Heheh… well we are not referring to the little red dot in case you think it… The third in our little series on micro and small states in Europe, we train our focus on the tiny little nation that sits between Switzerland and Austria.
Yep, Liechtenstein.
This little nation is 160km², but like the little red dot, this landlocked country is also a financial powerhouse. While it WAS under (and still in a way) the private ownership of a family who literally bought the place, it is now a constitutional monarchy. It is one of the countries in the world that does not have a military, since its size and population probably inhibits it.
But it is not part of the EU and that is the interesting situation. Because it still participates in the European economic area and is a party to the Schengen treaty effectively making its borders open. But then it uses the Swiss Franc in a monetary union. Our little red dot has an interchangeability agreement with Brunei, which effectively means both countries’ currencies are equal and can circulate in each others country. Different strokes for different folks!
It was just a restroom stop, but we crafted a little story out of it with help from many sources on the web. Add a dash of our own seasoning, this little essay here tells how a medieval noble family’s fortune ebbed and flowed with the times. Have you been to Liechtenstein?
I’m trying to imagine 160km2… I can’t. I suck at measurements. But, it sounds tiny. It’s about 160km from Johannesburg to my old home in Mpumalanga and that’s an hour drive… I guess I just need to make that a square. 😄
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Well, think 10 x 16km…
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Ohemgee! I failed there. That tiny!
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Definitely!
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Interesting blog, thanks! Always been curious about Lichtenstein
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Planning to go?
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Enjoyed the story about the King and the cashier, but now I want to know the punch line. 🙂 –Curt
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“You sure don’t look like Benji”.
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🙂
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You used to be able to rent the whole of Lichtenstein on Airbnb – http://www.wired.co.uk/article/liechtenstein-airbnb. But not any more apparently 😦
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LOL. Wow. Imagine that! That said, the family did buy the entire country, oh back then a little principality. It was their backdoor to a seat at the council of the Holy Roman Empire!
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We haven’t been to Liechtenstein yet, but are planning to spend a day or two there next July. I’ll be sure to bring our leftover Brunei dollars. How cool to spend southeast Asian currency in the middle of Europe!
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Oh wonderful. LOL. We are sure you will loads to tell after those 2-3 days!
Did you hear the funny story about how the Sultan of Brunei walked about a US department store and tried to pay with Bruneian money?
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I’ve not heard that one. Do tell!
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This is probably just a joke. It went like: one day the King decided to do shopping in an upscale US department store. And when he handed over cash, the cashier said no to the notes. He asked her to look at the face on the note and see if she can see any resemblance. Guess what the cashier said?
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