Lori
17 Nov 2009
Travel / Wireless Internet connection in Poland [18]
On international flights I've never seen an Internet connection on the plane.
On international flights I've never seen an Internet connection on the plane.
Lori
8 Jun 2009
Food / TINNED CORN (MAIZE) GALORE IN POLAND [11]
Polenta is made from what we call in the United States as corn meal. One can also use the corn meal to bread fish, for example, before frying it. It can also be used to make corn bread.
Polenta is made from what we call in the United States as corn meal. One can also use the corn meal to bread fish, for example, before frying it. It can also be used to make corn bread.
Lori
7 Jun 2009
Food / Recipe for mince meat dish? [13]
Mince meat has a different take in some cultures. I think of meat,usually we used roast beef, mixed with apples and lots of spices such as cinnamon and cloves. My mother mixedTtogether and baked it a very low heat in the oven for something like 10-12 hours. This is put into a pie. In the U.S. one seldom now finds real mince meat; rather it is only the apple mixture. Meatballs are something quite different.
Mince meat has a different take in some cultures. I think of meat,usually we used roast beef, mixed with apples and lots of spices such as cinnamon and cloves. My mother mixedTtogether and baked it a very low heat in the oven for something like 10-12 hours. This is put into a pie. In the U.S. one seldom now finds real mince meat; rather it is only the apple mixture. Meatballs are something quite different.
Lori
7 Jun 2009
Food / TINNED CORN (MAIZE) GALORE IN POLAND [11]
Well, here is a response from a genuine Iowa farm girl. Sweet corn has always been a major vegetable in the United States and is nearly my favorite. I never regarded it as the poor person's vegetable. We ate corn, green beans, yellow string beans, -- in the spring and summer also lettuce, radishes, and asparagus from the garden -- and then in the late summer comes the tomatoes.
When I was growing up, my father planted rows of sweet corn just across the driveway from the house. One put a pot of water on the stove and walked across the driveway to pick the ears of corn. They went into the pot of water only about 5 minutes after coming off the stock. This quick cooking helps the corn to stay sweet; when corn got old, that is starchy, my dad always said it was ready for the animals.
One eats corn on the cob with plenty of butter and salt. One of my grandfathers also added pepper. I feel sorry for anyone who has never had treat of corn on the cob. Since I grew up in the 1960s freezing had become the major way to save food, rather than canning. We also picked the corn on the cob and cut it off the cobs and froze at least 60 quarts to last all winter until the next season.
I find it strange to find corn in so many unusual foods in Poland. Yes, we make cole slaw (cabbage salad) in the midwest of the United States, but no one puts sweet corn in it. Vegetables such as peas, corn, and green beans are eaten rather simply in the U.S, not mixed up with other things. The only thing I can think about adding corn to would be vegetable soup.
Well, here is a response from a genuine Iowa farm girl. Sweet corn has always been a major vegetable in the United States and is nearly my favorite. I never regarded it as the poor person's vegetable. We ate corn, green beans, yellow string beans, -- in the spring and summer also lettuce, radishes, and asparagus from the garden -- and then in the late summer comes the tomatoes.
When I was growing up, my father planted rows of sweet corn just across the driveway from the house. One put a pot of water on the stove and walked across the driveway to pick the ears of corn. They went into the pot of water only about 5 minutes after coming off the stock. This quick cooking helps the corn to stay sweet; when corn got old, that is starchy, my dad always said it was ready for the animals.
One eats corn on the cob with plenty of butter and salt. One of my grandfathers also added pepper. I feel sorry for anyone who has never had treat of corn on the cob. Since I grew up in the 1960s freezing had become the major way to save food, rather than canning. We also picked the corn on the cob and cut it off the cobs and froze at least 60 quarts to last all winter until the next season.
I find it strange to find corn in so many unusual foods in Poland. Yes, we make cole slaw (cabbage salad) in the midwest of the United States, but no one puts sweet corn in it. Vegetables such as peas, corn, and green beans are eaten rather simply in the U.S, not mixed up with other things. The only thing I can think about adding corn to would be vegetable soup.
