We’re in the (very) early stages of planning the '11 Mustardcation. Poland came up as a possible destination and the idea is picking up steam. Since this is a far cry from our usual Up North getaway, I’d like some Doper input. Many questions torment the soul.
Nobody in the group (six adults) speaks any language outside of English. Can we get by?
I’ve heard - not sure where - that Poland is a hidden gem; relatively inexpensive, non-touristy, steeped in history and culture. Does anyone have any insight into these claims? Bonus points if you’ve actually been to Poland.
Of course we’re in need of must-see places and must-do activities while there. So far I know very little as far as specifics; much research awaits. In the meantime, any suggestions?
How, in general, are Americans viewed by the Poles?
I taught English in Krakow for six months, so I’ve solved any language problem you might have had.
Seriously, Krakow is a great city and you’ll have no problem getting along in English, though a phrasebook will be handy. I was last there in 2003 and would love to go back. Americans seemed pretty well liked. Seems most Poles have a relative in the US.
Not been myself but friends who have (Brits) have had a great time. You may be better trying Trip Advisor for detailed information and advice. The Poland forums will have a much higher concentration of knowledgeable people!
Not sure, I’ve always been with Polish speakers, my feeling is less people speak english than other European countries. Obviously, young people are more likely to speak english. Get a good phrase book, they might laugh at your attempts, but it will be appreciated.
I don’t think Poland is cheap, at least not any more. There are lots of tourists. Yes, lots of history and culture.
Krakow is a good start, near by are Auschwitz, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Zakopane mountains (I’ve not been but they’re supposed to be beautiful). Wroclow is a beautiful city. Gdansk is worth a vist and it’s close to the seaside resort of Sopot. All over poland is loads of WW2 stuff and old castles. In general I’d say places of interest are not as well prepared for foreigners as other european countries.
I don’t think being American will be held against you, the fact you’ve taken the trouble to visit their country will get you some points. The poles I’ve met (on the whole) have been very friendly, if they speak english, they’ll probably want to practice on you, especially away from tourist locations.
Getting around Poland can be difficult. The roads are terrible (although they are improving with EU money) and Poles are the most dangerous drivers I’ve ever encountered. The train system seems to work pretty well, the few times I’ve used it. I’ve heard you have to be careful on trains, because of mugging, but I’ve never had a problem.
Nobody in the group (six adults) speaks any language outside of English. Can we get by? you’ll be okay in the towns, maybe have some trouble in villages, but in a kind of fun way (pointing at stuff in the cafe, etc.) None of us spoke Polish and we didn’t have any trouble.
Krakow is lovely, parts of Poland have a really old Europe feel to them (but I’ve only spent time in and around Krakow and some small towns around there). If you go to Krakow, you should see the salt mines and you should see Aushwitz, to have your heart broken.
Of course we’re in need of must-see places and must-do activities while there. So far I know very little as far as specifics; much research awaits. In the meantime, any suggestions? Krakow’s old town.
How, in general, are Americans viewed by the Poles? Lots and lots of Poles have extended family in the US. Everyone was very nice, in my experience.
Anything else I need to know? Europe’s trains are very easy to use and go everywhere. A trip to Poland could easily include side trips to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, or wherever you’d like.
I travelled through Poland in 1968, so I think things might have changed a little since then.
As I recall it we had no problems getting by with sign language and what have you. I also managed to translate a sign by a water faucet (we had taken water from it to make coffee) at a stopover, using a Polish phrase book. It said: "Do NOT drink this water! It is heavily contaminated).
I’ve been to Krakow, it was in 1997 but even then you could get by on 90% English and gesturing. Poles don’t really expect that non-Poles speak their language. They are impressed and pleased if you make an effort with simple phrases like please, thank you, etc.
Outside of Krakow are famous salt mines where the workers carved statues, shrines, and even entire ballrooms into the salt rock. Pretty interesting.
Also outside Krakow is Auschwitz. Since a large number of my family were imprisoned and murdered there, I felt an aversion to paying money to enter it (admission to the camp is free, but there’s the whole infrastructure of tour buses, etc). However, many people find it a worthwhile, if emotionally exhausting, experience.
