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Germany To Tourists: If You Go To Greece, Bring Plenty Of Cash

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Last week we noted that the deteriorating liquidity situation in the Greek banking sector combined with the uncertainty surrounding the country's fraught negotiations with creditors had sparked renewed interest in a long-forgotten hotel perk: safes.

"Greek resort manager Kostas Dimitrokalis’s customers have started asking in recent weeks about an amenity often ignored in an age of online and credit card payments: reliable hotel safes to stash their money," Bloomberg reported, quoting Dimitrokalis as saying that "clients [are] coming with more cash."

Now, with the ATMs running on empty and the banks closed, Germany has some advice for anyone traveling to Greece: bring cash.

Via the German foreign office (Google translated):

In Greece, it may come in the currency supply in considerable waiting times, also create bottlenecks for instance in equipping the machines with cash. Travelers to Greece are advised to become familiar with an adequate supply before traveling and cash to keep yourself informed on the situation developing on this travel advice and the media. The travel advice is updated as needed.

 

Country-specific safety instructions

 

Especially in the big cities of Athens, Thessaloniki and Piraeus travelers should be good, pay attention to their valuables, especially travel documents and cash. Especially in public transport and at crowded places, it comes increasingly to pickpockets. 

 

Under the new Greek government protests and disabilities have greatly eased by work stoppages. Chance leads to violent riots. Travelers should avoid crowds and demonstrations and to inform the media, as well as their hosts and tour operators about the current situation (information is also available directly on the side of the Embassy in Athens.

 

 

So there you have it. If you're traveling to Greece, Germany suggests you "become familiar with an adequate supply" of hard currency because the "machines" may not be "equipped with cash", but you should be careful because in big cities "it comes increasingly to pickpockets."

Plan accordingly.

*  *  *

The UK has joined Germany in warning travelers about the posibility that euros could become unavailable in Greece on "short notice":

The currency of Greece is the euro. When travelling outside of the UK, you should take more than one means of payment with you (cash, debit card, credit card). Visitors to Greece should be aware of the possibility that banking services – including credit card processing and servicing of ATMs – throughout Greece could potentially become limited at short notice. Make sure you have enough Euros in cash to cover emergencies, unforeseen circumstances and any unexpected delays.


There are regular strikes. These are sometimes called at short notice and can cause disruption to public transport in and out of Greece (including air travel and ports). Demonstrations take place regularly in central Athens, and have also taken place in other towns and cities. You should avoid all demonstrations and follow the advice given by local security authorities.

 

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Sun, 06/28/2015 - 13:53 | 6245242 JustObserving
JustObserving's picture

And hire a guard to protect all that cash - will help employ some of the 1.5 million unemployed Greeks

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 13:55 | 6245251 Stackers
Stackers's picture

It's a good thing countries all over Europe have not recently inacted laws making even modest amounts of cash illegal

Oh wait .......

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:01 | 6245282 Publicus
Publicus's picture

Only Ruble and Yuan accepted.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:47 | 6245537 CPL
CPL's picture

And BitCoin.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:32 | 6245732 FEDbuster
FEDbuster's picture

What happend to Mr. Panos? Sure miss him and walstreetpro2 over on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvl9N9GdraQ

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 17:02 | 6246106 greenskeeper carl
greenskeeper carl's picture

Rule # 2: don't tell anyone you are German..... Large groups of angry people tend to act stupidly and lash out, typically against the wrong group of people. Since they can't get their hands on Christine lagarde or merkel or draghi , hans and Gertrude may find themselves swinging from a lamppost.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:01 | 6245284 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

I'll take Who's not going to Greece,

  for $500, Alex.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:21 | 6245387 two hoots
two hoots's picture

And they want to abolish cash?   Then food?  

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:05 | 6245620 CPL
CPL's picture

Should be growing some of your own by this time, once the gas runs out won't be much of a choice.  It's 10 calories of fuel to every 1 calorie of food.  With no migration path from fuel to ???, going to guess most won't make it past a winter.  You can thank GE for withholding the technology that could have freed everyone from the dependence btw.  Those Ex-coms and scientists won't have much time for R&D in the near future as they starve to death.  All those dead end fusion generators they are fucking the dog with, worthless without back up fuel.

GE chose wrong for billions of people, blame them.  Believe me on this.  The banking industry isn't the only one that's going to be beaten like a fat kid for their lunch money here.  Want to dodge that bullet.  Better sharpen the pencil and everyone better start moving at light fucking speed to fix it.  ASAP...got three months to catch up with what should have been done 70 years ago.