Lori
30 May 2009
Travel / Zakopane! At last! Holiday advice visits. [11]
Give considersation to the Hotel Wanta. It has a nice location, the rooms are comfortable, the food is good. It is place where Polish people will stay. Some staff speak a bit of English, but will always provide you with the very best service.
Give considersation to the Hotel Wanta. It has a nice location, the rooms are comfortable, the food is good. It is place where Polish people will stay. Some staff speak a bit of English, but will always provide you with the very best service.
Lori
21 May 2009
Travel / Getting from Wroclaw to Krakow [15]
I've ridden many 2nd class trains in Poland and have never been met with anything but kindness. I'm sorry to see those negative comments above.
I've ridden many 2nd class trains in Poland and have never been met with anything but kindness. I'm sorry to see those negative comments above.
Lori
20 May 2009
Food / [Quiz] And you thought you knew Polish cuisine? (in Polish language) [27]
Doing it all with my minimal Polish skills and my eating experience I got 4 of 10 correct. I didnt use a translator nor Google anything.
Doing it all with my minimal Polish skills and my eating experience I got 4 of 10 correct. I didnt use a translator nor Google anything.
Lori
12 May 2009
Life / Polish city streets - why do trucks go around spraying water on them ? [28]
Probably for the same reason in my city in the U.S. Clean up the streets.
Probably for the same reason in my city in the U.S. Clean up the streets.
Lori
11 May 2009
Life / Poles in Poland: How did you learn your English? [60]
This summer I will be in Poland doing three language camps. One camp is with high school students who have studied a good bit of English. What is the best way a native speaker can help students such as this? This is my third time of doing this, so I'm not a novice, but I become a better teacher.
This summer I will be in Poland doing three language camps. One camp is with high school students who have studied a good bit of English. What is the best way a native speaker can help students such as this? This is my third time of doing this, so I'm not a novice, but I become a better teacher.
Lori
9 May 2009
Travel / Safety when visiting a Polish city. [8]
Just use the usual street smarts that you would use in any large city anywhere in the world.
Just use the usual street smarts that you would use in any large city anywhere in the world.
Lori
9 May 2009
Travel / WrocLOVE or Wroclaw,which is the better ? [8]
Thanks for the photos. I'll be there in July. Looking forward to seeing with my eyes.
Thanks for the photos. I'll be there in July. Looking forward to seeing with my eyes.
Lori
9 May 2009
Life / Hej Sokoły - Ukrainian version of this Polish song. [16]
I was told this song was much older than being a 20th century song. Does anyone know?
I was told this song was much older than being a 20th century song. Does anyone know?
Lori
2 May 2009
Food / Baking soda/wodoroweglan sodu - where do I buy it? [7]
Baking soda is often used for cleaning. I would be careful to review the package materials and make certain what you buy can be used in food. In the U.S we often put baking soda in the refrigerator to absorb odor. Baking soda poured down a drain followed by vinegar is a way to clean out an oil glog. The most common brand in the U.S is Arm and Hammer. My box says it can be used for baking, cleaning and deordizing. Good luck.
Baking soda is often used for cleaning. I would be careful to review the package materials and make certain what you buy can be used in food. In the U.S we often put baking soda in the refrigerator to absorb odor. Baking soda poured down a drain followed by vinegar is a way to clean out an oil glog. The most common brand in the U.S is Arm and Hammer. My box says it can be used for baking, cleaning and deordizing. Good luck.
Lori
27 Apr 2009
Food / Best donuts in Warsaw? [22]
It's probably wise to go to McDonald's with a critical eye, but be aware that McDonald's sells many things in other countries that arent' sold in the U.S. Whether it's sold in the U. S. or not is not a good standard of measure. Last summer McDonald's in Poland had all kinds of shrimp dishes, in conjunction with the Olympics, that never saw the light of day in the U.S.
