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Posts by Krakman  

Joined: 4 Oct 2009 / Male ♂
Last Post: 4 May 2013
Threads: 4
Posts: Total: 58 / Live: 55 / Archived: 3

Displayed posts: 59 / page 1 of 2
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Krakman   
14 Apr 2013
Travel / Trip to Kraków for a week or more [4]

Ulica Reymonta is a good meeting place for young people on Saturdays around 3PM!! Make sure you dress in red and white and, believe me, you will be fighting off interest!!
Krakman   
4 Apr 2013
Real Estate / Water Company in Poland laying new pipes through my garden and outbuildings... [12]

I would have thought the benefit of having piped water within arms reach of your property, will outweigh any potential damage caused by the installation?

One of my friends just had water installed in a new build property. Unfortunately for him, the nearest water mains was 300 meters from his house - 30,000PLN later and he has water on tap. The same installation cost me 900PLN (9 meters).

Wells are a good idea, until they dry up!! My in law's well dried up 6 months ago (after years of low pressure). Drilling for a new well cost them 15,000PLN.

I imagine the company will postpone digging until the land has (somewhat) dried out.
Krakman   
29 Mar 2013
Life / Hey, Nice Airport Wrocław! Or! Day #1 for an American Ex-Pat in Poland. [128]

Nice thread Jasondmzk!

Can I take the opportunity to recommend a dehumidifer to go with that suszarka (drying rack). Your clothes will be dry in a few hours and it cuts down tremendously on humidity/condensation.

Beware of some cashpoints swindling your greenbacks!! I used a Worldnet bankomat recently (with my Pekao SA debit card). To my utter dismay, a charge of 99PLN appeared on my statement. This figure represented 4.75% of the entire transaction. Probably my own fault, as I did notice a huge black Dick Turpin style mask pinned on the ATM, just thought it was a promotion of some kind :)
Krakman   
29 Nov 2012
Food / Buying traditional Xmas pudding in Poland?? [5]

M&S sells it - or at least did last year. Call them to check.

M&S as in Marks and Spencer?? I wasn't aware they even had branches in Poland?

Really hope you find a Xmas pud. If you make one you have to steam it, not bake it. About 3 hours to cook........yawn!

Great tip, but with my culinary skills it will probably end up looking (and tasting) like mud pudding :)

And I could eat Christmas Pudding every day of the year.

Same here too :) Particularly like walnuts and a really chunky consistency! In southern England it was always a shock to see custard (usually bird's) being poured over the pudding. Personally only single cream does it for me, but each to their own :)
Krakman   
29 Nov 2012
Food / Buying traditional Xmas pudding in Poland?? [5]

I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but I don't want to miss out again!! Short of baking one, is there anywhere (in Poland) which stocks our favourite festive treat?

BTW, whilst on this subject, does anybody actually like mince pies?? I haven't touched them for 25 years, due to blaming one for making me feel sick when I was a wee nipper. That, and the fact they're called 'mince' pies with a dodgy looking meat-like filling :)
Krakman   
1 Nov 2012
Language / Need Advice On Polish-English language barrier (my Polish boyfriend and his family) [59]

The hosts', of the last party I attended, must have been from a different school of thought. After inviting me to their party, I was presented with a bill the following day for 130zl. This was to cover the alcohol (I generally don't drink), venue (their house), food (some of which I supplied), transport (travelled in my own car). Needless to say, I am wary of accepting any invitations now :)
Krakman   
1 Nov 2012
Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Based on experience within the property market, I wouldn't buy an older house in Poland (flats are a different animal). Generally these houses are just not up to modern standards (in my opinion). They suffer from a total lack of insulation, terrible layout, sub-standard electrics/plumbing, everything will most likely need replacing (interior fixtures, floors, windows,

doors, etc). Also, count on a new central heating system and probably a new roof, and I bet the old one will be pressed metal 'blacha', meaning the roof supports are also sub-standard. The last point is that re-selling the property will be a nightmare, as nobody wants those older houses. I am not, by any means, saying this issue is unique within Poland, as The UK pretty much has the same situation with sub-standard musty old houses. The difference in Poland is that planning permission and decent land are easily come across. Why even bother with an old house that will swallow nearly as much as a new house and never look or function in the same manner? I suppose most of these people want to sell to part fund a new build. I know I just sold an old flat, the proceeds of which are proudly sat on my new build :)

