Payments (Europe)

Excellent European adventure payments! 🇪🇺💳

Making payments across Europe in the 80s was like navigating a breakdancing battle in multiple languages - challenging but totally worth the cultural exchange!

Gnarly European payment methods

  • Cash Everywhere: Each country had its own colorful money
  • Traveler's Checks: The safe way to carry money abroad
  • Credit Cards: Accepted in fancy hotels and some restaurants
  • American Express: "Don't leave home without it!" (especially in Europe)
  • Currency Exchange: Those sketchy booths near train stations

Epic 80s European currencies

  • French Franc: Perfect for buying croissants and beret
  • German Deutsche Mark: Solid as a BMW
  • Italian Lira: So many zeros, like arcade high scores!
  • British Pound: Worth more than your allowance
  • Spanish Peseta: Essential for those Ibiza dreams

Movie European money moments

  • "Ferris Bueller's Day Off": "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up" - European sports cars weren't cheap! 🏎️
  • "European Vacation" (1985): The Griswolds learning European payment customs the hard way
  • "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988): International diamond heist payments got complicated
  • "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (1988): Sophisticated European con artistry

Break dancing across Europe

Payment for street performances varied by country:

  • Paris: Francs in the metro stations
  • London: Pounds in Covent Garden
  • Amsterdam: Guilders in the parks
  • Rome: Lira near the Colosseum
  • Berlin: Deutsche Marks at Checkpoint Charlie (probably not advised!)

European skateboard economics

  • UK: Tony Hawk boards cost about £50-80
  • France: Skateparks charged admission (quelle horreur!)
  • Germany: Precision-engineered bearings were surprisingly affordable
  • Italy: Style points were worth more than money
  • Spain: Beach skating was free, but boards got sandy

80s Euro financial facts

  • European Monetary System launched in 1979 to stabilize currencies
  • No Euro yet - that wouldn't come until 1999!
  • Exchange rates changed daily (no internet to check!)
  • Bank fees for international payments were brutal
  • Wire transfers took forever and cost a fortune

Freestyle biking through Europe

BMX wasn't just American - European riders had their own style:

  • Netherlands: Flat-ground tricks on those endless bike paths
  • France: Mountain biking in the Alps (before it was cool!)
  • UK: Indoor BMX tracks during those rainy months
  • Germany: Engineering precision applied to bike modifications

European payment adventure tips

  1. Know the Exchange Rate: Mental math skills were essential
  2. Carry Multiple Forms: Cash, checks, AND credit cards
  3. Learn Key Phrases: "How much?" in local languages
  4. Keep Receipts: For bragging rights back home
  5. Budget Extra: Everything in Europe was more expensive than expected

"European payments in the 80s: Complicated as a Rubik's Cube, but way more rewarding!" 🧩