Dublin & public health.

Tonight is my last night in Dublin. I'll be leaving the conference a day early, which is somewhat unfortunate, but also nice because I am exhausted and ready to be home again.  This post will mark the end of my journey abroad, but not the end of this project.  Here are some notes on my thoughts/feelings about Dublin, and in some instances a comparison to the USA:

• People here smoke. A lot, much more than I see in the US. However, I do regard this as a function of living in Iowa City, where a lot of anti-smoking and smoking cessation programs exist. It was a big shock to me even in some cases to see smoking indoors, but mainly it's a shock to witness young people smoking. Because I'm a nonsmoker, I didn't investigate the cost of cigarettes here, but now I'm curious to know the cost comparison to the US.
• People here walk and bike everywhere. In terms of public health, this is great! However, helmet laws do not appear to be in place, and bike lanes are dangerously small. (This varies considerably across the US.)
• Soda distribution is different.  A typical bottled soda here is 16oz and costs around €2. I didn't notice any fountain pop dispensers.  In the US, a 20oz bottle of soda costs on average $1.50.
• Alcohol consumption is incredibly different here. Quite often I noticed people drinking on patios outside in the afternoon, and people are also able to walk around with alcohol in public.  It seems to be a rich part of the culture. (Also the drinking age here is 18, so that may have some influence.)
• Bottled water is crazy expensive.  A 16oz bottle of water typically cost me at least €2, where 20oz in the US would typically cost around $1.50.
• Whole milk is the norm here. If I ever wanted a latte or porridge or anything requiring milk, I had to be very specific that I wanted nonfat milk.  Even asking for "skimmed" milk would often just mean 2% milk (Often I questioned whether this request was even followed).  In the US, public health campaigns are extremely focused on getting children (and adults) to drink low fat milk at an early age.
• Public bathrooms cost money...sometimes. Typically 50 cents, which isn't really much to complain about, but it was certainly quite surprising since I have never experienced this in the US.

These are just a few main differences I've noticed over the past few days, and I hope it provides some insight on cultural differences to health.