History / Restoration of Poland's Monarchy? [40]

Titles were just "szlachcic" which means either nobleman or member of gentry ( there are some heated discussions on this forum , about which is correct).

About monarchy, it may work where it already exists or where there is lineage and tradition. In Poland partitions and earlier elections of kings means we have in last 440 years we had more than 200 years of elective kings, more than 40 of presidents and 200 of not existing and having forced government.

Genealogy / Trying to find old friend from Lubin, Poland [7]

Try nasza klasa(our class), n-k.pl it used to be "polish facebook" few years ago, and was created as a tool to find classmates. It still existsand you can seatch schools, and sign to classes, but it is not as widely used. It is possible your friend has an account there, and still gets notifications.

And you could write an old-fashioned letter , maybe his parents still live there.

Life / some poles play the Race games best! [38]

did that landlady intend to rent 100% legal, signing forms, paying taxes and so? maybe she didn't. You may call it racist but you will draw attention to that apartment, more than if you were white foreigner.

Travel / Solo Traveler to Krakow in August - Random Questions/Thoughts [9]

1) Kraków is a tourist city. There are hundreds of East Asian tourists every day. Make sure you have a camera and take a picture every 10 seconds and you will fit in ( a stereotype of them).

2) I'd say learn few polite words and switch to English with anything more complicated than good morning/ thank you / etc.
3) Well I don't know about typical Krakow day. The way I see it it's usually do to work/ uni, go home, eat dinner, spend time with family/ sleep. But if you have more time you can see more:

- you can walk along a river
- you can visit less obvious historical places/ museums
- you can vistit Nowa Huta
- you can go for a one day trips to Wieliczka Salt Mine/ Auschwitz/Zakopane
- you can slow down and not rush to see all "must see" places

Language / Polish Language - Basic concepts [52]

It should be "Nie lubię języka polskiego"

News / Lech Wałęsa's empty fridge? [9]

Well probably his wife used to do it and talking to help was her job too.
Also what he says proves his wife's point.

Food / Why carp for Polish Christmas? [157]

I think fish have rights similar other animals. But it's nor respected, I like the "still alive carp" campaign.
jeszczezywykarp.pl
They don't want to free carps, just to buy it like all fish and meat.

History / 'Prehistory' Celts in Southern Poland [20]

Zakopane literally means buried/hidden in earth (or snow) (but without grave context).

And while while it is possible there are even now descendents of those BC Celts living in this area, you shouldn't search for Celts if you want to find something about IX-X century in lands where there is now Poland,

I'd read about Great Morawia or Vistulans and Lendians instead

Language / How to address a postcard to a family in Poland? [7]

Państwo Drawscy
Rodzina Drawskich

History / 'Prehistory' Celts in Southern Poland [20]

Well, I never thought about it. I don't know any official sources, but some people suggest that we were first Christianized by Cyryl and Metody . You would find some relics from pre Mieszko's baptism (Poland became officially Christian in Roman way) but they are from Morawian or Czech rule of the place. (and they were supposed to be "Roman")

But those are Slavs not Celts

History / 'Prehistory' Celts in Southern Poland [20]

No, that link was about Przemyśl, which is east from Zakopane (all way to border east)

Are you interested in christianity before 966 or in Celts? because all the data suggests Celts were here between V BC and III AD /I know nothing It's what Internet says/

So you can find information about Calts in Małopolska/Podhale or about Christianity before Mieszko in that area. And what do you mean by Romanised?

History / Questions regarding Barka [6]

Barka is mostly sang in churches or other gatherings when something is about John Poul II, it could also be at something about young priests, or seminars, or vocation , or at priest's anniversary of vows or when reading about events in song are read in mass, or at St Peter's day ,or just at random.

Life / Polish TV licence (abonament) - almost no-one I know pays [36]

polish radio has a commercial/information during commercials about amount of next year's abonament and says if you pay for cable you still have to pay abonament.

History / 'Prehistory' Celts in Southern Poland [20]

How you learn things about your own town/ street ahen googling things for people - I just found this when I googled "Poland's oldest traces of the Christian tradition" in Polish.

Also, you may want to read this:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_in_Antiquity

Life / If you are Polish abroad or of Polish descent, do you celebrate St. Nicholas day? [33]

Whatever comes, it's good to find some nice things under Christmas tree and spend time with people :)
And I just read in local newspaper that St Nick (wearing his bishop attire) came to my town on his sledge with reindeers from North Pole. An he came at 9th.

