Polish lifestyle, month by month, year by year, illustrated

OK, HDKozak, let`s Cossack dance a little then. :):):):)

If you derived so much pleasure from such a simple thread: Poland in photo riddles

what will you say to this?:

I would like to share with you a few interesting photos which I take every month. That is the rule I am going to stick to - month after month. But I reserve the right to provide a personal, extremely subjective commentary to them. :):):):):)

January
January is winter time in Poland.

Polish elderly ladies love wearing natural fur coats in winter as temperatures may drop to -30 degrees C. It happens very rarely now compared to 20th century severe winters, but you should be prepared, anyway.

Morning skies in Krakow

The kindergarten exhibition of Christmas szopkas made by kids and parents.

Fortunately, religion holds strong in educational facilities in Krakow.

Steak tartare is especially popular in Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Serbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Romania, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Nepal, Switzerland, Korea, Canada, Lebanon and Ethiopia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_tartare

More and more Poles take to the dish which is extremely healthy because of high content of vitamins and minerals which aren`t damaged by the cooking process.

please enumerate all the ingredients other than the meat and eggs of course. That looks delicious-pycha!

Ingredients may vary, depending on the taste. The basic stuff is chopped onion and pickled cucumber. I also added shredded leek and red onion, sardines, pickled mushrooms all kinds of spices I found in the kitchen, giving priority to pepper, marjoram, ginger. Don`t forget oilve oil and sth salty, e.g., soya bean sauce.

And white country bread is a must!

Important anniversaries are always celebrated in Poland.

Here, a school exhibition on martial law 1981.

Announcement about the curfew in a city

All products were rationed in 1981

Opposition leaflets - Polish actors we love you 9for the boycot of the regime media, especially TV)

Anticommunist riots in cities.

-22 F very very cold!

Testing students

Grading system in Poland is from 1(F) to 6(A)

Artistic students draw funny stories on their test sheets.

This year`s winter was quite mild. Long gone are the times when I drove through tunnels of snow walls higher than my car.

I had taken better photos in previous years.

Every 3 or so months there are parent-teacher meetings in Polish schools. First, parents sit at desks and listen to teacher`s general remarks such as the grade`s/year`s results, behaviour, trips, etc. Then, parents form a line and individually talk to the teacher about their kids. Parents of good students boldly go first, while bad students` parents queue as last. It is a rule. I noticed it in my oldest son`s school (4th grade), and also in my workplace.

They have nice decorations on walls. It is my ex primary school -I attended it many years ago.

The summer of 2032 might be a good time to visit my old friends in California.

Camera gremlins. Simple.

Never do I see so many road collisions as in winter. Normal.

More winter skies:

Last year students practise Polonaise dance before the 100 Days` Ball.

The polonaise (Polish: polonez) is a slow dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time. Its name is French for "Polish."
The polonaise had a rhythm quite close to that of the Swedish semiquaver or sixteenth-note polska, and the two dances have a common origin.
Polonaise is a widespread dance in carnival parties. Polonaise is always a first dance at a studniówka ("hundred-days"), the Polish equivalent of the senior prom that occurs approximately 100 days before exams.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonaise

With the gym hall occupied, younger students have to do PE class in the gym corridor.

While others come to individual final exam preparation classes:

FEBRUARY


And finally the D-Day comes.

They start with Polonaise dance and speeches. I gave one, too, in traditional pawian`s style. :):):):)

Mock champagne. In Poland you can booze up when 18.
Sitting halls
Staff tables
Dishes - hot, cold etc.
Priests display propensity to wine. I wonder why???
Traditional flowers for the headmaster (notice the Polish traditional hand kiss!):
and headmistress
Dancing
During the party, official photos are taken.
Popular teachers are respected by being thrown into the air:
Everything is recorded by unassuming paparazzis

Traditionally, official garb is expected, but some students go unorthodox:

December
Christmas Eve, just before Supper

The tree been just decorated, wafers are lying on the table, fish is getting ready

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More photos

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  Bible reading
  
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  Praying
  
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  Sharing a wafer
  
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  Table decor made in kindergarten clay class
  

Dishes. Our supper has always been modest.

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  Żurek with noble mushrooms and potatoes
  
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  Red borsch with potatoes
  
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  Red borsch with dumplings
  
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  Fried carp