Inside Dublin The Sunday Edition
http://www.internationalliving.com Sunday, February 8, 2004
Dear International Living Reader,
Kathleen Peddicord
|
Jack, 4, needed to see a dentist. The two pediatric dentists in Ireland both practice in Dublin, so we made a trip of it--a little business…some family time…and Jack's teeth taken care of. Though it would have been more convenient had we been able to find a dentist for Jack in Waterford, I couldn't complain about the cost of the visit: 100 euro ($125) for an exam, cleaning, and full x-rays. The cost of everything else, on the other hand, was so high I found myself constantly asking for confirmation: "Excuse me…did you say a cheeseburger from room service is 19 euro?"… "I must have misunderstood…you said the taxi ride from the airport to the city is 28 euro? Last time I took a cab to town (admittedly, five years ago), the ride cost half that much"… Dublin is not the most expensive city in the EU. It's the third most expensive, after London and Copenhagen. But you can find the odd bargain if you work at it. The 4-star Morrison Hotel, for example, a trendy place on Ormond Quay in Dublin 1, with advertised rates as much as 400 euro a night, can be booked online (we were told by a friend traveling with us) for as little as 100 euro a night (the rate he was paying). Dublin insiders, we also learned, rank Roly's, in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, down the street from the U.S. Embassy, as the top lunch spot in the city. No argument here. The service was the best I've enjoyed in any restaurant in Ireland in five years living here. I'd wager that there's more money in Dublin today than at any time in this city's history. One of the things Dubliners seem keenest to spend their disposable euro on is foreign real estate. There's boom spending on beachside villas and condos on the coasts of Spain and France, Portugal and Malta…and, increasingly, the sun spots of Eastern Europe, as well. As a result, you can find in Dublin agents for property developments in all those places. That's where our business came in: We'd arranged to meet with a representative from a proposed development on a small island off the coast of Croatia. I've never been to Croatia (am hoping to make my first trip later this year), but I've seen pictures. This little country with a turbulent past has everything the tourist could hope for: beautiful coasts, historic cities, World Heritage Organization-protected architecture…plus beaches to rival those of Spain's Costa del Sol and the French Riviera…without the high-rise monstrosities or other trappings of decades of unchecked development…and, I'm told, the best waters for sailing in all the Med (well, technically, you'd be sailing the Adriatic Sea). This is the country to watch in Eastern Europe. It's too late for Hungary and the Czech Republic…Romania and Bulgaria have less to offer. Croatia has few resources and little industry. It's hoping to build an economy based on tourism. The woman we met with represented a group of investors positioning themselves to profit should the country's projections for tourist growth pan out. My husband, Lief Simon, is researching the opportunity further and will report back to members of his Global Real Estate Investor service. Kathleen Peddicord
Publisher, International Living P.S. In Dublin this week, we also met with friend and new European Investment Editor for International Living, Sven Lorenz, who told us about the one Euro-investment that has got his full attention right now. He's preparing a full report. Watch this space. Editors' Choice: Live and Work Overseas The Retire Overseas Kit Ireland still remains one of the best countries in the world to settle in, thanks in no small part to its welcoming culture and glorious scenery. And once you avoid the hotspots, property prices don't have to be outrageous; look in the westernmost counties that stretch between Donegal in the north and Kerry in the south. The Retire Overseas Kit is your roadmap to paradise for Ireland…and 8 other top retirement havens, all places where you can live better…safer…freer…for less. ----------------- Reinvent Yourself Overseas:
New Ways To Live, Work, and Do Business Abroad The world is bursting with extraordinary opportunities to live, work, and do business abroad. Never before in the history of humanity has it been easier to seek work or set up a business overseas. ----------------- Live Overseas Conference 2004
March 14-17, 2004
Delray Beach, Florida We've invited 18 top-level speakers from around the planet, including International Living's contributing editors and overseas directors as well as a panel of the world's leading privacy experts, legal advisors, money managers, and tax specialists to share with you their secrets to uncovering opportunity…profit…and better living overseas…
 |  | | 
FREE e-letter from the editors of International Living International Living's one-of-a-kind e-letter service will show you how to take advantage of the best opportunities on offer the world over for traveling better, retiring well, living the life of your dreams, and investing for serious returns. Find out how to double your retirement resources…discover countries where you can live or retire in comfort and style on $1,500 per month…position yourself in emerging markets poised for growth… live a jet-set lifestyle no matter what
your budget… Sign up for IL Postcards FREE daily e-letter.
International Living will never sell, rent or otherwise abuse your email address. It will be used solely for the purpose of sending you the IL Postcards E-Letter and opportunities related to International Living. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, instructions are included with each email for immediate removal from the IL E-Letter subscriber file. | | |  |
|
| 