Krakow is known for its amber jewelry, characteristic pottery style decorated with blue and green circles, and “Bison Grass” herbal vodka. There is also a famous poster store (Galleria Plakatu, or “The Poster Gallery”) where cold-war era commercial poster art can be seen and purchased for very reasonable prices. Non-commercial art was frowned upon, so things like movie posters rose to incredible heights of artistry.
Yes, inasmuch as four words (kolbasy, pierogie, Zhubrowkha, piwo) carried us through. If you speak any German or Russian, those will be incrementally useful in parts.
Yes, steeped in lots of history (almost all of it bad – prepare to be very depressed, many landmarks are of the mass grave variety). Still, beautiful and impressive. I found it cheap and untouristed OUTSIDE OF the main cities (Warsaw and Krakow are Westernizing as quickly as ever they can). Warsaw and Danzig/Gdansk were both heavily bombed/destroyed by the Nazi and Soviet jackasses so there will be an element of Disney to their center cities, which have been largely rebuilt, for better or worse. Krakow was not bombed, is beautiful, but is also well-discovered and full of tourists. Worse yet, a fair number of drunk Brits make it their destination for bachelor parties, etc. Still a must see for the [Huerta to fill in name later] Cathedral[s] and castle. Also proximity to Auschwitz if you’d like to see that, aforementioned salt mines, and the Zakopanie (sp.), more later on that. Warsaw is still a must see though very commercial. Their version of Versailles (more to follow) was quite enjoyable. Gdansk might be more iffy. I would do it again, if only for the Solidarity stuff. Also lots of . . . amber. Go figure.
Torun is kind of centrally located. Birthplace of Copernicus and also home to a big German POW camp, if military history is your thing. Nice medieval sort of city. Czestohowa was also very impressive. Otherwise, see above. Driving in Poland is possible though a bit nervewracking. Most of the roads are Soviet-era narrow tracks, now traversed by German and Dutch 18 wheelers driving way too fast on undivided highways. Bonus points for leather-miniskirted prostitutes standing by the roadside in the forest to cater to said truckers.
Poles are almost uniformly friendly down to Earth people IME. Americans are viewed favorably as the Poles have always been Western looking and they have not forgotten the Cold War (Poland was the least-compliant Eastern Bloc country). Learning English (or German) is now the national sport – they are very ambitious to become modern/successful, and the Anglosphere is one of their models for this. If you happen to be Catholic, bonus points for that as they are still very pious (discount everything in this paragraph for the fact that each younger generation is less traditional, but it is still a very conservative place in some cultural ways).
Outside the big cities, English ability drops pretty severely, and countryside Poland is . . . country. Remember the four words I taught you and you’re largely fine.
Overall: Go. You will be impressed, sometimes depressed (they really have gotten the short end of various historical sticks, while still managing to produce an impressive array of achievers), and will not pay too much (they are not on the Euro, which used to be more of an advantage I suppose than it is now . . . .).
Okay, the Cathedral is adjacent to Wawel castle. But perhaps even more beautiful is St. Mary’s Church in downtown. At the foot of the Wawel hill is a memorial to the Katyn massacre, yet more interesting but depressing history.
The Polish Versailles I mentioned is called Belweder. Well worth a visit when in Warsaw.
I was in Poland in 2001, so I suspect things have changed quite a bit. There weren’t many English speakers there, especially compared to western Europe, but people were quite friendly. Krakow is an amazingly beautiful city, apparently it was one of the few cities that survived WWII unscathed. The castle and the town square are delightful. The salt mine and Auschwitz are pretty much must see attractions. Warsaw was pretty much destroyed during WWII and while certain parts were restored, it’s just a big fucking city without a whole lot of charm.
I would goto Poland just to see Auschwitz. The experience of doing so has to be overwhelming. Has to be one of the most life-altering places on the face of the earth.
This guy has written a few things about traveling in Poland. He speaks Polish natively, and wasn’t doing a family vacation, but at least you’ll be amused and maybe learn something.
Half my family is Polish and still lives there, so I spent a lot of time there, esp. as a child. In addition to everything posted here, I’ll give you this: my childhood impressions of the three major cities I’ve been to. When I told my aunts what I thought, they laughed … and then they were quiet for a second. Apparently, I nailed it.
