The BEST Guide to POLAND
Unanswered  |  Archives 
 
 
User: Guest

Posts by Teffle  

Joined: 26 Aug 2010 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 8 Dec 2011
Threads: 22
Posts: 1,319 		From: IRL
Speaks Polish?: Nie - odrobineczke

Displayed posts: 1341 / page 44 of 45
sort: Latest first   Oldest first   |
Teffle   
4 Sep 2010
Food / What's your favorite Polish beer? [870]

I've had Lech, Zywieć & Tyskie. Er... a good few times...

I think I preferred Zywieć out of the three. Thought they were all pretty good though really. Drinking Tyskie right now as it happens ; )

(Special offer in Lidl)

Maybe someone can answer this - I ahd a strong beer in Poland and the bottle featured a goats head (I think) with red eyes and the word for strong (begins with M?) in that kind of shattered lettering. It was like a Polish special brew or something - does anyone know what it is?

(As he hopes to fcuk it isn't a cliché alcoholic's beer or something...)
Teffle   
4 Sep 2010
Travel / Hospitality, Scenery, Food, Clean Streets: My POSITIVE experiences in Poland (!) [39]

I only have one thing to say to you, Sok, Aberdeen Angus :) :)

Exactly!

I'm sorry I know this is supposed to be a positive thread but I cannot understand anyone preferring Polish meat over e.g. British or Irish - it's the best in the world, simple as. Irish and British beef and lamb is prized all over the world where, incidentally it is exported. Only Argentina are serious contenders. US beef can be good but you have to be careful as it is wildly inconsistent.

Didn't have a problem with Polish beef at all as it happens but it was as unremarkable as e.g. Dutch or French IMO.

Red meat I'm talking about only - open verdict on pork or chicken ; )
Teffle   
3 Sep 2010
Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]

It's the opening scene to latest religious themed prn movie.

This time, featuring "flower action".
Teffle   
2 Sep 2010
Travel / Hospitality, Scenery, Food, Clean Streets: My POSITIVE experiences in Poland (!) [39]

you are kidding, right? most foreigners from the west hate it..

I would guess it is only those who do not have a tradition of blood sausage in their own countries e.g. the US for a start. Ireland, Britain, France & Spain for example all have a version of this - I think the Polish one is the nicest.

For those who haven't tasted it, imagine an authentic 'farm' type recipe black pudding combined with a really good haggis ...
Teffle   
1 Sep 2010
Travel / Hospitality, Scenery, Food, Clean Streets: My POSITIVE experiences in Poland (!) [39]

OK, feeling a bit guilty so here's what I enjoyed:

Hospitality: Poles seem to be very hospitable and will go out of their way to try to ensure that you are happy as a guest.

Scenery: As mentioned on another thread, some of the scenery was quite attractive. I like the way there isn't an obsession with manicured areas like there can be in some countries. I like wild beauty.

Food: Yep, I think Polish food is pretty good. Don't like all of it (Who the hell decided to elevate bloody carp to it's current status? Although I understand that this fish divides Polish opinion too) and some flavours seem to often dominate e.g. horseradish but on the whole I like it. That blood sausage - phonetically, in English, Kashanka (?) - is wonderful!

Quite like Polish beer too.

Street cleanliness: Poland seems to be pretty clean from what I can see. Civic pride appears to be to quite important. People sometimes comment on the delapidated appearance of some of the smaller Polish cities and towns - maybe so, but they are at least realtively clean and tidy otherwise.

I'll add others as I think of them...

(There is more to add... I'm sure of it...)

; )
Teffle   
1 Sep 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

I know that margines społeczny (an English equivalent please, anyone?)

Yeah, as Northmanc says underclass would be a common enough equivalent by the looks of it. Don't speak Polish really but marginalised would be a polite way of putting it and margines looks pretty close.

Underclass would be fairly derogatory but as you can imagine, there are plenty of much worse terms too!

I know that margines społeczny ... is a huge % in Poland but it's sad that Polish ppl are almost all consider as such by foreigners.

Don't worry, most countries have a similar problem. Britain and Ireland definitely. France is pretty bad for this too.

For what it's worth I didn't see much evidence of this when I was in Poland - so there you are: a positive! ; )
Teffle   
1 Sep 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

I didn't understand this comment of yours, what beliefs?

Beats me. Zetigrek said it originally. A reference to the assumption that I thought that good manners was a bad thing. A misunderstanding really.

Thanks for taking the time to post Sean - some of it makes sense. Culture shock cannot be underestimated, but there are certain attitudes, behavioural aspects that are just rude or offensive in almost any culture or language.

I am indifferent to Ireland - it is my nationality and I live here, that's all. I don't have any romantic view of the place nor do I feel a need to defend or praise the country. I recognise that there are plenty of things wrong here as there are in most countries.

