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The best testimony I have read in a long time…probably ever!

We received this from Tom and Sue, just before their departure to France, Spain, Andorra and Poland.  We invite you to follow along.

Bon Jour, Everyone (Just  practicing):

I wanted to share this with you since the power of Jesus and Our Blessed Mother were at work this week before are departure, and we were part of a beautiful “small gift/miracle” that happened at our Cathedral on Friday and Saturday … a wonderful send off for our “personal pilgrimage”, as we depart for Paris tomorrow morning.

About 3 months ago, we began to notice a 50 to  60 year old woman with a knapsack on her back that appeared to be homeless  and was attending the 10:30 Sunday Masses.  As we sat around our  Sunday table on the Cathedral Patio, having already gone to Mass (which we  always do with many of our church family members and good friends), we began to  take more notice of her.

Finally, one Sunday, Sam got up and went over to  talk to her.  I keep forgetting to ask him what he said, because 2 minutes  later, he was buying her a Rosary at our Cathedral Religious Store.   Smiling, she disappeared into Church.

Every Sunday as she went to  Mass, she would wave to Sam and Sam would encourage her to Pray the  Rosary.

A few weeks later, she had arrived early  and one of us bought her a doughnut and coffee, which she happily devoured at a  table by herself.  This became the norm every Sunday.  After  many “invites”, she agreed to sit with us before Mass. Her name was  Julia.

We found her to be  a simple and honest woman.  We learned that she was not homeless, but was mentally challenged.  She lives with her step-father, who adopted her when she was 12 years old and she is on disability. She was  very private life, since I think her father taught her to be that way so that people  would not take advantage of her, especially because she is so giving and honest  and could easily be put in a compromising position.  We learned that she  has been taking the bus (with her bus pass) each Sunday to our Cathedral so that  she could attend Mass even though she was not Catholic.  She had fallen in  love with our Catholic Faith.

Julia was always counting her  pennies to buy religious things in the Cathedral Religious Store.  She  would never allow us to pay for them, especially if they were for someone  else.  When she really wanted something, she would bring  a crocheted scarf or hat or doilies and try to sell them to get  the money for her purchase. (Our home is now filled with scarf’s, bright pink  and blue doilies and other objects that she would bring all of us as gifts  after we purchased something from her so that she could buy something that she  wanted.)

Finally, 3 weeks ago when  talking to her, she told us that she was not Catholic and that her greatest wish  was to be Baptized a Catholic and to receive Jesus Christ at Communion. She  was afraid of going to hell! She told us that she had tried to become  a Catholic but she would have to go to class at night (I don’t  think she is allowed out after dark) and she couldn’t because she took care  of her father and she does not know how to read or write or memorize things.  There wasn’t a dry eye at the table as this humble woman came to tears. She told  us that she had no other family or friends and Susan immediately told her  that she now had a Church family and many friends at our Cathedral.  The  tears stopped and huge smile lit up her  face.

Immediately, I went to my stash of  Scapulars and got her a Green Scapular of the Blessed Virgin.  We sat with  her and I taught her about the Blessed Mother and the promise she made  to those who believed and would say thesimple Prayer everyday for  conversion. When I told her to read the pamphlet, she told us she couldn’t read  or write.  So, I  explained to her that this Green Scapular was  for conversion AND THAT SHE SHOULD CARRY IT AT ALL TIMES AND SAY THIS PRAYER  EVERY DAY for her conversion and baptism and we would say it every day for her,  too.  “Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our  death.  Amen. ( I quiz her every time I see her and
she has almost got it  right, but I don’t think Our Blessed Mother cares if
it isn’t  exact.)

After speaking to the powers to be and  some heavy “begging” before we left on our “personal pilgrimage”, we  were able to tell her last Sunday that
she was going to be Baptized a  Catholic.  Again, the tears flowed abundantly.

She had to meet with  Deacon John for an evaluation of her special circumstances and to be absolutely  certain that she understood our Catholic Faith. She passed with flying  colors and I think her simple innocence and tremendous humility got to Deacon  John as well.

Deacon John knew that Julia wanted us to  be her Godparents, along with Sam and Johna.  He made special plans to  meet with her on Wednesday for her evaluation and, after much time with the  approval process, he arrangedJulia’s Baptism for Friday at 11:30 am and  Confirmation and First Holy Communion to be done on Sat. at the 8:30  Mass.

