News / World's 'most wanted man' (a Pole) found working at British Subway restaurant [43]

cabbage is quite cheap, in fact close to za darmo ;). However, when thyroid problems and need to take thyroxin pills every morning just to remain alive, cabbage (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts.... .. + other fruit/vegetables like radishes, corn... ) is to be avoided. I happen to know since I haD thyroid cancer.

Moreover, cooking cabbage all day, what a smell!!! ;)

News / Referendum in Poland about so called refugees. [56]

In oder to show a little bit of democracy, the EU should have organized a referendum at the European level but most of us are aware that the EU with their overpaid self claimed "commissaires" is not a democratic entity. Were Junker, Barroso, Tusk and consorts elected???? "Que nenni", they were appointed because of their friends. It never has been and shall never be democratic. Several peoples had their votes confiscated, the Irish (who had to vote several times till they voted "right", the Dutch whose vote aainst the constition was cancelled and the French who voted by 55% against the (EU) constitution in 2005 but which Sarkozy got voted by Parliament in 2007 (something the French voters won't forget).

The original "EU" was a great idea in 1957 when Germany and France decided to create a union and it was going very well with the 4 countries which joined (Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) but unfortunately the EU as most of us know us (at least those living in the EU ;)) is the worst thing that could ever happen to Europe. Maybe thanks to Merkel, EU will collapse very soon...

News / World's 'most wanted man' (a Pole) found working at British Subway restaurant [43]

Re Polish prisons, a couple of years ago, a client of mine (big lawyer) told me about a max security prison (I don't remember name and where it is but never mind) whose inmates were complaining about food. What is important is that the prison had just hired a new cook who could make 25 different kinds of soups, which means that they never ate the same soup twice in a row....

I have (fortunately) no personal knowledge re prisons in Poland or elsewhere but the info above comes from someone who does (because lawyer).

On the other hand, I have often read that in Polish prisons, in order to have heating in their cells, inmates had to pay and that the main type of food served was ... cabbage. Like said, I don't personally know...

Work / Salary of a customer service representative in Krakow [28]

Good point, Janek! I would say same, as per americanization and being materialistic, Poland (and other post communist countries) is much more so than any other western European country. In Poland and consorts, everybody speaks about money all the time, what matters is to LOOK and not to BE and they worship everything American. OP won't like it ;). Since I have lived in Poland, I myself have become very materialistic too and like Poles I now talk about money all the time ;)

As to take up employment abroad and to end up in poverty, it is completely stupid (unless of course no other choice)! Having to count each coin before any purchase, being forced to tighten one's belt..... quickly leads to heavy frustration and disgust especially when like in Poland and consorts people are judged as per their wallets.

@OP: you are better off in UK and in Sweden. Do you think you'll find a Polish girl friend and more generally Polish friends if you have no money???? Do you want to live like a monk or like a rat?

PS: like I alway say, it's most amazing all the ignorance read in PF but I expect there are a lot of very young people so no experience with life...

News / Referendum in Poland about so called refugees. [56]

is there a war in Tunisia so Tunisians are to come to Poland? Que nenni! ;). These days, they are having riots in cities because people are fed up with their economic situation but it is not a war. But anyway, nobody wants to come to Poland so if any migrant, they won't stay very long

Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]

@Mocy: why are you comparing apples and bananas? Why are you talking about what you know nothing about? Believe me, the way Poles drink wodka is similar to the way they drink in countries like Russia but I believe that Russians drink more ;). What is the comparison with wine in France? Am I wrong if I say you have never lived there? Wine is drunk in France ONLY in areas where it is produced, otherwise it is only for special occasions WHERAS in Poland wodka is drunk in the whole country and on a regular basis by many..... Stop showing your ignorance! ;)

Work / Teaching English lessons with a native speaker in Poland [10]

Absolutely, Roger! It is a mere minimum and a lot of ESL teachers have much more. If you passed yours 25 years ago (first of all, better quality then) and also with the significant experience you have had over all these years, a CELTA or whatever else certificate is not necessary ;).