Considering the Polish friends I have I cannot really totally rule out going back to Poland and if so, maybe I will have a better experience next time.

(I'm from rural Cavan by the way)
Teffle   
1 Sep 2010
Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]

While in Asia I've had people walk up to me and salute me...

What's this all about? I don't really get this - or is it a perception based on black GIs in Vietnam or something? If so, racist with a back handed compliment at the same time - kind of.

Wierd anyway.
Teffle   
1 Sep 2010
Life / POLISH YOUTH compared to the youth in other Western countries? [57]

I don't have a lot of experience of Polish youth but from what I have seen, and from descriptions and anecdotes from Polish friends, I get the impression that on the whole, Polish young people are fairly well behaved - relatively speaking.

Certainly better behaved than Irish, British, German, French, Spanish for example anyway.
Teffle   
1 Sep 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

o nooo. he is calling this "tolerance" :)

Er...No ???!!!

Are you actually a real poster tow_stalin or just some piece of code written to generate non sequiturs throughout the site?
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

bollox. there is no machismo in polish culture

...is what you said Zetigrek.

This whole manners/chivalry thing has got out of hand totally. I mentioned old fashioned manners/chivalry - not a problem with that - that "spilled over into... there's where the problem started for me.

And yes, old fashioned definitely by most standards e.g. kissing women's hands? Again, not a problem with it though.

I have re-read your post#28. Fair enough, you have been more open/receptive than I may have assumed a few posts back.

I'll probably leave this because it's all been said and there is too much misinterpretation and defensiveness I think.

Again, apologies if I have offended anyone as it was not my intention. I was just trying to be as honest as possible.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Teffle really wasn't looking for answer does he had "a bad luck". He just want to confirm his prejudice... Teffle, am I right?

No, you are not. I wanted to know if my experiences were accurate, half accurate or completely unusual, i.e. bad luck.

From the mixture of responses it seems, on balance, that they weren't completely unusual anyway that's for sure.

btw. Teffle I've send you a message, it would be polite to reply or just send a pm that you won't reply.

For the record, I didn't notice I had a PM - I'm used to receiving pop-ups.

You reckon it's polite to remind me how to behave politely then? and to proceed to reproduce part of the "private" message ?!

I dunno...

Its normal that British and Irish ppl say to Poles: "go back to Poland if you don't like the way of living here" and they see nothing wrong with that.

Well it's rude, but logical. I would never say it but I can see the reasoning.
It's not the same thing though - for a start I don't live in Poland.

BTW, you said that there "is no macismo in Poland"

In black and white.

Do you still stand by this statement?
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

p.s1. if don't like poland, don't come here, that's easy.

Oh don't worry about that ; )

p.s2. i hope that no one will compel you to come here again :)

I would say morally obliged - but no, it won't happen again either.

p.s3. it's still amazing for me that some people from other countries aren't tolerant at all. they are expecting everything to be in line with their expectations, and when it comes to reality, they are very disappointed. such a children's behavior...

Didn't know what to expect to be honest.

Don't see where intolerance comes into it ?!

I've enjoyed - to a greater or lesser degree - all countries I have visited but because I didn't enjoy Poland I am intolerant and childish.

Right.

OK.

There is quite a prickly element in here isn't there?

right on, but some people get offended. Observations are observations and I think that OP made some really good points

Well Dziękuję!

And apologies if I have offended you or anyone else...

Oh sorry, something I did quite enjoy and should have mentioned more was the food. So, there you go.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
News / Weekend of carnage as 41 people lose their lives on Poland's roads [44]

yeah, it's those sober morons that scare me the most... I need half a bottle before i get the courage to drive.

LOL!

Has anyone noticed if some pr1ck pulls a psychotic overtaking manouvere it is usually an Audi?

Yep. Or BMW. Usually with blacked out windows. Some things transcend all borders!
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Food / Polish Eating Habits [87]

I quite like Polish food but I think many Poles are in denial as to the relative health of their diet. Pickled/preserved food features highly as does heavily salted stuff - both of which are not healthy.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Life / Polish pride. PL stickers, flags and the white eagle! Where does our obsession come from? [79]

I can understand the OP's observation for reasons mentioned by MareGaea & Seanus.

I would have thought though that given our history the same thing would happen in Ireland but it doesn't really - at least not that I've noticed. You get a bit of flag flying but it's confined to villages in contentious border areas and with strong republican traditions.

I'm talking about the Irish republic by the way - in Northern Ireland, flags/symbols etc are much more widespread and have a deeper significance. This is the case too in certain parts of Glasgow I think.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Then Mr.Irish from land of tolerence, better search carefully this forum to find out how many "racist" comments me as PoleI must bear. Check RevokeNice yout fellow countryman comments

Getting a little worked up there are you?

No thanks, I won't be bothering to search the posts of other members - but at the same time, I have never attempted to deny that there is intolerance/xenophobia in Ireland either.

