History / Norman Davies - the Brit who loves Poland and becomes one of Us [250]


This is a myth.


He explained that to my satisfaction. I have no heartburn with that term.


Did you read his explanation of why he anglicized the names? And did you bother to read the Appendices? Didn't you understand that he was writing about events which preceeded and followed the uprising? Or would you have preferred a Cliff notes version: Poles fought Germans in Warsaw. Lots of people died. Germans won?

Enough from me on this subject.

Language / How similar are Polish and Romanian languages? [75]

As has been posted before, Polish is Slavic while Romanian is Romantic.

My best friend is from Romania and we shared a flat last year until he moved to Bydgoszcz. His father, brother and sister in law visited a couple of years ago. I waled into the kitchen where they were having a discussion in Romanian. I studied Latin for two years, I speak French and some Italian, and within five minutes I could understand almost everything they said. That's just not possible with Polish unless you speak another Slavic language.

The two languages are completely different.

Travel / Tri-city travel (want to see Gdansk and Sopot) [10]

Visit Old Town in Gdansk, but don't drive your car. Take SKM. 4.50 zl and 40 minutes and you'll be at Gdansk Glowny (main train station). From there it's a five minute walk to the Old Town. Jarmark Dominikanksa (Dominican Fair) will still be going on so be prepared for lots of people and some free open air concerts. You might want to visit the Solidarity museum in Gdansk if you're interested in history. The Old Town in Gdansk has the most unique architecture of any Old Town in Poland due to its membership in the Hanseatic League.

Don't miss Cafe Absinthe. Lots of restaurants in trojmiasto. Get a copy of Gdansk in your Pocket (free). It's got maps and reviews of things to see, restaurants, and night life. PM me. Maybe we can meet when you get SKM. I live five minutes from the train station and I can show you a few things, maybe have a beer at Abs.

Weather should be good, but bring a hat, rain gear, and comfortable walking shoes. I live in shorts and sandals during the summer, occasionally changing to jeans and trainers if the evening is cool or I'm teaching at my school. Jeans are perfectly OK everywhere.

Hope this helps a little.

Travel / Any PRACTICAL advice for a new visitor to Warsaw? [29]

Don't miss the Museum of the Uprising.

Love / Met this gorgeous Polish lady [27]

Expect disaster and don't be surprised when it happens. Bail out now before it's too late.

History / Warsaw Uprising - The Forgotten Soldiers [117]

If you haven't already done so, you should read Uprising '44, by Norman Davies. Its the definitive work on the topic we're "discussing".

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]


What an inane comment. I walked trough the Old Town with a friend of mine who has lived in Gdansk all her life. I showed her things she had never seen before and we only walked down Dluga and along the Motlawa. That took an hour. Obviously you never even peeked inside St Mary's, the biggest brick cathedral in Europe. During Solidarnosc 20,000 people met there, but I guess you have no interest in either Polish culture or history. BTW, I'm American, not Polish, so I'm not defensive, just amazed by your comments and your ignorance.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]


Me. Many times, including Wigilia and Easter Sunday. Those of you who live live here know how unique an experience it is. Ah, I love living in Danzig. :)

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]


The OP thought Biedronka employees were courteous? Did she really visit Poland?

Life / Who's Leaving Poland? [138]


Good luck to you. If you're in Gdansk before you leave I'll buy you a beer.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Some of the points are valid, but most are not, especially to those of us who live here.

Nothing beautiful in Danzig? You've got to be kidding me! It's got the most unique Old Town in Poland for a starter. And it's Gdansk, not Danzig. I don't care what her school books called it. When in Rome...

No waves at Hel? Not on the bay side, true. Walk a few hundred meters across the peninsula to the open sea and you'll find waves.

Most of her inaccurate observations were based upon a short 9 day trip. If she comes back next summer, I'd gladly show her some stunning sights in and around Trojmiasto.

Maybe part of her frustration was having to drive a car without an automatic, or not researching who's eligible to buy student tickets on a train. Some people just like to p*ss and moan.

Life / Who's Leaving Poland? [138]


Me. I have no Polish roots but wanted to experience living and working in Europe. Came here three years ago, liked it, and I'm staying.

Law / How can I get Polish citizenship after been married to a Polish spouse [75]


Not really. As an American I can apply for Polish citizenship, and if granted, I can retain my US citizenship and passport unless:

1. I serve in the armed forces of Poland. Not gonna happen. I'm an old f*rt and did my thing in the US Marines for 12 years.

2. Vote in Polish elections. OK, I won't, but this one p*sses me off. If I choose to live here-and I do-I'd like to have a say in who leads the country. Oh well. I can live with this even if I don't like it.

