Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]

They could be Kaszub (as Gunther Grass said "too Polish for the Germans and too German for the Poles", although it's worth remembering that distinctions based on today's nation states and ethnicities were once far more blurred than they are now.

That area once had it's own Baltic identity, something which largely died with the post-war expulsions and artificial homogenisation.

Travel / Vacation in Great Polish Masurian Lakes area (Mazury) [37]

Giżycko is pleasant. It's big enough to have good infrastructure and small enough to be peaceful. Some of the smaller resort towns are by the way not so quiet or relaxing, since in summer there's not much apart from tourists having (often loud) fun.

The centre of Giżycko is also fairly compact and there's plenty to do and see, plus some decent places to eat. The ferries on the lakes that depart from Giżycko are also very worth using.

Law / CHINESE TO BUILD POLISH ROADS.... [92]

It's basically a job creation scheme for Chinese citizens. They're building roads in a lot of countries right now.

Life / Are there any Muslim areas in Poland? [173]

Not much logic in banning that, or the sanitary products or the booze. The cream cakes were due to a heatwave and a risk of mass food poisoning apparently.

Life / Are there any Muslim areas in Poland? [173]

That happened a couple of times. Once they banned ceam cakes during his visit. They also banned ads for tampons, in case he fainted if he found out that women menstruate.

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]


They're just normal people, perhaps a bit more decent and reflective than average. I've known a few over the years (including people brought up within that religion) and got on well with all of them.

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]

No Nicki, the Jehovah's Witnesses aren't a cult or anything like a cult. They are a growing religion with members on fie continents. And no, 'real Christianity'' is not Jewish; it is whatever it's adherents consider it to be.

Travel / Connecting flight from Amsterdam (Bombay - Gdansk route). Any airport transit visa necessary? [4]


This is good. Looks like the OP will not have to worry.

Travel / Connecting flight from Amsterdam (Bombay - Gdansk route). Any airport transit visa necessary? [4]


For Amsterdam? Assuming that you're arriving at and departing from Schipol you do not need a visa for the Netherlands since you will not be entering the country, just the transit area of the airport.

You'll basically get off the plane, follow the signs for the transit area and (assuming you're checked in right the way through to Gdańsk) go at your leisure to the gate for the Gdańsk flight. If you aren't checked in, you'll need to go to the transit desk for a boarding pass; this is increasingly rare. Usually better to check-in online if possible.

You will of course need a visa when you go through immigration at Gdańsk.

I'm assuming by the way that it's a proper layover, and that you're booked (and your luggage checked in) all the way to Gdańsk. Rather than a flight to Schiphol and a seperately booked ticket on a low cost airline like Ryanair/Wizzair to Gdańsk.

Life / My Last Link To Poland Died - Why Leaving Poland Was My Best Decision [249]

Worth mentioning about the two disparate points (not enough time to edit on a slow connection) that there are a couple of settlements in Poland, one very near Warsaw, with a significant Jehovah's Witness population. Partly because a couple of developers are themselves JW as are a proportion of their clients. The place near Warsaw is a safe and pleasant place to live.

About that thug Robinson and his supporters, he actually turned up in Poland earlier this year. A strange person with a very chequered history, including several jail terms and a history of violence.

Life / My Last Link To Poland Died - Why Leaving Poland Was My Best Decision [249]

@Nickidewbear The Jehovah's Witnesses aren't a cult Nicki, and are very far from any standard definition of one. BTW, people can decide for themselves what they understand as 'real Christianity', something in which historically Rome has to say the least had an immeasurably huge role.


Exactly. And not only that, it was for the second time; he was actually on a suspended sentence for having disrupted jury trials before.

Travel / Poland - never again [593]


It's had a bit of a revival in South-East England (the wealthy bit) after the Polish 2004 influx. A significant number of men are working as builders, and quickly found that kissing the hand of an English lady who'd never had her hand kissed before means she's so charmed that she forgets how to negotiate a price!

Life / How do Polish people see homosexuality? [152]


No they doesn't.


You just did.

Life / How do Polish people see homosexuality? [152]


All three have been promoted like crazy by the private sector. Cigarette ads used to be common, the alcohol manufacturing lobby are very active and there are some very unhealthy foodstuffs that are advertised daily.


On here I see enough attacks, in this very thread. And btw, it's something that normally occurs within nature (and is not going away).