I recommend Open Sourcing everything in the GE vault.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 13:55 | 6245254 Pool Shark
Pool Shark's picture

 

 

For those who want to watch the slow-motion trainwreck in real time:

http://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2015/jun/28/greek-crisis-ecb-emergency-liquidity-referendum-bailout-live

 

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:13 | 6245350 umdesch4
umdesch4's picture

Thanks for that! I see that they formally announced a few minutes ago that the banks will definitely be closed tomorrow.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:08 | 6245326 TheMeatTrapper
TheMeatTrapper's picture

Be sure to pack a pistol when carrying all those Euro's around. Oh wait, I forgot. 

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:30 | 6245440 Not Too Important
Not Too Important's picture

The African immigrants haven't forgotten.

What are they going to do when their 'handouts' get cut?

And what is the military going to do when they're not getting paid?

If I was in charge, I would ship every immigrant to Europe immediatly, every freighter in Greece 24/7, and let them swim ashore. You can't let them mix with the anarchists that are going to do their damndest to burn Greece to the ground.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 18:03 | 6246464 Handful of Dust
Handful of Dust's picture

The MENA people are licking their big thick lips waiting for those wealthy Germans to arrive. They're all over southern Italy and France already. Can't go out at night there anymore without being severely beaten.

 

It's all part of their "Open Border Policy" to destroy the European Middle Class.

 

It's working.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 13:56 | 6245257 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

For German tourists it's a toss up between Greece or Miami as far as their safety.

If I were German I'd be staying at home.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:03 | 6245275 Pool Shark
Pool Shark's picture

 

 

If they're going to Florida, best to avoid Cape Canaveral:

 

Forecast:

"Mostly sunny with a 60% chance of Musk debris showers"

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 13:56 | 6245258 tmosley
tmosley's picture

Merchants should get cryptocurrency POS systems. Any that did so soon would likely monopolize much of the industry.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:00 | 6245269 WTFUD
WTFUD's picture

Talk in hushed tones!

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 13:58 | 6245273 CHC
CHC's picture

No way in hell would I go anywheres near Greece if I absolutely didn't have too.  That place is a tinderbox and the closing of the banks and markets next week could spark something that will not be put out easily. 

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:09 | 6245314 Bighorn_100b
Bighorn_100b's picture

Awesome time to think about Greek real estate. Soon to be a fire sale. Get in while it's hot. $USD, Gold, Silver gets you put on top of list!

Just think about the cheap labor to remodel.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:01 | 6245279 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Germans love to use cash and dislike plastic anyway.

What they should warn them though, is to avoid driving there in their German cars and German license plates.  They'd just be begging for trouble. 

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:00 | 6245280 European on my ...
European on my shoe Jimmy's picture

And your food to, because if I were a Greek I would ensure it met with the chefs approval of wiping the toilet rim before it were served.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:05 | 6245310 Peter Pan
Peter Pan's picture

And take small denomination notes because flashing 100 euro notes will either put you in danger or you won't be getting much change.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:14 | 6245355 YHC-FTSE
YHC-FTSE's picture

Yep. I remember noticing the two-tier price system in most Greek tavernas: One for Greeks and one for tourists. Fleecing tourists is a hobby for the Greeks.

I would seriously recommend going to Turkey instead. A mate came back a few days ago and he loved it. Not only that, they wait on you hand and foot all day for a 50p ($0.79) tip and they are grateful to get it too. Service and food was cheap and great as far as his family was concerned. That might be where Greece is headed pretty soon.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:32 | 6245452 Not Too Important
Not Too Important's picture

Supporting Turkey is supporting the IS violence in the ME.

Now's the time for serious staycations.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:00 | 6245606 Smegley Wanxalot
Smegley Wanxalot's picture

Paying taxes to Uncle Sam is also supporting the IS violence in the ME .... as well as supporting the violence in many other parts of the world, and violence against Americans at home.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:05 | 6245625 YHC-FTSE
YHC-FTSE's picture

You've got a point there. Turkey did support the FSA and IS in Syria a couple of years ago as an obligatory NATO member when it was all the rage (So did the UK, US, and the rest of the West). But that was before Russia offered Turkey the pipeline deal. Now not so much? One thing that has not changed for sure, supporting Israel is supporting ISIS violence in the ME.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:10 | 6245332 Commodore64
Commodore64's picture

And put youre money in a concrete wallet chained to your neck! With frankenstein bolts.

Greetings

Angela

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:17 | 6245371 JimmyRainbow
JimmyRainbow's picture

additionally travel agencies in germany said that cancelled travel contracts to greece do not fall under any assurance or right of cancellation like cancelled visits to tunisia.

my english once was better.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:42 | 6245457 Not Too Important
Not Too Important's picture

Make it up as they go along, like with CDS defaults.

That didn't take long.

Of course, they can forget any repeat business. They're only screwing themselves. Unless they know there won't be much travel in the future anyway...

