The strangest things in Poland

except this meat is not raw - it's smoked (heat treated over a long period of time). sushi is raw meat.
have you eaten beef jerky and/or biltong (I've eaten both, seem very similar to me)? that's a lot "rawer" than your typical Polish sausage, being smoked for a short time only.

What`s the name of that raw meat with egg? Is Steak tartar???

yes that's it

W Zakopanem (do Zakopanego) and Oswięcim (I think) turin.

Raw meat is called tartar I think. Nothing like tartare sauce

The abundance of "organ" meat eatern/served, even to guests. In the states, some people may like/eat this but would never think to serve it to a unexpecting guest.

Also, I didnt' read the post from the beginning but I know a lot of people mentioned taking off ones shoes in a house/apartment. What was more strange was people pushing their slippers on me - yuk! It would be extremely unusual for someone in the US to even suggest that a guest wear the host's shoes, even if they are supposed to be only for the guests, still someone else wore them!

I don't know where its origin is, but it is hell of a nice meal. My recipe: fresh tatar -meat(500g), 1 egg(not cooked), 1 onion(cut in pieces), a tin anchovys in oil, salt, pepper - mix everything and serve with fresh white bread. Great breakfast!

Strange and nice

Picking and eating wild strawberries in the forest (near Jaworzno). Sweet fragrant and a wonderful deep red colour ..... happening now.
Wild bilberries (small blueberries) too.
Picking and eating rasberries in the forest ... ripening next couple of weeks
Picking and eating blackberries in the forest .... August

Strange when compared with Australia, everything is shrink wrapped and looks great but doesn't taste half as good as the wild stuff here.

I don't think this is strange for the US. I do it every season. I guess it depends on your car,the traction you want and where you live. All seasons don't cut it for me.

I've noticed that there a lot of rules for taking a PL passport photo. This is strange to me because we can use just about any photo that's the right size.


The Street signs in PL can be funny. There's one in the US with a Mexican family running across. The mother has the baby by the hand flying in the air behind :)

Gotta love:
The big lollypop girl :)
Car may get struck by underground lightning:
Hill is REALLY steep on the other side:

Do people in USA go in dirty shoes into someones apartment? What about carpets? :O
Imagine cleaning all your floors after every guest. Nightmare. NOT taking off your shoes is wierd.

In UK most houses have carpets...usually there is a doormat at the entrance where you are expected to wipe your feet.....But the Polish way seems a better idea....

Yes, it was very strange when I found this out. I'm not someone who likes to be barefoot and we even wear shoes in our own house (carpeted). We regularly vacuum and have the carpets cleaned at least once a year.

Actually, I am more uncomfortable when someone takes their shoes off in my home than not - it seems VERY personal somehow.

Do children still have to wear "special shoes" when they go to school? My husband told me that when he went to school,the kids couldn't even wear their street shoes in the classroom - that is VERY strange.

I had to change shoes at school, too and we had to carry it in an extra bag daily; couldn't just leave them at school for some unknown reasons. They had to be "healthy" ones for kids and kept school floors clean on positive note. Nowadays kids don't have to change shoes, at least not in all public schools.

As for taking your shoes off when at home there's one argument that is convincing to me: you're bound to bring some dog **** home no matter where you live, from time to time that is.

Formal dress is a headache. I go every second morning to get milk to local store, just few yards/meters away and now keep checking my hair, put long pants on etc - all after getting that look from all dressed up already on street and in the store itself and from the NEIGHBORS. Have to clean my windows again!

:))

I agree but I think that some countries should actually become more obsessive about window cleaning.

those are skid marks on the wet road genius

The only thing strange I've ever witnessed in Poland was seeing a stray african in a small village

Looking back at it, this was very good. We had to wear a special sort of orthopedic shoes which were designed to help prevent or somewhat correct any possibly issues with flat feet.

Many of my classmates seem to remember uniforms fondly. Especially girls - no need to come up with any new latest and greatest from fashion magazines.

They have similar setup in Catholic schools in Canada. My daughter and her friends have always been happy about the uniforms, even if some mild rebellions took place. They consisted of girls rolling up their kilts a bit higher than they were designed to be.

The strangest thing in Poland - they always pick up and keep on going.

well i had to do that at the catholic school i went to here in the UK so its not that strange its something you would do at home ... ie take your outside shoes off and put slippers or something on so not to bring dirty and that from the streets into your home (or school)

I went to a Catholic school in the states and the only time we had to change shoes was in the winter to take off you winter boots and that was already in the classroom. My son now goes and the same is true for him. He does have to wear a uniform though, only certain color shirt and pants.

The way people have no concept of personal space! I stand in line at the post office and some old lady is literally right at my back...and the odor that lineers around her...well that is a whole other catergory.

I had a hard time with that too, how close people stand when they are speaking with you, especially men!

Poland is truly a land of horrors, where men stand too close, old ladies smell bad, and the roads are full of potholes. Plus children are required to change shoes at school - terrible infringement of their human rights... Do you think you could try being just a tad more flexible in your approach to what is a different culture? It is not the Poles' fault that you find some things different. Some of you make it sound as if it actually were their fault, though. And that makes me feel rather uncomfortable.

Yeah, sure: they could mend the roads. And surprise - they actually are, all the time, every year. Maybe there is not enough money to make the new road surfaces more durable. I don't know. But I've driven around quite a lot and every spring there are roadworks all over the place. So there!

It took me a while to realize that :)

I read somewhere where they suggested that this stems from Poles, for the last 200 (+/-) years either couldn't talk in their own language or they couldn't talk openly. Hence the the coziness uncomfortable to many from other countries.

As for the lines in stores, I dunno, perhaps it might be explained using somewhat similar background. If you have to line up for hours to get that piece of meat you don't want anyone to sneak in front of you. Realities changed, the habits will likely change with time.

lol....actually i didn't notice that in Poland, but i did in the us... i need my psychological space (;)) and i don't like to smell somebody's breath on a cheek while telling me that he/she had a great day....:)

Not only in stores! While waiting for my flight to Poland, all the Polish people started lining up 1/2 hour before they started seating! They flew here so they had to know that they had assigned seats and wouldn't get to sit in front :)

Not sure if this is so bad.
I prefer that everybody is on board a few minutes before the plane is scheduled to take off , instead of a few minutes after.

No, not bad - just strange. All the Americans boarding were wondering why they were in line?

not always


they rarely do this on budget airlines

I just have to do this, before the next post says 2 hours ;)

We were flying on LOT??? I was there in the terminal so I know that there were plenty of seats! Everyone just got out of them to stand in front of a closed door when there wasn't even any airline personnel yet!

I never met any american in real life but I know for certain that Poles have much smaller personal space than the Brits. Of course the factor whether one was brought up in country side or in the city plays major importance here too. People from less populated areas tend to have much bigger personal space, but I guess that your observation is a valid one. It's the first time I hear that polish men have smaller personal space though. Interesting.