bullfrog
7 Mar 2013
bullfrog
28 Feb 2013
UK, Ireland / What does English sound like to the Poles? [30]
Worse for me is English spoken with a southern drawl (think Texas or other similar states..). Awful.. I also dislike the Manchester/Liverpool accents..
Sorry to say but most Polish/Slavic/Russian languages sounds "ugly".
Worse for me is English spoken with a southern drawl (think Texas or other similar states..). Awful.. I also dislike the Manchester/Liverpool accents..
bullfrog
25 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Yes, and it can change quite quickly.. Just look at what happened in the UK . 30 years ago, it was difficult to have a decent meal in most parts of the country (unless one decide to opt for the "3 breakfast formula"!), now one can eat quite well almost anywhere in Blighty!
It is getting better, but it will take time.
Yes, and it can change quite quickly.. Just look at what happened in the UK . 30 years ago, it was difficult to have a decent meal in most parts of the country (unless one decide to opt for the "3 breakfast formula"!), now one can eat quite well almost anywhere in Blighty!
bullfrog
22 Feb 2013
bullfrog
22 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
The way animals are slaughtered to be kasher/halal compliant is simply revolting...
I just heard something how Poland is looking at becoming a major producer for kosher/halal meats because there is such a huge market for it.
The way animals are slaughtered to be kasher/halal compliant is simply revolting...
bullfrog
22 Feb 2013
Real Estate / Astounded by the poor value of residential property here in Wroclaw [92]
,
It's all relative. You're looking at it with UK eyes. For most people in Europe, the UK real estate is one which is extremely overpriced (and has been for years) compared to fundamentals (eg wages). The fact that some markets are even more out of kilt (eg Woclaw) doesn't change that.
Again relativity.. Go tell this to a Chinese or even an American. Even by European/UK standards, 90 000 is not big , it is medium. Big for me (for Europe) would be 200,000 plus.
Ha ha , you've made my day inWroclaw..Did you get any history lessons at school? Ask any one around you (especially German speaking people) whether they've heard of Breslau and then try again with Stevenage..
,
The fundamentals say that prices here are way too high. No amount of denial will change that.
It's all relative. You're looking at it with UK eyes. For most people in Europe, the UK real estate is one which is extremely overpriced (and has been for years) compared to fundamentals (eg wages). The fact that some markets are even more out of kilt (eg Woclaw) doesn't change that.
90000 is quite a big place. UK is twice the population of Poland so BF, he has a point.
Again relativity.. Go tell this to a Chinese or even an American. Even by European/UK standards, 90 000 is not big , it is medium. Big for me (for Europe) would be 200,000 plus.
But actually Stevenage is pretty well known. I think you are arguing for the sake of it, you must be a tad bored.
BTW who's heard of Wroclaw or rock-law outside of Poland
BTW who's heard of Wroclaw or rock-law outside of Poland
Ha ha , you've made my day inWroclaw..Did you get any history lessons at school? Ask any one around you (especially German speaking people) whether they've heard of Breslau and then try again with Stevenage..
bullfrog
21 Feb 2013
Real Estate / Astounded by the poor value of residential property here in Wroclaw [92]
The links you posted (post # 50) refer to Stevenage. Now I don't want to appear patronizing, but who's heard of Stevenage outside the UK (or even England)??. And it can hardly be considered as one of the UK's major cities : with ca 90,000 inhabitants, it ranks somewhere around #90 among Britain's top cities by population..
Thanks for your post, but no the town (or actually city) I was referring to isn't little.
The links you posted (post # 50) refer to Stevenage. Now I don't want to appear patronizing, but who's heard of Stevenage outside the UK (or even England)??. And it can hardly be considered as one of the UK's major cities : with ca 90,000 inhabitants, it ranks somewhere around #90 among Britain's top cities by population..
bullfrog
21 Feb 2013
Real Estate / Astounded by the poor value of residential property here in Wroclaw [92]
Just came across the graph below (see link): globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/Poland/square-meter-prices
Does show that everything is relative. Maybe Wroclaw's real estate is poor value, but how would then qualify the UK real estate market when the average price /sqm is 3 times higher than in Luxembourg or even 6 times higher than in Germany with UK wages much lower than in both countries?
