Before the trip to Rome, we read a lot of information about how trying to raise the money tourists resourceful residents of Italy.
Not everything I read, met on the streets of the city, although we spent a lot of time and walked most of it.
So what are the types of fraud we met on the streets of Rome:
1. Sign it
On the streets is a table, on the table laid out the paper on which something is written in Italian, spinning next to a few people.
Scammers go around and beckoning tourists to put his signature on one of the papers, like to vote against violence, drug abuse, for the protection of the environment or even for that.
After you unsuspectingly sign a good thing for it will be asked to pay a donation, use a pen and paper, so it should be, it is written in the questionnaire and so on.
To such calls is to put your signature better not to pay attention and pass.
We met such a short distance from the main train station of Rome - Termini, the Italian name Termini.
2. Rose for girls
When you couple relaxed walk, to you a man gives a woman a rose, she instinctively takes it. Then he comes up to you and ask for exorbitant amount of money, you can certainly refuse to flower and try to give it back to him, but to pick up the rose he doesn't want persistent and continues to ask for money. At the moment when you give up the flower, he tries to expose you to ridicule, as greedy and the poor.
In such situations, you should not hesitate and it is better to pretend not understand what he was singing in English, to put him back and rose to leave. That's exactly what we did.
We met a divorce on the people's square (Piazza del Popolo, the Italian name Piazza del Popolo) and the Spanish square (Piazza di Spagna, the Italian name Piazza di Spagna). In the Plaza of Spain Scam holding flowers especially a lot, because I think that is one of the busiest squares in Rome.
3. Friendship bracelet
To you as well somebody comes and proposes a friendship bracelet. Regardless of your answer and reaction, you are trying to take over the wrist, it is almost always possible, and tie a bracelet consisting of several colored threads. Then will ask for a fee.
The best response in this case would be to pretend that you again, a word of what they tell you don't understand to turn around and leave. Long run after you they will not.
Worst of all, it can serve to distract your attention while an accomplice rummages through your pockets for your phone and wallet.
As in the case of rose met in the squares Popolo and Spain.
In the Plaza of Spain, after we refused to buy a rose, the merchant tied for me a friendship bracelet and tried to take money for that. But there it was, we returned him to the rose and left with a bracelet on the wrist.
4. Magnetic dancing cartoons
Walking around Rome on many pedestrian streets are tape recorders next to their people, and right on the sidewalk to the rhythm of the music coming from the dance tape colorful paper men. Look at this, and believe not, they are really dancing. Isn't it amazing! And because there are no threads, magnets or something. We have long looked, did not see.
Sell such men for 2 EUR apiece. Two man for three euros and three for five euros.
We bought two of these from a desire to know what is their secret.
So, it appears, they dance not by themselves and not the music.
On the reverse side of each of the figures is paper hook-loop. For these loops on the line, which is stretched horizontally, clinging men. One end of the fishing line is tied to something with the focus, and the second, is invisible to the eyes of others, keeps the same dealer, and slightly jerking a finger over the line brings these whimsical figurines.
Like we met on the streets of Poland.
5. The miracle of yoga
This is such a miracle craftsmen just sit all day on the streets and ask for handouts for their skills.
The secret is simple. In the stick and under the robe of the bottom (first in the sleeve, then along the body) are a steel tube, one base of which is on the ground, it sits lower people, and the second is attached to the top of the culvert and it sits handy on top of it.
When they change places, then throws himself on the dark canvas, tinkering underneath. After throwing off matter, bottom sits on top, and the top respectively bottom.
A yogi
Here things are even simpler, a metal tube, which on two sides is attached to the metal plate. One plate is placed on the ground (decorated with flowers), and on the second sits a beggar. Metal tube-supports are passed through the sleeve and are held under clothing.