It's probably wise to go to McDonald's with a critical eye, but be aware that McDonald's sells many things in other countries that arent' sold in the U.S. Whether it's sold in the U. S. or not is not a good standard of measure. Last summer McDonald's in Poland had all kinds of shrimp dishes, in conjunction with the Olympics, that never saw the light of day in the U.S.
Lori
27 Apr 2009
Travel / Ukraine / Poland border travel [12]
A great time to arrive is on the weekend because vehicle traffic is totally shut down in the central city, and everyone is out enjoying the weekend. I love Saturday afternoon in L'viv. There were countless wedding parties and many, many people out walking, men playing chess, it was amazing.
A great time to arrive is on the weekend because vehicle traffic is totally shut down in the central city, and everyone is out enjoying the weekend. I love Saturday afternoon in L'viv. There were countless wedding parties and many, many people out walking, men playing chess, it was amazing.
Lori
27 Apr 2009
Travel / What is a milk bar and are there any still remaining in Poland? [14]
These are simple restaurants in which the meals are subsidized by the government and so the prices are lower. They are beginning to disappear. I've seen very few in my travels through Poland in the past couple of years.
These are simple restaurants in which the meals are subsidized by the government and so the prices are lower. They are beginning to disappear. I've seen very few in my travels through Poland in the past couple of years.
Lori
27 Apr 2009
Food / Poland and the Juice [35]
I love black currant juice, and was puzzled about why I couldn't find it in the United States. I could find black currant syrup for pancakes or sometimes black currant jam, the jam clearly coming from Europe. Just this past week I saw it in local, very high end, supermarket. From going to the web site: currantC I now know why I couldn't find it in the United States. Little did I know that black currants had been banned in the United States for nearly 100 years. People in Poland will be amazed to know I paid the equivalent of 13 PLN for 0.5 liter. I think that would cost me about 2 PLN in Poland!
I love black currant juice, and was puzzled about why I couldn't find it in the United States. I could find black currant syrup for pancakes or sometimes black currant jam, the jam clearly coming from Europe. Just this past week I saw it in local, very high end, supermarket. From going to the web site: currantC I now know why I couldn't find it in the United States. Little did I know that black currants had been banned in the United States for nearly 100 years. People in Poland will be amazed to know I paid the equivalent of 13 PLN for 0.5 liter. I think that would cost me about 2 PLN in Poland!
Lori
23 Apr 2009
Food / Cooking + Food Shopping Advice In WARSAW, Please... [10]
Picking up a basket is simply a Polish custom. It's considered somehow polite or correct. Doing so keeps one from standing out as a brand new tourist.
Picking up a basket is simply a Polish custom. It's considered somehow polite or correct. Doing so keeps one from standing out as a brand new tourist.
Lori
20 Apr 2009
Travel / Poland: What should I look forward to or avoid? Is it fun to visit? [34]
Is Poland safe? Oh heavens! I'm a U.S grandmother, speak a bit of Polish, but far from fluent. I wander around Poland using the same street smarts I would use at home and have never found anything but kindness and courtesy.
Is Poland safe? Oh heavens! I'm a U.S grandmother, speak a bit of Polish, but far from fluent. I wander around Poland using the same street smarts I would use at home and have never found anything but kindness and courtesy.
Lori
30 Mar 2009
Travel / Check in time for U.S. flights from WAW airport [13]
I have never experienced anything more difficult in WAW than in a U.S. airport. The writer above who says that check in starts two hours in advance is right on. If you come earlier you will simply be waiting around for the check in line to open. I've never experienced anything more than professional behavior from immigration and security officials in the Warsaw airport. Pay attention to what line one enters. There are lines for EU and non-EU. Sometimes one can get in a wrong line if there is a post or something that makes it hard to see the line label.
I have never experienced anything more difficult in WAW than in a U.S. airport. The writer above who says that check in starts two hours in advance is right on. If you come earlier you will simply be waiting around for the check in line to open. I've never experienced anything more than professional behavior from immigration and security officials in the Warsaw airport. Pay attention to what line one enters. There are lines for EU and non-EU. Sometimes one can get in a wrong line if there is a post or something that makes it hard to see the line label.
