Travel / The Great Mazurian lakes in Poland - visit Mazury! [2]

If you long for time in solitude and quietness Mazury is a must after the high season; in September and October less people visit this region and those who come, come here to sail, pick up mushroom, wander and hunt. There are also those who just come to spend some time in remote place, far away from crowds and polluted cities. Many people bought and restored old, desolated Mazurian households and cottages and now treat them as their summer houses where they can spend holidays, weekends and days off work. Mazury is the perfect place for those who love horse riding, all water sports and close contact with unspoiled nature. Plenty of forests, uncontaminated lakes and rivers, wild animals and abundance of forest fruit makes Mazury a paradise for nature lovers.

People who come to Mazury for sailing may easily rent a yacht; Ruciane - Nida, Mikołajki, Węgorzewo and Giżycko offer well equipped tourist base, with all possible water equipment for rent. Some Mazurian lakes are within so called "quiet zone" which means it is forbidden to use motorboats there and only rowing boats, yachts and windsurfings are allowed to move on water surface. While sailing we might spend the night on water in our boat or stay on land in one of various tourist accommodation facilities.

The prices in Mazury are quite reasonable; single bed with breakfast after high season may cost around 25- 35 PLN. We may also put up a tent, but it is allowed only on specially designed areas, on camping places, camping in forests or on fields is forbidden. When hungry we might try some of Mazurian quisine specialities: potato cake (baba ziemniaczana) which is originally Belorussian, delicious mushroom soup or a stew, game and of course plenty of fish dishes; fishing is one of the most popular activities to be done in Mazury; lakes are nowadays managed mostly by private fishing companies which take care of their restocked reservoirs. If you want to do the fishing yourself, you have to buy a special license at the nearest post - office and then it is only a matter of choice of the most interesting spot at the lake bank. In small towns such as Ruciane- Nida, Mikołajki and Pisz we can easily come across any specialist shop offering fishing and water equipment so there is no need of taking everything with us from Warsaw, as it used to be in the past. Mazury are also interesting for those keen on history and architecture. Here one may find the remnants of Prussian history, old red bricked constructions of churches and households, old graveyards, unfortunately plenty of them devastated, monasteries (in Ukta e.g.) and old water constructions: dams, bridges (e.g. especially imposing old train bridge in Stańczyki) and sluices.

Plenty of people visit Mazury exclusively for horse riding. There are many horse stables here, and horseback tourism is extremely popular. Bear in min however, that if you ride you must obtain a special permission from a local forestry office, especially in the areas which belong to landscape park. Many tourist farms offer packages including stay with all possible attractions organized; in summer it will be bonfires with frying sausages and horse riding and in winter sleigh riding with torches and tasting "bigos". Do not forget that Mazury is a region famous among hunters; plenty of them come from Western Europe, tempted by rich and unspoiled forests and game they are looking for.

Life / Are Poles happy with their sex lives? [33]

According to the recent research conducted by SMG/KRC company around 23 % of Polish women at the age of 18 – 40 still consider their sex lives an embarrassing subject, something they do not like to talk about even with their partners. Among the Polish male population the percentage is lower: historically male sexuality has never been a taboo.

At the same time, for the majority of researched women (57%) and for the majority of men sexual life is of a great importance. They treat it mainly as a linking factor of their relationship.

The pleasure taken out of sex life is placed on the third place in hierarchy of importance. The first place is occupied by tenderness and proximity of partners, the second by love fulfillment. One may say that Poles do not treat sex as a pleasure source, separated from emotional side of their existence. On the contrary, sex is an important mean of emotional expression. Why then to almost ¼ of Polish women is it at the same time such an embarrassing matter?

The main problem here seems to be an issue of language and vocabulary related to sex life. To describe or refer to sex one must use a very delicate and balanced discourse combining medical, or even technical at times terminology with the language of love.

The research has shown that sex life of Poles is not an element of cultural or traditional message in the family. Polish women take information on sex mainly from various types of publications and from their gynecologist. On the other hand men do not read women magazines nor do they visit gynecologists. Where do they take the knowledge about sex from? How are they supposed to learn how to talk about their sex life and how to cultivate it?

