Bruge

[flip_flop]

I have just come back from a weekend in Bruge

Not having been there since just before the Euro, and notwithstanding the weakness of the pound, I was staggered at how expensive the place was.

Moules et Frites - 22 Euros which is, as near as makes no difference, is £22. Even if the pound were stronger, 22 Euros is still bloody expensive.

I could (a bit) understand if these prices were in the main market square, but they weren't. As far as I could tell they were pretty widespread.

Has anybody else experienced this? Or am I just a tight sod?

[VHG]

I gather going anywhere in Europe is now very expensive.

Just thank Gordon Brown for destrying our economy and driving down the value of the pound.

[jno]

erm, that's not answering the question, VHG, flip_flop's asking if the prices have gone up regardless of the exchange rates. I think they have. It may be that they're higher in a tourist-trap city like Bruges. But there's no particular region why Belgium should be cheaper than the UK, though I think it sued to be, and it may even be more expensive. What would you expect to pay for moules and frites here if they were available?

(I remember when £1=$1, back in Maggie's day, so this isn't a New Labour plot.)

[puzzled54]

Same with paris, ridiculously expensive. 4 or 4.5 euros for a glass of coke in a cafe, think the cheapest meal was omlette for about 18 euros and extra for chips.

[Buenchico]

Next time, hop on a train to Ooostende - it's only about a quarter of an hour away. There are loads of reasonably priced (but excellent) restaurants around the quay. Better still, head for the wonderful Taverne Koekoek. The only food on the menu is half a (large) chicken,with bread, but it's all freshly cooked and absolutely lovely:
http://www.koekoek.biz/

Puzzled54 for should have done some research before travelling. The Latin Quarter of Paris has some great restaurants where you can still get a good three course meal for under €10.

Chris

[Lil O'lady]

I found France expensive in the summer - rural / central, not coastal resoorts or Paris. I get the impression that as well as the currency fluctuations, prices in france have gone up in any case.

[coccinelle]

You're right; prices have gone up in France especially in restaurants, we had thought they would come down due to lower VAT on restaurant meals. It seems that their policy is that because fewer people are eating out, those who do, pay more to cover lost customers!!! you are served more generous portions, in compensation.

[Andyvon]

I have travelled to several European countries in the years since they adopted the Euro in 2002. I have asked many people whether the Euro is better than their old currency and I have only found one woman (a shop assistant in France) who said the Euro was good. Everyone else without exception said that prices have shot up. What seems to have happened is that retailers took the opportunity to cover large overnight price rises for most goods and commodities when they converted old currency prices to Euros. Of course, they also rounded all conversions up to the nearest full Euro rather than down. And all this despite those governments all assuring their populations that prices would not rise upon adoption of the Euro. Do you not remember European governments saying that flipflop? Of course, those Europhiles here profess exactly the same thing do they not.

The EU might be a good idea for the small European nations who were struggling, but it's been the biggest disaster for the western European nations since WWII. We've been completely impoverished by funding the smaller states. I haven't got any children but I would be extremely concerned for any child of mine if I did have any. The western European nations have been ruined by the EU.

[Eve]

I found Amsterdam and Cork very expensive though had a very reasonable break in Budapest, no euro as yet and comparatively pretty cheap anyhow.

I was quite staggered in Prague though, again no euro, but round the touristy parts some of the prices are incredibly high.

Then again, I guess if tourists will pay it then you can't blame them for trying especially in less well off places.

[Dee Sa]

I recently went to Bruge on a coach outing for the day, doing the tourist bit I had done many years before when I ate in the main square on a balcony facing the square, for a reasonable price, so I wanted to repeat this, firstly it was a hot day and we were three ladies and I ordered 3 Belgian beers and lets face it on a hot day a cold Belgian beer is wonderful, the waiter was reluctant to serve us , he was quite hostile and said we must go inside because these tables were for people who wanted to eat, when we told him once we have finished the beer we will be ready to order, just leave the menus, his attitude changed and we could stay. I had the moules and yes the whole meal though enjoyable, cost far more than we expected and we wont be going back.
No your not mean, now its a rip off town, buses are no longer allowed anywhere near the actual town so you have a good 20mins walk or if you cant do that a taxi at top whack prices, a friend said she once caught a local bus but we did not see any.