Money

The discovery about money exhange has been interesting for me.  In the past, I have only traveled in Canada and Mexico, this very limited worldview took place at times when the value of the U.S. dollar was considerably more than the currency of the place I was visiting.  As I journey in Europe, I am attempting to live regular life - buy groceries at the market, take buses when possible, renting gites instead of hoteling it.  These are familar tasks that give me a better understanding of the day to day existence for the people of the region where I am a guest.  France to Germany to Switzerland in one day of travel brought home the truth to me that the American dollar is worth less.  (Worth less has the potential to evolve to worthless.)  I realize this point as I view the ruins of powers obliterated - Rome - the Ancient Church - the Crusades.  Historically, no one power has stayed on top of the mountain ... the castle walls will crumble and people in the future will speculate without truly understanding that this breakdown can happen again.