Re: Big purple digit

Joel Polowin wrote:
> On Apr 13, 4:23 am, db...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 ("David G. Bell") wrote:
>> I suspect that one of the problems with US banknotes is that they have
>> become so widely used as a de facto currency in other countries, often
>> because they will hold value, compared to the local currency (How much
>> longer will that be true?).
> 
> I was told recently by a friend that when she went out to dinner with
> a group during a Canadian con, an American in the group was boggled
> when she tried to pay with U.S. currency and was told that the
> restaurant wouldn't accept it.  It had never occurred to her that she
> might need to use Canadian currency; after all, they're *worth* about
> the same right now.  (Apparently the restaurant was newly-opened and
> was still working on payment options.)
> 
>

I have seen that in the UK too - "what do you mean, you don't take US 
dollars?  Our travel agent told us US dollars were accepted everywhere."

Of course some stores and hotels in the UK used to take US dollars, or 
exchange them for UK currency, but the exchange rate they gave was 
poorer than any visitor would have gotten in a bank or Bureau de 
Change.  Now I think only really big stores like Harrods and Marks & 
Spencers - and that only in London - will take US currency.  OTOH, 
lots of small places will take Euros.

-- 
Jette Goldie
jette@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)