Just came across the graph below (see link): globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/Poland/square-meter-prices
Does show that everything is relative. Maybe Wroclaw's real estate is poor value, but how would then qualify the UK real estate market when the average price /sqm is 3 times higher than in Luxembourg or even 6 times higher than in Germany with UK wages much lower than in both countries?
bullfrog
21 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
I agree, there are some excellent restaurants/eateries across the US, but most of them are not representative of a 'US cuisine'. Same as in London, where the quality and density of restaurants is among the best in the world, but that does not mean that british cuisine is one of the best (although it has definitely improved in the past 20 years.)
Why? The US has some of the best food in the world, top class restaurants everywhere. Truly excellent diners, cafés, ethnic food etc. Dozens of michelin starred restaurants.
I agree, there are some excellent restaurants/eateries across the US, but most of them are not representative of a 'US cuisine'. Same as in London, where the quality and density of restaurants is among the best in the world, but that does not mean that british cuisine is one of the best (although it has definitely improved in the past 20 years.)
bullfrog
21 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Polish food is not necessarily always greasy, but on average, it is more loaded with saturated fats than many other cuisines. Just look at the incidence of heart disease, high cholestorol etc in the country if you need to be convinced.
Below is a ranking of the world's top 10 cuisines as per CNN. Although I must admit that having American cuisine ranked #10 does cast a doubt on the credibility of the study!!
travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/worlds-best-food-cultures-453528
Polish food is not necessarily always greasy, but on average, it is more loaded with saturated fats than many other cuisines. Just look at the incidence of heart disease, high cholestorol etc in the country if you need to be convinced.
Below is a ranking of the world's top 10 cuisines as per CNN. Although I must admit that having American cuisine ranked #10 does cast a doubt on the credibility of the study!!
travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/worlds-best-food-cultures-453528
bullfrog
21 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Sure.. Even the weather is quite similar.. Only 12°c difference right now between Warsaw and Nice..
Forget to say that person saying Poland is a new Provence was right! It has always been! BTW, Poles and Provencales are even using the same herbs!
Sure.. Even the weather is quite similar.. Only 12°c difference right now between Warsaw and Nice..
bullfrog
21 Feb 2013
Food / Poland's favorite hard-to-find American snacks? [18]
That's not who she is talking about
I gather you mean Polish national or at least someone who has been raised in Poland?
us ex-pats wouldn't mind having one every now and then, especially for nostalgia's sake
That's not who she is talking about
with someone from Poland
I gather you mean Polish national or at least someone who has been raised in Poland?
bullfrog
20 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Ah, pip, i beg to disagree...I appreciate that you know Quebec much better than I (although I did spend 5 months there in 1987), but as a place with some French influence, I would on the contrary expect it to have good food..
Probably for the same reason that you would never expect, let's say, Quebec to have some great foods.
Ah, pip, i beg to disagree...I appreciate that you know Quebec much better than I (although I did spend 5 months there in 1987), but as a place with some French influence, I would on the contrary expect it to have good food..
bullfrog
20 Feb 2013
Real Estate / Polish citizen wanting to buy a house in Poland. [5]
Now that is really spot on..
I'd like to buy a summer/2nd home in Płock or maybe Warszawa
The area outside of Krakow
Now that is really spot on..
bullfrog
19 Feb 2013
UK, Ireland / Benefit cuts for Poles in The UK? [143]
I'm talking here about doctors who work for the public health service and without the extra revenues generated by private practice.. I remember a dinner back in 2007 (OK a few years ago, maybe things have changed) where one of my neighbours happened to be the Head of Department of a major hospital in Warsaw..Her salary at that time was 3,500 PLN per month! This is ridiculously low..
