Europe Expensive

[kjun]

Just returned from a couple of weeks in Germany and Italy. Wow, It was so expensive that I am still thinking about it. Foregoing the state of the dollar ratio to the Euro, it is still so remarkably expensive that anyone considering a trip anywhere in Europe had best take both bags of gold with them. One just won't do.

 

Examples: A meal at a small cafe near Rome for three persons cost 100 Euro or 150 dollars. The hotel, which was not the Waldorf, was 124 Euro or 186 dollars per night. Filling up our rented VW Golf cost 100 Euro or 150 bucks. That's not cheap or even reasonable in my book.

 

Looks like Asia is my territory for a while.

 

the Cajun

[+ glutes]

Kjun, even the dollar to Baht has not gone in our favor...

 

http://ichart.finance.yahoo.com/2y?usdthb=x

[JT Brooklyn]

Kjun. No doubt about Europe being extremely Exspensive.

 

One of the reason's some EURO Working Guy's spend more time "over here than over there". They ain't making what they used to in their Homeland!

 

Apparently they just "visit" Europe to keep the Paper Work they need up to date. Yup The U.S. still does have "Streets Paved With Gold"

 

!;-)

[OneFinger]

Kjun,

 

Thanks for the heads up. I'm heading to Europe in July (Switzerland, Germany, and Austria). Already paid for airfare, hotels, and rental car. Wasn't sure what to expect for other costs.

 

Looks like I'm going to have to start saving some more money. Could be an expensive trip.

[+ Axiom2001]

Argentina is a great place to visit for the value and dollar status.

The exchange rate of dollar vs peso has been 3+ for some three years now. Escorts are reasonable even if some of the hotties want $100.00US for an hour. Many charge between $150 to $250 pesos-- the equivalent of $45 - $75 or $80US.

 

Hotel rates are quite reasonable, and one can get an outstanding meal for a low price, too.

 

If you're interested and have queries-- email me.

[Guest zipperzone]

>Kjun,

>

>Thanks for the heads up. I'm heading to Europe in July

>(Switzerland, Germany, and Austria). Already paid for airfare,

>hotels, and rental car. Wasn't sure what to expect for other

>costs.

>

>Looks like I'm going to have to start saving some more money.

>Could be an expensive trip.

 

Probably not a bad idea (the saving that is). Friends of mine have just returned from Germany to report that they paid 8 bucks (each) for a simple cup of coffee and in a coffee house, about 22 bucks (each) for a latte and a fancy piece of cake. Used to be you could get a meal fro that price.

[Guest alanm]

"Thanks for the heads up. I'm heading to Europe in July (Switzerland, Germany, and Austria). Already paid for airfare, hotels, and rental car. Wasn't sure what to expect for other costs."

 

Good luck! I am visiting Munich and Vienna in May. I never bothered to exchange about 90 euros from 2005 and 2006 trips. I am very glad to have them now, but those 90 euros will not last for the airport subway and two meals on my first day in Munich. The only good deal is the round-trip airfare to Vienna (under $150 roundtrip).

 

Why in the world did you decide on a car rental with those gas prices?

[Epigonos]

Europe doesn’t really have to be budget breaking – expensive yes but budget breaking no. What must to be done now is research and more research.

Bed and breakfasts are an excellent way to go both in the UK and on the Continent. Standard full English breakfast is relatively easy to find in London and throughout the rest of the UK. It is a little more difficult on the Continent but look for hotels that include “breakfast buffets”, NOT just a continental breakfast of coffee, role and juice. In London always eat a VERY hardy full breakfast, a late full pub lunch around 2:30 or 3:00 after the local lunch crowd has left and then a have a light supper of soup or salad at one of the British chains. On the continent start the day at the breakfast buffet and then have a light lunch of a sandwich or a plate of pasta at a stand up coffee bar and in the evening go for a full dinner at a restaurant that is patronized by locals. These restaurants can be found through research or by asking the desk clerks at family style bed and breakfasts. These people usually know their stuff and are very helpful.

I always rent a car. This is not as expensive as it might seem as the distances and short and the cars economical. With a car it is possible to get off the beaten path and stay in places less expensive than major cities. The freedom that a car permits is, at least for me, one of the major attractions of traveling in Europe.

