa]

5. The same thing to me in Rome....

I was an outdoor market looking for a pair of slacks (Delta sent my luggage to the wrong city). There were a lot of Roma kids there. Four of them came up to me and encircled me, trying to touch me, etc. I had a fanny pack with my money & passport which was slightly hidden by my sweatshirt. I looked at one and said "fuck off", they apparently understood that and my pushing of one kid out of the way.

I didn't get a pair of pants & didn't get my luggage until one day before I was leaving.

[a la izquierda]

7. That's my go to expression.

It's generally universally understood. I didn't have to say anything to this guy though. My permanent bitch face said it all, I think. He reeked to high heavens, though.

[raccoon]

11. Maybe foreigners learned that expression from the movies. nt

[GreatGazoo]

22. was the market Porta Portese ?

[mrmpa]

23. I honestly don't remember...........

it was in January & I was looking for a pair of jeans or any time of pants as Delta had sent my luggage to Venice, I flew into Frankfurt, then went to Vienna, then to Rome * then a ferry to Greece.

I never got my luggage until my return via ferry to Italy and train to Rome 2 days before I was leaving Europe. I had only the pair of pants I had on when I first got to Europe. These were my traveling pants ( a bit big), but as my niece I visited in Greece said "you'll never see these people you've met, again, they'll never know you wore the same pants for 10 days."

I did wash them once, and my backpack held clean underwear & socks.

[a la izquierda]

6. I'm generally unafraid in most situations.

Had this been at night, it would have been a different story. I think he'd have mugged me for sure. I'm a little thing (5'1&quot . It's one thing for people to invade personal space on the metro itself; it's packed and a given.
I had seen this guy earlier that morning when I passed through the station, but he came out of nowhere.

Oh well, all's well that ends well.

[olddots]

10. ever have to drive on the 101 freeway in the valley ?

Now thats anxiety .

[a la izquierda]

12. Oh yeah

I lived in LA for four years

[kwassa]

16. don't drive slowly in the left lane if you don't want a gun fired at you ...

Here in the mid-atlantic it is standard operating procedure.

[Wolf Frankula]

13. It Asked You

Conoce usted Jesus?

Wolf

[a la izquierda]

15. Lol...

Since I had my headphones on, I'm not entirely sure what he was asking for. He was also pretty intoxicated, so I couldn't quite make out the Spanish anyway. I don't keep my music on very loud, because I want to be able to hear what's going on around me. Pesos, música, chupa, were thrown around for sure.

[UTUSN]

17. I'm not a world traveler, but the only time I was pickpocketed was in MxCity railroad station

[Baitball Blogger]

19. I'm glad you're okay.