*Barcelona - Sauna Thermas - It only got better!

[BSR]

19 minutes ago, SirBillybob said:

Commiserations. Your loss consolidates my strategy. I also just left Barcelona. 

I wear two layers of lightweight hiking trousers. Inside pants pockets hold everything I’m not prepared to have lifted. Outer pair basically empty pockets including my 22.00-ish Euro T-usual transit card that I also keep in the inner pants pocket even after scanning it.

Recently a group of four adults that looked like they were together but of differing ages embarked at Plaça de Sants station. I was standing at the centre pole of the car because I was only going a few more stops northwest. I frequently take the subway at home and in other cities. I thought, however, there was a lot of brief but unnecessary brushing and jostling against me by these folks in Barcelona. I wasn’t directly obstructing the space they would have needed to occupy. How they seemed to game it was looking rushed and flustered as if they had had to dash to get on, but I don’t think that was the case.

Another time an unfortunate young guy eating near my table in Plaça Espanya got up for a few seconds to get a napkin or something steps away at the service counter. His knapsack was promptly lifted from under his table; neither of us noticed the act. As most know it is a circular arena structure and he had to quickly choose a direction in the lower food court to try to give chase, ultimately futile. Imagine the smoothness of operators that are that prepared to pounce on a random break in guardedness.

Despite all the warnings I got from so many friends & acquaintances, I fear that the relative safety of 6 months in Madrid caused me to drop my guard.  Thanks for the tips.  Barcelona is too beautiful and too fun (thank you, Thermas!) a city to avoid just because of its petty theft problem.

[thatsjhonmanuel]

This is why I used a small shoulder bag, where I can put my money and inside and front of my jacket. 

[coriolis888]

On 4/29/2025 at 4:26 PM, jayjaycali said:

So it's not unheard of for guys from the US to be working at Thermas?  I've always been curious about that. 

I have been to Thermas many times.  I was never aware of any American working at the sauna in Barcelona.  I assume it is possible.  

However, in Zurich, at Paragonya, one time I met an American working there.  That was about three years ago.  

I asked the American why he chose Zurich for work.  He replied that he and some of his friends/acquaintances do a "tour" and go to various saunas and clubs around Europe.  He also said that some of his traveling friends are Canadians.