Euro Talk

This morning all tourists and Amsterdammers went to Vondelpark, or so it seemed, because I couldn’t find an empy seat. That’s why I joined an elderly couple who scunched up to make room for me. They introduced themselves as Bill and Jennie from California, on their first European trip.

We watched mothers in inline skates pushing prams. Grandpas racing each other in mobility scooters and toddlers on the run. Birds and parrots also enjoyed the park. Green-yellow parrots screeched in the trees. The scent of jasmine flowers wafted all over the park.

“Do you like the Euro?” Bill asked.

I had never thought about this. We’ve had the euro since 1st January 2002. Prices immediately went up. Coins felt different from the good, old guilder and I kept converting euros into old money. For a long time I had a love-hate feeling for them, but now I am used to the European currency.

“I like the design,” I said. I rummaged in my purse and showed Jennie and Bill some coins.

I picked up one and showed the European side and the national side. Dutch coins have the image of Queen Beatrix on the national side. I had lots of Dutch coins but also French, German, Belgian and several others.

We discussed the national side at length and decided that Malta’s looked best. It shows a beautifully designed Maltese Cross, once the symbol of the Knights of Malta.

Bill and Jennie weren’t going to Malta but their trip included other Euro countries; Germany, Italy and Slovenia.

Jennie fumbled in her purse and took out several banknotes; grey €5, russet €10 and blue €20. She didn’t have a €50, but she had €100. When I said that I had never possessed a hundred-euro banknote, Bill and Jennie would not believe me.

Dutch ATM machines don’t spit out €100 because Dutch shops, restaurants and other places don’t accept them. If you want this banknote, you will have to go to the bank teller inside.

Jennie put the hundred Euro back into her purse and said that she would spend it when in Germany.

We said goodbye. The couple ambled across the lawn towards Amsterdam centre with lots of opportunities to spend Euros.

 
Euro countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus and the city states Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.

The Euro is also legal tender in:

The French Overseas Departments of Guadeloupe,French Guiana,Martiniqueand Réunion, the French Overseas territories of Mayotte and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and French Southern and AntarcticTerritories. The Portuguese overseas territories of Madeira and theAzores. The Spanish Spanish Canary Islands

Eleven member states do not use the Euro yet: Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

photo credit: personal collection