A Pickpocket can change your whole day!

December 18, 2010 found Eileen and Kent heading down to Praça dos Restoradores to hear the Lisboa Stake Choir sing. After enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery we have ever seen in an old downtown area...especially at Christmas time we headed back home on the Metro. As we entered the blue line I (Kent) slipped past a fellow that was blocking my way and sat down. Eileen stayed behind him next to the door while others got on (4 other people). They surrounded her talking loudly with each other and then turning to her and asking her questions about the next stop. They then proceeded to jump off right as the doors closed at the next stop (which I thought was the second strange thing- the first being the fact that they blocked her way to the seat where I was sitting).  

Previous sign says, watch belongings!

As Eileen sat down next to me I immediately asked her to check her purse. She looked down and saw the outside pocket was unzipped but her glasses were still there so she felt nothing had been taken. I asked her to flip over the flap and look further. Yikes! Three other pockets had been unzipped and they had taken her cell phone, keys, address wallet, credit card and lip gloss (but missed the little pocket with the cash and the camera). Well we ended up getting locks changed on the house, credit card cancelled and grew a new set of antenna to watch out for future pickpockets. A week later we think we watched one that was attempting something similar but the lady turned away from him with her purse hugged to her chest. We are getting a real education on the metro system here. Worth every penny it cost us.
 

Irmãs leaving in our large elevator

The experience allowed us to teach a training session to the missionaries about how to be a dumb American and get pickpocketed though this can happen in any major city in the world. A picture is worth a thousand words and we now see what they mean when they say watch your belongings, especially upon entering and exiting the metro. These Irmãs got the full story and a lesson was learned as they joined us for a Christmas Party at Antonio Serpa. Merry Christmas to all and to all a pickpocket free night.