Preparing for the Baptism
Preparing for the Baptism

We were to pick Julia up at her bus stop  on Fri. at 10:30, but she called us very early that morning and told us  that she was taking the 9 am bus because she didn’t want to take the chance  of being late. She was so excited.  Deacon John did a great job with the  Baptismal Ceremony and Julia was just so reverent and glowing.  (Pictures  enclosed)

Afterwards, Susan asked Julia how  she felt and she said that she said sheJulia-baptism-blurred felt different and so happy.  And,  she was.  For Julia now seemed at peace….and the chance of her going  to hell was out of the equation.  We celebrated by showering her with  gifts and cookies and coffee as we planned the next day’s event including  breakfast at the local diner. We dropped her off at her bus stop so that she  could walk to her home and we promised to pick her up at 8 am today.  This  morning, I left our cell phone on in case we got the call that she is catching  the 7 am bus.

At 7:45 we arrived at the bus stop to  find Julia sitting on the curb and waiting patiently.  Mass began  promptly at 8:30 A.M. and Fr. Eli did a splendid service.  The  Confirmation was beautiful and, after Father has Consecrated and received his  Holy Communion and the Precious Blood, he called up Julia and she got  her most important desire … the Body and Blood of Our Lord, Jesus  Christ.  Amen.

Afterwards, we treated Julia to  breakfast at a local diner along with Sam & Johna and Julia said the most  beautiful grace before our meal tha we were all most humbled.  She thanked  Our Lord for everything that has happened to her (for her) in the last two days  and, individually, for everyone who was involved in this “small miracle” for  her.  I think she will be teaching us a few  things!

We (Susan, myself & Sam) have  several challenged people that come to Mass at the Cathedral and we all always  try  to take them under our wings and help them with their needs.  We  call them “The Tests”.  Julia was one of those, but she now has her  own chair at our Sunday (after Mass) table.  I think we all  passed this test … The verdict is still out on the others … but
we  Pray.

Have a blessed day.

Warning…. Our 2015 “Personal  Pilgrimage Trip Reports” beginning
tomorrow,

Love, Hugs & Prayers,
 
Tom & Susan Melillo
Our  “2015 Personal Pilgrimage”

Prayer to St. John Paul  II

Oh, St. John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your  blessing!
Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously  leading it
along the paths of the world in order to bring Jesus to everyone and
everyone to Jesus. Bless the young, who were your great passion. Help them dream
again, help them look up high again to find the light that illuminates the
paths  of life here on earth.

May you bless families, bless each family! You  warned of Satan’s assault
against this precious and indispensable divine spark  that God lit on earth.
St. John Paul, with your prayer, may you protect the  family and every life
that blossoms from the family.

Pray for the whole  world, which is still marked by tensions, wars and
injustice. You tackled war by  invoking dialogue and planting the seeds of love:
pray for us so that we may be  tireless sowers of peace.

Oh St. John Paul, from heaven’s window, where  we see you next to Mary,
send God?s blessing down upon us all.

Amen.

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About our pilgrimage, by Tom & Sue

Our 2015 pilgrimage:  FRANCE, SPAIN, ANDORRA & KRAKOW (CRACOW),  POLAND

As  we begin to pack after months of preparation, our excitement builds … we are  almost there!  It’s been 19 months since our last  “personal pilgrimage” and 9 months since we booked our flights  (ugh)!  Long, long wait!
After hours and hours of research and planning,  we “think” we have created another great adventure filled with remote, out  of the way villages and Shrines, spectacular drives, plenty of mountains for  Susan and plenty of climbing for me … let’s hope the legs hold  out.

This is also a chance to re-visit old friends  that we have made over the years, as well as the excitement of meeting many  new people.  This year will mark over 200 Shrines dedicated to  Jesus and to Our Blessed Mother that wehave visited in this, our seventh  pilgrimage.  That’s not to mention all the Saints and other wonderful  Basilicas that we been fortunate to have traveled to over the  years.

This isn’t a luxury-filled journey by  any means.  Except for the CAR!  I’ve  reserved a Mercedes for the month.  If we get  it.  And, I’ll say it only once right now …  “DID I TELL YOU I LOVE THIS  CAR?”   For those of you
who have traveled  with us via our Daily Trip Reports over the years, you  will understand!