People always complain about the cost of traveling in Italy. Yes Florence, Venice and Rome can be outrageously expensive if one wants to travel luxury class. Yet one can still find relatively inexpensive excellent lodging and meals in these cities as long as one is willing to do ones homework. What we Americans MUST learn to do nowadays is travel like Europeans. If we must have huge rooms, huge bathrooms, hotels with three or four restaurants, bed turn downs, and a bank of elevator YES we are going to pay big time.

[Guest alanm]

Many good suggestion. But, you can do amazing things right now with European airlines -- huge savings.

 

Renting a car certainly makes sense with two or more people and relatively short distances to cover. Flying makes much more sense than a car or train, if you going long distances, even if you only fly one way on a round trip ticket or do not continue with the second leg of the flight.

 

After a Philadelphia-Frankfurt-St. Peterburg flight on Lufthansa in June 2005, I flew St. Petersburg-Frankfurt-Munich 10 days later on Luftansia.

 

Then Munich-Milan-Paris on Alitalia.

 

Followed by Paris-Milan on Alitalia.

 

Then Milan-Frankfurt on Alitalia.

 

Followed by Frankfurt-Philadelphia on Lufthansa. The Lufthansa flights were for 50,000 frequent flyer miles, negotiated 11-months ahead with an extremely helpful salesperson who was always one step ahead. All the rest were purchased on the Internet for about $300 total. The entire trip lasted 4 weeks and I saw a lot of five major European cities.

 

Finally on driving in Europe, I suggest buying a used car if you are going to spend six weeks or more driving. I bought a used car in Amsterdam, drove all over Europe for four months (usually sleeping in the car, which was comfortable, every other night), and sold the car in Paris for what I bought the car in Amsterdam --- no car rental fees.

 

Bottom line: There are many ways to save money, but Europe is still extremely expensive. There is no way around that -- no way.

[OneFinger]

>Why in the world did you decide on a car rental with those gas prices?

 

My nephew lives over there (without a car). We're going to be visiting different countries and cities where he's lived. There's lots of places and people that we want to see in a short period of time. Plus, it provides us with more flexibility than if we relied on public transportation.

 

It's certainly not the most economical way to travel. It's just the method that meets our needs within the time constraints.

 

And yes, we're putting 10 lbs of travel into a 5 lbs bag. It's going to be a marathon trip.

[foxy]

This generally works best in the smaller towns in the countryside but I find works well in cities too. When I'm sightseeing I hate wasting time having a long lunch and sometimes too tired for a big dinner later on. I love local markets in Europe and often pick up some good cheese, bread, fruit and a bottle of wine. If I have a fridge in the room I can pick up a few more things. I pack a picnic lunch to eat in some scenic spot outside, even in the rain under a tree. I've had some of my nicest meals this way, eating in peace rather than in some crowded over-priced restaurant. It's a lot cheaper than eating in restaurants but I do it more because it's fun.

[+ Tom Isern]

Ah the strength of the Bush economy! It now takes about $15 to buy a slice of pizza in the UK.

 

JT--The reason that European escorts come into the US is not that the dollar is strong or that there is more money here. Escorts do well in economies of strong normative values, places where inter-generational sex, for instance, is taboo--places like here in the US, places where there are large numbers of closeted men, or men looking to step out secretly on their boyfriends (NYC) or wives (DC). Places where an anonymous hook up is not easily had (Minneapolis) or where the danger of one is greater (The Larry Craig Memorial Restroom).

 

Escorts don't make as much money in Europe, I'm told, because sex is so much easier to come by. Europeans just aren't as hung up on sex as Americans. I have an older friend who summers in Paris because, as he says, Paris is the only place where he can have a sex life without paying for it.

[foxy]

>Escorts don't make as much money in Europe, I'm told, because

>sex is so much easier to come by. Europeans just aren't as

>hung up on sex as Americans. I have an older friend who

>summers in Paris because, as he says, Paris is the only place

>where he can have a sex life without paying for it.

>

>

>

Well, that says a lot, coming from an escort. And I mean that in a good way.

 

So if you add this to the equation of how expensive it is to travel in Europe, but you're saving more on sex....let's see, carry the 1 and divide by.......mmmmmmmmm

[JT Brooklyn]

Tom..Don't get me wrong..But I think your Euro explanation works fine..BUT ONLY IF..You "don't care much" what your Partner looks like!