I am not in ESL teaching (but in foreign language education) but it seems to be while reading PF that any chav arriving to Poland because he met Kasia, Ewa or Anna weighing potatoes at Tesco is advised to take a course for a couple of hundreds of Pounds over a couple of weeks and that's it ... they'll become teachers. Such "teachers" can only expect to be hired by second class schools mostly in Poska B and work once in a while and be paid peanuts. Some foreign language teachers (not only in English but also French, German, Russian...) can be fortunate to work all the time, at the best jobs and for the best money but it is important to know that most teachers are not that successful. In order to be very busy and make very good money at this type of work, one has to be extremely good and be recognized as such and as result no need to look for employment because said teachers are litteraly bombed with offers.

There are highly qualified teachers and there are those who are unemployed/unemployable at home (principally UK) and who expect to make it in Poland and very soon become very frustrated...

News / Referendum in Poland about so called refugees. [56]

Referendum should be held in all 28 EU countries. I know that Junker and his clique don't want to ask Europeans. If no referendum, all migrants should be sent to Germany! Angela has invited them so let her and Germany take care of situation.

I was and I am still in favor of helping genuine -(but how to distinguish them???) war refugees but am 100% against current situation, when at least half of the 3rd world are invading Europe, among whom a lot of criminals, (potential) terrorists, rapists, thieves, bums... ... etc etc ... In Germany, the situation is getting tenser and tenser every day and I would be very surprised if Angela could survivre till end of 2016 but it is their and her problem. The other 27 countries don't have to clean up Angela's mess....

Travel / INFORMATION ABOUT TOURISTS ARRIVAL IN POLAND [15]

@Delph: in Croatia, they eat mediterranean (for sure on the coast): (fresh) fish, vegetables and fruit grown under the sun, olive oïl and thus have the best diet doctors recommend. I am very fussy and very ... delicate and I have always enjoyed their food. I dont know Bulgaria personally but probably a lot of underdevelopped infrastructures. As to Montenegro, nice lanscapes but very expensive and on top of that they use "euro"' (myster to me) but underdevelopped infrastructures.

Obviously, for similar prices as in Poland and within reasonable reach, Croatia is the place.

The OP asked for INFORMATION ABOUT TOURISTS ARRIVAL IN POLAND if you continue to take threads off topic, then expect some time out!

Boy! Russians throwing all their chemical and maybe including some ... nuclear waste into the Baltic Sea! Don't Polish and other concerned countries' authorities know about it? If so, it is really dangerous and it is irresponsible not to warn people...

Travel / INFORMATION ABOUT TOURISTS ARRIVAL IN POLAND [15]

@kpc: water is cold, grey, polluted. There is a lot of wind on the beach. Personally, in order to go swimming, I need minmium ... 25° so in Poland I can forget it ;)

As to long sandy beaches: have you been to the Algarve (Portugal) or along the Atlantic coast in France (with La Baule, which is the longest beach in Europe) ?

Study / Studies fees in Poland for spouse of EU national [8]

I'm not talking about the few ZL for insurance (normal) but since there are conditions and also need to buy books, it is not free. To notice too, that in Poland there are no scholarships as there are in western countries (in France, for instance, most students get scholarships from State and although not great ;) they allow tudents not to have to take employment during school year).

News / Demonstrations in Poland in defence of democracy. [2554]

"Geez"! Korwin to show solidarity to German victims of sexual agressions!! BS! I hope German women will tell him to get lost. He and his kinds are as dangerous as islamists are with whom they share the same ideas of an "ideal" society: women pregnant every year and staying at home to cook and clean, only outing is to go to ... church, homosexuals or whoever has the misfortune to have something different killed or at best discriminated against. No, Korwin, German and other women don't want you and your sad kind!

Study / Studies fees in Poland for spouse of EU national [8]

Sorry, studies in Poland are NOT free of charge even for Poles.

Life / Africans in Poland and diversity [60]

Stop your trolling, you white supramacist racist! Stop polluting Polish fora and others. You do know nothing about Poland and elswhere. I am sure that you are trolling from your Illinois suburb. Sorry, as to Paris, I have lived some ... 36 years in Paris and go usually one or twice a year and trust me, although no official statistics (because forbidden), at least 98% of the population is NON black. Africans are located in only one neighborhood; they are very few of them (not more than let's say 1% of the total French population) and also they canNOT afford real estate (either buying or renting). So please stop your bullsh..tting also re Poland.

News / World's 'most wanted man' (a Pole) found working at British Subway restaurant [43]

Most probably because the guy has figured that he can hide among the so many Poles in UK.

