It's nice to see the Euro slide back a bit. Since January's high when I booked my trip to Italy to now a Euro low of almost 1.20.

I figured out I am roughly saving about $900 US dollars because of the greater than 10% slide of the Euro since Jan. WooHOoo!!!! More Brunello,Olive Oil, and leather for me! Has this changed anyone's travel plans for the better? we just upgraded a couple of rooms along our trip route in Capri and Positano because of the drop.

Now if we can just get down to E1.18 by the time I leave for my trip in July.

$1.2042 as of 1305 14/06/05 hopefully still falling.

Love your subject line

Every little bit helps.

Perhaps the Euro is down but the prices for things (food, souvenirs, etc) in Europe are the highest we've ever seen. Especialy in the Netherlands and Scandinavia (though they don't use the euro).

You do know that some Fodorites live and work in Europe, right? The falling euro isn't good for *everybody* here, despite the tone of these posts.
I don't recall posters lamenting the weak euro a few years ago and hoping that the dollar would fall.

Good point, BTilke. We sometimes forget to consider our friends across the pond.

The poor people across the pond? I guess it depends upon whether they are paid in Euros or $$$, and whether their salaries are exempt from U.S. Federal taxes.

Most of them are there because they want to be there, and are getting premium salaries for being there -- and they are making out like bandits. Of course, there are some exceptions to my bold, flat-brushed statement.

Budman, surely even you must be aware of the tax rates in some of the European countries which make the US tax rate look puny in comparison.

I suppose your assertion that "they are there because they want to be there" could easily be aplied to people in the United States as well.

Export-oriented companies do better when the exchange rate of their country is low. So if working for an export-related company, one might get a lower salary or bonus if the currency is higher. Not to mention the greater possibility of retaining one's job with a low currency. It might be best for Europe overall if the Euro falls.

laugh while you can Opus.

The Internet Cafe where I work has already increased its prices by 8% to 10€ an hour.

littilesthobo, where is your Internet cafe? I've never paid anything close to that amount in several European countries.

well i dont want to scare off potential customers (we dont advertise our prices on the net, just our opening hours) so im afraid i cant tell you where we are.

but i will let you know that a good number of our patrons are americans staying nearby.

What city are you in?

I AM laughing while I can, 10 Euros an hour for internet is a robbery! Glad my hotels include internet service in their room prices and I have unlimited access throughout my trip via my hotels. Besides I am on vacation and I don't want a thing to do with computers, cell phones, or emails while I am there.

No doubt, regardless of the buzzkillers on this thread, I am happy to be saving so much money due to the Euro dropping. It was way overvalued anyway. It's just an inevitable market correction.

Don't worry folks, the Euopean bretheren will still get showered with my American dollars, it's just nice knowing I will have more of it to throw around while there.

1.2038 on at close today.

You know after all the news reports I have seen about Europeans coming over here just to shop because of the weak dollar, I don't feel the least bit bad about being happy that the euro is just now back to where it was last summer at this time. In fact a 1:1 ratio would be quite nice!