Travel Tip

Travel Tip                  February 27, 2014

This is a tip that I have learned the hard way:  do not bring dollars to Spain with the expectation that you can change them to euros!  

I brought $300 as my mad money - and ended up being mad!  We had tried to change dollars here in Alozaina at the small bank and were told to go to a bigger city to change the money. In Malaga, we went to no less than 4 banks, waited in long lines, only to be told, consistently, to go to this one sleazy-looking place where Bruce was sure that I would be charged an exorbitant exchange rate.  As a result, he has become my banker.  He offers a reasonable exchange rate .  

We couldn't help but wonder at a country in which it so difficult to exchange money into their own currency, which presumably one would spend there!  France was the same!  They both have an aversion to having cash in banks.  

So, when traveling in these countries, just bring a debit card - two, just to make sure -  which will work there and a credit card so that you can charge stuff, which is a good route, too.  But don't bring dollars.