I started this blog for multiple reasons. I wanted to keep a journal of our travels. After 65 days I knew that the places we had visited would run together and we would forget some parts of the adventure that I wanted to remember. Our kids, brothers and families, and close friends had asked us to stay in daily contact (a little worried about the old folks galivanting around the world, I think). Other friends and neighbours had asked us to please post often on Facebook so they could follow along. I love lots about Facebook and I check most days and enjoy many of the posts, especially travel posts, but I had some apprehension about posting my daily highlight reel on Facebook, Not only does it feel a little like “Hey you, (maybe I know you or at least kind of know you) look what great things I’m doing today.” I knew occasional Facebook posts would be fine – if I kept them succinct and not too personal but I didn’t want my writing to either be succinct or impersonal. The difference for me is Facebook comes to you, it shows up in the feed of all those that follow you and sometimes some that don’t. A website blog you have to travel to….. so, only those interested or that really cared about what we were doing would go through the hassle of going to the site. I felt then, I could be real, I could share my food pics if I felt like it, and I know there are many that don’t get the food fixation. I could be honest and share things that were anything but accomplishments and I could give as much detail as I needed to recall those memories that I wanted to ensure didn’t get lost. I didn’t need to worry about bragging or whining because these people came to my blog, to my house, and in doing so they actually wanted to share in the trip. If they didn’t they would just stop coming, and that would work for both of us.
I was blown away by the number of people that were not only joining in and following the posts but were sending messages of support and encouragement, saying they were loving the blog and asking questions about the adventure. I didn’t attempt to answer or respond to any of the messages as we travelled and I knew that people would understand. The touring time was limited and very precious and I knew I could answer some of those questions once I got home. So now, once our travel fatigue seems to be in the rear view mirror, and we are almost past these yucky head colds, I will start on my list of accumulated questions. Some were personal and I will respond directly to the asker but sometimes there were many asking the same question…. so those are the ones I’ll address in posts starting today.
The question that I was asked most often, referred to safety and feeling safe. Did we every feel unsafe? Were any of the countries we travelled to unsafe? Were you ever scared?
I can honestly, honestly say that we felt very safe in all of the countries we’d visited, the cities we visited and the Airbnb areas that we were housed in. We had lots of warnings before we went about pickpockets in big cities in Europe, especially since Covid, as there are still many people that were affected by loss of work or their businesses and suffering financially. So we took some steps…..We both bought cross-body bags. Jim carried our passports, train passes, credit cards and all our cash (four different currencies) with him at all times. I carried copies of our passports, different credit cards and some cash of the country we were visiting. We started in Spain carrying these bags under our sweaters or coats as we had heard pickpockets were especially rife there, and we were still new and maybe a bit nervous. Not once in Spain or in any of the other countries did we see, feel, or experience any attempt to steal from us. I am sure those warnings are valid and the pickpockets are there but since our belongings were across our chest, covered or not – impossible to get to without us being very aware- there were no attempts. We didn’t wear (because we don’t own) flashy jewelry or Rolexes and I am sure we didn’t look like we were worth rolling.
To be honest there were two times I felt uncomfortable on the trip – unsafe would be too strong a word – but the same feeling that I might get in an empty underground parkade in a big city walking to my car and sadly, for exactly the same reasons. We often spend our evenings in Canada watching TV – most often American TV – so we are entertained by someone being murdered and then the remainder of the show solving the crime. Murder and violence becomes very routine. The locale is often a parking garage or a lonely street. The murderers are often young tattooed individuals and are ruthless.
So the two occasions that I felt uncomfortable had a lot more to do with the television shows I watch than the reality of what was going on around me.
One evening in Tavira, Portugal (one of our favourtie places (Portugal has been declared in the top ten safest countries in the world) we had gone out for our date night. We had chosen a restaurant earlier that day and it was a good 30 minute walk from our Airbnb. It opened at 7 p.m, which was a very normal opening time for European restaurants for dinner. Most opened from 10 to 2 and then again from 7 to 11 or midnight. Europeans eat dinner later that we were used to, but we got into the routine and it worked just fine. Anyway, we had just an okay dinner – we were a little disappointed in our choice – but enjoyed the evening and it was 10 pm and dark when we finished. I suggested that we call an Uber rather than walk home – early in the trip – still thinking about CSI and how many lurkers there are out there, ready to get us. Tavira is a little place, smaller than Yorkton, SK and we didn’t see too many cabs or Ubers in our time there. Jim called an Uber and the reply text said that the car would arrive in 10 minutes. We waited and in about 9 minutes the message changed saying the car would arrive in another 10 minutes. That was 20 minutes of standing on the street in front of the restaurant, when we could have been nearly home already. Jim suggested we walk and I agreed. We cancelled the Uber and headed for home. I was nervous – we walked down many empty streets and along the river until we reached the town square which was full of many people just like us enjoying the evening. The sad thing about that walk was the threat was perceived. It was a lovely evening and the scenery was beautiful and instead of enjoying the walk, I was busy looking at dark corners. I mentioned it to our landlady the next day, and she laughed. She said, “In my lifetime living in Tavira (she would be 50ish) I don’t think we have ever had a violent crime”. She said “I would walk, or let my children walk anywhere in town any time of day or night.”
The second time I was a little panicky was when we took an early morning train from Lisbon to Sintra to see the castles and tour the amazing town. We had train passes so we never had to buy tickets – we just jumped on the trains and then wrote into our booklet where we were heading and the time of the train. When the official came to look at the tickets, he would check the pass and if the info was accurate- smile, and hand them back and that was that. In Portugal there were often gates in the small stations that you had to hold your ticket over and the gate would open and you could then board the train. There was always a manned line at the end where there was no gate so you could show the official your train pass and go through. In Sintra there was the same kind of gates to get off of the train platform but there was no manned line, no place where pass holders could exit if they didn’t have a ticket with a barcode that opened the gate. Sintra is small enough that there wasn’t a formal station where we were and no employees…..just us on a platform with three gates that wouldn’t open. That was not scary at all – it was puzzling and we knew we had to figure it out but it was morning and if we absolutely could think of nothing else – we’d get on the next train and go back to Lisbon. The next train stopped and two young, tattooed, hair in dreadlocks, very big guys got off…… they came toward us and observed that we were unable to get by the gates. I was breathing quickly and a little nervous for our safety – for about a minute, until they very graciously offered to help and after some explaining and thinking, they used their tickets by tossing them up back and forth over the turnstile and got us to freedom. Great guys that we laughed with and thanked and realized again that the fear was perceived and based on stereotyping and media fueled. Come on!
this was only the first page of trips!
European countries are rated as some of the safest in the world. We had many conversations with locals during the holiday about safety… in Austria our taxi driver said that in 14 years of driving taxis, often at night, he had never had an incident where someone threatened him or robbed him. Other travelers we met in various countries often said “watch your stuff, and be cognizant of where you are, but no need to be fearful for your safety”. We saw children and teens on the trains and buses travelling by themselves confidently and safely. We did our homework, we didn’t wander into rough areas, we lived there very much as we would visiting any city or destination here in Canada. Of course, there are bad people everywhere in the world and it is important to always use your head while travelling but it’s also important to watch what lives in our heads and not let perceived fear affect the way we live it. It’s time for me to turn off CSI!