Travel / Why does everyone seem to hate LOT Polish Airlines? [380]

Honestly, while you see the behaviour you talk about in other places (trains, especially trains), I've never had any bother in airports.

Now - if you talk about the behaviour of Polish people on board planes...

Travel / Why does everyone seem to hate LOT Polish Airlines? [380]

Here, yeah... I saw much worse on internal UK flights, especially Easyjet back in the day.

Poles are remarkably funny for queuing up early in airports though, the last flight I took had a massive line about an hour before departure. I sat around, drank coffee and did nothing until almost everyone had gone past the gate, got on the flight last and took my seats in the (paid-for, but I didn't pay) exit rows :)

Travel / Why does everyone seem to hate LOT Polish Airlines? [380]


Hahahaha. I think you gave the game away with that one paragraph - if you were a pilot, you'd know that they are held to exactly the same standards as the rest of European pilots.


Sorry, troll, but the military hasn't been in charge of airport security for countless years, if ever. You're referring to the civilian (not even paramilitary) Straz Graniczna.


You are Polonia, not a Pole. And therefore, you're just like the rest of them - condescending and arrogant.

Food / Where can I buy lamb in Poland? [89]

I think I've tried his stuff, it's really not bad at all.

Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans [656]


Oh yes. I'm sure you've noticed the vast amount of fat kids strapped into expensive pushchairs, haven't you?

Life / Are Polish roads really this bad? [237]


It was just too ambitious to get everything funded and constructed in the timescales available.

Generally speaking, stuff is still moving forward - just not as fast as originally hoped. The only real mistake is with the A1 connection to the Czech Republic - there's a huge argument over the construction of a bridge there, and now it looks like it won't be opened till 2014.

But on the whole, it's not bad. On SSC, they're estimating another 150km or so of roads to open this year if the winter arrives a bit later than normal.

The latest and greatest map -

News / Dirty deeds of foreign guys in Poland [98]

That's only because they like to share ;)

Still, while we're at it - Americans using Poland to hide from the law!

News / Dirty deeds of foreign guys in Poland [98]


I assure you that your fellow countrymen (the American part, not the Ukrainian part) engage in far more depraved things than that in Poland.

Then again, you wouldn't know, as you've never been here and your name isn't Polish anyway.

News / THE ARMY OF POLAND - THE REALITY [493]


I'm pretty sure that NATO doctrine hasn't actually changed that much - they would expect to be overwhelmed in the first phase, but then they would counterattack by unleashing nuclear hell upon the invading forces.

What's interesting to me is the lack of emphasis on territorial integrity - Poland has no real "border zone" to speak of, unlike Finland, Ukraine and many other countries.

History / Communist memorials in Poland [50]


Led by Jews? I don't think so. Then again, it suits your nasty little racist theories, doesn't it?


Anyone with half a brain knows that the purge of Jews came in 1968. Gomulka was also imprisoned - not for being too Polish, but for deviating from Stalin's line.


I'm enjoying your use of random capitals. Did you actually go to school, or just pretend to?


What on earth is "outjewed", you nasty little person?

History / What do Poles owe to Czechs? [83]


Really? I thought much of the British stereotype came from WWI/II, no?


They're not bad people. I've never experienced anything malicious from them. It's not the most exciting of countries, but neither is Poland really. Their pub culture is far more developed than in Poland, too - but their standards of customer service are even worse than in Poland.

There's not much difference between the two countries, really. I've been there quite a lot, and there's not much difference - except, weirdly, they adhere to Sundays being sacred far more than the Poles do.

History / What do Poles owe to Czechs? [83]


Not really - they gave Poland a bit of a beating in the first war between them, and certainly more than stood up for themselves in 1968.

They have never really been tested in war - what chance did they have in 1938 and 1968?


History, even Polish history accepts that it was an invasion.


It doesn't matter. They're monuments to the dead.

History / What do Poles owe to Czechs? [83]


Exactly. Criticise the living as much as you want, but leave graveyards alone.


Exactly the same ones. They're also so patriotic that they do lots of community service, such as sitting outside the shop and drinking beer.

Wouldn't it be better to do a day of volunteering on August 1st? Nah...doesn't draw attention to themselves.

History / What do Poles owe to Czechs? [83]


Quite so. Real patriots would work for their country, rather than vandalising monuments to the dead.

History / What do Poles owe to Czechs? [83]

When you think about it, Poland has quite the terrible history with the Czechs - two invasions within 30 years!