Very well said.

Life / How do Polish people see homosexuality? [152]


Quite. I've paid into the state health system in the UK, Poland and other places for years (and have private insurance too). I've almost never used it, but don't begrudge people who have more compex health needs being treated instead.

My very good friend is extremely fat (though dieting now). His healthcare needs (including heart trouble) and the cost of the therapy he's having from a dietician are probably very expensive. I'm slim and healthy, but I don't grouse about the cost of his treatment.

Travel / Płock or Włocławek? Two-day visit by English-speaking tourists in Poland [6]


Plock. It is pleasant and interesting. Wloclawek is unremarkable (if you know Scunthorpe, there's a bit of a feel of that).

Plock is one of my favourite places in Poland. There's a lot of history there, and a good cultural base (try the regional museum, the medieval RC Cathedral and also the Mariawicki Cathedral which is unusual). There are also some very good restaurants in the square (and down by the river), and plenty of hotels which are central. In Wloclawek, you won't find the same thing at all.

There's some quite nice countryside and small towns in between which are worth visiting.

Life / How do Polish people see homosexuality? [152]


No bad thing. There are very few 90- year olds who wish they'd f*cked less.


'They' do too.

Genealogy / Why Polish aren't white?? [272]

Probably...

Life / How do Polish people see homosexuality? [152]


Some find the personal lives of strangers to be fascinating. You can't stop them doing that. You can however hurt them very badly if their prurience intrudes on your life.

Life / Are there catteries/boarding kennels in Poland? [4]


Yes, plenty, especially near larger towns. Any vet can recommend a good one.

In Poland, people often leave their cat or dog with a trusted friend when they go away. This might be an option too.

UK, Ireland / Former minister admits UK messed up on immigration [78]

I've noticed that. A few times (in a town with large post-2004 settlement from Poland and the Baltic's that the people from Lithuania, Latvia etc never speak to anyone and just look glum. The Poles (to be fair, some also look rather glum) do at least engage a bit. Sometimes I've been stopped and asked for directions. They really don't expect the reply to be in Polish and always seem pleasantly surprised.

News / Polish man tries to sell British mother into white slave trade [128]


Not that many. He'd bought ski masks and texted his brother to clean out the car boot to remove any traces.

Anyway, Łukasz Herba has been found guilty in court and received a sentence of 16 years. He does of course have the right to appeal.

The authorities in Italy are trying to extradite his brother Michał Herba.

theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/11/chloe-ayling-kidnap-plot-prison

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]


Just ordinary people.


I wonder why.

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]


No, Crowie, just normal people who have a rather full on religion.

For all their oddities, they refuse to bear arms, offer allegiance to secular states and support each other. They are usually very nice people. The blood transfusion thing is overstated too; where there are conflicts (whether religious or not) between the parents of kids and medical advice, the courts in most civilised countries intervene (as we saw in a recent over-publicised case on Merseyside).

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]


Better to smile nicely and politely say 'no thanks' as I used to do when they (or the local priest for koledy, or any other uninvited callers) used to call. Except for the chimney sweeps' calendar (a charitable thing in Poland) who are welcome. One benefit of not living in a block is that you don't get uninvited visitors.

Anyway, the JWs are moving more and more towards standing in the street rather than cold calling.

Travel / Poland - never again [593]


Verifiable quickly and easily online, as are the previous incidents.

One of the odder things about America is that they put all this sort of thing online, mugshots and all. And there it stays for ever.

Life / Why are Polish people so obsessed with race? [160]


If you look at the latest official stats from CBOS, you'll find that Poles disagree with you.

Travel / Poland - never again [593]


Often the writing style gives him away.

Law / Beware of this website called Polishcitizenship.pl [24]

@Brisrodney, did you sign any contract for his services?

UK, Ireland / Letter from Polish Prosecutor??!! [34]


Belgium puts ones from Poland to the bottom of the pile due to overissuing them to the point where the system is being abused. The three legal systems in Britain do accept the EAW, however I suspect they'd love a legal precedent which allowed them to be easily contested.

BTW, there's also a searchable database for EAWs issued by Poland (and many people subject to EAWs are also on the normal lista gonczy).

This is worth a look: europejskinakazaresztowania.eu/lista-poszukiwanych-europejskim-nakazem-aresztowania-czyli-jak-sprawdzic-czy-na-niej-jestes/