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HEADACHES FROM MARSEILLE
By OPB
How many times did parents around the world receive a phone call from their children who traveled to far away countries and instead of exchanging words of love or just a short “Hello, mum and dad, I am doing fine here.”, they got to hear “Sorry folks, but I need help here, I am in Marseille and I got robbed!”
Right now I am spending some relaxing days at a pleasant hostel in Marseille. But the quietness of my trip and the “put your legs up on the table moments” are harshly destroyed, when fellow travelers, who stay at the same hostel, enter the the building, hastily try to find someone from the reception and yell, “I just got robbed!”
Now, we all know that every city on this planet has a certain crime rate. Well, I guess we should count out Vatican City. But yes, crime is all over and when it comes to cities who attract thousands of tourists each year, the bad boys are found all over the place.
You can not avoid the men of the pickpocketing and mugging craft.
But in my opinion, and those of many, many travelers, you can reduce the risk.
Staying in Marseille for nearly two weeks, walking the city day and night to find motives fitting my camera, I find it very interesting that I haven’t seen any police strolling up and down the little side streets of Marseille between the main train station and the port.
Let me explain that this is the area where a lot of those muggings and robbings took place.
Sure, you see police cars on the main street, even some uniformed officers, who often enter a shop and, well I guess do their work in there.
But you never see one of the officers walking the area where the bad guys are waiting to mug and rob the tourists who are on their way to the hotel or restaurant or just try to find a way to the next bar.
Marseille is a changing city. Right now you could think that this port town has been selected for the next Olympic Games. There is construction all over. A face lift, which will change this city in a very good way. But even after all the construction is finished, I am sure parents will still receive those headaches causing calls from their kids.
Like to know why? Ask the people sitting in the city hall. Or better, ask the mayor himself. He is the one who could bring a lot of safety to the streets of Marseille and, to your traveling children and every tourist wandering the unique little side streets.
How is it possible, that four Brazilian Backpackers had their complete luggage stolen at the St. Charles train station in Marseille? But a Canadian photographer was stopped taken pictures inside the same building. Where is the focus of security?? Terrorism is a major issue at this time of the 21st century, but police should have their eyes wide open for every problem occurring in a city.
I am looking at this hostel in a different way now. It opened about two months ago and the owners do a great job by satisfying their guests. But always with the Sword of Damocles over their head, waiting for the next customer coming to the reception, shouting “I just got robbed two blocks away!” Travelers from all over the world are staying at this Embassy of International Traveling in Marseille and these incidents are bad publicity for tourism in this city and therefore for everybody in the tourism business.. How many travelers will have to call their parents from this city in need of help, because they lost money, passport and else to criminals waiting for them in the streets? That is the question we all from the travelling community should ask Monsieur Jean-Claude Gaudin who is the current mayor of Marseille, and mayors all around the globe.
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Posted by opbworld on 2008-04-04 07:40:38 | Rating: | Views: 54
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Hi Peter! Marseilles is a melting pot of a city and always fascinating. We got robbed in Barcelona on the highway :-) a real experience that I don't want to repeat!
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Posted by Ellie2008
on 2008-04-17 18:00:52
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