Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]


I don't think that's the issue, it's more a question of culture and processed food (as opposed to fresh food). As Das Essenties pointed out, France, where food is more than plentiful, are amongest the leanest. Similarly for Switzerland where I live now (Zûrich) where everybody seems to be fit and lean (except me!)

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]

BLS

To be fair BLS, the link you provide focuses mainly on demonstrating that high fructose diets are probably responsible, at least in part, for high rates of obesity in the US, but not that food sold in the US is particularly rich in high fructose syrup (although some products such as bread, cereals .. are mentioned). But more generally I agree with your point that too much of the food in the US is processed and 'enriched', eg the fact that US beef is so 'tender' compared to other countries could be due that it is full of hormones (which are forbidden in many other countries).

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]

Polonius3

Yes, unfortunately you are right Polonius, fast food is catching up in both those countries.. France for example is Mc Donald's 2nd biggest country after the US but before the UK or Germany.. In fact, Mc Donald's most profitable restaurant in the world (incl the US) is in France, on the Champs Elysées, although admittedly, many tourists visiting Paris contribute to its turnover..

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]

Polonius3
In my view, that's because there was an "utilitarian" view of eating in most anglo countries, a bit like putting petrol in the car to keep it on the move. That leads to an attitude where the quicker and the faster you eat the better, to be compared to the countries like Italy or France where eating is viewed as a pleasure and takesa little longer. I wrote "was" because things are slowly changing, and certainly in the UK, more an more people view having a meal as something to be enjoyed as much as just "filling up"..

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

Things are changing fast, but we're not there yet:

-as you point out, A2 is still not finished. Plans are for end 2012 but initially it was meant to be ready for the Euro
- another example: driving from the capital to the country's 2nd largest city , Lodz, which is less than 120 km away, is still a nightmare!!

But we'll get there sometime!!

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


Come on Delph, it is true that road connections in South west Poland (ie Wroclaw and Krakow areas) are OK and well connected to the German autobahn system.. But awhat about the rest of the country?? Consider that Warsaw, the capital, is still not connected by full motorway to any part of the country!! There are not many european capitals facing this situation..

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]

weil, Seanus, I have been known to pour a little port into the cheese after digging a hole into it. Once the port has been poured, you fill the hole back with the cheese and you dig a spoon into the lot... Scrumptious!

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]

will be over to London next week to buy my annual pot of Stilton and the Xmas cake. That's about all the British food i can think of that's worth bringing back...

Travel / What is the weather like in Poland where you are now? [202]

where is that Johnny?

Life / Why Do You Love Poland? [907]


Allie, how old are you? When I read your prose, makes me think of a modern version of Trybuna Ludu!!

Life / The nature of Polish jokes? [125]

ok, mildly amusing..but you must admit hythorn is right, all your jokes come with a sexual component (not that's an issue..)

Life / The nature of Polish jokes? [125]

to southern

please explain, i don't get it..typical balkan humor??

Life / The nature of Polish jokes? [125]

Polmed

How can such a pretty face as yours be so full of hatred??

Life / What is Poland's fastest growing ethnic group? [57]

According to this link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Vietnam

the top 3 countries outside Vietnam to house Vietnamese are in this order USA (1,6 mios), Cambodia (600k) and France (250k). Poland has a mere 10k, a little more than Switzerland but fewer than Sweden or Norway. But I agree that the source (Wiki) is open to challenge..

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]

Krakow is beautiful but you cannot compare it to Prague. The latter is in the same league as Paris, not Krakow. Just look at the numbers of tourists visiting each city, and don't tell me its a matter of advertising, the czechs are not better at it than the poles

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]

to Allie

too late, the spot has already been taken up by Prague...

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]

That's a very good mix.

And btw, you're 100% right with France..

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]

Are you French Peterweg?

