# Here we go again, € tops US$1.50



## Carolinian (Oct 24, 2009)

Here we go again,as the euro has crossed another level, rising to over US$1.50.  At the same time, the British pound, supposedly a weak currency is up to US$1.64 and the Swiss franc is a fraction of a cent from reaching parity with the dollar.  We have the weak dollar policies of the last two administrations to thank.  Oh, for the good old days of Clinton's strong dollar policy.  When I was growing up the Swiss franc was worth 23 cents and the € did not even exist.


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## myhottoddy (Oct 24, 2009)

Bad news, we visited Germany and Austria a few years ago when the Euro was first issued and it was worth about 90 cents US!  After exchange fees, etc, a $10 sandwitch cost about $ 20 in GB and Western Europe. We will be visiting Mexico and Canada pus the good old US. Hey, I can even eat at a US airport!


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## pwrshift (Oct 24, 2009)

A couple of weeks back, I returned from a week in Paris and couldn't get over how expensive it seemed ... almost like the Parisians treat the euro as if it was a dollar.  Club sandwich in the hotel was 21 euros...glass of wine 8 euros.  Taxi to CDG airport was over 60 euros.  I was there 2 years ago and 2 years before that and do not feel it was anywhere near that expensive back then...even on the Champs Elysees.

Brian


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## thheath (Oct 26, 2009)

*Food / Drink and the Euro*

A German friend of mine who lives in Bavaria said when they changed over from the DM to the Euro most restaurants and bars charged the same numeric denominations, i.e. 1DM = 1Euro.  Of course this was not the true exchange rate and it almost doubled the cost of food and drink when eating out.  He still laments the day before the change over when he could buy his favorite 1/2 liter weizen beer for 1.8 - 2.0 DM.


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## Carolinian (Oct 27, 2009)

thheath said:


> A German friend of mine who lives in Bavaria said when they changed over from the DM to the Euro most restaurants and bars charged the same numeric denominations, i.e. 1DM = 1Euro.  Of course this was not the true exchange rate and it almost doubled the cost of food and drink when eating out.  He still laments the day before the change over when he could buy his favorite 1/2 liter weizen beer for 1.8 - 2.0 DM.



I hear the same thing from German expats here.  Polls showed that the vast majority of Germans were opposed to switching to the euro but their politicians forced it on them without a referendum.  Denmark and Sweden citizens got to vote on whether to join the euro and they voted it down.  British citizens have been promised a referendum if they ever think about switching and polls there show the public overwhelmingly against.


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## Ken555 (Nov 23, 2009)

thheath said:


> A German friend of mine who lives in Bavaria said when they changed over from the DM to the Euro most restaurants and bars charged the same numeric denominations, i.e. 1DM = 1Euro.  Of course this was not the true exchange rate and it almost doubled the cost of food and drink when eating out.  He still laments the day before the change over when he could buy his favorite 1/2 liter weizen beer for 1.8 - 2.0 DM.



2DM for a (good) bier was a LONG, LONG time ago!


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## thheath (Nov 24, 2009)

Ken555 said:


> 2DM for a (good) bier was a LONG, LONG time ago!



The Euro went into circulation in 2002 so it has been a while.


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