I guess I don't get your comparison, Aquarrt. The pound and euro are two different currencies. If you went to the country of Upper Slibinia and their "crowns" cost $6 each would that be horrible or even worse than the euro? Not if hotels went for 2 crowns each, and you could buy a decent meal of half a crown! It's what you can buy for the various currencies, not how many of theirs you get for one of yours.

Which reminds me, NP: how many of yours can I get for one of mine?

Well, if I had enough of mine to go to Europe this summer in the first place, I'd be aware of but not too depressed by the Euro. On the other hand, maybe when I go next things will have improved for our buck.

Until then, at least when I leave NYC for other parts in the US, I am usually happy with the "exchange rate" - of goods and services for $$.