News / Demonstrations in Poland in defence of democracy. [2554]

"lol" for picture! Should Urząd Skarbowy investigate re his millions, they may find "interesting" things ;).

News / Demonstrations in Poland in defence of democracy. [2554]

@Delph: don't tell us that oligarches such as Petru (I'm always suspicious of very quick money especially in post communist countries ;)) do care about the little guy! Petru is most probably the most dangerous person in Poland. I'm sure that Petru never goes to supermarkets, one of his Ukrainian illegal maids must do the shopping for him and family. With him, most Poles would be unemployed or would work for peanuts, obviously on garbage contracts, with no rights whatsover and the few rich would be as rich as could be. It may not be brilliant now but with guys of his kind, it would be much worse and a total disaster.

I remember when people of his kind a few years ago wanted to take renta rodzina away from widows (who have to be at least 50 years old to qualify) and suggested such widows to .... open their own businesses instead of depending upon the State. Sorry, for me, it's most cynical and abject and I would never support people who don't respect their weaker fellow citizens. With Petru and consorts, it is "everything for the very rich and nothing for the others". Alhtough Polish (and other) voters are most unpredictable, I really hope Poles will never be so stupid as to vote Petru in. When I see his face (I try not to), I feel like vomitting....

Travel / INFORMATION ABOUT TOURISTS ARRIVAL IN POLAND [15]

@Delph: so Croatia would be even cheaper than Poland???? I'd always thought cost was similar (I went several times to Croatia but before living in Poland and all the Poles I know going there now say prices (restaurants, overall cost of living ... ) are the sames as in Poland. So, even if similar prices, Croatia most easliy beats Poland and I'm sure there are several times more tourists in Croatia than in Poland. For cheap seaside vacations, I wonder whether Bulgaria would be a pleasant enough deal. At least Bulgaria offers better weather and warmer sea than Poloand and I'm sure that resorts such as Gold Sands attract several times more tourists than Polish coast does... I know quite a few (Polish) people from Gdynia and surroundings and they all say they never go swimming because too ... cold, too dirty....

@Roger: there are good and even great hotels in Poland, the best ones being very expensive though but the problem is that if guests mean to get out of their hotel, there is nothing to do and to see in area (I'm not talking obviously about main cities).

As said, out of Polonia (normal) and of East Germany (as close as could be), genuine tourists are very rare in Poland (official numbers confirm). Main problem in Poland is the climate and nobody can do anything about it ;)

News / The un-Civic Platform of Poland? [60]

Amazingly (?) none of the people I mingle with care about that. I am sure most Poles have other priorities...... The other day when they had demos, I was in a shopping mall (don't remember which one but never mind) and it was ... full, which means that people preferred shopping or looking around, drinking coffee....

Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]

@Jon: "upper middle income" when officially 70% of people make less than ... 2,700 ZL and some 10% make 6,500 ZL (= minimum in western Europe?). Even in Warsaw, a lot of people make some 2,000/2,500. Based upon my experience in living in Poland, I would say upper middle income in Poland is well over 10,000 ZL (netto) and what's the % of Poles making that sort of money? 1 or 2% max.

No, most Poles are vey poor by European, North American, Australian, Japanase standards.

Life / Why is Orange Poland such a crappy / expensive network? [53]

@Polish: what the name of your (Orange) contract? Thanks

Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]

Wikipedia is NO reliable source. Anybody, including my mailman's grandma and my neighbor's dog may enter site and write anything. Wikipédia is even worse than ... Fakt, SuperExpress (just to remain in Poland)....

Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]

This does not make any sense because the povery line is different from one country to another, in richer western Eiurope for instance, it may be 900 or 1,000 euros whereas in for instance Tunisia, it may be 150 euros ;). Hard to compare apples and bananas.

Yes, we can say that Poland is a poor country despite having some very rich people since Poland depends upon others as no economy per se (I wrote that Pol3 (?) said that 85% of companies in Poland were foreign owned) and upon EU's money. Also, millions of Poles have to move abroad to get work (because none at home or underpaid).

Economy in foreign hands + millions of people forced for economic reasons to leave their homes = obvious signs of a poor country (and also banana republic)....

