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Posts by Mark B  

Joined: 23 Sep 2011 / Male ♂
Last Post: 2 Dec 2011
Threads: -
Posts: Total: 9 / In This Archive: 7
From: London
Speaks Polish?: A little
Interests: Music, reading, chess

Displayed posts: 7
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Mark B   
23 Sep 2011
Travel / Best clubs in Krakow? No tourist traps. [64]

Merged: Being English in Krakow - clubbing?

Czesc!!

I am returning to what I refer to as my second home, Krakow, in November with one male friend.

I started visiting Krakow 7 years ago and then changed to visit Sopot (during Summer months) to avoid to groups of English guys and so would only visit Krakow during winter months.

I haven't been to Krakow for 4 years (last time I was attacked by a Polish man who attacked me with pepperspray in an attempted mugging) and I have heard that the groups of English guys have, as I expected, ruined the reputation of English men once again and that some bars have signs up stating "No English".

What I would like to know is how difficult it would be for myself and my friend to get into clubs such as Cien (where I had no problem getting in before as I used to go there regularly and got to know the girl who ran the door policy)?

Thanking you in advance.

Mar(e)k
Mark B   
23 Sep 2011
Travel / Best clubs in Krakow? No tourist traps. [64]

Thank you

That's what I was hoping to hear, which is why there are only 2 of us going.

I did see two Italian tourists turned away from Cien one night for no other reason than "members only". I know Cien is a small club and tourists seemed to be accepted more freely on days other than Friday and Saturday when it was less busy.
Mark B   
23 Sep 2011
Travel / Best clubs in Krakow? No tourist traps. [64]

Don't worry, you'll get in everywhere unless you'd be drunk or looking for trouble;)

I can't promise we may not be a little drunk at the end of the night, but we certainly wont be looking for trouble.

I was unfortunate to be attacked in Krakow previously, but sadly there are bad people all over the world. I read on the internet of an identical attack to mine which occured within a few weeks where the English guy was also sprayed with pepperspray and mugged in an apartment stairwell, as I was. It was a sad end to a wonderful day as I had been to a friend's wedding in Bielsko-Biała earlier that day. Polish weddings are awesome!!!!!! :)
Mark B   
23 Sep 2011
Travel / Best clubs in Krakow? No tourist traps. [64]

I found Wroclaw to be unfriendly when I visited there about 6 years ago. The majority of people ignored me when I asked for directions and they ignored me if i asked in Polski or in English. The polish guys in Wroclaw were a bit aggressive, barging into me in clubs, staring in cafes and one asked me where I was from and then "what do you want?" As I was at a bar at the time I replied "Ocacim" :) I put the whole experience down to the fact that tourism had not really taken off in Wroclaw at the time and therefore we were looked upon as aliens.
Mark B   
26 Sep 2011
Travel / Best clubs in Krakow? No tourist traps. [64]

Cien is on Sw Jana.

Aye and that's about it. Just that and a fake Irish bar.

All around the rynek was pretty rank.

And you're comparing it to???

Is Magnolie still there? (next to Cien on SW Jana)

I used to chill out in Boogie bar (on ul. Szpitalna) , Metropolitan Bar (on ul. Sławkowska) or Pauza (ul. Floriańska).

I'm suprised at what you wrote re the bars in Krakow, but I guess we all have different tastes and I prefer to pay more for drinks in a bars that are to a decent standard than say Wetherspoons in the UK. Horses for courses I guess.
Mark B   
27 Sep 2011
Food / What's your favorite Polish beer? [870]

My cousin tells me I should try Warka STRAG when I get to Poland. Has anyone tried this?

I think you are referring to my favourite beer of all time, Warka Strong. It's a dark, sweet beer, 7% ABV and goes down a treat. It can be purchased in many Polish deli's in England. Enjoy!!!!!!!!
Mark B   
4 Oct 2011
Travel / My trip to Krakow and its ups and downs. [70]

Just reading this thread and I have had some incidents in Krakow (excluding the attempted mugging) as follows;

Now bear in mind that these were 5 - 6 years ago, before the English stag parties arrived en mass.

1) 5 Polish guys saw me talking to a Polish girl on Ul Floriankska (around 22:00) and wrongly accused me of being gay due to clothes I was wearing) and wanted to fight me. After 10 mins or so I managed to get away from them with them 3 metres behind me shouting abuse at me. Luckily my brother was where I left him and I shouted to my brother to get ready to fight. Now, with the odds changed from 5:1 to 5:2 they decided to keep on walking. Very brave!!!!!!

2) Again on Ul Florianska, I was with a Polish DJ friend and we were talking in English as my Polski is very limited. He turned to the counter to order food in Polski and a Polish guy behind looked horrified. He looked at my friend and then me and then said something in polski and kissed my friend on the cheek and stormed off. I asked my friend what was that all about and he wouldn't tell me at first. I guessed what it was an my friend reluctantly admitted what had happened, the other Polish guy was upset that a Pole was friends with an English guy.

3) Again with my Polish DJ friend we went to a Deli to buy food at the end of the night. Again we were talking English and a group of Polish guys and girls were looking at and obviously talking about us. As we left they started throwing objects at us, not sure what as it was dark, but as thrown from a distance, they were hard, which you could here when they hit the ground.

As mentioned above, all that above was before a lot of English have, sadly, tarnished the English reputation.