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


So did mine until 5 years ago, but I did a little bit of research, which I'm willing to provide to you for free:

"The Vigilia is the most important meal of the year therefore the preparation is very careful, although the meal varies for area to area, it is normally without meat and can be 7, 9 or 11 courses. [...]. Desert is usually fruit compote and several versions of cake with poppy seeds, if you have any room left to take it. Traditionally Polish Vodka washes this down. " about-poland/polish-traditions.html

and another one

Abstinence from flesh-meat is obligatory for all who are over 14, and it should be observed on all Fridays (some believers are falsely convinced that it only applies to the Lenten Fridays) and on Ash Wednesday. The Church clearly emphasizes that if someone cannot abstain from flesh-meat on Friday he must do some other form of penance. The official commentary to the fourth commandment of the Church does not mention Christmas Eve but we should follow the deeply rooted Polish tradition (which does not exist in many countries) and treat this day as a day of abstinence. Combining abstinence from flesh-meat with abstinence from alcohol is praiseworthy

sunday.niedziela/artykul.php?dz=wiara&id_art=00082

Note in the 2nd excerpt (from the very serious Tygodnik katolicki) that abstinence from alcohol is praiseworthy and not compulsory.. So i tell them that unlike them I am not a saint but only a poor human.. So now not only am i allowed to drink a couple of glasses of wine but they have also taken it on..

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]

No, I wrote spend (ie regularly) not spent (one time event). Traditional pre Xmas fast requires no meat but there are no rules prohibiting alcohol intake.

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


Nope. When I spend Xmas in my Polish family (who are as religious as any other Polish family), we have wine on the 24th

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


Agreed, but they are still much stronger than in the rest of Europe. Just two examples:

- the importance of family: how many of us with polish wives/girlfriends are confronted to the situation where they want to leave close to their family or at least see them as often as possible? I don't think that this is the attitude most prevalent in the UK or even in the rest of Western Europe

- other example is the way Easter/ Xmas is spent here, whereas the epitome of good Xmas in the Uk seems to be booze + telly (plus a bit of turkey to be fair..); only a slight exaggeration..

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


You should ask your friends to buy a new camera, or even better, go visit Paris yourself.

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]



Teffle is right



The 2 quotes above from bberlin62 and Allie show IMHO the chief reason why people (foreigners) stay in Poland: not the countryside, not the beauty, not the food, not the climate but its strong traditions and culture. Don't want to seem to appear practising cheap psychology, but it is sign that both bberlin60 and allie have mixed origins and love a country which is strongly monoethnic and has deep roots. One is always looking for what one hasn't got..

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


I don 't think so..From a topography point of view, France is much more diverse than Poland, with lakes, high mountains ranges like the Alps and Pyrenees; middle ones like the Jura, Massif central and Vosges and plenty of regional lower ones (Cevennes, Forez..). Poland is much more monotonous, it is essentially a big plain bordered by low mountains (compared to France's) to the South and lakes to the North East

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


Agreed, Seanus; as posted subsequently by others, it is clear that many Poles give their food a strong rating because it is the only one they ever tasted or simply because it's "mama's food".. One thing that never ceases to amaze me when in Poland is those ads for restaurants saying "kuchnia domowa".. Why on earth would you want to go to a restaurant if it's to eat the same thing than at home (except of course if you're a roving salesman longing for home)? However good what you have at home, part of the purpose of eating out for me is to try something a bit more sophisticated, something that you don't usually eat everyday

Life / Rate Poland (Life Quality / Culture and People / Food): 1-10! [232]


Quality of life: 7/10: OK. I lived in Warsaw, an easy city for moving around, but the lack of "beauty" is a drawback

Polish Culture and People: 8/10 Country's best asset

Food : 3/10. Very plain, little variety

Love / What strange/unnerving/funny things do your Polish wives do? [153]

wii do :)

Love / What strange/unnerving/funny things do your Polish wives do? [153]

come on gumishu don't tell me that's enough for you wanting to marry her..there's at least another couple million polish women who feel the same about jk ....

Love / What strange/unnerving/funny things do your Polish wives do? [153]

indeed the duckman (not JFK!)