 

But we do have to be realistic..Men of a "certain age" ain't gonna just walk out the door and get Laid by a Goodlooking Hunk..Unless they have a very Lucky Day! I know there are not that many Lucky Days on the Calendar!

 

I know Working Guys like Franco/Paris do extremely well...But alot go where the MONEY is..Not the Sex! U.S.A. Baby....;-)

[whipped guy]

Working it in the USA vs. Europe

 

Some seem to want to find a political or sociological explanation for everything. Consequently, in spite of the “economy of normative values” theory I still think JT is actually much closer to the actual reason… There is indeed a lot of money in this country and the economic condition of the USA is far from being in a dreadful state. Consequently, it is a boon for the local talent and an attraction for those from abroad.

 

Perhaps some based in the USA don’t grasp the situation as it exists…

 

Still, it might be interesting to get the input of those from other countries.

[+ glutes]

It just go tmore expensive!

 

Dollar Sinks to New Low Against Euro

By MATT MOORE – 2 hours ago

 

BERLIN (AP) — The dollar sank Wednesday to its lowest level ever against the euro after markets took comments from the Federal Reserve chairman as a sign that yet more U.S. rate cuts are on the way.

 

The 15-nation euro topped $1.50 for the first time since its 1999 introduction in Asian trading, then surged in Europe after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told the House Financial Services Committee that "the economic situation has become distinctly less favorable" since last summer.

 

That added to sentiment that the Fed is likely to add to recent rate cuts that already have left U.S. interest rates below those in the euro zone.

 

The euro surged as high as $1.5143 after Bernanke's testimony — well above the $1.4967 it bought in New York late Tuesday. It later settled back to $1.5124.

[OneFinger]

Foxy,

 

That's a great idea!! We are going to be spending significant time on the road. The packed lunch is a great idea and also gives us some flexibility of stopping where we want and avoiding some of the tourist traps.

 

However, since I'm going to be doing the driving, I think I'll forgo the wine. ;-)

[+ Tom Isern]

RE: Working it in the USA vs. Europe

 

Whipped,

 

What I said was largely based on a conversation I had a month or so ago with Anton from Amsterdam. In cities like Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin sex is very easy to find. The scenes there are much more like New York was in the 70s and 80s, so fewer people feel the need to pay for it. Also, there is less stigma associated with being a rentboy (it's LEGAL in Amsterdam and Berlin) and less of a demand from partners to be monogamous (even public officials can have affairs!). These are some of the social and economic reasons Rentboys in Europe aren't paid as well. Anton?

 

The suggestion that there is less money in Europe is a dated American bias.

[foxy]

>Foxy,

>

>That's a great idea!! We are going to be spending significant

>time on the road. The packed lunch is a great idea and also

>gives us some flexibility of stopping where we want and

>avoiding some of the tourist traps.

>

>However, since I'm going to be doing the driving, I think I'll

>forgo the wine. ;-)

 

I only drink the wine at the end of the day. It's nice to have a glass after a day's drive. Have it in your room before heading out for dinner or with food you picked up along the way when you feel too tired to go out. This allows me to splurge on the really good restuarants and avoid the fast junk food that is now all over most of the world. McDonalds in France??? I don't think so.

 

A must have is a Swiss Army knife or the like with a cork screw. Just don't carry it on the plane with you. Fine in a checked bag.

 

My Swiss Army knife has cut a lot of cheese!

[TruYun]

All last week the euro hovered between 1.53 and 1.54, and the end of the debacle is not in sight.

[Guest msclonly]

In the near future, the Euro and BR Real will meet from opposite sides of the US$.

 

 

Does it make you stay close to home?

 

}( }( }(

[JT Brooklyn]

Yup. The U.S. is good pickens for the Euro and Brazilian Working Guys now.

 

That's cool because there are a couple of NEW Euro Travelin' Guy's I could see doing the U.S. Working Guy Circuit!

 

Unfortunately alot of the Brazilian Hunks.. seem to be migrating to England due to easier Travel Restrictions. ;-)

[+ Axiom2001]

>Kjun, even the dollar to Baht has not gone in our favor...

>

>http://ichart.finance.yahoo.com/2y?usdthb=x

 

 

 

In 2005/2006, the baht was 40+ to a dollar. Today it has declined drastically to a horrible 31.

 

I, unfortunately, will not be traveling to any parts of Europe anytime soon. But, I'd love to do Barcelona for 10 days plus!!