News / Post Office Strike. Polish News. [14]

I was talking by phone to a friend in Warsaw yesterday and she told me of a group of very angry elderly Poles beating at the door of her (closed and empty) local post-office, outraged apparently that they couldn't access their pension cheques. My friend hasn't received any bills since the strike started (and neither has she received a parcel I sent her from Australia). Any indication as to when the strike will be resolved?

Language / Some POLISH SENTENCES when visiting the country [30]

Rjrogalla - use Google Map to find the town; simply write in as much of the address, including postal code, as you can. It should come up, both as a sat photo and street map.

Life / Those Stella Artois Ads (filmed in Poland) [28]

Stella Artois was originally brewed in Leuven/Louvain, in Belgium. I lived in Leuven for a while when studying, and the Belgians themselves are not particularly enthusiastic about the overseas reputation of Stella Artois because it is a lager; the majority of Belgians prefer the darker beers as their usual tipple (though I should add that it took me quite a while to get used to the sight of Belgian workers at the rail station cafe drinking a lager - Stella, or Maes - at 7.00 am along with their breakfast). I suspect Stella only took off in Europe, and beyond, once Heineken became popular and something a a battle of the lagers broke out in Europe (and we shouldn't forget New Zealand's outstanding contribution, Steinlager). But in Belgium, lager is what you drink when you are wanting to slake your thirst in a hurry (more of a palate-cleanser than anything else): serious beer-drinking centres around the so-called 'abbey-beers.' And I think - but may be mistaken - that Stella Artois is now owned by a South American consortium.

Australia / Polish postal services - parcel delay sent from Australia [13]

Yes, well, that's what is worrying me: customs regulations here in Australia require a detailed declaration of contents to be fixed to any parcel sent overseas, so I had to specify the chocolate (perhaps temptation in itself to any hungry postal worker) and the iPod I had lovingly loaded with a gigabyte of Bach for my beloved. And now I fear that the parcel will never reach its destination. Still, for the moment, I'm hopeful. The parcels to Warsaw have always arrived intact. I'll keep you posted (pardon the pun).

Australia / Polish postal services - parcel delay sent from Australia [13]

Thanks, Seanus - though I imagine the distance between Scotland and Poland is perhaps a little shorter than that between Australia and Poland. Nice sheep by the way (I'm originally from NZ).