College Student Airfare - Ireland dublin, What Recession, recession?

There are many signs of slowing up of the economy in Ireland as it is now officially in recession.

A year earlier and three months into the new year there would have been hundreds of 08s on the roads. I have noticed on my visits this year that that there not so many 09 registrations on cars and in fact when I was in Dublin in early March took four days to see nine new vehicles with 09 number.

House prices have fallen dramatically and it is now fairly easier to get hold of a basic plumber or builder with flyers being put through front doors once again advertising their businesses.

However you wouldn't notice a difference in some of the restaurants in one of the main approaches from Dublin Airport to the centre via Drumcondra, the media is full of stories about unemployment rising.

They might have been a mixture of the left over customers from the "early bird" specials 5-7 eating a two course meal for EUR22.95 or starting out for the evening. The restaurant has been there for a few years and when we went in there were several diners in there. We booked a table at an Italian Restaurant for 6.45. A Monday evening, the 22nd June. Last night was no exception. As part of a walk I give my dog when staying with relatives a walk down part of Upper Drumcondra Road and whether it is early evening or later the restaurants look busy.

But if people are prepared to pay and they clearly look like they are then the restaurant owners can continue to charge high prices, however the advertised prices look no different to a year ago, i appreciate they are in a suburb of North Dublin. What is surprising me is the prices these establishments are still charging. Other establishments along the road also run their early bird specials.

I might not mind it so much, dublin has a reputation of being one of the more expensive European cities to visit and if the quality is there.

115 coming from my pocket; today that is nearly £ 70, a few years back when the euro was weak against sterling that would have been around £. Three people EUR120 including a tip. The Italian restaurant was expensive.

Getting larger better wood oven pizzas for lot money and more flavour, my son eats regularly at an excellent Italian establishment, back in North London. But other basics were missing, they made a great song and dance of offering black pepper from a large mill that was not working well. They should have in fact had a bottle that they would have left on the table when delivering the pizza. When he asked for oil to go on top he was presented with a small eggcup size container with a small drop in, my son had a pizza EUR17 for a basic one.

What they are serving up is probably easier. Olives etc, what is the problem making a fine green salad with tomatoes? Lettuce and tomato covered in mayonnaise, i had Lasagna served with a side salad.

Or better quality napkins and not those cheap paper ones, small chocolate or biscuit with the coffee for example, italian bread, what about some bread sticks?

However you were getting value for money and quality, that place was also full. EUR150 including a couple of bottles of wine plus bottled water. A few weeks ago in Italy five of us had a great meal in Italy near the French border. Maybe the restaurant need some real competition, we left before 9.00 and the place was filling up well.

Dutch and German tourists this year, the Irish Tourist board is trying to encourage more Scandinavians. Car hire is fairly expensive and bringing your own car is very costly compared with taking it over to France, although there are cheap flights. Many UK visitors are not coming because of the euro-sterling exchange rate. I hope restaurants in the Dublin area wake up to the fact that the tourist market is going through a very bad patch this year.

They must be making good money however as they were in the position to run the central heating radiators and air conditioning at the same time. Their carvery price is now EUR13 per person and OK. This was in a hotel in Malahide near Dublin that I had been going to for some 30 years, last weekend I was charged EUR4.90 for a pint of Kilkenny. However they won't return id prices are too high.

What recession, recession.