USA, Canada / Has anyone with a US or CDN passport recently been subjected to the "Passport Trap" in Poland? [29]

I am not surprised as it is normal. If claiming also to be a Polish citizen, normal to hold passport from Poland. Polish passports are very expensive (more than from a lot of western countries) and also long to wait but this is another problem. Bi-national Poles living abroad don't even pay tax to Poland so expecting them to spend some money on official documents does not "shock" me...

News / Does democratic Poland guarantee it's LGBT citizens respect for human and civil rights? [1169]

of course disorderly conduct can be found among homos like among heteros. Probably a very tiny minority of gays "misbehave" while in the parade but the majority of people attending said parades do behave themselves but of course the media report on the "freaks" and not on the huge majority.

I've so far never been to any such parade but as I used to live right in Centrum and had clear view on Marszałkowska, I could watch them every year from my place when they were taking Marszałlkowska down to Pl. Konstitucji (over the past 2 or 3 years, they have headed north towards Pl. Bankowy instead). When I could watch from my windows, I never saw anything "freaky".

I bet Adrian has never seen Warsaw's Equality (name for the past few years) Parade so instead of copying-pasting ANY random pics taken just anywhere, he should have a look at real thing.

Love / Polish Wedding present - how much money for the couple? [40]

Of course it depends upon relationship with the "family friend" but considering that OP is from a higher income country, I would advize some 400 to 500 zl and if a very close friend, 1,000 ZL. If a good friend, giving a mere 200 ZL would seem cheap.

News / Does democratic Poland guarantee it's LGBT citizens respect for human and civil rights? [1169]

@AdrianK: Get informed! Anna Grodzka is no longer a MP and (I believe) no longer active in politics. For sure, she has had a hell of a time and I personally admire her courage especially to live in a country as closed and as intolerant as Poland is.... I wish her the best no matter what she is now in...

Just read: same sex marriage now legal in .... Columbia! Fortunately some catholics are tolerant and realistic. However, it won't happen in Poland .....

Life / Where to buy floor tiles in Warsaw Poland [7]

Yes, I meant CASTORama and not CONFORama ;). I always confuse both companies although they don't sell same things (Confo sells furniture)... As to Bricoman, although same company as Leroy-Merlin (Auchan's group), it is cheaper (than Leroy-Merlin)...

Life / Where to buy floor tiles in Warsaw Poland [7]

I suppose also at Bricoman (same group (Auchan) as LeroyMerlin) and at Conforama

Study / Vistula University in Poland. Any experience? Any student? [57]

@Delph: yes, it is and some years ago, I and few others had dinner with him (don't remember his name though ;)). Why do you say "strange"? Meridian is well established, offers IB and most of the kids thereof are Polish (affordable for middle incomes).

Classifieds / Self addressed mailing labels (English) can be purchased where in Warsaw? [4]

@Czech: I believe the best would be to directly ask them at Canadian embassy and they'll tell you where to get proper material. All embassies when they need something special say when asked where to get things... When I (French) papers made (last year) my embassy told me where exactly to go in Warsaw to get proper picture as per their criteria..

You just call Canadian embassy and ask them and you'll get the answer in 30 seconds ;)

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Jon: it is rather recent. Anyway not all restaurants collapse (in Poland and elsewhere) and besides there are a lot of other factors beside mere food to make it a success or a failure.

Basically not everybody can open and operate a restaurant or any kind of business. Too many "amateurs" think they can make it because they have some coins and a few "good recipes" ;)

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

Yes might be;) and since you all are so obsessed, do you know that French language used to have 2 "h" sounds hence the spelling, for instance l'homme or l'hôpital but le haricot or la hotte ... etc etc, which change pronounciation in plural since effect upon "liaison" or lack thereof (sorry probably too difficult for non "connaisseurs";) )

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Might be (I don't like lamb, mutton, rice .... ;) ) but I don't think more than a handful people (maybe mostly Anglo expats) would go for it in a place like Warsaw (Poles are very conservative even in their culinary likes and dislikes).

However, whatever the kind of food, in order to succeed a lot of things have to be considered ....and the OP should deal with professionals rather than people from a random forum ;).

Yes, it is also a matter of luck but if in order to do something, luck is the only asset, it may be tough! ;)

Have a nice day!