The real irony is that I can then get a Polish passport which would enable me to live and work in any EU country. So what? I'm going to stay in Poland, even though I speak French, some Italian and a little Spanish. Poland is my chosen home.

Life / Who's Leaving Poland? [138]


For the most part, yes, although when I worked in sales-commission only, not a salary-I took off for four months (not in one stretch, but in total) for several years and still made more during my my working months than I did while working at other jobs. But this is very uncommon. Most Americans would never take this much time off.

Some companies give more holidays the longer you work for them. After a year, you get a week. After two years, you get two weeks. In some cases, after three years, you get three weeks, but this isn't the norm.

Life / Who's Leaving Poland? [138]


Me. Been here for three years and unless something completely unforeseen happens, I'm going to throw out my anchor here.

Love / Polish Girl & Me...Is She Interested? [57]

Dude, you're being used big time. Wise up and dump her. How old are you anyway?

Travel / Driving to Poland from England - any tips? [264]


Hmmmm. I must have been on a different road.


With Iwona? or with Polish? Both are complicated. :) But I study Polish every day, try to learn a few words, and speak as much Polish as I can. It's not an easy language to learn. Reading and writing are easier, because I have time to think about how to write something, and I can also use a dictionary when I get stuck. Speaking is always impromptu so I don't have that luxury. I figure in only 17 more more years I'll have progressed beyond piwo, dwa piwa. :)

Travel / Indian or Mexican food in Warsaw. [60]

I've eaten at Pueblo in Gdansk three times in the last week. It's that good.

Travel / Driving to Poland from England - any tips? [264]


Man,ain't that the truth!

USA, Canada / polish people in usa that wanted germany to win [34]


Neither do Americans. Fortunately some of us know how to read are are interested in history. I think polskisoldier88 is out to lunch on this one.

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [900]


Ah Harry, you're right. Senility caught up with me on the date. 8 December was the war on Japan.

Language / Difference between Polska & Polsce? [26]


Yes, although mine's not skinny.

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [900]


8 December 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor. Maybe the US was a little late to the party, but better late than never.

Language / Difference between Polska & Polsce? [26]

Tak, ale wolniej. :)

Language / Difference between Polska & Polsce? [26]

True, but they don't have different cases for nouns. I'm American, studied Latin for two yers, and understand the way cases work, but Polish has 7 of them, and that makes it more difficult for me to learn. I also speak French, some Italian, and a little Spanish. All those languages have articles: a, an, the, which is difficult for Poles to wrestle when when they learn English.

About verbs. English is much more precise than Polish when it comes to time, so there are lots more tenses than in Polish.

Polish is by far the most difficult language I've ever tried to learn, and in about 17 more years maybe I'll learn to say dwa piwa instead of dwa piwo. :)

Life / Typical Examples of Polish Parking Entitlement (post yours) [57]


In the US, that car would be a Porsche. And when the owner returned, he would have two flat tires, and maybe the car would have been keyed as well.

Travel / Restaurant reviews in Warsaw and real life ? [9]

I know what you mean about the mom n pop places, and I agree 100%. I lived in San Diego for 25 years. And I said "very close", not "as good as". That ain't gonna happen here. And I was speaking about only two restaurants in the troj-miasto, not Warsaw. Surprisingly, I haven't seen carnitas or taquitos on any menu here.

Travel / Restaurant reviews in Warsaw and real life ? [9]


I know this thread is about Warsaw, but when you tossed in "Poland" I have to disagree. In Gdynia and Gdansk there are two Pueblo restaurants, and while I've never eaten in the one in Gdynia-yet-the one in Gdansk is very good. It comes very close to Mexican food in Southern California, and there's no cabbage anywhere. I really like the place, and it's hardly an ex-pat hangout.

Cabbage with Mexican food is SO wrong.

UK, Ireland / Missing Polish woman found murdered in Chesterton, UK [27]

Obviously I am. So please explain to me why this thread was originated.

Life / Small change in shops in Poland!? [95]


The same thing happens to me, which is why I like to go to the same small shops all they. Once they get to know you, they're very helpful. Sometimes they don't have enough change and they tell me they'll gime me my 1 zl the next time I'm in. They always do.

Biedronka is the worst, though. Grumpy checkers who scowl and roll their eyes when you don't have exact change.

And you have to love the old ladies who wait until they see the total before rummaging in their huge purses to find their wallets, then begin counting out what seems like mountains of small change at the kasa. And of course, then the checker has to count it again. Oh well. That's life in Poland.