Sylvia's Journal

This is the Dutch word for pickpockets (zakkenrollers). We left Holland yesterday and took the train from Schiphol to Gare du Nord in Paris for our home exchange stay in the XVIème arrondissement.

Halfway our 3 hour trip we were alerted through the the barely audible PA system to be watchful because pickpockets were on the prowl. I was mostly concerned about our small suitcases and had a watchful eye on people leaving the train. Little did we know that Axel’s wallet had already (and expertly) been removed from his pocket.

A while later the lady who had checked our tickets showed up with his wallet. The forty dollars had been removed but luckily the bank and credit cards had been left in place. We don’t know how the conductress had gotten in possession of the wallet. We were so stunned that we forgot to ask.

And now we are in Paris, $40 lighter. We are in a small urban apartment in the middle of a cornucopia of French foods: patisseries (several), chocolatier and ice cream, next door, butcher/deli, cheeses, wines (2 close by), fruits, nuts and mushrooms, groceries, and then there are all the outdoor terrasses, open for lunch, cocktails and dinner.

And best of all, we went from autumn in Holland, back to summer in Paris.