Life / If you are Polish abroad or of Polish descent, do you celebrate St. Nicholas day? [33]

I meant the story was create in places where fireplaces were much more popular so Santa comes down the chimney and leaves coal for naughty children. St Nick and Angel can just teleport from heaven , no need for chimneys.

I'm pointing out difference between beings that bring gifts in Polish tradition and new Santa. ;)

Life / If you are Polish abroad or of Polish descent, do you celebrate St. Nicholas day? [33]

Did Saint Nicholas ever come through chimney? How would he fit in air duct, aren't those 14x14 cm ?? how would he get out from tiled stove?

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tiled_stoves_in_Poland

News / Poland Secession [5]

If he was talking about right wing I'm not sure he meant RAS, it is not seen as right wing, also they want autonomy not independence. On the other hand some right wing politicians claim EU is evil.

Life / If you are Polish abroad or of Polish descent, do you celebrate St. Nicholas day? [33]

you never stop believing in St. Nicholas. ( if you are a Christian from denomination that has saints) he just stops sending presents with angels and starts using people instead.

Language / Mam NA imię XY in Polish [6]


it's incorrect to use with only first name, and while often used in Poland could confuse if you have foreign first name.
Nazywam się is for surname or both.
Mam na nazwisko Y- the same structure, but surname=nazwisko.

Food / Sernik Wiedenski [15]


it is a phenomen like snickers cake. a cake that is supposed to taste like knopprrs cookie

News / PiS wants symmetry for minorites living in Poland [71]


It is a generalization, but what I meant is that there is history and small things are used to remind it , and PIS uses it. I don't know if this is the cause to justify the means.

News / PiS wants symmetry for minorites living in Poland [71]

The case is interesting, but of one person only.
We Poles have this fear
"Nie będzie Niemiec pluł nam w twarz
ni dzieci nam Germanił"

German won't spit in our face and won't Germanise our children - this could have been our anthem. It did happen in the past and now PIS has something to play with.

Food / How natural is food in Poland? [25]

Ok Are we talking about:
how natural Polish food on average is?
How natural Polish food imported to Uk is?
What meals we reccomend in Kraków, tahat are widely avaliable, and typically Polish?

I have an opinion about a quality of food, and could to some extend recommend some meals in Kraków but have no idea about quality of food in Polish shops.

All I know is that frozen meals or microwave ready are always worse than real thing, and it doesn't matter if it's Indian, Italian, Chinese or Polish.

Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]

Really? And in UK and USA and other countries there aren't any homeless people? Who don't want to go to shelters?

It's a tragedy when somebody dies, either if it's because they didn't go to shelters or they fell and lost consciousness or were too drunk to notice it's freezing. But all it proves is that we have that sort of climate and

Food / How natural is food in Poland? [25]


Home-made sour cabbage beats one from the bag, especially one that has to travel abroad.
Fresh pierogi beat frozen ones.

And while Italian is very popular here, Chinese and Indian are not. If you want to try other, not Polish food in Kraków I'd suggest Ukrainian, Jewish, there is also very popular Georgian franchise.

Food / How natural is food in Poland? [25]


Do you want organic / natural food like the tread title suggests, or just standard food?

I'd start with pierogi, as they are traditional, cheap and avaliable almost everywhere.

Also you'll see people selling "obwarzanki" and "oscypki" everywhere.

Language / Polish pronunciation for Christmas Carol [4]

You can even type bits
"Przy - bie - że - li do Be - tle - jem pa - ste - rze" to hear it more clearly, as accents are different in songs than in real speech.

Very important are ł ę ą ś ć ź ń ż ó
Also you are up to a challenge as it is a fast carol.

News / March for Poland's democracy organized by PiS 13th Dec [49]

I think they missed one date. They could have a march last week a the November uprising anniversary. Also I don't remember a march for October revolution. I mean we should commemorate every possible thing with freedom marches.

Life / If you are Polish abroad or of Polish descent, do you celebrate St. Nicholas day? [33]


we celebrate at 24th more , but still we have this too. You could give somebody a bottle of something and tell them you met St. Nick and he told you to give it to them and to share. That way you could