Lori
30 Mar 2009
Travel / Travel Time By Train - Warsaw to Wroclaw. [15]
Consider also flying instead to Krakow rather than Warsaw. There is a train that connects that Krakow airport with the main train station in Krakow. The train trip from Krakow to Wroclaw is about 4 hours.
If you are set on Warsaw, the PKP schedule shows a train leaving Warsaw Central at 22:50 arriving at 5:21. There is another that leaves at 00.35 arriving at 7:39. This requires a transfer at Katowice; the stop over there is only 14 minutes so this transfer doesn't add much time to the trip. Good luck.
Consider also flying instead to Krakow rather than Warsaw. There is a train that connects that Krakow airport with the main train station in Krakow. The train trip from Krakow to Wroclaw is about 4 hours.
If you are set on Warsaw, the PKP schedule shows a train leaving Warsaw Central at 22:50 arriving at 5:21. There is another that leaves at 00.35 arriving at 7:39. This requires a transfer at Katowice; the stop over there is only 14 minutes so this transfer doesn't add much time to the trip. Good luck.
Lori
28 Mar 2009
Travel / Vacation in Wroclaw in June with 20 Month Old Baby [6]
Wrota -- would like more info, but I can't read that much Polish and the English translation on your web site dosn't give any info about tours.
Wrota -- would like more info, but I can't read that much Polish and the English translation on your web site dosn't give any info about tours.
Lori
23 Mar 2009
Life / Is it difficult to survive in Warsaw without any Polish knowledge? [30]
Go to byki.com and then select the free download of Polish language materials. It's not at all boring.
Go to byki.com and then select the free download of Polish language materials. It's not at all boring.
Lori
18 Mar 2009
Travel / Things to do with a month is Poland [5]
Certainly plan to spend some time in both Warsaw and Krakow. In Warsaw be sure to go to the Uprising Museum. You said you didn't want depressing site, but this in my opinion isn't This is about the Polish spirt that didn't die then. Don't go to Krakow without going further south to Zakopane. Find some of the old manor houses that are open to visitors and see how life used to be for some. See some of the amazing palaces that have been restored. Go to the National Art Museum and see unique things. A month is easy to spend in Poland. It depends upon what interests you.
September-October may be more pleasant than early spring which has more unpredictable weather.
Certainly plan to spend some time in both Warsaw and Krakow. In Warsaw be sure to go to the Uprising Museum. You said you didn't want depressing site, but this in my opinion isn't This is about the Polish spirt that didn't die then. Don't go to Krakow without going further south to Zakopane. Find some of the old manor houses that are open to visitors and see how life used to be for some. See some of the amazing palaces that have been restored. Go to the National Art Museum and see unique things. A month is easy to spend in Poland. It depends upon what interests you.
September-October may be more pleasant than early spring which has more unpredictable weather.
Lori
3 Mar 2009
Food / History of the Polish potato (what did Polish people eat before?) [17]
Wikipedia, not always the best source, says Wild Rice grows in North America. It did at one time grow in China but lost out and apparently went extinct there. Wild rice wasn't in Europe until 1974 when it was introduced into Hungary. Wild rice is actually a grass. I have seen brown rice, really rice, sometimes labeled as wild rice. Living in a place where wild rice is plentiful helps me know the real thing.
Wikipedia, not always the best source, says Wild Rice grows in North America. It did at one time grow in China but lost out and apparently went extinct there. Wild rice wasn't in Europe until 1974 when it was introduced into Hungary. Wild rice is actually a grass. I have seen brown rice, really rice, sometimes labeled as wild rice. Living in a place where wild rice is plentiful helps me know the real thing.
Lori
2 Mar 2009
Food / Help with pudding directions: 0,5 minuty = 5 minutes or half a minute? [9]
I made the chocolate pudding today and it was much better, because I figured out more accurately how much sugar to put with the pudding mix. I underestimated badly when I made the cherry pudding. Thanks for everyone who tried to answer my question.
