Real Estate / The current property boom in Poland is a bubble [342]

Totally agree with Bubba on this one.

In any booming property market all you have to do is buy a property, sit on your arse, and sell at a decent profit later on. The more astute will make a healthier profit but at this stage of a boom EVERYONE will make a bit of money.

As the market matures it becomes harder to make money but not impossible. It's about this time that most people get a little spooked as they see capital appreciation and rental yields are not as great as when the boom was at it's apex.

This is the time when serious investors earn their money by doing lots of spade work in trying to find properties and sites with potential. I think Poland is fast approaching this stage.

Deise, Poznan is not a bad choice actually :)

Travel / Need information about Czestochowa! Hostels / Hotels? [24]

I have just returned last night from a 10 day stay in Czestochowa. I visit there nearly every year !

Personally, I love the place but then again I don't live there.

Real Estate / The current property boom in Poland is a bubble [342]

None of us know what is going to happen-we don't have a crystal ball.

Zeze is right in his/her logic but logic doesn't always dictate the way a particular market is going.

Will the property bubble burst eventually in Poland ? Yes. But when and how hard will it land can be debated until the cows come home.

The world Stock Markets had a similar meteoric rise a few years ago built upon tech. hysteria. The difference with property is that people always need somewhere to live but stocks and shares are not essential.

Zeze, as a developer in London, where's the logic behind the current UK house prices ? They should have slowed down years ago but haven't.

Whilst intellectuals are predicting doom and gloom and watching by the sidelines others are getting their hands dirty and are making fortunes from rising property prices ! Astute developers would have entered the Polish market years ago and retired now on the profits.

Travel / Vacation in Great Polish Masurian Lakes area (Mazury) [37]


Wow Justyna - does this mean you live by the side of the lake ? Stunning view !

Travel / Photos from Poland [258]

Danmar's "show house" in Szymek, Kaszuby

Wieza in Kaszuby area. Not for people with vertigo !!

Ex-Communist hotel resort in Kaszuby

Not the most spectacular photograph in the world but this is one of my favourites. It typifies one of the things I really love about Poland......it's unspoilt forests.

UK, Ireland / Polish Beer In The UK [98]


Since my post in December my local Morrisons supermarket stock Zywiec, Tyskie and Lech. I don't need to buy boxes of beer anymore just a couple of bottles whenever I feel the need :)

Travel / Photos from Poland [258]


Hmmmm maybe I cut you a bit too much slack Michal ;)

Firstly don't be so stunned that someone expresses a desire to visit Poland. This is a Polish forum so it's inevitable that people who have an interest in the country will gravitate to forums such as these.

Secondly, your statement that Prague "knocks the socks off" anything in Poland is a very simplistic thing to say.

Teng,

To see Poland at it's best then go in the summer. Yes it can be unbelievably hot but you won't be going there to work but to have a vacation. In other words you can take it easy and enjoy the weather (and all the beautiful girls in their summer outfits ;) )

Poland has something for everyone. Mountains, lakes, forests, history, culture breaks, unspoilt seaside resorts.

Whereas Prague has wonderful architecture, cheap beer and lager louts......no contest !

Travel / Photos from Poland [258]

Each to their own :)

Travel / Photos from Poland [258]

Michal,

My mother was born in Czestochowa and I have some close friends there. I love the town centre and it's unique atmosphere. I visit at least once a year.

Travel / Photos from Poland [258]

Orlowo Cliff (taken May 2007)
Swans on the Baltic
Fishing boats on Hel Peninsula (taken May 2007)
Kazimierz Dolny (taken Sept 2005)
Olsztyn Castle (taken nr Czestochowa 2004)
Rynek Glowny Krakow (taken from Hotel Wentzl May 2006)

Travel / Just back from Krakow [120]

Rainman, I have no axe to grind with you but if I'm being brutally honest I am glad that there are some bars in Krakow that take this stance. When I was last there I saw groups of English men walking the streets, wearing identical T shirts and being very rowdy and intimidating. By the same token I also walked past groups of English men seated at one of the many outdoor tables having a civilised drink together.

The point being that bars cannot differentiate between the the two unless they started interviewing anyone who entered the bar. As with many things the minority spoil it for the majority.

Just thinking out loud here but I wonder what would happen if a group decided to enter a bar individually spaced out over 30 mins or so ?

Personally, I don't want Krakow to become another Amsterdam or to aspire to be what Prague is becoming. If that means it loses it's stag reputation then so be it. Arguably in the long run this will actually INCREASE Krakow's popularity amongst tourists as I'm certain that some tourists will be put off from returning to Krakow if it becomes a mecca for stag parties.

I suspect many stag do travelers come to Krakow for the cheap beer, beautiful women and because it's something different. I doubt there are many who go to appreciate the beauty of the city.

UK, Ireland / Polish TV channels in the UK [95]

Ref: Option 3

I give the money to my friends in advance (it's not exactly a fortune) and then the direct debit comes out of their bank account but I see what you're saying and it depends on how you and they feel about this option.

You have Sky+ and have over 900 channels ??? I didn't think you could get so many.

I'm not an expert on the merits of Polsat over Cyfra or vice versa but my limited understanding is that they offer essentially the same channels.

UK, Ireland / Polish TV channels in the UK [95]

There are three ways you can go about it and I have tried two of them.

1/ Look for a Satellite TV installer in your local newspaper/yellow pages and tell them you want "free to air" Polish channels. You will need a new satellite dish (pointing to the Hotbird satellite) and a new decoder box. Don't worry as the installer will take care of that. I think it cost me around £ 200 a few years ago.

The advantage of this is that once you've paid for the installation and equipment then every channel you receive is free.

The disadvantage is that you don't really get that many Polish channels as most of the channels you will receive will be German/French/ Arabic etc.

Another disadvantage is that the Polish TV companies have a tendency to change the satellite frequency every few months. So you may need to call the satellite man every so often to recalibrate the dish.

2/ It's possible to get a pirate subscription card which allows you to get loads of Polish channels but of course this is illegal and I wouldn't recommend it.

3/ This is the option I took last year and I think it's the best out of the three. Next time you are in Poland go to a Satellite TV shop and sign up to one of the TV packages they offer e.g. Cyfrowa Polsat. You will also need a decoder and dish which the shop will provide. I already had a dish after following Option 1 a few years ago so I only needed the decoder with card from the shop. You may need to prove Polish residency but a close friend of mine in Poland signed up for me and whenever my annual subscription comes up for renewal then I just pay them the money.

I think the decoder cost me about £ 60 and the monthly subscription worked out at about £ 5 or £ 6 a month. For that I get over 20 Polish channels and I think this is very good value for money.

UK, Ireland / Polish Beer In The UK [98]

Alternatively, go to your local Polish club and ask the barman if he can order you a box of Polish beer the next time he goes to the cash and carry.

I pay approx £ 25.00 for a box of 20 bottles of Zywiec (about £ 1.25 per bottle)