UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

You aren't alone - I'm the same.

It seems that what a local and what a relative newcomer find in each others' countries are a little different. I suppose people look in different places and have lives that change when they move. Plus the regional thing. What you get in a small town in Malapolska or Cumbria is different to what you'll get in Ursynow or Enfield.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

Most in the North have several.

It seems your criticism of bread shops in the UK and supermarkets (what is it with Poles and Tesco - why not try Waitrose?) exactly apply to Warsaw and other big Polish cities. Except instead of the fluffy texture that you find in the UK, there's leathery Baltonowski sold on plastic bags, or 'tost'.

Basically, if you know what to look for and where to go, you can find good baked goods in both places. Oif you just go to some random shop, you'll get whatever they have in stock.

Now British farmhouse cheeses - it's hard to find better than that in Eastern Europe.

Travel / Advice needed on a trip to Warsaw, Lublin and Zamosc [29]


Remember these places are crushingly oppressive. Not pleasant at all.


Depends what you want to see in Lublin. You could manage it in a day. Two if you want to go to Majdanek. Visits to Poland are best done in a relaxed way though rather than a whistlestop tour.

Zamość is just good for an overnight though. It's beautiful, but small. Warsaw however has lots to see.

News / Little statistics about immigrants in Poland. Employment and job prospects. [25]

I was actually thinking of much earlier times - the Second Republic was about as far from a heyday as it gets; the hyperinflation, mass unemployment, rampant corruption and warlike (and politically extreme) neighbours on both sides made it a difficult place for anyone.


That's very true. It's worth mentioning though that the tensions in Yugoslavia were mostly between villagers and people in small towns - in PL there's unlikely to be seething generational feuds over land use nor nowadays competition over trade. Hopefully, anyway.

Life / International newspaper availability in Gdansk? [21]

No. Empik used to sell more, 5 star hotels were always good; but the internet is killing print media now.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

You'll find that most of the stuff sold isn't baked on the premises - also that most of them, even places that do bake, have near identical ranges. Not even much regional variation and very few surprises.

Even places that are part of chains like Greggs and the Pound Baker (which just finish off parbaked goods made nearby) seem to be growing in number, and all the small local ones are still thriving. Also most big supermarkets bake from scratch on the premises now.

Life / International newspaper availability in Gdansk? [21]

I forgot to mention. It should be the big Empik, not the little ones called 'Empik Salon'.

J

News / Little statistics about immigrants in Poland. Employment and job prospects. [25]

In Poland's heyday it was a complete melting-pot. One of the most diverse and multicultural places in Europe. The current homogeneity (which is changing fast) was a post-war thing caused by the horrors of WWII and the recriminations afterwards as well as the isolation that the Iron Curtain caused. Things are changing slowly, and PL is still a country of net immigration, but everything comes in cycles and gradually diversity is recovering.

Life / International newspaper availability in Gdansk? [21]

Try the main Empik. google.co.uk/#q=empik+gdansk

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

Bang on true. Unless you think Baltonowski or variants of that aren't the biggest seller in PL.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

Most of the bread or cake shops in Warsaw don't bake on the premises - they buy in from larger places.

Language / Grammar of traditional birthday song "Sto Lat" [13]


Because it's about him or her rather than to him or her. Even though the person is usually present.


Not here, but interestingly something like the polite form in Polish does exist in English, mostly used in shops. "Would Madam like a coffee?" etc. Very old fashioned and I think I've only ever heard it in films.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

They're your own words as far as anyone can see.

Do you have much experience of the regional cuisine of the UK?

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Not offended, but equally not very convinced about what you're saying. People in PL tend to have a very specific (and often very conservative) view about their own cuisine.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Exactly - cake with jelly on top, and paczki dripping with liquid sugar.

Outsiders' perceptions of cuisine are often very inaccurate - especially if their only experience of it is as a youngish tourist in big cities. Same with Poland, where deep-fried and tasteless foods abound. That and the staple food being heavily processed pig meat.


Wow - you do seem to meet a lot of people and ask them about their food tastes. I didn't know "most continentals" had even been to Poland.

