globetrotter
10 Jan 2007
Life / What I miss and don't miss about Poland [64]
Ah nostalgia – it ain’t what is used to be. Seeing all the posts here has made me reflect on my time in Poland. OK I admit that most of my time was in Warsaw and that is like saying I know The US from living in New York say.
That said, here the things I miss the most:
• The weather (at least it was predictable and I like the cold)
• Zakopane (skiing OK, après ski off the scale)
• The friends I made that I do not see enough of
• Bar Soma (RIP )
• Organza
• Bar Nobo (there’s a theme emerging here)
• Lech Premium Piwo (see!)
• Lazienski Park (but see below)
• Toasting Jerzy Dudek watching the might ‘Pool play (after last night I won’t be doing that again)
• Intelligent discussion with the most unlikely looking of people (Where else other than maybe Ireland would you have a discussion on philosophy with a pensioner in a bar crowded with mainly young people?)
• Straight talking
• Piriogi (but now available from a supermarket near you – not the same as the home made stuff though)
• Szarlotka (mmm – more? yes please)
• Ewa trying to teach us Polish with our customer continuously interrupting the lessons – we learnt more from her one line put downs to him than in the formal classes – what a star she was, sorry I was such a bad student.
And the things I am glad to see the back of:
• The plumbing in my apartment
• Certain members of the Door Police (one day I will buy that bar – revenge is a dish best served cold)
• Being mugged by the Peacocks in Lazienski Park
• Queuing to pay certain bills
• The hours that I worked
• Driving between Warsaw & Poznan (anybody remember Mad Max?)
• EB (it’s only for tourists, right?)
• English Stag Parties (heed the warning of Prague before it’s too late)
On balance, it has to be up there with my most enjoyable overseas stays. The people were great once I got to know and understand them. Maybe Rio was slightly better but I was young and single in those days so that might just have clouded my judgement a wee bit!
So what do you miss most?
Ah nostalgia – it ain’t what is used to be. Seeing all the posts here has made me reflect on my time in Poland. OK I admit that most of my time was in Warsaw and that is like saying I know The US from living in New York say.
That said, here the things I miss the most:
• The weather (at least it was predictable and I like the cold)
• Zakopane (skiing OK, après ski off the scale)
• The friends I made that I do not see enough of
• Bar Soma (RIP )
• Organza
• Bar Nobo (there’s a theme emerging here)
• Lech Premium Piwo (see!)
• Lazienski Park (but see below)
• Toasting Jerzy Dudek watching the might ‘Pool play (after last night I won’t be doing that again)
• Intelligent discussion with the most unlikely looking of people (Where else other than maybe Ireland would you have a discussion on philosophy with a pensioner in a bar crowded with mainly young people?)
• Straight talking
• Piriogi (but now available from a supermarket near you – not the same as the home made stuff though)
• Szarlotka (mmm – more? yes please)
• Ewa trying to teach us Polish with our customer continuously interrupting the lessons – we learnt more from her one line put downs to him than in the formal classes – what a star she was, sorry I was such a bad student.
And the things I am glad to see the back of:
• The plumbing in my apartment
• Certain members of the Door Police (one day I will buy that bar – revenge is a dish best served cold)
• Being mugged by the Peacocks in Lazienski Park
• Queuing to pay certain bills
• The hours that I worked
• Driving between Warsaw & Poznan (anybody remember Mad Max?)
• EB (it’s only for tourists, right?)
• English Stag Parties (heed the warning of Prague before it’s too late)
On balance, it has to be up there with my most enjoyable overseas stays. The people were great once I got to know and understand them. Maybe Rio was slightly better but I was young and single in those days so that might just have clouded my judgement a wee bit!
So what do you miss most?