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Sicily travelogue



 
 
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  #11  
Old February 22nd, 2013, 08:49 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Alfred Molon[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 996
Default European Resturant Food prices (was Sicily travelogue)

In article , tim..... says...

I didn't notice those restaurant food prices as out of line with other
Western European locations from my recent trips.


We have done a number of European trips (Spain, Portugal, France,
Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Greece) and were able to
find affordable food in all these countries.

For those that haven't looks at Alfred's report his sample prices a

Pasta Starter: 7-10 Euro
Main Course: meat 10-20 plus vegetable at 3 E per portion
plus coperto at 2 E plus unspecified amounts for salads and deserts

making a total of 25E pp 100 E per family, twice! a day.

Well firstly, after you have had breakfast in the hotel (which the report
says that he did) does anybody really have a three course meal for both
lunch and dinner. I certainly don't. Lunch will just be the pasta (or a
sandwich).


Well, wife and kids cannot survive on just a breakfast and a dinner over
a whole day. There must also be a lunch.

And are those prices really higher than elsewhere in W Europe for full
meals?

On my most recent trip to France/Spain I was presented with menus in France
at:
Starter 10-15 E
Main Course 15-25E (vegetables included!)
Dessert 8-12E.


In all other European countries visited it was possible to eat for less.

But the really weird thing is that meat dishes in Sicily were so
expensive. Why does a meat dish without rice or potatoes have to cost
between 10 and 20 Euro? Meat doesn't cost that much.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe
  #12  
Old February 22nd, 2013, 08:51 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Alfred Molon[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 996
Default European Resturant Food prices (was Sicily travelogue)

In article , Frank
Hucklenbroich says...
Seems like what you would pay in a city in Germany. Then again, even in a
country like Germany prices can vary regionally. I live in Cologne, and
restaurants here are rather expensive. When I once went to Kiel (northern
coastal town), I was surprisend that food in Restaurants was about 25%
cheaper than in Cologne.


To make an example, here in Munich you can go to the PEP (Perlacher
Einkaufszentrum) and eat for 4-7 Euro. You will get a dish with rice or
noodles with meat and vegetables.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe
  #13  
Old February 22nd, 2013, 09:03 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Alfred Molon[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 996
Default European Resturant Food prices (was Sicily travelogue)

In article alpine.LSU.2.00.1302221315270.32439
@cbfrvqba.ynzoengr.vans.vg, Giovanni Drogo says...

- Agrigento and other archeological sites. It might be true that some
are not well kept or unattracive (Selinunte, but I was there passing
by in the '70s), but for others (Siracusa and Agrigento) it might help
a bit of preliminary historical preparation to enjoy the visit (tyrant
Dyonisus, Archimedes, tyrant Falarides, Empedocles). They were Big
Cities of the Magna Graecia !


Actually the temple in Selinunte (the well preserved one) is quite nice.
Agrigento is also well worth visiting.

snip

- Since I do not drive, I cannot comment much on your disadventures with
the navigator.


Probably due to not up-to-date maps. But except for a few spots with
inaccurate maps, the navigation system proved to be very useful.

However, despite the fact I do not drive, I orient
myself quite well. In general when I go around (by coach) I know
pretty well where I am looking at road signs and using a map.
Despite bad driving habits of the locals and crazy arrangement of
streets in inhabited centres, possibly you were overestimating the
capabilities of a navigator.


The navigator wasn't the problem. The problem was the road network in
certain cities and areas and the way Sicilians drive.

Also it seems you were rather unlucky in non-spotting tourist traps
(which however I'd expect mainly in Taormina), of course an Italian
would smell them from afar.


These tourist traps seem to be typical of Sicily. In the other countries
where we have been even in a tourist restaurant you wouldn't get ripped
off. Maybe a little bit, but not as badly as in Sicily.

Although to be honest, we just got badly ripped off in that restaurant
in Catania on the first day. After that first time, we started checking
prices very carefully before entering a restaurant.

The other point is that local eating times are quite different from
those in Northern Italy (and surely from those you are accustomed
to). Difficult to find a snack-place at noon for lunch (more likely
around 14), or a restaurant before 20 in the evening (more likely
21).


Usually we do not eat so late (i.e. after 8-9pm). We have small kids who
need to eat early in order to go sleeping early.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe
  #14  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 09:58 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 890
Default European Resturant Food prices

Alfred Molon wrote:

In article , Frank
Hucklenbroich says...
Seems like what you would pay in a city in Germany. Then again, even in a
country like Germany prices can vary regionally. I live in Cologne, and
restaurants here are rather expensive. When I once went to Kiel (northern
coastal town), I was surprisend that food in Restaurants was about 25%
cheaper than in Cologne.


To make an example, here in Munich you can go to the PEP (Perlacher
Einkaufszentrum) and eat for 4-7 Euro. You will get a dish with rice or
noodles with meat and vegetables.


That's a shopping mall. You will get similar prices in malls in the UK
and US, but 'proper' restaurants are generally more expensive, as they
are in Germany too.

David

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)
  #15  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 06:40 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
tim.....
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,591
Default European Resturant Food prices


"Frank Hucklenbroich" wrote in message
.. .
Am Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:24:55 -0000 schrieb tim.....:

In France the tourist "menu de Jour" was only available at lunchtime


Thats strange.


