I know - it's because I can't afford a trip this year. Whenever I can go, it's always the worst exchange rate. For instance, when I went to Scotland in June 2008, the pound was about $1.90. Last year the Euro was 1.38 when I went to Ireland. Can't go again until next year, so that's when it will creep back up, guaranteed

I can remember one trip when the exchange rate was
1 euro = 0.85 dollars

I liked it better when the transatlantic summer airfares were $500 less per person and they took advantage of me with a 1.35-45 conversion

You may want to read this:

http://money.msn.com/investing/article.aspx?post=8c48ccb5-ebc3-4088-9cf6-b47b51a339c9

dugi, I took a trip in 2002, and it was like that, to Ireland... ah, fond memories! AND I remember $500 transatlantic airfares. In the summer. Bygone days. Now the taxes are more than that.

I can never tell whether that's good or bad because I'm not at all knowledgeable about economics. Sure, it makes travel cheaper, but what about the economy in general? Is the dollar's rise the result of bad news in Europe?

Geez, I'm so confused.

I'm with ya, Dugi and Green D.!

The dollar isn't rising - the Euro is falling, because of the crisis here.

It makes some things cheaper for you, but remember that it also makes many things cost more Euros so you may not be much better off. Hotels are putting up their prices to counteract falling bookings, food costs more when it is imported from other parts of the world, fuel prices rise - and the costs are past on to the consumer, which means you. Europeans are barely consuming at the moment, bare essentials only in most countries.
VAT is also going up in many countries, which doesn't affect you for things you are exporting but does add a couple of percent to everything else here.