Quote:
Originally Posted by manaboutown
I noticed the recycling bin in front of the modern pharmacy and that the cop has a sidearm, wears a bulletproof vest, and has no license plate on his bike. That lightweight bike must be handy to chase bad guys just about anywhere they might run.
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Good catch, and yes, recycling is a big deal here; I was going to get a shot on the other side, showing it and talking about that, but CRS (can't remember sh1t) happened. They are very into recycling. On the other side are 8 or 10 "holes" with photos of the type of trash to put into the hole.
And Yes, the officers are all well-armed; this is NOT heaven; this is a poor S. American Country. It lives up to its reputation. There are areas of crime, and there are safe areas. This happens to be a very safe area- maybe because he is there, maybe he was on a break and wanted to be someplace safe - LOL! I don't know. I make it a point to be aware of where I am and to not go into notoriously dangerous places, like a street full of bars at 2 AM.
Not the best idea for an obviously American Tourist. Being tall, white, and wearing good clothes, I stand out, not to mention the $3K camera slung over my shoulder. I said, "No hablo Espanol" to a vendor the other day; he looked up and smiled and said - DUH.
I recall a post (on an expat forum) a couple of years ago by an American expat about how he was leaving Cuenca, It was just too dangerous for him. The story was he went bar hopping with a couple of Latinas. Around 2 am, he walked out of a bar drunk, with a pretty young lady on each arm, and someone relieved him of his wallet and $5K camera... Yup, like that would NEVER happen in Orlando or Jacksonville, or well, you get the idea. I call that "stupid is, as stupid does". We need to each take a little responsibility for our own behaviors.