I just assumed that it was because they wanted to charge full price in the
evening

When we went around Bourgogne, it was available in the
evenig at every restaurant we tried. It was in summer, so the high season,
and most tourists (lots of them French) rather have a 4 course menu in the
evening than for lunch.


Yep, so why discount it when it is most popular?

tim


  #16  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 06:41 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
tim.....
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,591
Default European Resturant Food prices (was Sicily travelogue)


"Alfred Molon" wrote in message
...
In article , tim..... says...

I didn't notice those restaurant food prices as out of line with other
Western European locations from my recent trips.


We have done a number of European trips (Spain, Portugal, France,
Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Greece) and were able to
find affordable food in all these countries.

For those that haven't looks at Alfred's report his sample prices a

Pasta Starter: 7-10 Euro
Main Course: meat 10-20 plus vegetable at 3 E per portion
plus coperto at 2 E plus unspecified amounts for salads and deserts

making a total of 25E pp 100 E per family, twice! a day.

Well firstly, after you have had breakfast in the hotel (which the report
says that he did) does anybody really have a three course meal for both
lunch and dinner. I certainly don't. Lunch will just be the pasta (or a
sandwich).


Well, wife and kids cannot survive on just a breakfast and a dinner over
a whole day. There must also be a lunch.


Well yes.

But not three courses, surely?

tim


  #17  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 06:47 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 890
Default European Resturant Food prices

Martin wrote:

On Sat, 23 Feb 2013 08:58:44 +0000, (David Horne)
wrote:

Alfred Molon wrote:

In article , Frank
Hucklenbroich says...
Seems like what you would pay in a city in Germany. Then again, even in a
country like Germany prices can vary regionally. I live in Cologne, and
restaurants here are rather expensive. When I once went to Kiel (northern
coastal town), I was surprisend that food in Restaurants was about 25%
cheaper than in Cologne.

To make an example, here in Munich you can go to the PEP (Perlacher
Einkaufszentrum) and eat for 4-7 Euro. You will get a dish with rice or
noodles with meat and vegetables.


That's a shopping mall. You will get similar prices in malls in the UK
and US, but 'proper' restaurants are generally more expensive, as they
are in Germany too.


UK probably has the cheapest meals available in restaurants in
Europe, thanks to the chains that Mitchel and Butlers, Whitbread and
similar own. Most UK supermarkets have a cafe/restaurant offering very
cheap meals too, without them some OAPs would starve.


For lunch we went to Carcluccio's and had the 'trio' for £20. Same as
the last time we were the seafood linguini, gnocchi, venison
tortelloni. Delicious and certainly filling for two adults...

http://www.carluccios.com/menus/manc...s/pasta-dishes

David

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)
  #18  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 06:50 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 890
Default European Resturant Food prices

tim..... wrote:

"Frank Hucklenbroich" wrote in message
.. .
Am Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:24:55 -0000 schrieb tim.....:

In France the tourist "menu de Jour" was only available at lunchtime


Thats strange.


I just assumed that it was because they wanted to charge full price in the
evening

When we went around Bourgogne, it was available in the
evenig at every restaurant we tried. It was in summer, so the high season,
and most tourists (lots of them French) rather have a 4 course menu in the
evening than for lunch.


Yep, so why discount it when it is most popular?


Sometimes (not always) it costs more than at lunchtime but, as the
various posts indicate, they are nevertheless often available.

David

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)
  #19  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 07:36 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 890
Default European Resturant Food prices

Martin wrote:

On Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:47:31 +0000, (David Horne)
wrote:

Martin wrote:

[]
UK probably has the cheapest meals available in restaurants in
Europe, thanks to the chains that Mitchel and Butlers, Whitbread and
similar own. Most UK supermarkets have a cafe/restaurant offering very
cheap meals too, without them some OAPs would starve.


For lunch we went to Carcluccio's and had the 'trio' for £20. Same as
the last time we were the seafood linguini, gnocchi, venison
tortelloni. Delicious and certainly filling for two adults...

http://www.carluccios.com/menus/manc...s/pasta-dishes
Sounds good!

I meant these sort of places serving food at Alfred M. prices


I know!

http://www.mbplc.com/ourbrands/crowncarveries/

http://www.crowncarveries.co.uk/offe...tedbreakfasts/
"Join us early doors at The Drawbridge in Rotherham and set yourself
up for the day with an unlimited cooked breakfast fit for a king -
only £3.99 from Saturday to Sunday"

http://www.crowncarveries.co.uk/thed...sundaycarvery/
"from Monday to Saturday we offer two carvery sizes to suit your
appetite: the smaller carvery at just £3.69** (a perfect kids' meal),
and the Crown carvery at £4.19. Why not max your meal by adding The
Works for just £1.50 extra"


I haven't been to those types of places much- certainly good value...
when working outside Watford recently, those of us staying in the Hilton
went to the Toby Carvery next door for breakfast because it was much
cheaper.

David

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)
  #20  
Old February 23rd, 2013, 10:15 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Alfred Molon[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 996
Default European Resturant Food prices (was Sicily travelogue)

In article , tim..... says...

Well, wife and kids cannot survive on just a breakfast and a dinner over
a whole day. There must also be a lunch.


Well yes.

But not three courses, surely?


You mean we should limit ourselves to just a dish of noodles and drink
only water? No salad, soup, no dessert?
And even if just you order a dish of meat with some potatoes, together
with the "coperto" you are already close to 20 Euro (per person). Add a
drink and you are at 20 Euro.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe
 




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