Wien’s Artful Dodgers

“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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3 Responses to Wien’s Artful Dodgers

  1. Martha says:

    Another wonderful sharing. Thanks so much.
    XO,
    Martha

  2. Elise says:

    What a story Howard! So glad it ended the way it did. Yikes.

  3. Joanne says:

    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.

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