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06/10/2004: "The Most Expensive Country"

The newspaper here in Dublin today had a front-page article mentioning that Ireland is the most expensive country in Europe when it comes to food prices. That certainly corresponded with our restaurant experience last night at La Stampa, which "Top 10 Dublin" rated as the #3 restaurant in the city. The bill was 145 euros, or about $170, including two appetizers, two entrees, two glasses of wine, one dessert, tax, and tip. The room was pretty dramatic, and one of the appetizers was really good, but nothing else was particularly spectacular; Ray said "a random night at Bistro Elan [in Palo Alto] is better than any restaurant in this country" and it would cost way less too. Oh well -- we have reservations at the #1 rated in the city tonight, and the #1 in the country tomorrow night -- hopefully we'll have sufficient funds to continue the trip after that. Also, it'll be pub food or something from then on, at least until we get to France...

Maintaining about the same level of expenditure for lodging, we've gone from the nicest hotels in Egypt to a modest little apartment in Dublin. We'll see how the B&Bs are as we drive around the country the next few days.

Right now Ray's in some Quaker library researching his ancestors, and I'm about to go exploring. I'll see if I can find a place which can fix my Opcode watch (its setting stem failed as I was changing time zones yesterday) and a thrift store where we can buy nice clothes for these nice restaurants (there's certainly no reason for us to overspend on clothes...)