dormouse1953 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dormouse1953) wrote2019-06-29 09:11 pm
dormouse1953) wrote2019-06-29 09:11 pm
Cash problems in Berlin
Went out for a meal this evening. A German pork dish called kassler. Very nice. It's amazing how much German beer I can drink when I've spent the day walking around Berlin in thirty degree heat.
The bill came. 36 Euro. I got out my credit card. They didn't take cards. I had exactly 36 Euro in my wallet. After leaving, I went to an ATM I remembered seeing just by the restaurant. I put in my debit card and a message about "Out of service" appeared in the window, then it went back to the Welcome screen. But no sign of my card.
I walked back to my hotel. I passed another ATM on the way and was able to get some cash out on a credit card. I found the number for HSBC and thought it better to use the hotel phone rather than use the credit on my mobile. But first I had to give the hotel my credit card to unblock the phone in my room. I got through to HSBC once I'd googled how to dial an international number from Germany, and stopped the card. They'll send a replacement to my home address. I couldn't persuade them to send it to the hotel I'm going to be in in Prague next week.
I wonder how much the phone call is going to cost.
Edit: 1/7/19 When I checked out this morning it was 10 Euro, not as bad as the $70 I think I was charged to phone my bank in San Jose last year.
The bill came. 36 Euro. I got out my credit card. They didn't take cards. I had exactly 36 Euro in my wallet. After leaving, I went to an ATM I remembered seeing just by the restaurant. I put in my debit card and a message about "Out of service" appeared in the window, then it went back to the Welcome screen. But no sign of my card.
I walked back to my hotel. I passed another ATM on the way and was able to get some cash out on a credit card. I found the number for HSBC and thought it better to use the hotel phone rather than use the credit on my mobile. But first I had to give the hotel my credit card to unblock the phone in my room. I got through to HSBC once I'd googled how to dial an international number from Germany, and stopped the card. They'll send a replacement to my home address. I couldn't persuade them to send it to the hotel I'm going to be in in Prague next week.
I wonder how much the phone call is going to cost.
Edit: 1/7/19 When I checked out this morning it was 10 Euro, not as bad as the $70 I think I was charged to phone my bank in San Jose last year.