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Where did Poles spend summer vacations in the PRL era?


Zlatko
2 Jun 2020   #1
Did they go to Croatian SR? Balaton? Here in Bulgaria? Italy?
mafketis  38 | 11263
3 Jun 2020   #2
Balaton and Bulgaria (more Zlatni Pjasyci than Slanchev Brjag) were the main international destinations AFAICT though the great majority spent vacations in the PRL partly for financial reasons and partly difficulty in any kind of international travel....

After the collapse of communism people wanted to go somewhere else and travel to Bulgaria more or less completely stopped until around 2006 or so... now it's one of the main destinations again. I never heard of Poles in the PRL vacationing in Jugoslavija though presumably some did...

Here's a slide show but for some reason it doesn't load in my browser... maybe you'll have better luck...

turystyka.wp.pl/wczasy-w-czasach-prl-6043989699368065g
Ziemowit  14 | 3936
3 Jun 2020   #3
Balaton and Bulgaria [...] were the main international destinations

Sorry, but I've never been to Bulgaria, but I heard stories of people going there for a summer holiday in all family packed into the Polski Fiat 126P. It seemed an absolutely crazy idea to me at that time not even mentioning our time.

I was once on the Balaton lake (the Hungarian sea) during the PRL times. Also in Budapest and the western part of Hungary. All was magical for me in Hungary even if the country was then Poland's socialist "brother country". I did not have that feeling either in Czechoslovakia or the USSR or the DDR.
OP Zlatko
3 Jun 2020   #4
Maybe it's me but even today Hungary somehow just feels and looks nicer than ex DDR, Czechia, the non mountain parts of Slovakia, and most of former USSR. Heck, to me the roads and small towns on the way to Balaton felt more developed than small ones in Austria and Slovak ones.

And what about today, do Poles mostly go to Croatia and Italy?
mafketis  38 | 11263
3 Jun 2020   #5
Even more so than Poland there is a big East-West divide in Hungary... Budapest and the Duna are the rough boundaries. Places like Veszprem and Szekesfehervar in western Hungary are very clean and developed looking. But go further east to Miskolc and it's a very different story...

Budapest is its own thing and you get all the extremes of wealth and poverty of the country crammed in to one city.

Poles mostly go to Croatia and Italy?

you already asked that and I answered... look that up before asking again....
OP Zlatko
3 Jun 2020   #6
Yeah, Miskolc is like a Slovak town almost. Debrecen looks good though
mafketis  38 | 11263
3 Jun 2020   #7
Miskolc is like a Slovak town almost

More importantly, it was the first European city I saw a real ethnic shanty town in (as in people living in wooden shacks)
amiga500  5 | 1541
3 Jun 2020   #8
I thought you visited Moscow twice a year during Communist times mafketis, but i guess that was more of a work trip?
jon357  72 | 23654
3 Jun 2020   #9
Did they go to Croatian SR? Balaton? Here in Bulgaria? Italy?

Most people took their holidays in Poland. There were (and still are) a lot of holiday centres, some belonging to Trade Unions, some to various clubs and associations and some private.

They're very popular for weddings nowadays, however there are always still no shortage of holidaymakers in season.
Miloslaw  22 | 5208
3 Jun 2020   #10
Most people took their holidays in Poland

Most Poles have in the past and still do, take most of their holidays in Poland.
Either by the sea, by lakes, by rivers, by forests or in the mountains.
In recent years some, mainly young Poles have gone abroad.
jon357  72 | 23654
3 Jun 2020   #11
Most Poles have in the past and still do, take most of their holidays in Poland.

You'd be surprised. Most people here have travelled, different places are popular year on year according to wherever Tui, Itaka or Rainbow are marketing.
pawian  226 | 27817
22 Jun 2020   #12
Did they go to Croatian SR? Balaton? Here in Bulgaria? Italy?

All communist block countries accepted Poles as tourists, even the USSR. But it differed throughout the times - eg., during Solidarity period 1980-81 the tourist exchange with Poland was blocked by some countries, e.g., East Germany which feared anti-communist infection.