Researched men see the problem and indicate the lack of publishing and educational forms of medium. They view sex as an important factor in their lives and treat it as an element of relationship building and at the same time they lack in the means to talk about it in a free way.

19 % of the people researched declare they do not use any form of contraception whatsoever, while leading sex life. The main reason for that is that they see it as “unnecessary”, principal reasons occur very rarely (just 2%), as well as health protection, although the latter is among the main factors as far as choice of contraceptive form is concerned.

At the same time Durex report shows that over half of Poles are satisfied with their sex life. The most satisfied are people in the age of 21-24 and staying in steady, long term relationship. Poles declare openness for new experiences, willingness to make their sex life more varied and more frequent. The latter is seen as needed mainly by older people, and those describing themselves as singles. Teenagers seem to be satisfied with the frequency of their sexual encounters. The same refers to people of 30 - 40 years of age, especially those living with a partner. Inspiration and new experiences are sought mainly by people in their early twenties, thus with relatively little experience in sex life. The need diminishes with age. It is also not characteristic for the youngest group of people researched.

Anja

Travel / How do Poles Spend their Summer Holidays? [8]

Most of us dream about exotic holiday destinations and warm seas. However, few can make the dream come true and although summer is in its blossom, almost half of Polish population is going to spend this period at home. Research Institute, Pentor has conducted the research which results show that almost 80 % of the people who will go for holidays, will spend them in Poland. The main reason of this situation is the lack of money which affects most often the elderly and children. Poles do their best: they visit relatives and friends, spend their free time in allotment gardens or go camping.

The most popular Polish destinations are the Baltic sea, Mazurian Lakes, the mountains and historical cities such as Cracow, Gdańsk or Warsaw. One can usually find quite rich a choice of, suitable for every budget, accommodation facilities there. For those in need of tranquility, there is always an array of various spots, either at the shore, at the lakes or in beautiful Polish mountains. There you can find cheap camping places, constantly growing number of tourist farms, students’ shelters and friendly private accommodation. Without too much of an effort and spending your last penny, you can always go there and find yourself enjoying mountain trekking, biking, fishing, walks, swimming etc. These activities are constantly very popular due to small expenses involved. Sometimes it is enough to take your backpack, a pair of solid walking boots and set off for holidays of your dreams. Lots of people choose to go sailing, windsurfing or horse riding. This type of activities is growing in popularity, although they are not affordable for everyone, as the cost of equipment can be significant. Each year tourist boards and private companies organize various specialized summer package holidays, for example for those who intend to loose weight, spend a couple of weeks in spa, or even seek seclusion in a monastery. For those, who managed to save more money, and decided to go abroad there is an extensive offer of last minutes package holidays, trips, and tours to choose from. Every year more and more Poles decide to spend their savings on such travels, choosing destinations of guaranteed sunny and hot weather.

A number of people, mainly students, will go abroad to work and combine the useful with the pleasant. There is however a number of Poles, who, having the money, decide to spend it on refurbishing their homes. This to me seems to be a brand new Polish hobby. People stay at home, and just concentrate on doing all the changes they have been planning for the whole year. And when they finally get everything done, they start dreaming about their next summer holidays. Of course lots of people do not go anywhere. They just keep on working as summer is the best season for their income. They will spend their holidays in winter, most often choosing going skiing or some exotic last minute offers. Which hopefully will happen to be my choice as well.

And for the time being I try to find peace and quietness during weekend trips and working days in almost deserted, sizzling hot but still full of its unique beauty, Warsaw.

Anja

Travel / Ukraine - A New Destination of Vacation for Poles [27]

Poles are becoming bored with holiday destinations whose only attractions are beautiful beaches, sea, comfortable hotels and numerous bars and restaurants. Some Polish tourists want to explore less known and more exciting and "raw" parts of Europe. One of the holiday spots which could be considered a "shocking place" to go a few years ago is right now Ukraine. I was there two years ago and I will try to convince you using the below arguments that going there is a unique experience which should not be missed.