News / Polish MP lives as a migrant in London earning £100 [21]

Here's the next instalment. personally I wouldn't fancy living on 100 gbp per week in Warsaw either - it's poverty wages there even if you have free accommodation:


bbc/news/uk-27015348

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

You must be pretty unique than, guest poster. Most people find exactly the opposite. Perhaps you prefer carbohydrate-heavy tasteless dishes.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Who mentioned Tesco?


Nonsense. There are several in every town centre in the UK, whereas even small breadshops in Poland just retail factory made stuff.


My friend owns one. All those heavy drozdzowki come from the wholesalers. Exactly the same stock as all the other shops have.


Actually, I live there and see the stuff in the shops. Poorer quality than in the UK and doesn't vary much from shop to shop or even region to region. Maybe you miss it and that's why you think drozdzowki are good.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


I find the exact opposite. In PL most of the stuff in shops is Baltonowski from factories or big cottage loaves of hard sourdough bread whereas in the UK there are many more small bakeries.

It is however meant to have a softer texture in the UK - the English word bread translates as both chleb and bułka - most of the best British bread is bułka rather than sourdough chleb.

Life / Which E-mail/websites from Poland are the best? [9]

I use gmail but might switch to Microsoft live mail. It's all the other google products that get on my tits.

Life / Which E-mail/websites from Poland are the best? [9]

Same with Onet.pl

Better stick to the main providers. If someone really wants .pl at the end of it, a domain is cheap.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

I think 'Spirytus' was probably gently trolling. Nonetheless, he's started an interesting discussion.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


It's OK as a town forest for joggers and dog walkers, but Kampinos is much better - especially if you go in from Izabelin or Truskaw. I sometimes go to Wyszkow for the mushrooms - the forest there is really nice. The saddest one I've seen is near Rembertow, but there's a lot of housing nearby.


You'd like it. Not very foresty - a Polish friend I went to the North York Moors with was amazed to see all the hills without trees (too exposed for much to grow) but some nice scenery. The Forest of Bowland is nice - rolling hills and easy to wander about in without seeing anyone. A very well known lady with a sparkly hat allegedly has a private holiday cottage there.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

I suppose it's all about where you're living. Near the place I'm from you can wander in the hills and walk pretty well where you like - there's the right to roam on moorland which was earned after quite a fight over many years. But that's a long way from the south east of England. East London and the Essex hinterland aren't the best place to look for countryside - try the North.

You can also see all those natural things you mention and more besides. When I go out from Warsaw it's all private arable fields fenced off and with incongruous billboards (why do they allow that?) despoiling the view. and you have to quite a long way into the forest if you want to get past the fly tipping, empty vodka bottles and used condoms.

Life / Do incidents such as the recent stabbings ever happen in Poland? [7]

There was the teenager in Warsaw who was found with a collection of cat's heads in his bedroom. Doesn't bode well for his future.

Language / How do I Pronounce the Polish brand name " Axami "? [4]

It's a Polish brand
axami.org
Probably pronounced the same as English. 'Aksami' doesn't look as good, but the connection is obvious for Polish speakers. Looking at the website, it's obvious why they want an x.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Looks like you haven't seen much of the countryside then. Mind you, I doubt it all lines up just because a foreign visitor's gone out for the day.

bbc.co.uk/nature/places/United_Kingdom

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Definitely! Although some of the interior is mice too - I've spent many a happy weekend in the Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska and a bit further west past Pinczow and the Dolina Nidy.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


They're totally different.in the UK they're mostly deciduous for one, however there's a lot more wildlife than you think. One interesting thing, not forests is the English hedgerow. Some of them are a thousand years old and preservation is a bit of a political issue. Having said that, Polish forests are beautiful.

I still maintain that the UK's scenery is much more varied than in PL, but then again, I'm a Yorkshireman and in Yorkshire we have a bit of everything ;-)

• 
  images_3.jpg
  
• 
  Aerial_photography_o.jpg
  

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

The UK has forests too - even quite large ones. But in terms of sheer variety of scenery types (which is what we're talking about) the UK beats the places you mention hands down.