I'm certainly not sure what Poland gained by the invasion - though if I recall rightly, Jaruzelski was already in charge of the army at that point, which goes a long way to explain things.

Worth pointing out though - Poland may have assisted in the 1968 invasion, but to her credit, took little to no part in the subsequent occupation as far as I know.

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]


Now *that* is frankly horrible and worthy of criticism.

(thankfully, I doubt the vast majority of Americans, even Polish-Americans would know that Wódka is Polish)

History / Warsaw Rising 1944 - National Disaster or Triumph of Spirit ? [515]


Clean and total freedom? Hardly - it was guerilla warfare.

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]


The ownership changed a while ago, maybe that's why?

News / Fraudsters and common thieves top the crime league in Poland [12]

Well, it is a rather Polish thing to describe small things as "economic crimes" ;)

Interestingly, the freepl site explains that the IPN needed 24 million to buy the building that they're in. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that Poland could use 24 million in a far more effective way, especially given the vast property portfolio that the state has.

Incidentally, if anyone is in any doubt about how rubbish the freepl site really is - consider that it claims to be about Poland, but half the articles are about Germany and Russia. One of their latest editorials, claiming that PO has made institutions part of the party - well, I think we all remember what happened with TVP.

News / Fraudsters and common thieves top the crime league in Poland [12]


Not really - bear in mind that they will use the term "economic crimes" to cover all sorts of things, even if it's rather minor.

Worth pointing out that freepl.info is also the Opposition mouthpiece - what they're not saying is exactly what these crimes are. They will be mostly small, petty things that we would never class as an "economic crime" and are barely worth mentioning. The line at the end of Poland being "full of tricksters and swindlers" is just the usual garbage from Gazeta Polska.

Worth also pointing out that PiS did very little to improve the justice system, instead preferring to use it to pursue their own agendas.

Food / Are there any Polish wines worth purchasing? [65]

I think there already is some degree of wine making there - the climate is certainly suitable!

No reason why Poland can't at least produce something similar to Bulgarian wine.

Food / Poland's best cheap beers? [72]


Far more drinkable, too. The Polish version is - frankly - disgusting.

Love / Are Polish girls open to foreigners? [78]


Hang on, it's closed down?

I know little about Warsaw, but I thought that was supposed to be one of "the" in-places?

Travel / Best place to exchange money in Poland? [98]

Harry, just as an update - BZWBK have a specialist unit who deal in large currency transactions. On PLN/EUR, they'll go closer to the interbank rate than any kantor, but we are talking in transactions in excess of 100kPLN.

Food / Are there any Polish wines worth purchasing? [65]


In other words, nothing to do with the EU.


You blame it on that because you simply haven't got a clue how politics works.

It's pretty obvious that the strong brewery and distilling sectors have absolutely no interest in supporting a strong wine sector. They also have a great deal of influence, not least because Polish beers are starting to enjoy strong brand recognition in some foreign countries, but also because the vodka industry is very, very strong both domestically and internationally. Therefore, they have a vested interest (just like in the Good Ol' USA) to maintain their position.

Incidentally, Poland is considered to be far more capitalist than many other European countries.

Food / Are there any Polish wines worth purchasing? [65]


You, posting that stuff ;)))

I'm not surprised your students recommended it to you :P

Food / Are there any Polish wines worth purchasing? [65]


Except it's not the case, otherwise Hungary, Slovakia and many others wouldn't be churning out vast quantities of wine too. Hungary in particular is starting to really boom - and that's not to mention the vast amounts of cheap Bulgarian wine on the market. Not to mention the availability of Polish wines from the south-east which you can buy easily in the shops. But it simply doesn't have a good reputation, partially because of what Pawian posted :)))


The taxation system doesn't stop it - you can buy Polish wine in some shops. What stops it is the fact that the industry just isn't developed, nor does it have much heritage to fall back on.

I've bought wine from here before - winnicapoznan.pl - all legal and taxed. Was rather odd to drink wine from Poznan - but still, perfectly acceptable.

Food / Are there any Polish wines worth purchasing? [65]

Isn't there a small, but expanding wine industry in Podkarpackie?

(there's also a small vineyard in Poznan, believe it or not)

News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [73]


Indeed, the Canadians are incredibly strict about this sort of thing. It also seems specifically targeted at Americans, too.

News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [73]


You should get a new laywer - fast. If that's the kind of advice that he's dishing out, then who knows what else he's doing wrong?


Except when it breaches other laws, and especially the Constitution.