This is all in my own opinion and I am not saying it suits everybody, but think long and hard before committing money to an old house, because the bill will continue aka classic film 'money pit' with Tom Hanks.
Krakman   
29 Oct 2012
Life / Poland: When usually is the best time to change from summer to winter tyres? [42]

I once tried driving around Zakopane in a Mitsubishi Shogun Mk11 with part time/ full time 4wd etc. The snow had only started falling (in November I believe), and I was totally confident, despite only having summer tyres, in my jeep's ability to maneuver around uninhibited by the 10 - 15cm of snow. This misguided belief was immediately put to rest by the second corner, where I

completely lost control and banged into a Fiat Punto (which had also lost control). My overriding memory is of some woman attempting to 'stop' my 2 tonne jeep sliding along the snow and then jumping out of the way at the last moment. Lesson learned, I drove back, like a handicapped snail, and bought a set of winter tyres. I left these tyres on through the summer season too, but I think the rubber compound is a lot softer than on summer tyres, hence they wore out quicker.
Krakman   
9 May 2012
Life / You've been in Poland a while if .... [49]

Couple more...

You expect meat to taste like meat and are shocked when it's chewy, tough, etc

You expect women to act like women and not like drunken men looking for a fight

You expect kids to be reasonably polite and not act like little hooligans/thugs

You expect the driver behind you to overtake at the first opportunity (even if it's on a bend)

You expect to be ripped off when you attempt to buy something used (car, flat, etc)

You expect to be ripped off when you attempt to sell something used (car, flat, etc)
Krakman   
8 May 2012
Life / You've been in Poland a while if .... [49]

These may or may not be applicable to other people:

You raise your eyebrows and question 3zl as being expensive for parking.

You can select a wicked bit of kielbasa/szynka just by looking

In your mind, LHD cars make more sense than RHD's.

You know Poland has the second oldest constitution in the world.

You actually greet and are greeted with Dzien Dobry (as opposed to the incorrect stereotype in England, where your neighbour of 20 years has never said 'good morning/afternoon/evening'.

You eagerly await truskawki season, picturing a carrier bag full of strawberries for 6zl.

You know who Boleslaw Chrobry was and have wondered (at some stage) if he was chronically ill.

You know at least 3 x of each of the following: Anna, Iza, Magda

25% of your time is spent speaking about your building project (out of the city)

You're blase after seeing a particularly shocking piece of driving

Roads wouldn't look complete without Reklami
Krakman   
4 May 2012
Language / The Polish language - it's bloody hard! [210]

I completely subscribe to the viewpoint that any foreign language is difficult to learn. Having observed several people return from England, America, Ireland, etc, who thought they had mastered the language. The result is what Lyzko usually points out, a very low standard of speech with minimal grammatical sense. Only the 'geekiest' students who have immersed themselves 24/7 in studies and culture emerge with any credibility.

The only bone I have to pick with Polish people, is their apparent 'tunnel' hearing when it comes to Polish. If you don't pronounce the word absolutely perfectly (which is almost impossible for a native English speaker), then you're in for a frustrating time.

Walk around England and listen to the disgraceful standard of speech, yet everyone is fully understood. No wonder immigrants think they're fluent speakers, until they enter a classroom and realise they haven't the foggiest about the most simple grammatical structures. This usually happens when they return to Poland to 'maintain' their English. The saddest sight is rather nice looking girls, who have been contaminated with gutter talk, effing and blinding away like there's no tomorrow.
Krakman   
13 Apr 2012
Language / How hard is it to learn Polish? [178]

How hard is to learn Polish for people who have a natural gift for languages?

Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the answer to the above is: equally as hard as
any other foreign language - it depends on your personal application. If you fully immerse
yourself in the language and culture with full vigor, then success will follow. If, on the other hand, you
attempt to lazily pick up the lingo, then prepare yourself for disappointment. I am sure
this rule applies to French, German, Spanish, etc. On reflection, the same applies to all
achievements in life. When colleagues (usually youngsters) are telling me about their future
and how they envisage success. I usually warn them to have a back-up plan of working their
a**** off 'just in case' :)
Krakman   
26 Mar 2012
Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

is this why the developers are now aiming for small flats in the 5,000-6000 m2 range?

Is this the total figure for the whole development? How many apartments would that area generally contain and would it be a single building, or part of a complex?
Krakman   
24 Mar 2012
Life / Izabela? - Advice with Polish name for a girl [36]

My name is actually Katarzyna. I love it.

I like that name too!! However, I don't particularly like the all too familiar shortened version 'Kasia'. If there's a problem in Poland, it's shortening of names unnecessarily.
Krakman   
23 Mar 2012
Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]

i simply can't imagine living in that. i think my living room is that big.

Tell that to wealthy professionals in London, who regularly pay 7 figures GBP for such flats. Apparently the bubble is in Poland (according to at least one individual).
Krakman   
22 Mar 2012
Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]

hahaha..How small,give us a laugh, show us a link for 60'000 zloty flats in Poland. You regularly see small flats,,,,how small,,big enough for a couple of smurfs.

Then again, what are the requirements of a young couple?? As their current situation is classed as 'struggling', then I don't think they have the right to refuse any flat. Shopping around sensibly could buy a 1 bedroom or studio flat (30 - 40m2). They could build from there without having a mortgage or rent to worry about. If that means commuting to work then so be it.

your theory doesn't need to be disproved as it is just BS

Have you thought about working/studying as a physicist?? Your ability to analyse data and arrive at a balanced conclusion is extraordinary. Your conclusion of 'BS' is particularly thought-provoking. I wonder, is that some kind of advanced mathematical/scientific equation?
Krakman   
21 Mar 2012
Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]

Oh yea ,,your the guy who thinks it's much easier to purchase a house in Poland than in England,,,lol....your opinion is worthless

Funnily enough, nobody produced figures to disprove that theory. If you believe it's more difficult to acquire property in Poland, then why do you live in Poland?? I can't see what's so difficult about buying a flat in Poland!! I regularly see small flats available for as little as 60,000zl. How difficult would that be to save, especially for a working couple?? Don't come back with some BS about 1500zl a month (unless they're cleaning floors), and if that's the case, they need educating/training in a field which offers better opportunities.
Krakman   
20 Mar 2012
Life / Moving to Poland Part-Time (probably Katowice) [56]

If you're considering Kato, then why not the Kraken? It's only 1 hour away, and boasts more than Kato. Property in Kato is cheaper though, so it depends on your priorities. Personally, I would choose a nice quiet, well located, mountainous area with idyllic views and clean air. Spring and Summer are particularly nice in Poland, but you need to be in the countryside to fully appreciate the weather. This isn't everyone's cup of tea, just my own opinion.
Krakman   
15 Mar 2012
Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

But one can get a one-bedroom flat in Greenwich for £63,000.

Is that a serious figure Harry? If so, then I am astonished any flat could be had in Greenwich for that amount. What's the catch?
Krakman   
14 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

A very good point. It doesn't surprise me, as Polish people in general take friendship seriously. Some American shows are far too agressive in this respect, with contestants threatening to kill one another's family, etc.
Krakman   
14 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

My favorite Polish program is "Usterka", which only seems to be on in the middle of the night.