On  this trip will we will drive about 3,500 miles and visit 4 countries  including France, Spain, Andorra, and we will fly to Cracow, Poland for a 5  day visit.  No driving there, we will use the train, bus  and walk. Our greatest luxury will be a Queen or  King-Size Bed.  And a shower bigger than a linen  closet!  (I better get some “soap on a rope” just in  case!).   There are no fancy  restaurants or resorts.  Just local bistros,supermarkets,  picnics and small hotels and Bed and Breakfasts (some with
home-style  meals).

When, How and Why, Many Have Continually Asked  …

When?
Sunday, May 17, 2015 for 33  Days!

How?
Just do a lot of research and planning, book a  flight, rent a car, and go!  (With lots of Faith!)

Why?

Why Do We Take These “Personal  Pilgrimages”?  We  have answered these questions many different ways in the past.   But Susan and I both feel that our “personal pilgrimages” have become  more likea “Vocation” rather than a “Vacation”.  It is a  joyous time filled with a lot of Prayer and adventure.  It  is a chance for us (and you) to experience the great glory and  mysteries of our Faith.  And, for us to travel and Pray  for you (and along with you) for all of your Special Intentions … which, through the Grace of God and Our Blessed Mother, many Prayers have been answered.

As  we all work and strive (or at least should) for Eternal Life and redemption,  these “Personal Pilgrimages”, for us, is one of Faith, Hope & Love (Charity) which always leaves us refreshed and  renewed.Our  Lord said … “For those who receive, much is expected”.   This, to us, is part of our “giving back” that which is expected.
Personal Pilgrimages”.

WHY A PILGRIMAGE?

Going on Pilgrimage is to uninstall  and go to other places, to otherlands, to other people, it is open to the  unknown … and the new.  Journeying is a physical and  spiritual journey: investment of the whole body, de-cluttering, in favor of  the essential, to go to meet the unknown, not only walk inside.  Walking forces them to invest a whole.  Not only the heart, but also with the body.   And Faith comes not  only from the head but also by hands, by legs, etc.

Pilgrimage is an important moment (moments of  healing and building), but it must return to daily life.  Indeed, the  time is not yet ripe for the Pilgrim to stay on the mountain.  He must  go down as Peter, James and John after the  Transfiguration.

As  always, we send this early so you can send us your Special Prayer Intentions  now.  As in the past, you can always send them to us while  we are on our journey.  On our last Pilgrimage, we were  Blessed to carry and Pray for 268 of your Special Intentions.   That’s Susan’s job to keep them straight and deliver them to the  right Shrines which she does so carefully.  Your job is to  Pray with us for those intentions.  Please remember us  also in your Prayers.

That’s it for now. Our first report  will be on the 17th and hopefully, daily, if time  permits.  So sit back and “ENJOY THE  RIDE”.

May  God bless all of you … Always!

Tom & Susan  Melillo

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Buying trip insurance from a cruise line?

Those of us over a certain age remember when you bought a plane ticket, checked your bags and were on your way.  We got good service, free meals and no extra fees for baggage or whatever.

Is that going to be the trend with cruise lines now?   We all know that cruises are a great deal….lots of bang for the buck as they say.  But the cruise lines, with all their discounts and special offers, may also need to add on some extras in order to stay afloat (pun intended).  After all, if the food is so great in the main dining room, why the need to pay $25 or more per person to eat in a “specialty restaurant”?

One major cruise line is now automatically adding trip cancellation insurance to all their quotes on the phone.  Now, we consider trip cancellation insurance to be a good investment….but not necessarily the plans sold by the cruise lines.  Often times you can get better coverage at a lower cost by booking through a travel agent that will offer insurance from another company.  The particular cruise line we mention will remove the insurance from the price they quote you, but you have to request it.

One major cruise line is now automatically adding trip cancellation insurance to all their quotes on the phone.  Now, we consider trip cancellation insurance to be a good investment….but not necessarily the plans sold by the cruise lines.  Often times you can get better coverage at a lower cost by booking through a travel agent that will offer insurance from another company.  The particular cruise line we mention will remove the insurance from the price they quote you, but you have to request it.

For more about trip cancellation insurance click here.