Life / Why is Orange Poland such a crappy / expensive network? [53]

@Polish; you sure have a better deal than I do.... Can you please tell me more about it? I pay 44.98zl per month: unlimited sms's, 2 hours of calls, and Internet (I don't remember what size but I only use the net on my tel to check my mails when I have no access to a computer). I have never had any problem with them but if I were to, I would contact the very big shots that I know at their headquarters ;

Travel / INFORMATION ABOUT TOURISTS ARRIVAL IN POLAND [15]

Poland will never become a (major) touristic area simply because of its climate and geography. Tourists don't want crappy and unreliable weather. Polish mountains are low (in some areas, I call them "hills"), Polish sea is cold, grey, polluted, Mazury lakes are very modest and cannot compete with for instance lakes in any of the Alpine country or of Finland. Poland cannot change this ;).

Infrastructures are very limited. Just compare mountain and sea resorts in western Europe or many places with Poland's. Last year (in winter), I was in Krynica Zdroj and earlier this very month I was in Muszyna. There was no snow but fine with me since I don't like snow but ... boring to death! Once out of hotels, nothing to do. Sure, as they say in brochures, people can drink (mineral) water and walk around but h/... !!! are people going to drink 50 liters of water and walk around all day???? In Muszyna, it's even worse. The socalled "rynek" is no more than 100m2 and the big attractions there are a .. Pepco store (I had never been to any) and vis à vis a Biedronka store. Not even a restaurant! Only a bumish drinking joint for local alcoholics. As of now, for me, never again!

Cities in Poland look all the same, with same architecture. Sure, some have a nice old towns (sometimes not that old) but it takes max. 1 hour to see what there is to see.

Sorry, bad climate, not exceptional geography, unedequate infrastructures don't attract tourists. I assume that at least 90% of the tourists to Poland are from Polonia (normal that people of Polish origin want to see where their ancestors came from) and from East Germany. Others very rarely come to Poland or when they do, it's because they have first come to Prague and they want to see Poland for 1 or 2 days because they are in the area before going back home.

For same money, tourists prefer by very far to visit Croatia (diversified and beautiful country, warm in the summer and not bad in winter, nice sea, fresh fish as opposed to frozen fish from supermarkets served on the Polish coast), good food (fruit and vegetables riped under the sun), acceptable to decent wine...). For not much more money, tourists can go to Greece or to Spain and sorry, Poland of course cannot compete with them...

Life / Why is Orange Poland such a crappy / expensive network? [53]

If they are by far no. 1 (in Poland), it has to be based upon something ;). PS: avoid their agency at Plac Konstitucji (if you are in Warsaw), they are overworked so they cannot spend much time with each Customer. Instead go to their agencies located for instance in shopping malls (they are most pleasant and most helpful).

Life / Good furniture shops in Poland? [11]

Ok, thanks Harry! I may go to Ikea on Sunday (with a picture of the drawer) and also will look at your other idea. Now I really need to go....

So, Harry, PAX is a range of furniture they sell at Ikea!!!! I first I thought it was the name of a store ;). I may go there on Sunday and will look into it. Thanks to tell me.

I assume that at Ikea they may also sell good things otherwise they would not have been around for so long and everywhere in the world ;)

Work / Salary for service now developer in Poland [7]

Your employer does not care whether you spend much on booze, cigarettes, drugs or whatever! A salary is based upon employee's, qualifications, experience and the job to perform and NOT upon his or her needs ;). In that case, I would ask my boss to pay me 1000000000000000000000000000.

As to salaries in Poland, be informed that most Poles make much less than 3,000 ZL per month (minium wage is less than 1,400/1,500 net) so if you are alone and have 8,500, you'll be considerably better off than the big majority of Poles.

News / Poland's democracy defenders in Brussels turned out to be EU employees. [62]

I don't know about Brussels per se although I know quite a few Poles who have moved there but I know that there are a lot of Poles working in building sites in Belgium

Travel / INFORMATION ABOUT TOURISTS ARRIVAL IN POLAND [15]

@Nothanks: check OFFICIAL figures and compare Poland with France and Spain, and aslo the US (although the US could be compared to all Europe because of its size). France has some 75 millions tourists each year compared to 17 millions in Poland ;))

@Nothanks: get your facts rights. Here's from World Bank data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL

For years 2011-2015: France is no. 1 with 84,726 million and compared to other European countries, Spain some 60 millions, Italy some 47 millions, Germany some 31 millions, and Poland some 15,800 millions so no hard to understand that Poland has a long way to go to go ahead of western countries ;).