Just yesterday, I shared my experience of having my phone stolen in Bogota—never imagined my first post would be about such an incident! 😅 And today, the very person I had lunch with got mugged right after we left the restaurant [石化R]💸. It’s one of those moments when you’re so stunned, all you can do is laugh.
At noon, my friend and I met up with her buddy from Santiago for a delightful meal at a popular Chinese restaurant. This place is quite the hotspot; even local celebrities make a point to visit when they’re in Chile. In fact, our friend bumped into Zhuang Dafeng, one of the “Sanlitun Three Sisters,” though I must admit, I had no idea who she was [汗颜R]. Recently, the place has also seen visits from Wu Jing, Lan Zhanfei, and the Huashao group.
Anyway [呃R], back to the main story: During our meal, we were discussing my recent phone theft, and it turned out this guy had it even worse. He had already been robbed twice in Chile within the past six months. (Who knew the third time would strike just an hour later [惊恐R])
After the meal, my friend and I took an Uber back to the hotel, but he decided to walk to a nearby farmers’ market to buy some fresh vegetables and seafood, as he was planning to host new colleagues that evening. I even suggested, “Why don’t we drop you off on our way? Walking isn’t safe.” But he assured us he frequents that area, the market is close by, and he wanted to stretch his legs to aid digestion.
Then… just five minutes later, while we were still in the Uber, he messaged us on WeChat saying he had been robbed [抓狂R][生气R]. Check out the chat screenshots for the full, dramatic details.
In retrospect, when we were waiting for our ride in the glass lobby on the first floor, after descending from the third-floor restaurant, we were already being observed by some suspicious individuals loitering outside. And then, he happened to be alone… In a foreign country, Asian faces are often targeted as “easy prey” by criminals!
Santiago is one of the most economically advanced cities in South America, so it’s not just about having a robust economy or a larger middle class. Even with tourists being more vigilant, bad luck can’t be avoided by staying indoors. When a criminal sets their sights on you, even if you had eight eyes 👀, it wouldn’t help much on the streets of Chile. #OverseasSafety #Santiago #RobberyExperience