I can't take someone who tells me to "take my sick beliefs back to Ireland" and who denies that there is any machismo in Poland whatsoever too seriously anyway.

In Poland a men who don't let the women walk first through the door are the worst louts and boors. No complex-ridden feminist will tell me there something wrong with good manners!

Now who is jumping to conclusions? When have I ever said that I have any issue or problem with anything anything like this?
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

So is worse than you thought. She simply doeasnt`t want be trated like irish girls by irish men, If You find our gentlmen way of act toward women as sexist.

There is other way... There is no machismo in Poland is a true statemant.

I'm sorry, but I don't actually know what you are talking about.

third: I don't offend any Irish ppl... it you call it rasism, wow then no wonder that you see it everywhere

So, are you honestly telling me If I told you "take your beliefs back to Poland" that you would not consider the remark to be motivated by xenophobia?

What about if I told a black person to "take their customs back to Africa" - just a normal statement with no implications or undertones - right?

I don't think so.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Jeden, I quoted two sentences and they are both short - I don't need to bold both quotes do I?

For racist replace xenophobic.

(Fair enough mafketis - but don't tell me you didn't know what I meant)

If you don't think a suggestion that you take xyz back to [named country] has xenophobic undertones then it's worse than I thought.

I don't see how there is any other way to read the assertion that "there is no machismo in Poland" as being blindly jingoistic - not to mention utterly illogical.

I do think a woman showing obvious and open pleasure (and anticipation of) a good stiff drink is going to raise eyebrows (and the assumption that she has a problem and shouldn't be indulged).

I agree but it's not what I was describing. Also, the above should apply to men too anyway IMO.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Since when do Polish and Irish people belong to different races?

You know exactly what I mean.

Update your vocabulary please

No thanks, not necessary.

As for the "unladylike" comments form mafketis? well, I rest my case.

Sorry, that last comment was from wroclawboy, not mafketis.
Teffle   
31 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Take your sick believes about what sexism is back to Ireland...

bollox. there is no machismo in polish culture.

LOL. Well done. In one post you have managed to demonstrate 2 of my original observations: a comment with racist undertones and the old belief that Poland is great and has no negatives.

You managed to even make some questionable "Balkan" type comment further on ... unreal.
Teffle   
30 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Sexism? Their joking aside, where did you see it?

I mentioned a vague sexism - old fashioned manners/chivalry that spilled over into patronisation and machismo some of the time.

E.g. my wife being repeatedly ignored when the glasses were being filled around the table - general deference to the male (i.e. me) for decision making and expecting me to answer for my wife.

Noticed quite a few older males kind of "rationing" their wives alcohol intake - often the women didn't get their own drink and were kind of given a little from time to time from their men.
Teffle   
30 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

Well plk I honestly don't think I have a problem with my outlook. As I've said, I have lived in other countries and visited many and have enjoyed the experiences - sometimes loved it.

I'm aware that what I have said sounds very negative but it was my experience. I'm struggling to find positive things to say simply because I struggled to find positive things.

Again, I reiterate that the Polish people I know, I really like - in fact I would say that I love a few of them. My times in Poland were not completely terrible and I did meet some nice people and was treated with hospitality generally but for the most part, what I posted was what I encountered. Put it this way though, I don't think I would ever go back.
Teffle   
30 Aug 2010
Travel / My (short) Poland experiences - bad luck? [142]

There are ugly and beautiful spots in Poland, like everywhere

yes, fair enough. Didn't see much of it mind you but I did go on to say that some of the scenery was nice.

Try to talk to some Brits about the UK, or French about France, or Italians about Italy... shall I go on?

Indeed. Doesn't make it OK though. Most reasonably people do not go on like this - in Poland my experience was that most people did.

It's more that people are not used to he variety of nations you get, for example, in London. It will change, with time

Well I really hope so - for Poland's sake as well as everyone elses.

Well, we don't smile to every single passer-by - that's just so fake!

Of course, I don't expect you to but I wasn't expecting most people to simply look so miserable either. And yes, silent - when walking along busy streets or in a galeria I woiuld expect a certian level of background noise or babble - it just wasn't there

And that is simply not true - service happens to be terrible less and less often. And we still get the benefit of your local friendly shop! Also, my fiance gets by in his brokne Polish and people really appreciate the fact that he's making an effort!

Well my broken Polish ddidn't do me much good. I admit I didn't get bad service all the time but yes, a lot of the time certainly.

I really think you've got a huge chip on your shoulder yourself. People in the cities have their own business to mind and in the villages they are just curious

Where do you get the idea that I have the chip?!

Come to my town and I'll arrange for you to have a short bus trip and I'll plant a dozen or so actors on the bus who will stare at you continuously at the same time for the duration of your trip and you might know what I mean. This was in a city by the way.