Yes, it happens! Two blocks from our nice hotel in Recoleta, a block from the shopping center of Patio Bullwich. We of course should not have been wearing our good watches.

But there we were, wandering jet lagged on a national holiday, 10 in the morning.  But before we could blink, the robber had this arm around the husband neck and was pulling at his watch. And before I could get close enough to kick him between the legs, the band broke, the husband went down on the sidewalk and the robber was gone.

Several people stopped to help, appalled. A taxi driver took us to our hotel gratis. Luckily, injury was limited to scrapes and abrasions and sore muscles. We were lucky.

BA is still a great city. But it hasn’t been the best of times here — hence the impending change in government and rising crime.

Our incident is a reminder to keep a sharp eye when we travel, pack our brains and leave valuables behind.