Oh I forgot about that one!! I have to agree, it's the best thing on Polish TV!! Love it when some poor unsuspecting workman is quietly going about his business, and suddenly, a couple of very fit girls casually appear wearing nothing more than towels :)

Speaking broken english is my biggest pet peeve in Polish TV

Definitely is annoying, that's for sure. I notice in adverts they're doing it regularly too. Another annoyance of mine, is when you have resident 'experts' on talent shows (Top model, you/I/we/they/his mother/father can dance/sing/cook). Generally on these shows the experts are very boisterous and loud. This behaviour changes when they have an expert guest visitor from the west, as all the resident experts seem to crawl into their shells and don't have an opinion thereafter. Almost like they accept that their opinion is inferior.
Krakman   
12 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

Peter, I can't find any reliable numbers to disprove it. Some of the biggest audiences last year were for live sports TV broadcasts. The superbowl attracted something like 110M (1/3 of the population). Very unlikely that could have been topped. I chose the Superbowl as 99.9999% of the viewers must be in America :)

I agree on series, but was more looking at special events and live sports broadcasts. It wouldn't surprise me if the olympic games' live events this year attract bigger TV audiences than online (certainly in the UK and possibly worldwide). Look at the royal wedding - approx 2.6 billion tuned in on Tv's. That's something like 40% of the world's population!! Not sure tele's dead yet ;)
Krakman   
12 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

Stop watching TV

There will always be a place for TV in the majority of peoples' lives, even if just for special/sporting events. The same could be said about cinema, despite being able to download most films on the day of release, we still pack out cinemas, as both the quality and experience are much better. Some of the new series, such as Boardwalk Empire or Mildred Pierce, have seriously large budgets/A grade stars and directors. These series initially air on subscription television not the internet. I'd say it's the other way around, poor people use the internet for entertainment and accept lower quality in the process. Which live sporting events (if you're a sports fan) do you watch on the internet? If the choice was there, I imagine most people would take the subscription package (be it broadcast or digital TV), money is the factor why they choose to search for a feed.
Krakman   
12 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

And its not only the fact that television trends only reach after the US, UK and Europe, but our advertising is got to be some of the most stupidest in the world.

I suppose the stations are probably owned by Rupert 'the hack' Murdoch. Then again you did give the world 'Neighbours' and that absolute classic 'Prisoner'. I remember, nostalgically, the closing song: 'He used to give me roses, I wish he could again'. At least that was my take on the song, could be totally wrong :)
Krakman   
11 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

have you seen any movie with Marcin Dorocinski,Michal Zebrowski,Mateusz Damiecki,Artur Zmijewski,Jan Wieczorkowski

Thanks Nynicki, I will research these actors and watch a few of their films.
Krakman   
11 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

Must be X-factor!! Million in a minute is similar after the contestant has won a few grand (zl).

What also really annoys me is the increasingly smaller pool of actors used in Polish films and series. For instance Boris Sh1ts (sic) pops up as: a WW1 general, modern criminal, comedienne, policeman, chef, killer and then for good measure he stars in a few series. This is repeated with just about every actor. How annoying to continually see the same actors (who seem to be lacking in talent). One actor I did like adamczyk (spelling) played a good part in Karol man who became pope, but then appears to have sold out to cheesy TV series. I imagine an English man with personality/reasonable looks and (crucially) the ability to speak Polish, could easily break into TV here.
Krakman   
11 Mar 2012
Life / Television in Poland - embarrassingly bad? [44]

Can Polish television be any worse than it is? Same boring OLD presenters, blatant rip offs
(of US/UK series/shows), unbelievably biased sports commentators, talkshow hosts who think
it's witty to randomly swear (in English) about completey irrelevant points, other talkshow
hosts who find it funny to employ other unamusing foreign hosts, etc, etc. The only positive
is the nice looking women. Come to think of it, maybe it's just the men on TV I can't stand.

Maybe I'm being harsh or just don't understand the humour. Does anyone else feel this way?