Greek newlyweds Valasia Limnioti and Konstantinos Patronis' dream honeymoon turned into a complete nightmare this week when they found themselves stranded in New York City without any money, the Associated Press reports.
"We were hungry, and I cried for two days,' Limnioti told the AP.
How could this happen? After saving for their three week trip for a year, the couple paid for their flights and hotels in advance. They only carried $150 in cash, as they'd been told it's better to carry cards, so they had debit and credit cards from their banks in Greece.
Unfortunately, Greece is in the middle of a crippling debt crisis and the banks were all closed on June 28.
"Everything was all right — then 'boom!' in New York," Limnioti told AP. The couples cards were declined at a hotel, and they soon found themselves penniless and hungry. They skipped a few meals and spent their last cash on fast food.
Fortunately, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox church and St. Irene Chrysovalantou stepped in, giving the couple cash to tide them over until their flight home Friday.
The couple won't be flying home to more prosperity, however. Greece had until June 30 to pay back 1.6 billion euros it was lent by the International Monetary Fund — and it doesn't have the money. European leaders are now facing one of the worst moments in the history of the euro.
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