My first morning in Paris began with a man kneeling before me with a gold ring, placing it on my finger, and dramatically kissing me (technically my hand) with a great flourish!
Where do you go from there....
It was a great performance, and he thought so too, because ten seconds later he was demanding euros for a coffee. I think this is one of the French men I was warned to stay away from!!
It's quite a clever scheme, really. If you're a practiced beggar/con artist like this guy, you place a thick gold band on the sidewalk near a major tourist attraction (in this case, within spitting distance of the Louvre). Wait for an unsuspecting tourist to walk by and -- your timing has to be perfect -- act like you just found the ring and pick it up. Show it to the tourist, ask them to help you read the engraving, and when they don't claim it...well, you know the rest.
I was still processing the whole experience as I walked away when a woman came up to me...and tried the exact same thing! I cut her off pretty fast.
I had no sooner passed the courtyard when it happened a third time! By this point I wanted to yell lasciami in pace - not French but hopefully the gist of leave me alone would have been clear!
So the lesson learned is this: too good to be true is still true. Don't go around accepting gold rings from strange men. At least go on some dates first.
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