I made the chocolate pudding today and it was much better, because I figured out more accurately how much sugar to put with the pudding mix. I underestimated badly when I made the cherry pudding. Thanks for everyone who tried to answer my question.
Lori
2 Mar 2009
Life / Polish movies - what they are like? [34]
Angel is Krakow recently came up on my Netflix list. I really enjoyed this film. I appreciate it probably was part of the artistic license, but I couldn't figure out where the director found the flat grain fields that were to represent the landscape outside of Krakow. The Krakow area doesn't look like eastern agricultural Poland.
Angel is Krakow recently came up on my Netflix list. I really enjoyed this film. I appreciate it probably was part of the artistic license, but I couldn't figure out where the director found the flat grain fields that were to represent the landscape outside of Krakow. The Krakow area doesn't look like eastern agricultural Poland.
Lori
26 Feb 2009
Travel / Is it safe to take a train in Poland? [35]
I came to Poland last summer as a volunteer to teach in English summer camps. I had a lot of teaching materials with me, so I had two 21 inch bags. I was concerned when I got to my first train about how I would manage with the 1 minute stopping time in that station. I got to the track (peron) quite early and sat on a bench with a woman. Another woman came along and asked to join us. I said, Proźe. When it came close to the time for the train to arrive I moved over near the track with my two bags so I would be as ready as possible. I was amazed with the first woman came over to help me board. I'm convinced it was because I was polite to the woman who asked to join. When I got to my destination, I was getting off with two bags, and a young man came quickly to help me.
During the time I traveled for pleasure I had only one bag. When I got to Torun a man got totally off the train in order to help me with my bag and then reboarded to continue his trip with his family. When I returned to Warsaw Centralna I still had only one bag, but was faced with a long up escalator not running. A maintenance man quickly came to help me. All the kindness was greatly appreciated and each came yet, too, as a great surprise.
I came to Poland last summer as a volunteer to teach in English summer camps. I had a lot of teaching materials with me, so I had two 21 inch bags. I was concerned when I got to my first train about how I would manage with the 1 minute stopping time in that station. I got to the track (peron) quite early and sat on a bench with a woman. Another woman came along and asked to join us. I said, Proźe. When it came close to the time for the train to arrive I moved over near the track with my two bags so I would be as ready as possible. I was amazed with the first woman came over to help me board. I'm convinced it was because I was polite to the woman who asked to join. When I got to my destination, I was getting off with two bags, and a young man came quickly to help me.
During the time I traveled for pleasure I had only one bag. When I got to Torun a man got totally off the train in order to help me with my bag and then reboarded to continue his trip with his family. When I returned to Warsaw Centralna I still had only one bag, but was faced with a long up escalator not running. A maintenance man quickly came to help me. All the kindness was greatly appreciated and each came yet, too, as a great surprise.
Lori
26 Feb 2009
Life / Suggestions required for a song that indicates "Poland". [12]
I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I did mean a Polish song. I personally like the one that has Hey, Hey, Hey in the chorus. A song something like that which one learns in school or at family gatherings or bonfires. thanks.
I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I did mean a Polish song. I personally like the one that has Hey, Hey, Hey in the chorus. A song something like that which one learns in school or at family gatherings or bonfires. thanks.
Lori
25 Feb 2009
Travel / Going to visit Poland for long period of time - need passport? [25]
Remember if you are a US citizen you can stay only 90 days in the EU and then must be out of the EU for 6 months before coming back, unless some how it's possible to get a residency card. This will be no easier for you to get in Poland than it would be a Polish citizen to come to the US as a visitor and then get a visa to stay. We Americans need to remember we have to play by the rules of the host country.
Remember if you are a US citizen you can stay only 90 days in the EU and then must be out of the EU for 6 months before coming back, unless some how it's possible to get a residency card. This will be no easier for you to get in Poland than it would be a Polish citizen to come to the US as a visitor and then get a visa to stay. We Americans need to remember we have to play by the rules of the host country.