The Euro is the money German people (and most Europe countries) use. One "euro" is equal to $1.29 of our (U.S.) money. So, dad says the dollar is "weak" in Europe right now. It is expensive for us if we are in their country. If someone from Europe comes to Missouri, it is cheap for them. Their money goes "far" in the U.S.
The places where we have eaten have been pretty cool. They don't have Panera or Olive Garden or Chili's like we do. They have all these cafe's and one of a kind places to eat. Dad calls them hole in the walls. But the food is really good. They mostly eat meat and potatoes, but it is all cooked different and tastes really good. I like the hot chocolate and coffee over here. I actually like all the food over here. They have amazing breakfasts and dinners over here.
It was kind of chilly (about 50 degrees), so we got a coffee and a hot chocolate tonight. It cost 5.80 euros. How much did this cost in our dollars? If the coffee was $3.25 in U.S. money, how much was the hot chocolate in Euros? I got a schnitzel for dinner (pork, cabbage, potatoes). I also got strudel, which is German for apple pie. I also got water with gas, or "water with bubbles" as they call it (THAT is different and takes some getting used to!), but they gave me that for free. Kind of getting used to it. Think of coke without any sugar or without any color or flavor ‑ just water that is carbonated.
Dinner was 14 euros, and the strudel was $2.25 in U.S. dollars. How much was my whole meal in euros? How much in U.S. dollars?
Ok, we went into a castle in Heidelberg that was built in the 1600's. It was HUGE! I mean, really, really HUGE! And really old and beautiful. It had the biggest wine barrel in Germany and also in the world ‑ it was so big, it had a dance floor on top of it! It cost six euros for my dad to get in, and four euros for me. How much was my ticket in U.S. dollars? How much was my dad's in U.S. dollars?
I played a game called "boulle" with these older guys. They didn't charge me any money to play. It is a throwing game, and you play it with these really heavy metal balls. You get three of them, and you have to toss them close to a small marker ball. It has a special floor, and is popular outdoor game in Germany. Right by where we were playing, there were boat races (crew) for Muenster College, which was the local university. There were a lot of people there, and the college kids were drinking a lot and really loud. Anyway, how much did my ticket cost to play in euros?