 

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An Unexpected Blessing: My trip to Jordan

 
A week ago, Diana von Glahn of The Faithful Traveler contacted me. She wanted to know if I was interested in traveling to Jordan with other members of the press. She would pass my contact information along to key organizers of a Jordan Religious Press Tour if I was interested.

Are you kidding me? Of course I said yes.

Within one week, I had filled out the application and received word that I was chosen to go to Jordan and visit key sites from April 9 to April 19. Next month.

And I had been lamenting that I would have to wait until August for the Catholic Press Association pilgrimage to Poland before I would be making my next trip! But God has a way of filling our cup to overflowing and taking us places we never dreamed we would be able to go. Abraham learned that late in life. So did Moses. And now, at fifty, I am feeling the call to go … to meet my Lord in many places.

So, April is Jordan–Eastern Holy Land.

August, Poland–Sts. Faustina, John Paul II, & Maximilian Kolbe

November, Israel & Bethlehem–Holy Land.

December, Mexico–Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Have I mentioned lately that I love pilgrimages, and travel writing about places of faith is right up there at the top of my “favorite things” list? I can stay up until two in the morning writing while on pilgrimage (which I do almost every night) and still get up for a six o’clock wake-up and a day of prayer at holy places. That’s grace. At home, I need a solid eight-hour night.

Well, the official itinerary arrived just a few days after I submitted the application. I eagerly read through each day’s events.

By day four, I had to stop reading. I was overwhelmed by the gift that was unfolding before my eyes:

Bethany Beyond the Jordan: considered to be the actual site of the Baptism of Jesus
Bethany Beyond the Jordan: considered to be the actual site of the Baptism of Jesus

Leave Amman behind to travel south toward the wilderness on the eastern banks of the River Jordan known as Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan. According to the Bible, it was here that the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven on a chariot of fire, and where John the Baptist came centuries later preaching and baptizing in the spirit of Elijah“.

Pope John Paul II overlooking Mount Nebo (photo courtesy the Wall Street Journey)
Pope John Paul II overlooking Mount Nebo (photo courtesy the Wall Street Journal)

Then, drive a short distance to Mount Nebo, where the Bible says Moses climbed after his long Exodus journey to see the land he would never enter, and where he was buried nearby by God himself.”

I slipped out of my chair and knelt beside my office desk. My heart was full, and prayers of gratitude seemed the only appropriate response.

I have been working out to meet the physical demands of making pilgrimages. I have increased the incline of the treadmill when I work out, setting the incline as steep as I can handle because the itinerary says we will have the opportunity to climb Mount Nebo, if we feel we can handle the hike up the mountain.

I’m going to do it. So it is time to get into even better shape.

Through words, I will take you back to those moments in salvation history.

I’m going to Jordan.

You come, too.

 

Denise Bossert:

Denise is a convert to the Catholic Church. She is the daughteDenise Bossertr of a Protestant minister. In 2005, she converted to Catholicism after reading books by Carmelite saints. Her syndicated column called Catholic by Grace has been published in 63 diocesan newspapers. She has also written for Catholic magazines and appeared on EWTN’s Journey Home and Women of Grace. She is a Catholic travel writer and pilgrimage leader with Select International Tours and Cruises. Her first book is entitled Gifts of the Visitation and explores the Blessed Mother’s journey from Nazareth to Ein Kerem where she remained with St. Elizabeth for three months prior to the birth of St. John the Baptist. Website: denisebossert.com

Denise Bossert, Catholic columnist & author

(636)352-8705

www.denisebossert.com
www.amazon.com/author/denisebossert.com
www.facebook.com/denise.bossert

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Mass at the Airport?

Oops…what about Mass?

I’ve found that when I try to arrange my travel plans, the actual day of departure can depend on factors outside my control!  And I don’t like being out of control.   For instance, If a tour I really want to join starts and ends on a specific day, I  have little choice about when I leave.   Or  a business trip, is another instance where I have little wiggle room.  Leisurely traveling on my own?  Depends on the airline, my schedule and a lot of things I just can’t control.

Then, as my travel date gets closer and I realize that I’ll be traveling over a Saturday night, and my flight leaves too early for a Vigil Mass,  it hits me that I may not be able to attend Sunday Mass at all.   Have you ever had the pleasure of trying to find a Catholic Church after getting off the plane in a foreign country with serious jet lag?   I have and I wouldn’t recommend it.