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:17 | 6245374 European on my ...
European on my shoe Jimmy's picture

Akin to visiting Tunisia at the moment, you the kind heart German citizen should 'duck and cover' your elites just made you a target akin to ISIS head hunters. You the 'German' just don't get it', it's not about 'the money' it's about morallty. Which I believe the German ethos is sadly lacking.
No nation that continually strives to control their neighbours should be tolerated. Perhaps the 'Gas Bill that' was pertertated on the Jewish race should now be inflicked on the despicable German ethos.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:36 | 6245476 Not Too Important
Not Too Important's picture

The 'Gas Bill' was in reprisal for the Russian Revolution.

6 million Jews vs. 60 million Russian/Eastern European Christians.

If you're not part of the 'select' Jews, guess what they want next.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:17 | 6245376 Major Major Major
Major Major Major's picture

if their civil forfiture laws are like the us the greek police could get a budget boost for more riot gear (win-win)

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:32 | 6245453 European on my ...
European on my shoe Jimmy's picture

And if that's a hate crime I will stand toe to toe with anyone and say read the history.
Nothing Changes only the actors
The German ethos is a virus that infects morallty. Eugenics were lauded by his ethos. That tells you everything you need to know about the Germanic man.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:39 | 6245483 Not Too Important
Not Too Important's picture

Eugenics as practiced by the 'Germanic man' was a product of US eugenic thinking and research.

Now, the question is, what group/s are next on the hit list?

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:50 | 6245835 European on my ...
European on my shoe Jimmy's picture

Circa 1908 eugenics was a practice utilised in the USA, similarly other nations took up this practice Australia springs to mind.
In my book any form of controll is intrinsically immoral. Do we gas the orphanages of lesser beings, (as I see the German ethos) !.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:53 | 6245851 knukles
knukles's picture

Let's hear it for the Rockefellers and NWO!
Long miniature Georgia Guidestones!

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:39 | 6245467 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

bad advice. german, american, whatever, i certainly wouldn't recommend traveling to greece right now. not worth it. too many potential problems.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:38 | 6245479 divedivedive
divedivedive's picture

As a US citizen living abroad I am aware of the State Dept's STEP program.

http://www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/english.html

I just checked their site for Athens but there is nothing new.

http://athens.usembassy.gov/warden_messages.html

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:40 | 6245497 Not Too Important
Not Too Important's picture

Probably looking for American casualties to provide cover for an invasion.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:50 | 6245829 thamnosma
thamnosma's picture

Already prepositioned at NATO bases in country.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:39 | 6245485 Bunga Bunga
Bunga Bunga's picture

Or better take your brain wallet to Greece.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:42 | 6245498 orangegeek
orangegeek's picture

yep - heading to greece next week for some fun in the sun - everything will be fine - bringing stacks of cash and I am sure no one will stab the fuck out of me, steal my cash and leave me to die in an alley.

 

toodles!!!

 

greece's largest industry is tourism - OUCH (following by fishing and agribusiness (in and around Thessaloniki).  what a fucking mess.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 14:53 | 6245573 petolo
petolo's picture

"Bring Lawyers, Guns and Money!"......Warren Zevon

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:01 | 6245613 Smegley Wanxalot
Smegley Wanxalot's picture

Pussy must be totally cheap in Greece right now.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 17:18 | 6246257 Implied Violins
Implied Violins's picture

...so is ass.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:21 | 6245706 Make_Mine_A_Double
Make_Mine_A_Double's picture

I would expect once the pocket money the general population has runs out later this week being a tourist of any stripe will put a bullseye on your back with local youths - not to mention the illegal 3rd world floating population.

It would be fascinating to be there in Athens now though - watching a 1st world country thrown down the stairs into the 3rd world.

The only logic in play right now is a message 'pour les autres' in Spain and Portugal.

EU "You fuckers watch closely how we crucify the Greeks and than think long and hard about fighting the Borg"

 

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:45 | 6245814 jonjon831983
jonjon831983's picture

and if people offer you change for your bills: make sure they don't have the "Y".

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-16/how-find-what-country-euro-note

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 15:49 | 6245830 straightershooter
straightershooter's picture

A simpler, better advice for dealing with Greece:

 

Don't go there for the time being. Wait till a new and cheaper currency is introduced and then, wait a bit longer, and then, if yu have to go, Go!

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 16:00 | 6245872 knukles
knukles's picture

I got a feeling that sitting on a top floor balcony of the Grande Bretagne overlooking Syntagma Square and Parliment is not a good idea at the moment.

Sun, 06/28/2015 - 16:16 | 6245932 post turtle saver
post turtle saver's picture

better yet, if you go to Greece take plenty of cash...

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