My trip took about 10 days but I highly recommend spending at least 2 weeks in Ukraine to explore at least Crimea. The best idea is to start visiting Ukraine from Lviv, which is the closest city to the Polish border. Every little street of this city is filled with history. The sad thing is that all its beautiful architectural landmarks require renovation and the money are nowhere to be found. The cheapest way to get from Lviv to the most beautiful cities of Ukraine, i.e. Odessa, is a train journey. Odessa surprises with its wealth, cleanliness, good restaurants and beautiful architecture. However, prepare yourself that the prices are not low at all. It is relatively easy to find accommodation because as soon as you leave the train, you will notice crowds of people offering luxurious rooms for modest prices. Obviously, you have to be careful because these rooms are usually of mediocre standards or worse and far away from the city centre. I was lucky due to the fact that I ended up in the apartment being the replica of communist luxury (crystal vases, wallpapers and furniture wrapped in a plastic wrap not to get used too fast). The city is strongly influenced by its history as a sea port. What is an absolute must on your sightseeing list are synagogues and Orthodox churches. Certainly you have to try traditional cuisine but if you are already bored with regional dishes go to the best Italian restaurant in the Eastern Europe called Zara. I was taken aback by the fact that three years ago they had televisions in the restrooms. Do not miss the opportunity to visit this place, because they are a few such good restaurants in this part of Ukraine. (Very good chowder, sea food, pastas and pizzas). The other world famous attraction in Odessa are the stairs from the movie The Battleship Potemkin and the hotel situated next to the Black Sea with enormous aquariums filled with exotic fish.

It takes about 14 h to travel from Odessa to Yalta. However, this trip is a real adventure. First of all, windows in the train are closed during all the period of the travel, which is kind of a tough experience. The positive thing is that the train stops every 3 h and at each station there are people selling home made food, from cheese, cakes to smoke fish for pennies.

The most well known communist resort of Crimea is Yalta. In my opinion, this city is disappointing. However, it is the base camp if you want to see the numerous attractions in the neighborhood. The place of Yalta agreement- Swallows’ Nest, which looks like a deserted tower on the cliff. If you watched Adventures of Mr. Kleks when you were a kid, you certainly remember the famous castle where all the characters from fairy tales meet once a year. It was such a surprise for me to discover that is really exist (Khan Palace) and looks exactly like it was shown from a movie.

One of the most unforgettable Ukrainian experiences is Bakhchisarian region. The view of the monastery carved in the rocks is a breathtaking experience and the sound of the monks singing religious psalms makes the hair on your head raise. One of the best delights was a dinner that we had under the stars in the shadow of the mountains in a Tatarian restaurant. We were the only guests and we ordered almost all the dishes from the menu. We sat on the huge pillows on the special wooden platform. Due to religious restrictions the place did not serve alcohol but they let us buy our own wine and even opened the bottles for us. Praise be to their principles! We felt totally free of any problems that night, suspended in time and space.

I would strongly recommend visiting Ukraine and in particular Crimea because it is such a rewarding and surprising experience, which stays in the memory forever.

Anja

Travel / Quick Warsaw Tour - Basic Info [2]

Warsaw is not the cold and dead city it used to be under communism rule. Today, with bustling Polish economy and freedom from communist rule, the city has undergone a huge transformation process. Many old communist buildings gave way to modern sky scrapers, dilapidating old town was restored, entertainment and services transformed to match that of other western capitals. Crime rate is lower than that of big cities in the United States. Today Warsaw boasts GDP per capita more than 75% of European Union average.

Here is a short travel guide to Warsaw’s architecture:

Rebuilding of Warsaw after World War II coincided with emergence of social realism. The facades of many buildings in the area of Marszalkowska street show the uninspired architecture style of the communist era. Buildings are generally dull and it is difficult to distinguish one building from the other. However this area shows the remnants of Warsaw's social realism architectural past and in that sense it might be inspiring to see.

