[Harp-L] Going to Italy ( mostly non harp related)

[dennis moriarty <dmoriarty@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I traveled around the world for a year with my new wife in 1991  
without getting ripped off once except for a smelly pair of my wife's  
sneakers at a poolside in Queensland Australia. I've been to Europe a  
half dozen times since too and no rip offs. That isn't to say there  
aren't pickpockets! One tested me on a train in Barcelona and a group  
of kids tested me in Milan or Rome. And I'm not advocating naivete. I  
grew up in the Bronx and know Martial Arts. I'm just empathic to those  
that are offended by the exploitation of the negative. The world I  
traveled in (From Raratonga to Kathmandu) left me incredulous at times  
with it's generosity. And each time i've gone overseas since I've had  
an imbalanced experience in the favor generosity. I also (as a result  
of such generosity) always stop to give directions to visitors  
negotiating Manhattan. I usually make it concise and affable in  
deference to their suspicions....... My only intention in this post is  
balance: All the good earthy tourist guides, e.g., Time-Out, Rough- 
Guide, etc, have a few paragraphs on indigenous crime but the rest of  
the guide exploits the joy of the destination. p.s. (And this is harp  
content) One of my favorite harp players is the guy from the  
Headhunters out of Italy. Damn he does a good job building up his  
version of Christo Redemptor. My best. d
   http://www.myspace.com/blowintheblues