Krakow: RED. The bricks, the cobblestones, physically, but also because the whole city has a very vibrant feel to it. Lots of cafes, college students everywhere.
Zakopane: GREEN. This is your stereotypical verdant European mountain town. The only drawback IIRC is that it’s sort of a dish or depressed bowl in the middle of the mt. range, so pollution tends to accumulate in the air rather than being blown away. Don’t miss the oscypek - smoked cheese that’s usually carved in ornate patterns. It’s friggin’ delicious.
Warsaw: GRAY. Concrete everywhere. The communist apt. blocks are just soul-crushingly awful, although the last time I was there (several years ago) there was a LOT of new construction going on, nice modern designs. The public transportation system (buses) are pretty efficient, though.
One last thing: Zobrowka (the bisongrass vodka) is delicious. Unlike any other vodka, though, it does NOT play well with OJ. Do not make a screwdriver out of it. Oddly, the thing it tastes absolutely best with is apple juice. Go into a bar and order a szarlotka - the name basically means “apple pie.” (Say: “shar-LOT-ka.”) Trust me on this. All is well in the world when you drink one.
One more last thing: The Wieliczka salt mines sound tourist-y (and they are, a bit) but once you’re there you’ll be glad you went. Stand in the main ballroom and marvel that the *entire thing *was carved by hand, even the tile-pattern on the floor. Hand. Frigging. Carved.
Bring money for jewelry purchases, as silver & amber jewelry is mined & crafted there, & the amber is utterly top-notch. Look for amber with fossilized insects in it.
Close enough. Kiełbasa/kiełbasy (“sausage”/“sausages”) is the Polish word for sausage. “Kolbasy” is either Russian, the Hungarian word for sausage with the Polish plural marker, or the Czech word with an extra syllable (“klobasy.”)
Anyhow, I’ve been to Poland about seven or eight times (visited regularly as a child, from when I was born until when I was 16 about every 4 years), then several times as an adult. My experiences are mostly in Southern Poland. I absolutely recommend Krakow for its medieval architecture and beauty. It’s somewhat a bit like a less touristy version of Prague.
My father’s from Zakopane, and that’s a great area for hiking and general nature loving. It’s quite a bit different from my youth in its commercialization now, but it’s still a beautiful place to go to. “Stereotypical verdant European mountain town” is a pretty apt description of it.
Warsaw is the cultural (and literal) capital of Poland, but it’s a bit more rough around the edges than the above towns. There’s an old Polish or Russian joke about somebody flying from Paris to Moscow for the first time, and another passenger flying from Moscow to Paris for the first time. They both have a layover in Warsaw, and the Parisian says “Wow, is this Moscow?!” Meanwhile, the Russian has his layover in Warsaw and remarks, “Wow, this is Paris?!”
To a Westerner, except for the old town, it’s quite the stereotypical commie Eastern European looking city. Lots of tall, gray, concrete apartment blocks everywhere. That said, I think it’s worth exploring.
Also, Gdansk, if you’re in the area (Baltic Sea) is worth a visit, too.
May I hijack for a second? Does anybody here speak Polish that’d be willing to help coach me through it? I’m trying to teach myself so I need an available native (or well-trained) speaker to help me out here and there.
My Polish is rusty now but I used to be fluent enough to pass for native, so if I can help you out, I’d be happy to do what I can. You could start a thread, I guess - sounds like **pulykamell **knows a thing or three as well. Noun endings trip me up the most, and gave me away when otherwise my accent and vocab was in top shape.
That said, I’ll share a story about an American college student I met in Lublin. Initially, he spoke absolutely no Polish. First he learned one key word: piwo. (“Beer.”) Then - a breakthrough! - he learned another word: dwa. (“Two.”) This helped him order a beer for himself AND a lady! Softening feminine influences being what they are, he eventually learned yet another word: prosze. (“Please.”)
I believe that was the full extent of the language that he absorbed, but to him, it was all he needed to know: “Two beers, please.” Got him drunk, got him laid. Dude had priorities, ya know?
Softening feminine influences being what they are, he eventually learned yet another word: prosze. (“Please.”)