There was no seperate Croatia but Yugoslavia then. I visited Belgrade in mid 1970s.
Alien  26 | 6528
25 Oct 2024   #13
As a student I was on holiday in Greece. I sold my guitar and camera there and the holiday paid for itself. Poles were very enterprising then.
amiga500  5 | 1541
25 Oct 2024   #14
Poles were very enterprising then

Yes my mother brought back some fur coats from Afghanistan.
pawian  226 | 27817
25 Oct 2024   #15
When on domestic holiday, my family used to travel two directions - southern Poland to the town of Rabka or Zakopane and northern Poland - the seaside with Kołobrzeg as the main destination.
Tlum  12 | 303
24 Nov 2024   #16
Poles preferred to travel to places where "meat and fat" food bonds were not needed:


  • bon.jpg
pawian  226 | 27817
24 Nov 2024   #17
places where food bonds were not needed:

This means all countries in Europe except such communist dinosaurs as Romania and Albania. And Cuba in the world.
Alien  26 | 6528
24 Nov 2024   #18
travel to places where "meat and fat" food bonds were not needed

That is, almost everywhere.
johnny reb  49 | 8003
10 Mar 2025   #19
Most Poles have in the past and still do, take most of their holidays in Poland.

What about Chalupy, Poland.
Have any of you been to that area that could enlighten us on it ?
pawian  226 | 27817
10 Mar 2025   #20
There were more nudist beaches at the time - Chałupy became the most famous due a hit song Chałupy Welcome to.
johnny reb  49 | 8003
12 Mar 2025   #21
So what other attractions are there besides nipples and dicks ?
Torq  10 | 1237
12 Mar 2025   #22
what other attractions are there besides nipples and dicks?

Too sophisticated for simple pleasures, Johnny? Nipples and dicks just don't meet your high standards? Well, excusez-moi, Sir Highbrow, perhaps you should rather go to Monaco than Chałupy.
Alien  26 | 6528
12 Mar 2025   #23
Nipples and dicks just don't meet your high standards

"The Lady with an Ermine" is in Krakow.
johnny reb  49 | 8003
12 Mar 2025   #24
for simple pleasures,

What is so pleasurable about immorality to a baptized Christian as myself ?

Nipples and dicks just don't meet your high standards?

Absolutely not.
God made the fig leaf for a reason.
Showing off my junk would be below my standards.
Only Satan's children would enjoy staring and fantasizing and entertaining impure thoughts.
Torq  10 | 1237
12 Mar 2025   #25
In such case why on earth would you enquire about holidays in Chałupy - a place famous for its nudist beaches? It's like asking about holidays in Las Vegas and then complaining about the immorality of gambling. :)
johnny reb  49 | 8003
12 Mar 2025   #26
why on earth would you enquire about holidays in Chałupy -

I heard that it was a small fishing village off the beaten path which interested me.
I had no idea that it was a smelly bare butt city.
Thanks for informing me, Toro, as I just lost interest in visiting there.
jon357  72 | 23654
12 Mar 2025   #27
nipples and dicks

There are dozens of naturist beaches in Poland. They have been there for many years and it's no big deal.

Strange you mentioned one.

God made the fig leaf for a reason.

For fig trees to absorb moisture and to convert radiation to a form of energy the tree can use.

Humans were made nude and are born nude. If people want to relax on a beach sunning themselves, why not?
johnny reb  49 | 8003
12 Mar 2025   #28
Strange you mentioned one.

I didn't mention it, Toro did.

If people want to relax on a beach sunning themselves, why not?

I agree, its just not something us Christians would do because we have been taught about immorality, lust and wondering eyes to entertain impure thoughts that may lead to sin.
Now for a guy like you that doesn't know any better, or should I say, chooses not to, it would be right up your alley.
It's your choice as I have mine to cover my junk while sunbathing.
We good now
Barney  19 | 1756
12 Mar 2025   #29
Strange you mentioned one.

It is not so strange as all the cult followers have posted salacious comments about women and girls.

This particular individual threatened a woman here after cyber stalking her.
johnny reb  49 | 8003
12 Mar 2025   #30
He should be banned, Barns
Oh wait, she was stalking him before he stalked her to see how she liked it.
And this concerns you how Barns ?
Do you have anything constructive to add to the topic of this thread ?


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