The Palace of Culture and Science is a well recognized sign situated in the very heart of Warsaw. This monolithic building was a "gift" from the Soviet Union to Warsaw. It was built in 1955 to the design of a Russian architect and resembles Moscow high-rises. Although it has only 30 stories, it used to be Europe's second largest building at that time.

Worth seeing in this area are: Warsaw Technical University, Warszawa hotel, Palace of Culture and Science, and PKO S.A Bank. They are located in the center of Warsaw at Marszalkowska Street.

The Old Town is by far the most attractive area of Warsaw. It stretches between Wybrzeze Gdanskie Street, Grodzka, Mostowa and Podwale Street. All major attractions are in the vicinity of its Market Square.

Warsaw Old Town was established in the 13th century. It impresses tourists with its quaint, cobbled streets and unique old architecture. The heart of the area is the Old Town Market Square with its unique traditional Polish restaurants, cafes and shops. When the weather is warm the square is covered with cafe tables, vendors of souvenirs and street artists.

We may see some examples of old architecture there: the City Walls, The Barbican and St. John's Cathedral. Old Town is ideal for walks and picnics; the whole area is closed to traffic, bewilders tourists with spectacular scenery and unforgettable atmosphere.

The New Town began to develop in 14th century. Duke Janusz the Elder granted the New Town a separate status from the Old Town in 1408. The New Town had its own council, a Town Hall and several churches and monasteries. Contrary to the Old Town it was not fortified. The New Town was incorporated into Warsaw in 1791. During World War II the New Town suffered severe damage but was restored to its original glamour.

The New Town is located between Krasinskiego Street in the North, Dluga Street in the South, Adama Mickiewicza Street in the West and Wybrzeze Gdanskie Street in the East. Most of its space is pedestrian only zone.

The Royal Route extends from the Castle Square to the end of Krakowskie Przedmiescie and Nowy Swiat. Nowy Swiat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie Streets are genuine jewels of this part of Warsaw. We can admire buildings that are predominantly neoclassical in style as well as many churches and palaces. Nowy Swiat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie also feature many trendy cafes, restaurants, stores and fashionable boutiques. Nowy Swiat is great for walks as part of the street is closed for traffic.

In 16th and 17th centuries it was occupied by Warsaw's wealthiest residents. The area suffered during the Swedish invasion in 1655 but it was soon rebuilt.

Some of the attractions worth seeing are: Warsaw University, Bristol Hotel, Potocki’a Palace, Holly Cross Church, Adam Mickiewicz monument as well as Nicholas Copernicus monument. All of the attractions are located along Nowy Swiat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie Streets.

Anja

Travel / Beskidy Mountains in Poland [2]

Beskid Wysoki (High) is a western part of High Carpathian mountains and between Zwardoń Pass and Czaca lowering to Osielec and Zubrzycka Pass is referred to as Beskid Żywiecki. There are three main mountain ranges: Wielka Racza, Pilsko and Babia Góra chich differ in height and form. Wielka Racza is of a fork shape, Pilsko resembles antlers; Babia Gora and Pilsko have their culminations visibly towering over mountain massifs. Babia Góra is the highest peak of Beskid Wysoki (1725 meters above sea level) being also the highest in whole Beskidy mountains. Beskid Wysoki is built mainly of sandstone.

Its mountains streams gather waters which flow into Soła and Skawa, right – bank tributary of Vistula river. There are plenty of waterfalls and cascades e.g. in picturesque village of Sopotnia, in Milówka and Korbielów. Hereby forests consist mainly of spruce, covering as much as 80% of their stand. The characteristic feature of the mountains is the division of their forests into layers – lower layer reaches up to 1150 meters, upper layer – 1390 meters and dwarf mountain pine layer up to 1650 meters. above this there is an alpine layer which encompasses multiple species of high mountain vegetation. The nature of this beautiful region is protected within nature reserves. The most precious clusters of vegetation are protected under Babia Góra National Park and nature reserves such as: "Śrubita" (south of Rycerka), on Romanka and Rysianka. The animal species inhabiting Beskid Wysoki are typical for the whole Carpathian region.