St. George's Chapel, Heathrow, London
St. George’s Chapel, Heathrow, London

So maybe I can help you out.  It took me a while, but I discovered that there are actually chapels at many airports where you can attend Sunday Mass (or even daily Mass at some airports).  You might be able to catch one before departure or possibly upon arrival in your next city….or even between flights.  I once landed in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 9:00 a.m., attended an 11:00 am. Mass in the airport chapel, and then caught my next flight at 1:00 p.m.

We have just added a page to our website detailing various airport chapels around the world.  Although most of these chapels are non-denominational, they do offer a Catholic Mass on many occasions.

If you are  in a pilgrimage group traveling with a priest, you can usually make arrangements to say your own private Mass in the airport chapel regardless of your day of arrival.

Can’t make Sunday Mass due to travel?  

This is what I’ve been told by a priest friend of mine:  “If you absolutely cannot find a Mass due to traveling, then you are relieved of your Sunday obligation.  But I suggest you attend Mass as soon as possible and offer that Mass up as your Sunday Mass”

 

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Ever written a bad review about a hotel? Or a tour company?

 
In the last 10 years or so, the number of reviews written on hotels must be in the millions, I suppose.  Most of us rely on these reviews to some extent, although you have to wonder sometimes when one person gives a great review and the other one gives a negative review.  We have seen this in tour company reviews as well.  One says it was the “best ever” and the other one says “never again”.  How do two people on the same tour have such opposite opinions? 

Well, one hotel in England decided to do something about a negative review that will certainly give them a lot of publicity.  They retroactively charged 100 pounds ($156 U.S. dollars) to the credit card of the person who wrote the review!  

Here is the whole bizarre story.  Now I don’t know what they hoped to accomplish by doing so, but I doubt that they wanted this kind of publicity.

The closest thing we have heard was a U.S. Catholic tour company refusing to book someone on a tour after they had posted a negative review on our forum.  But in our opinion, this action is probably justified.  And, as it turned out, someone else had written that review, which we subsequently removed.

It does bring up a point….as Catholic Christians we are called upon to “do unto others”…..etc.  So we urge you to consider the damage that can be caused to someone’s reputation, and their livelihood, if you get a little too critical of the service you receive.  The internet has provided us with sources of information, but with that comes a responsibility.  After all, there is a sin called “calumny” that can apply to businesses as well as individuals we suppose.

Certainly if a business fails to provide anything near the service the promise, it is fair to let others know.  On the other hand, just because your mattress was too soft or you did not like your tour guide is no reason to trash the entire operation.

 

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Traveling on a budget

 

Traveling on a Budget

With so many great Catholic destinations around the world waiting to be visited, you can be sure that you have many trips ahead of you if you want to see as many as possible. However, making so many trips does mean that you’ll have to spend big money on the usual travel expenses.

Fortunately, there are ways to save money while traveling. Some require thinking a little outside of the box, but they generally just involve being creative and seeing how far you can stretch your money on your travels.

Traveling 

The actual act of transit is an unavoidable expense; you are going to have to get there one way or the other, after all. However, unavoidable expense doesn’t have to mean unavoidably expensive.

The first thing you can do when planning your trip is to be flexible. Costs of travel vary significantly depending on what time of the year, what day, and even what time of day you’re traveling, so being open will give you the best possible chance of snagging a deal you’re happy with. If you are flying to one country, open up the search parameters and see if there are any other nearby airports that you can fly to as you can always get a connecting bus or train to your eventual destination once you land in the country.

Alternatively, if you are planning to visit several Catholic destinations during a single trip, then a cruise that stops at multiple ports is the best way to travel without spending money on many flights. This works particularly well around the Mediterranean, as the destinations are close by and there are plenty of cruises that go around there. Cruises vary in destinations and who they cater to ( i.e. retired couples vs. young families) so do your research to determine which is the right trip for you.

Accommodation

After travel, accommodation is the next biggest expense you’re likely to have. With hotels in the most popular tourist spots running at up to hundreds of dollars a night, it’s important that you think smartly about the standard, location, and type of accommodation you book. One of the best ways to avoid spending big money is to travel the modern way and rent a vacation rental from a private individual; there are a number of websites that have such listings available, so see what’s on offer to find a place that is perfect for you. These types of accommodation typically give you much more space for much cheaper than traditional hotels, so you can make big savings if you’re lucky.

