What I miss and don't miss about Poland

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Jan 10, 07, 06:12 #1

Ah nostalgia – it ain’t what is used to be. Seeing all the posts here has made me reflect on my time in Poland. OK I admit that most of my time was in Warsaw and that is like saying I know The US from living in New York say.

That said, here the things I miss the most:

• The weather (at least it was predictable and I like the cold)
• Zakopane (skiing OK, après ski off the scale)
• The friends I made that I do not see enough of
• Bar Soma (RIP )
• Organza
• Bar Nobo (there’s a theme emerging here)
• Lech Premium Piwo (see!)
• Lazienski Park (but see below)
• Toasting Jerzy Dudek watching the might ‘Pool play (after last night I won’t be doing that again)
• Intelligent discussion with the most unlikely looking of people (Where else other than maybe Ireland would you have a discussion on philosophy with a pensioner in a bar crowded with mainly young people?)
• Straight talking
• Piriogi (but now available from a supermarket near you – not the same as the home made stuff though)
• Szarlotka (mmm – more? yes please)
• Ewa trying to teach us Polish with our customer continuously interrupting the lessons – we learnt more from her one line put downs to him than in the formal classes – what a star she was, sorry I was such a bad student.

And the things I am glad to see the back of:

• The plumbing in my apartment
• Certain members of the Door Police (one day I will buy that bar – revenge is a dish best served cold)
• Being mugged by the Peacocks in Lazienski Park
• Queuing to pay certain bills
• The hours that I worked
• Driving between Warsaw & Poznan (anybody remember Mad Max?)
• EB (it’s only for tourists, right?)
• English Stag Parties (heed the warning of Prague before it’s too late)

On balance, it has to be up there with my most enjoyable overseas stays. The people were great once I got to know and understand them. Maybe Rio was slightly better but I was young and single in those days so that might just have clouded my judgement a wee bit!

So what do you miss most?

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Jan 10, 07, 06:39 #2

Walking round beautiful medieval streets and marvellign at the architecture
Drinking coffee with friends just watching the world go by (ok... actually we were watch women...)
Friends who will sort out my problems...
Sitting out on Monte Casino on a summer evening... drinking cold beer and watching fire dancers
Home cooking... new recipes...
Gigging on Wednesday night with Glenn at Papryka
Going to a bar or club and hearing music i want to hear
Going out for the night an being on the guest list... everywhere
Zapiekanka on the way home... at six in the morning...
The price of cigarettes (so much for giving up...)

FrankThreads: 27 Posts: 1,342 Joined: Aug 14, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 06:58 #3
Quoting: globetrotter, Post #1 (Where else other than maybe Ireland would you have a discussion on philosophy with a pensioner in a bar crowded with mainly young people?) I'm glad we make you feel at home......

David_18Threads: 111 Posts: 1,202 Joined: Jan 4, 07 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 07:01 #4
I miss Poland to much and when i miss it i get to nationalistic, I miss the polish fooooood. and all the bars there i can talk about history and politics and just talk ****.

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Jan 10, 07, 08:09 #5

Quoting: Frank, Post #3

I'm glad we make you feel at home......

Just in case you think the English are admitting that the Irish have one over on us for intellectual discussion it's probably best to own up that my mum was from Cork. Seriously though there are huge similarities between the Irish and the Poles imho. You both know how to party hard and have an interest in meaningful discussion on topics we like to ignore..... politics for one. I would be interested to understand the difference between the reaction to new Polish arrivals in Ireland and in England.

globetrotterThreads: 4 Posts: 129 Joined: Jan 8, 07 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 08:11 #6
Quoting: BubbaWoo, Post #2 The price of cigarettes (so much for giving up...) You could always do like my best mate ... just give up buying them. The last pack he bought were Woodbines !