I'm talking here about doctors who work for the public health service and without the extra revenues generated by private practice.. I remember a dinner back in 2007 (OK a few years ago, maybe things have changed) where one of my neighbours happened to be the Head of Department of a major hospital in Warsaw..Her salary at that time was 3,500 PLN per month! This is ridiculously low..
bullfrog
19 Feb 2013
UK, Ireland / Benefit cuts for Poles in The UK? [143]
I don't think so Jon. Maybe in Poland (where I agree, doctors are underpaid to a point which is ridiculous) or other Central/Eastern European countries, but it certainly not is the envy of the Dutch, the Germans, the French or the Spaniards..
The NHS is still the envy of the world
I don't think so Jon. Maybe in Poland (where I agree, doctors are underpaid to a point which is ridiculous) or other Central/Eastern European countries, but it certainly not is the envy of the Dutch, the Germans, the French or the Spaniards..
bullfrog
19 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Agree with the delicious soups. Zurek is a favorite of mine. Cakes are OK but they lack variety (once you have tasted makowiec, szarlotka and sernik, you are more or less done). For the rest..
Polish food is tasty. We have delicious soups and cakes. I don't like French food- it's overrated and it's a bad comparison for me.
Agree with the delicious soups. Zurek is a favorite of mine. Cakes are OK but they lack variety (once you have tasted makowiec, szarlotka and sernik, you are more or less done). For the rest..
bullfrog
19 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Why surprisingly? It's a land where people love to eat and drink, they also produce great wines
as does, surprisingly- Georgia.
Why surprisingly? It's a land where people love to eat and drink, they also produce great wines
bullfrog
19 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
I have lived in Poland for 6 years (2005-2010) and been visiting the country for the past 29 years.. I also own a house in Provence, so know both places quite well..
Btw, bullfrog, have you been to Poland?
I have lived in Poland for 6 years (2005-2010) and been visiting the country for the past 29 years.. I also own a house in Provence, so know both places quite well..
bullfrog
18 Feb 2013
Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]
Whoever made the comment quoted in the title has either never been to Provence or to Poland!
Whoever made the comment quoted in the title has either never been to Provence or to Poland!
bullfrog
18 Feb 2013
UK, Ireland / Benefit cuts for Poles in The UK? [143]
Exactly!
Patient Mobility Scheme
benefits tourism
Exactly!
bullfrog
18 Feb 2013
UK, Ireland / Benefit cuts for Poles in The UK? [143]
No, they are treated like the French, ie they don't pay or they pay only for a small part of the cost, depending on the nature of the operation. The FCO even details the modus operandi!
ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-france/faqs/healthcare-france/patient-mobility
bullfrog: Yes.. And let's send back to Britain all the Brits who are going to France to have an operation done to avoid the waiting lists offered by the NHS..
The ones that pay, you mean?
The ones that pay, you mean?
No, they are treated like the French, ie they don't pay or they pay only for a small part of the cost, depending on the nature of the operation. The FCO even details the modus operandi!
ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-france/faqs/healthcare-france/patient-mobility
bullfrog
18 Feb 2013
UK, Ireland / Benefit cuts for Poles in The UK? [143]
Yes.. And let's send back to Britain all the Brits who are going to France to have an operation done to avoid the waiting lists offered by the NHS..
Make all EU workers pay private medical insurance for the first 12 months
Yes.. And let's send back to Britain all the Brits who are going to France to have an operation done to avoid the waiting lists offered by the NHS..
bullfrog
17 Feb 2013
Real Estate / Poland Real Estate 2013 -drops in offer prices, lack of liquidity indicate market crashing [39]
What kind of logic is this?? Based on the same reasoning, one could say that in Germany there are circa 10 foreign families needing rental homes! I am only here talking about the high end of the market, ie people ready to pay 15,000 PLN+/month for their house/apartment..
So we can say 75 families needing rental homes in Warszawa.
What kind of logic is this?? Based on the same reasoning, one could say that in Germany there are circa 10 foreign families needing rental homes! I am only here talking about the high end of the market, ie people ready to pay 15,000 PLN+/month for their house/apartment..
bullfrog
15 Feb 2013
Love / Why a polish girl would prefer a relationship with a foreign man? [30]
My wife's mother is over 1000 miles away. For a foreign man, that's a massive plus point!