@Jon: since you are into that, there La Maison Gourmande opened by a French woman of Lebanese origin. She offers both "cuisines". I have never been there but several clients of mine have and all say, it's good but kind of on the expensive side;)

Work / Never work for Mike Mills in Warsaw [28]

ah, ok if he did it himself! I also suppose that it is illegal to post things about people without their consent although impossible to catch the person if in far away "exotic" places. YouTube is no reliable source anyway...

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

@Pol3: you are very obsessed ;). Also, considering extremely old fashioned even by those days and bigotted "Tante Yvonne", I seriously doubt that she would even mention such a word.

Work / Never work for Mike Mills in Warsaw [28]

What???? Some people put some nasty stuff about him onto .. YouTube!!! Legally is it right? YouTube is needless to say lot of BS. Anybody neighbor's dog can post any crap about anybody or anything. Only idiots take it seriously. I don't know the guy but it is very low to do so..... Some people have no morals....

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Absolutely, Jon! Greasy and stinky kebabs are not what anyone would call "fancy" "cuisine" and also in order to make a "fortune" ouf ot them, need to sell quite a lot and having ONE guy able to make it does not mean that just anybody (especially trying to get info from a random forum) can and will make it. In whatever situations, there are always 1 or 2 exceptions ;)

News / How will BREXIT affect the immigrants in UK and Poland. [1114]

@TheOther: Absolutely! Spot on! :)

News / Poland -- Europe's only counterweight to Russia [271]

"lol"! Crow accusing others (np Jon) to be ...... brainwashed!!!! ;) Unbelievable!

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Thanks, Delph, but since it's some 58 minutes long, I'll watch it later on. Those who come to us saying that they mean to come to Poland whereas they know nothing about country, people, lifestyle, etc... to open restaurants really make me laugh and there is always someone who obviously knows nothing about the business who will write "yes, I like X or Y type of food and for sure you'll make it in Poland". Come on, let's be serious!

Opening a restaurant and then to have it running in order to make a profit is serious business and not something that can be improvized.

Yes, Delph, OP can also get informed from such professionals. Gordon Ramsay is simply great and I believe a solid reference in the business. He cracks me up when he talks ;). Well, inspite of his success and of his money, he has remained close to the people and has not forgotten about where he is from. Do you guys (or maybe Jon does) know whether Gordon has a restaurant in Warsaw? If so, I'd go. He's also someone I would really love to meet. I'm a big fan ;)

@Harry: maybe 1 or 2 make it. but it does not mean that there is a big market for such food. ;)

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Basically an Iranian food restaurant would attract occasional clients only but in order to pay for everything and to make a living the clientele has to be plentiful and constant. That's why I seriously doubt about the idea ...

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Although I don't cook, I love good food and also watching all sorts of cooking shows and I can say that in order to have a profitable business, the number of clients to have EVERY DAY is rather impressive to be able to pay for everything and have a decent income. I love watchintg Gordon Ramsay, among others in his "nightmare's kitchens" (when in the US, it's really top ;););) ) and it is easy to understant that in this type of business, only the very good do survive. Very often, Gordon advises them to switch to some other kind of food because it is more appropriate just not to collapse...

Sorry, someone getting off the plane does not decide to start a restaurant in a strange place without seriously studying everything beforehand;). This is no kid's stuff ;)

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

It also seems to me that almost everybody's grandma wants to open a restaurant ;). Unfortunately very few do make it...

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

Absolutely, Jon and not only on Nowy Świat but everywhere. I used to live right in Centrum (Hoża) and I can say that I've seen numerous restaurants (and other businesses) closing down after a few months. Poles are rather conservative including in their cuilnary tastes and like you say, they would not be regular at such a place.

In fact, when we travel around, we see numerous places that are almost always empty and I serioulsy wonder how they make a living. I know that there is some money laundering but it does not concern all restaurants. We see a lot of restaurants with 4 or 5 tables and once in a while there are 1 or 2 tables occupied. How do they live????

In places like Warsaw, there are maybe even now too many restaurants and unless something very special and top, not much chance.

Also, now people prefer to eat something easy and quick (without going to McDo ;)) without spending a fortune and that's why Poles go so much to café chains. There are also more and more French bakeries (owned by French or by Poles, like very trendy but unfortunately too crowded Charlotte, facing the famous .... Rainbow protected 24/7 by dogs and "anti-terrorism" forces) in Polish towns and they are good successes (most clients are upper classes because I suppose that "normal Poles" figure that it may be snobbish and expensive, but it is not so ;)). Based upon new trends, I seriously doubt that Poles (even in the upper crust) go for heavy and greasy lamb, rice and weird spices and no wine (Poles when in good restaurants mean to drink good wine).