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 08:15 #7
tried it... doesnt work... just end up poncing other peoples'...

globetrotterThreads: 4 Posts: 129 Joined: Jan 8, 07 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 08:40 #8
Quoting: BubbaWoo, Post #7 tried it... doesnt work... just end up poncing other peoples'... Yeh - that's what he's done for the last n years !!!

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 08:52 #9
thats what people do to me...

FrankThreads: 27 Posts: 1,342 Joined: Aug 14, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 08:58 #10
Quoting: globetrotter, Post #5 I would be interested to understand the difference between the reaction to new Polish arrivals in Ireland and in England Yeah...but I suppose most of it would be anecdotal, hard to distill the real differences, there are 4 million people of Irish origin in GB, so if you went to parts of London Birmingham etc...it would be almost like being in Ireland anyways!

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Jan 10, 07, 09:12 #11

Quoting: Frank, Post #10

Yeah...but I suppose most of it would be anecdotal, hard to distill the real differences, there are 4 million people of Irish origin in GB, so if you went to parts of London Birmingham etc...it would be almost like being in Ireland anyways!

Good points Frank. The reaction varies in England depending upon where we are talking about. In London the social impact of people from Central Europe is minimal cos its already hugely multi-cultural. In some rural areas it is probably a huge impact. Guess I fell into the generalisation trap. Can't help feeling that the reaction in Ireland is likely to be more positive though.

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Jan 10, 07, 09:13 #12

Quoting: Frank, Post #10

Yeah...but I suppose most of it would be anecdotal, hard to distill the real differences, there are 4 million people of Irish origin in GB, so if you went to parts of London Birmingham etc...it would be almost like being in Ireland anyways!

Good points Frank. The reaction varies in England depending upon where we are talking about. In London the social impact of people from Central Europe is minimal cos its already hugely multi-cultural. In some rural areas it is probably a huge impact. Guess I fell into the generalisation trap. Can't help feeling that the reaction in Ireland is likely to be more positive though.

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Jan 10, 07, 09:14 #13

Quoting: Frank, Post #10

Yeah...but I suppose most of it would be anecdotal, hard to distill the real differences, there are 4 million people of Irish origin in GB, so if you went to parts of London Birmingham etc...it would be almost like being in Ireland anyways!

Good points Frank. The reaction varies in England depending upon where we are talking about. In London the social impact of people from Central Europe is minimal cos its already hugely multi-cultural. In some rural areas it is probably a huge impact. Guess I fell into the generalisation trap. Can't help feeling that the reaction in Ireland is likely to be more positive though.

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Jan 10, 07, 09:27 #14

* Don't miss the way they drive
* Don't miss being charged for using the tiolet
* Don't miss not knowing sometimes where you are with no street or city markings
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* Do miss the food, saLatki, lody (śmietankowe, can't find in the US), pastry YUM
* Do miss the friendly people, when asked for directions they go all out explaining over and over how to get there
* Do miss the architecture, history, old castles and kościoły
* Do miss the targi and open markets, budki ruchu, kioski
* Do miss the tramwaje and autobusy
* Do miss the kwiaciarnie on almost every corner

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06 ♀	Jan 10, 07, 17:20 #15
Do miss the cute guys....

FrankThreads: 27 Posts: 1,342 Joined: Aug 14, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 17:28 #16
Krysia...which country did you emigrate to .......middle earth....?...

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06 ♀	Jan 10, 07, 17:30 #17
another planet

FrankThreads: 27 Posts: 1,342 Joined: Aug 14, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 17:32 #18
called............?

Grzegorz_Threads: 80 Posts: 6,102 Joined: Nov 16, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 17:49 #19
Quoting: globetrotter, Post #1 • English Stag Parties (heed the warning of Prague before it’s too late) What's this ?

