Life / HAND-KISSING WANING IN POPULARITY? [29]

I have a wonderful memory. I go to Poland as a volunteer to teach conversational English to children and teens. This past summer I went with students from Siedlce to Zakopane. I had a week before the next language camp would start so rode the bus all the way back to Siedlce with the teens. The plans were to drop me off at a hotel right along the highway. We arrived in a thunderstorm. The bus driver manuvered the bus so that I would alight under shelter. When I got to the front of the bus to leave I told driver thank you very much and good bye in Polish -- I don't have the courage to try to right that correctly. I was very humbled when the driver kissed my hand. Please know he was not a stranger. He had spent the entire two weeks with us in Zakopane as well, but at the same time we had only greeted each other and never even had a conversation, obviously due to my poor Polish!

Travel / Visiting Bydgoszcz - things to do / places to see [10]

The planaterium in Torun is excellent and would be a good thing to do in the winter.

Travel / Recommendations for Zakopane [48]

Here are some photos from my 2008 summer stay in Zakopane.
Follow-up: Sorry the photos would not attach.

Travel / Train Fares; train schedule in Poland has changed? [13]

Thank you. This is exactly the site I've been using for several years, but in the new format, there is no longer a link to fares.

Life / POLISH "WIGLIA" -- NOT JUST ANOTHER BOOZE-UP [12]

I began to understand something is different in Poland when children consistently tell me that Christmas is December 24. No U.S. school child would say that. In my family Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were somewhat the same for we would spend one day with one set of grandparents and all the aunts and uncles there, and then the other day with the other set of grandparents. Usually this would rotate the next year. Christmas Eve also is a time for a church service which usually includes a children's pageant portraying the Christmas story.

Travel / Accommodation in Wroclaw [27]

Is it really necessary to get someone to buy the ticket for the Panorama ahead of time? One can't simply go early in the morning? I'll appreciate your advice. And I'll be there in July. Is this heavy or low tourist season?

Travel / Accommodation in Wroclaw [27]

Thanks Bossie for the great video link, and thanks Wroclaw for the info about the Panorama ticket. I've been to Warsaw, Krakow and Torun so I don't think the Rynek business will be intimidating! I found I stood out in Torun, not because I was being a noisy American. Rather I was odd in a sidewalk cafe because I was alone, and because I was drinking sok or cola!

Travel / Train Fares; train schedule in Poland has changed? [13]

Thank you, Kowalski, for the new web site. Having the prices for the trains helps me to budget a bit correctly. And here's another question. On trains that require reservations, are reservations required when one rides 2nd class or only 1st class?

And I must tell you I shop for groceries at Kowalski's here in Saint Paul, Minnesota!

Travel / Train Fares; train schedule in Poland has changed? [13]

Thanks for the info about the seat reservation process. Here's a link to Kowalski's in Minnesota: kowalskis.com
It is simply a pleasure to shop there.

Food / Polish & American yeast and baking powder? [5]

The default in US recipes is "double-acting" baking powder. This means part of the chemical reaction that cause leavening occurs at room temperature while the product is being mixed, and another reaction occurs at the higher heat during baking. I've never looked for Polish baking powder when in Poland. My only guess is to read the fine print and determine if the baking powder available is single acting or double actint. Good luck.

Life / Strong and weak points of heritage buildings in Poland [3]

I've been to several heritage sites in Poland. What is critical to guest services is the quality of the guide services. Too often it feels like a forced march. Also what causes one to return is a new feature, or other events at the site such as a concert or art exhibit. Good luck.

Travel / Train Fares; train schedule in Poland has changed? [13]

Thank you, yes I found recently the fares part is back. And no I don't mind the Osobowy trains. That is where I find the real Poland, and what I find are very kind people. I can't believe how nice people were to me last summer. And yes, I'm aware that the Poznan to Warsaw ticket is much more expensive than others. Thank you for making sure I knew about the changes in the schedule.

Travel / I am free - Hello Poland. Need advice about travelling in Poland. [16]

I've had no problem booking hotels in Poland with a passport out of the EU. Of course, when I arrive I'm asked to show it, partially to prove I'm the person who has made and sometimes paid for the reservation in advance. I've stayed in five different Polish cities and have never received anything other than professional service at the hotel reception desks.

Travel / Need suggestions for things to do in Wroclaw and Krakow - August [6]

If there is an adult with three younger ones, while others go to the Oswięcim, I would recommend going to the Salt Mine. This should be quite an experience for all and something that will interest children.

For Wrocław, I believe there is a zoo.

Life / Suggestions required for a song that indicates "Poland". [12]

My request is truly serious. If Polish people wish to use the above song, that's their business, but I want something that is Polish and respectful at the same time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.