Opening a food business in Warsaw, YES but it depends upon the kind of food and where and as I know Poles, I doubt that there would be a lot of clients for Iranian (or Afghan or whatever of the same style) cooking.

Yes, the guy may consider opening something in Poland if he has good money but he needs to really know what he is doing and to choose the right product and also the right area. Also, like Dominic (who has disappeared) said, if you are serious about something, don't ask "random clowns" in a random forum. Should the guy 'mean business", I suppose there are other places to get info than PF ;)

Running a business is a serious matter, it is not just a "whim"

News / How will BREXIT affect the immigrants in UK and Poland. [1114]

@TheOther: I don't have any contacts with Germans but I'm not suprised. Taxpayers from Germany, France and Italy pay over 50% of the EU budget and people cannot take it. Western Europe is getting poorer and in each country people have to do whatever overpaid NON elected self claimed commissioners tell them to do...

The huge mess is not enough since some of them want to include Turkey, Ukraine, Moldavia, Albania and why not .... Pakistan or Tanzania???

If UK could vote out (but I doubt it), it would be a good relief for everybody in western Europe ;)

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

How many restaurants do collapse after a few months? I've seen tons of them in Warsaw alone. In order to keep a restaurant running and bringing an income after paying tax, salaries, utiliites, it is necessary to count on big steady clientele. The few Poles who might want to try Iranian food once in a while won't be enough to make a living...

Law / I want to run a Persian (Iranian) restaurant in Poland! [46]

@Janek: do you personally know the food business or you are just trying to be "nice"? Believe me, it is a tough business (everywhere) and in Poland (including in Warsaw) a lot of restaurants don't last very long. I've seen numerous restaurants (or other businesses) collapsing afer a few months. Have you carried out a survey to tell us that younger Poles WILL[ eat .. Iranian food. Personally I doubt that such a restaurant will have [b]enough business to last.

Are you an expert in the field? If so, ok, I accept it ;)

In my opinion, such a restaurant would make more sense in a city like London where people are really used to exotic things and where there are people from all over the world. Of course, opening a restaurant in London would cost more but it could last longer...

News / Foreign investors fear Poland's instability [26]

@Pweeg: yes "enjoy" ;) but as you know, he does not live in Poland so .... ;););)

News / How will BREXIT affect the immigrants in UK and Poland. [1114]

I personally doubt that UK voters will vote out (and the turnout shall be very low) but now with the Panama Papers in which Cameron is involved, voters may want to punish him and vote against him so against EU. Should it happen, it for sure would be a bomb and the end of EU. With UK out, of course many western countries would demand to get out, includng and not only France (no.2 contributor to EU budget), the Netherlands, maybe Sweden (from some Swedish clients, I got the info that most people "up there" are more than fed up with EU) Danemark. I don't know re countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain, Austria, Finland but I doubt that they are satisfied with EU.

If UK were to get out, the EU could be reduced to Germany, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and the like ;) or Merkel would be alone ;

The EU has become a bureaucratic and incompetent dictatorship misusing tax money and has turned people off.

Personally if UK could vote out, I'd open Champagne! ;)

Fed up to pay for the others and to be told what to do!

PS: there would be NO visa (there were none prior to EU) for tourists but people expecting to work would need work permits and that's all.

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

@Smurf!: good to read you again! :) As to your quotations, the one "by" de Gaulle came in fact from someone else (maybe from Guillaume Apolinaire, a French writer of Polish origin (true and I'm not off topic ;)) in the early 20th century) but never mind, everybody says it in France and it does make sense ...;).

News / How will BREXIT affect the immigrants in UK and Poland. [1114]

Yes, most probably, it is just a bargaing tool for UK to get more out of EU. As to visas, they are never needed within Europe (for Europeans) for touristic visits of up to 3 months. We, Europeans, can go without visas even to NON EU countries (Switzerland, Iceland, Monaco and so forth)...

(Well, I need to go to work ;))

News / New 2016 poll. The attitudes of the Poles toward other nations [26]

really poor levy! Well, the "poll" "should personally fit me (being ..... French/Spanish/Dutch) but the lack of criteria makes me wonder and also as pointed out by Atch, the category called "Jews" whereas almost any nationality includes Jews is rather weird....

Yes, poor levy, who hates muslims but who can eat thanks to muslims!

People, please focus on topic - and avoid personal remarks. Thanks.