If you would prefer to stay in a regular hotel, then one of the best ways to save money is to keep an eye out for any deals the hotel is offering (kids staying for free, free dinner/breakfast) and, again, to stay flexible (hotels will be more expensive on the weekends and during holidays/events). If you’re feeling adventurous, using a website that allows you to book a room in a “hidden hotel” can save you up to 70% of regular booking prices. The only catch is you don’t know which hotel it is you’ll be staying in until you’ve booked it, but that’s also part of the fun.

Seeing the Sights 

Sightseeing is another expense you need to account for. After all, there’s no use travelling all the way to the Vatican, for example, and not seeing all the great sights that are there! One way to save money is to see if your destination has a version of Citypass, or an equivalent, that gives you access to a number of sights for one fixed price. While the initial cost can seem steep, you’ll easily save a lot of money if you plan on visiting all the sights that it lets you in for. Also keep an eye out for any free entrance days at some attractions will not charge admission at specific times/days. The Vatican Museums, for instance, can be visited for free on every last Sunday of the month.

Eating

Another compulsory expense that doesn’t need to be as expensive as you’d think; all you need to do is think about where you’re eating. Meals in heavily tourist areas will cost a lot more money than meals in a restaurant a little bit away from the center of town, in a place where the locals typically eat. If possible, try to buy basic breakfast and lunch supplies in supermarkets and make them yourself.

Blog article  contributed by Susie Main

 

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A tiny chapel for a powerful Saint

One of the smallest chapels in Ireland is located here in Gougane Barra, where Saint Finnbarr built his monastery. Holding only about 30 people, groups can celebrate Mass here if they are traveling with a priest.

The tiny chapel at Gougane Barra, Ireland, where Saint Finnbarr had his monastery
GOUGANE BARRA

Saint Finnbarr built a small monastery here (you can see the remains behind the current chapel) in the 7th Centrury.

Saint Finnbarr’s feast day is celebrated September 25th.

 

 

 

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Garabandal promoter Joey Lomangino dies

The apparitions at Garabandal, Spain are a matter that is still undecided.  Neither approved nor disapproved by the Church, they remain a subject of controversy.  There are those who wholeheartedly believe then to have been real and those who believe just the opposite.

One of those who supported the apparitions was Joey Lomangino.  Blinded as a result of an accident, he was one of the main proponents of Garabandal.  There is no doubt that his death will cause some consternation among its supporters, since the prophecy was that Joey would have his sight restored before his death and this did not occur.

Still, there are many who believe and we do not mean to cast any doubt upon the authenticity of the alleged apparitions.

Certainly, as the saying goes, time will tell.  It is certainly interesting that he died on June 18th, the exact day of the first reported apparition in Garabandal in 1961.

 

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Don’t let fear stop you from Independent Travel

As we approach the busy travel season in Europe, one of the things that people worry about is getting scammed in one way or another. 

Unfortunately, although violent crime is rare, pickpockets in cities such as Paris and Rome tend to be very active and it seems that the authorities do little to combat them.  

Fortunately, you can take some basic precautions that will minimize your exposure.  Just a few are:

1.  Do not wear flashy jewelry…leave that back home.

2.  Use cross-body straps on purses, camera cases, etc. so that even if your hands are occupied you won’t present an opportunity for a thief.  

3.  If you see a disturbance on the street, keep walking. These can be staged events designed to distract you while someone helps themselves to your wallet or purse.  

4.  If someone approaches you with a “lost” ring or other valuable, ignore them and keep on walking.  Again, this is designed to distract you and is one of the more popular methods of taking your belongings.  

5.  Do not open your wallet in public, and never allow anyone to help you at an ATM machine.  

6.  Keep your money (and credit cards) in more than one place…if you do become a victim you won’t lose everything at once.  Use a money belt for walking around.

7.  Leave your passport in the hotel safe.

8.  Use old, beat-up luggage.  Using flashy, expensive luggage is asking for trouble.  Same applies to backpacks.  Let’s face it, if you are a thief you are going to go where the money is!

So, have we scared you?  Hopefully not…..we hope we have assuaged any fears you might have.  Taking a few precautions mean that you are much likely to become a victim.