Travel / 7 days in Poland... need some advice... [20]

I recommend Poznań (hah, and not because I study there :) ), it's a big, modern city with a long history. The market square with a town hall is very beautifull, Stary Browar - shopping and art centre - is definitely worth seeing.

Kraków is of course 'a must see' place but it's too crowded with tourists. You're visiting Poland in September/October, so the there's a chance there wouldn't be so many people.

And Zakopane in Tatra Mountains in southern Poland. It's quite far from Warsaw, but close to Kraków and the sights and landscpaes are wonderful.

Tickets in Poznań (for students/school pupils it's 50%): 2 zł (bus/tram for 15 minutes), daily ticket: 13,20 zł.

Life / Gift ideas for new "parents to be" in Poland [9]

My sister's friend gave birth to a sweet boy last month and my sister bought him a giraffe mascot and little rompers. I think it was a good idea but it depends: a child may be allergic to fabric or young parents will be overburdened with tons of toys (if every gift-giver will have the same idea).

In principle it is well accepted to give something practical - a set of baby cosmetics or bed linen.

Life / Polish Birthday Party [10]

My Grandma used to celebrate name days with even more joy and energy than her birthdays (well, of course, women don't want other people to remind them their age :) ). And she had definitely non-communist mind. She was just used to celebrate name days, like most people brought up before WWII, so in non-communist times.

But ad rem - I think there's nothing like a typical polish birthday party. When I was a kid my mom used to bake a birthday cake for me, put candles on top etc. There were also sweets, fruits, drinks. And of course my friends ;)

Life / Gift ideas for new "parents to be" in Poland [9]


Oh, they DO need it ;)
That little hero is crying every 10 minutes and the only thing able to calm him is his mother's breast ;) Rocking, singing lullabies, holding in arms - nothing helps. This little one knows what's the best for him ;)

Travel / Can someone give me information on Eastern Poland? [10]

My family comes from a city in Świętokrzyskie voivodeship and even it's about 100 km South from Warsaw it's considered as 'Poland B' ('Poland A' is on the West). And of course 'Poland B" is considered as 'worse Poland'.

Usually people think that Eastern Poland has worse access to 'civilisation goods' (I must admit I don't agree with that in 100%). That the roads are in bad condition, people are narrow-minded, etc.

My friend studies Pharmacy in Lublin and she says the city is great, developing and full of perspectives for the future. Of course Lublin is the capital of Lubelskie voivodeship and as its 'business-card' must be (or be trying to be) that way.

There are regions in Eastern Poland that are poor and seem to be forgotten by government but they're trying to gain new investors (people want to work but the unemployment is the main problem there).

Areas in Eastern Europe seem to be closer to nature, not as much polluted as other regions of Poland, with common people residing their motherland.

If you want to have a picture of Eastern Poland I recommend a movie 'U Pana Boga za Piecem' by Jacek Bromski. It's a comedy and probably it shows polish habits and defects in a lampoon-way but it gives a glimpse of how the Eastern Poland looks like.

(And if you're planning to visit Poland I recommend Śwętokrzyskie as the home of witches' sabbaths, neolithic flint mines and dinosaurs ;D )