On 2/16/2012 3:16 PM, Han wrote:
....

In the past I've almost always used the chip and pin card from my Dutch
bank when in Europe, because of the lack of penalty in the form of
exchange fees and bad exchange rates; in contrast to what happens with a
US credit card. I well remember the extra charges when renting a car in
Pisa (Italy has special laws that require you to buy extra insurance).
....

It's been quite a spell; it might (probably is?) worse now what w/ the
plethora of additional fees and charges, etc., they've added--seemingly
something new almost daily.

Back then, my small-business AmEx was equivalent enough to what I could
do direct on exchange I didn't feel at all put out. Combined w/ easy to
use anywhere in UK/France/Germany, it was about all I carried except for
an emergency cash fund 'just in case'. I'd surely do some checking
today before just tried that, for sure, though (altho since retired and
have closed that account anyway).

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