[Leica] OT: Eurotrip Question

[scheng at aotera.org (Spencer Cheng)]

Mark,

A lot of it is cultural, just get use to it. We haven't been to  
Austria for about 10-15 years but back then, in the small villages,  
it's all cash. There was an ATM in every village though no merchant  
may accept credit card. It's not as if Austria doesn't have the  
telecommunication infrastructure. Every waiter/waitress carried a big  
stack of paper currencies to make change.

In general, places and businesses that has a lot of tourist business  
will accept credit card but otherwise, don't count on it. The overhead  
is just too high for small businesses. It is is also different between  
big cities and the rural areas.

Using China as an example, higher-end hotels, restaurants and stores  
frequented by tourists in major cities will accept credit card but the  
prices are correspondingly higher. I love eating street food and I can  
guarantee you that no Asian street food vendor, even in Singapore  
accepts plastic. If I were to travel outside of the major cities in  
China, I would carry a lot of cash. Until fairly recently, the only  
ATM in China from which a debit card can be used to withdrawal cash  
are the ATMs located at the main Bank of China branch in the cities.  
Now it's much easier.

Of the countries on your list, NZ merchants usually accepts CC. Credit  
card is often accepted in France even in the smaller village by hotels  
and nicer restaurants. Iceland is going the way of the Euro so you  
better carry some Euros. :)

Regards,
Spencer

On Jul 24, 2009, at 15:00, Mark Rabiner wrote:
> Well the lug is a great thing to gain a perspective on varies  
> aspects of....
> World reality. And such a thread is enlightening it would be foolish  
> to
> ignore. We have people from Asia talking about direct recent  
> experience of
> getting ones credit cards canceled when you try to use it. Why there  
> be a
> reason for this to be a distortion of the real cases?  And Denmark. I
> imagine the next big trip I take across whatever pond I'll check  
> first and
> see if they really want my money or not. If not I'll find somewhere  
> else.
> I was in Germany Thu, Sep 28, 2006 and I don't recall any wallet based
> conflicts.
>
> The short list in order of places I most want to go to next "big  
> trip" which
> may be never:.
>
> New Zealand.
> Iceland
> France
>
> Yep that's my list. Check it twice!
> Iceland is fairly close. And I bet they'd not be too fast in  
> assessing the
> color of my money. So it may be my next grand destination.
> I cant wait to float in that smoking water and meet Bj?rk.
>