Beskid Wysoki is in general easily accessible and available for trekking and mountain tourism. Soft mountain massifs and peaks forms , with the average height of around 1200 meters above sea level, long mountain ranges linked with passes, picturesque landscape are the invitation for leisure and sport activities. There are also many monumental places, with the oldest dating from late Gothic, the most impressive ones from Renaissance era and the most numerous from Baroque times. Among them one may find wooden chapels and churches constructed by highlander carpenters (e.g. in Cięcina, Gilowice, £ękawica) and also stone castles. In Beskidy valleys there are plenty of well organized villages and human settlements. They are inhabited by highlanders, who, not so long ago, used to wear traditional highlander costumes. There are still plenty of old wooden houses with arched doorways and thatched roofs preserved in the region. They are considered however to be the relicts of the past folklore as modern architecture, very often too ugly, has started to dominate. The landscape of the region changes every year.

Beskidy are covered with network of well marked tourist routes and tracks, running along the most beautiful mountain ranges and parts of the region. There are also plenty of well maintained tourist shelters and huts which are especially welcomed by travelers. All mountain valleys are linked by roads and can be reached by public transport, as well as by private vehicles.

Beskidy mountains are very popular in winter season being one of the most popular winter sports center in Poland; if you want to have an unforgettable skiing vacation you should try Korbielów with its Pilsko peak, Zwardoń, Wielka Racza, which lies just across Czech border. The slopes here are fantastic, offering challenge to inexperienced and expert skiers alike. Ski lifts and other facilities improve every year, which, given the additional benefit of gorgeous landscape make our holiday worthy a try.

Anja

News / Polish Campaign: "I protect my life against cervical cancer" [5]

This is a campaign which aim is to bring awareness to Polish women that cervical cancer, being the second as far as frequency of appearance in women is taken into consideration, malignant tumor, presents serious threat to their health and life. The campaign has a positive message as well: cervical cancer can be avoided by means of proper preventive care.

The Founding Committee of Polish Association for the Prevention of HPV Infection is the organizer of the campaign, scientific patronage is held by: Polish Committee for Tumor Prevention, Polish Gynecological Society, Polish Society of Oncological Gynecology. The campaign is also supported by “Pink Lilly of the Valley Program”, which has been leading educational activities relating to cervical cancer problem for several years.

Various types of human papilloma virus (HPV) are the cause of cervical cancer. This is a very frequent virus. It is estimated that over a half of adults, in a certain stage in their lives, become infected with HPV. From the moment of infection to the development of malignant tumor there is a period of five to ten years. It is a long time, enough to discover the disease in its completely curable stage. Despite of this, however, among four thousand of Polish women, who get cervical cancer every year, half of them die. The main reason of this is the fact, that the disease was diagnosed too late. This means that every single day five women in Poland die of cervical cancer. The reason of such high mortality rate is the fact that Polish women do not do pap smear on regular basis. These tests help to find even the tiniest changes in the scope of cervix. Only 30% of Polish women do pap smears once every three years, next 30% has never had the test. Women die because they find out about their illness much too late – and that is the case of every second woman.

The campaign was initiated in order to let Polish women know that this type of tumor can be prevented. If every woman underwent pap smear test at least once in her life, the death risk connected with the disease would drop at about 40%. Soon there will be an opportunity to use primal cervical cancer prevention methods, such as vaccinations against HPV infection.

Polish celebrities, such as actresses Anna Korcz and Alicja Bachleda- Curus, have engaged in the campaign. Along medical experts they are to persuade women that their health and life are the values which have to be protected. The easiest way to do this is to perform regular prevention medical tests.

As for the time being, unfortunately the disease gives Polish women first and dishonorable place in Europe as far as mortality death rate is taken into consideration. The campaign focuses on its goal by handing out educational brochures and its symbols: Violet Ribbons and giving women an opportunity to gain additional information as well as to see a specialist. But still lots of us do not think about our health seriously and in this case neglecting the basic preventive care might lead to a problem which could be to difficult to overcome.

Anna J