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Jan 10, 07, 17:55 #20

grzegorz... common mate... you must have come across this phenomenon...

your mates getting mariied... so you take him away... get him really pissed... take pictures of him having sex with a prostitute... take of all his clothes... steal his passport... chian him naked to a tree in the middle of the town square... and wave good bye... laughing loud...

the womens equivalent is a hen party... this is much easier... you wear silly clothes and giggle alot... dirnk too much... fall over... and throw up in the street...

visit prague... and krakow at the weekend... and you cant miss them... as hard as you try...

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06 ♀	Jan 10, 07, 18:20 #21
Quoting: Frank, Post #18 called............? I actually immigrated to Poland but now returned to bolo-land

Grzegorz_Threads: 80 Posts: 6,102 Joined: Nov 16, 06 ♂	Jan 10, 07, 18:24 #22
Quoting: BubbaWoo, Post #20 visit prague... and krakow at the weekend... Never seen such things in Kraków...

iwonaThreads: 13 Posts: 639 Joined: Aug 6, 06 ♀	Jan 11, 07, 06:58 #23
But they slowly start in Krakow. In Poland we have equivalent called "wieczor panienski", "wieczor kawalerski".....but it is probbaly not so mad.

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Jan 11, 07, 07:04 #24

i've been to Krakow a few times now and it is terrible to see all the english guys pissed and making fools of themselves, yes they bring money in, but is it that kind of money that poland need.

Last time i was at Wroclaw airport, waiting in the line to book in, a group of young english guys came in, 2 of them smoking as they walked into the airport. they seem to think they can do whatever they want. if they did that in the UK i'm sure they would be in serious terrible.

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Jan 11, 07, 07:18 #25

Quoting: iwona, Post #23

In Poland we have equivalent called "wieczor panienski", "wieczor kawalerski".....but it is probbaly not so mad.

I sincerely hope that the Polish men never sink to the depths of some of my countrymen.
When my eldest son went to Prague with his friends from University (and they like to have a drink and a party like all students) he came back disgusted at the behaviour of some groups that he had seen. If we could remove the passports of 5% of our population the impression of England (note I sai Engalns and not Great Britain) abroad would improve dramatically.

iwonaThreads: 13 Posts: 639 Joined: Aug 6, 06 ♀	Jan 11, 07, 13:45 #26
The problem is that heavy drinking is promoted and fashionable and cool in UK. Even in the papers you can see pictures of prince Harry or William pissed..... So- even if some young people don't really enjoy big drinking they do it to be accepted.

iwonaThreads: 13 Posts: 639 Joined: Aug 6, 06 ♀	Jan 11, 07, 14:07 #27
I miss.... trams -nice , cosy coffee bars with fresh coffes, milk shakes ( fresh) , cakes -food juice bars -architecture -chats with my friends -polish romantism and craziness -feeling of belonging there ( I will never feel it in UK) I don't miss- all situatuin on the work market. Unamplyment,unfair treatmetnt and taking advantage of emplyees.

lefThreads: 13 Posts: 564 Joined: Jun 27, 06 ♂	Jan 11, 07, 19:23 #28
Quoting: iwona, Post #26 Even in the papers you can see pictures of prince Harry or William pissed..... So what, So- even if some young people don't really enjoy big drinking they do it to be accepted. You must be living with lots of strange people, life without a drink would be very dull. Remember a man is not a camel!

lefThreads: 13 Posts: 564 Joined: Jun 27, 06 ♂	Jan 11, 07, 19:28 #29
Quoting: davidpeake, Post #24 i've been to Krakow a few times now and it is terrible to see all the english guys pissed and making fools of themselves Yeah, its a shame the pole don't have zero tolerance regarding drunken behavior, this happens though in all countries where you have cheap alcohol.

iwonaThreads: 13 Posts: 639 Joined: Aug 6, 06 ♀	Jan 12, 07, 02:26 #30
lef, there are 2 different things- few drinks to relax and binge drinking. My reply was to Davidpeake about English in Poland. You must be living with lots of strange people, life without a drink would be very dull maybe, for me listening to all crap said but drunk people is dead dull.

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