My mother is over 1000 miles away. For a Polish woman, that's a massive plus point.
My wife's mother is over 1000 miles away. For a foreign man, that's a massive plus point!
bullfrog
13 Feb 2013
Real Estate / Poland Real Estate 2013 -drops in offer prices, lack of liquidity indicate market crashing [39]
Pip is right, I am myself letting a house to expats in Wilanow for over 20,000 PLN/month. The reality is that there are 2 distincts real estate markets in Poland, or at least in Warsaw, one for Poles and for for expats whose expenses are paid by their employer. And although the number of such expats has reduced compared to 5-7 years ago, there are still a large number of them around. Why? Simple: if you look at the top 100 companies operating in Poland, half of them are in fact local subs of multinationals, which will probably employ at least 1/2 expats each (often more). Compare this to western European countries, eg Germany, where only 7 of the top 100 companies in the country are non german..
I have also got some houses/flats worth buying. And if you rent them out to expats you could make 15,000 to 25,000 pln per month. And this I know first hand.
Stop making generalizations based on where you live--because it is not accurate for the rest of Poland.
Stop making generalizations based on where you live--because it is not accurate for the rest of Poland.
Pip is right, I am myself letting a house to expats in Wilanow for over 20,000 PLN/month. The reality is that there are 2 distincts real estate markets in Poland, or at least in Warsaw, one for Poles and for for expats whose expenses are paid by their employer. And although the number of such expats has reduced compared to 5-7 years ago, there are still a large number of them around. Why? Simple: if you look at the top 100 companies operating in Poland, half of them are in fact local subs of multinationals, which will probably employ at least 1/2 expats each (often more). Compare this to western European countries, eg Germany, where only 7 of the top 100 companies in the country are non german..
bullfrog
10 Feb 2013
Love / Troubled relationship - is it because I'm Polish or should I blame it on his moustache? [28]
The Op never said her boyfriend has been cheating .. Why do you infer that?
The first thing to do when you find out that your partner has been cheating is to allow your emotions to flow out of your body.
The Op never said her boyfriend has been cheating .. Why do you infer that?
bullfrog
10 Feb 2013
Life / Drivers and Mobile Phones In Poland [14]
Either you live in the sticks (the Silesian Metropolis, give me a break!) or you're a liar
Every traffic cop I've ever come across we've always been able to come to an arrangement.
Either you live in the sticks (the Silesian Metropolis, give me a break!) or you're a liar
bullfrog
10 Feb 2013
Love / Troubled relationship - is it because I'm Polish or should I blame it on his moustache? [28]
I think your expectations are just too high and you're asking too much...Being Polish, and therefore Slav, you are probably passionnate and looking for the initial passion to continue forever. But that can't be the case (it's a chemical phenomonon which doesn't go on forever), and it isn't generally the case, whether in Poland , in the UK , France or elsewhere. French writer F Beigbeder even recently wrote a book with the title " L'amour dure 3 ans" (Love lasts 3 years). So, all you have to do is lower your expectations..
there anything we can do to make love stay? Or is it just the way it has to be - that love is going to desert us no matter how hard we try to hold onto it. Or is it because I'm Polish, unfaithful, and my heart is a gypsy?
I think your expectations are just too high and you're asking too much...Being Polish, and therefore Slav, you are probably passionnate and looking for the initial passion to continue forever. But that can't be the case (it's a chemical phenomonon which doesn't go on forever), and it isn't generally the case, whether in Poland , in the UK , France or elsewhere. French writer F Beigbeder even recently wrote a book with the title " L'amour dure 3 ans" (Love lasts 3 years). So, all you have to do is lower your expectations..
bullfrog
10 Feb 2013
Travel / Driving in Poland, are there any rules at all? [149]
That's true of many nationalities
Agreed.
Very true
What surprises me is I meet normal and mild-mannered Poles who when behind a wheel turn into a maniac
That's true of many nationalities
The driving standard (and the lack of manners that come with it, the awfully thought out highway code etc) here is the singular most infuriating thing about living here
Agreed.
A truly civilised society should ALWAYS give concessions to the most vulnerable
Very true