Archive for 'Culture'
Frederick Chopin’s Museum Posted by Kasia on Dec 30, 2010
If you are visiting Warsaw I want to encourage you to see one place located about 45 minutes away from there, especially if are a fan of Frederick Chopin’s music. The village of Żelazowa Wola is located 54 km from Warsaw, about 2 km from Sochaczew. It is here that Frederyk Chopin was born…
Sylwester i Nowy Rok Posted by Kasia on Dec 28, 2010
New Year’s Eve is the Day before the New Year, and the night in particular is marked by parties all around to celebrate and greet New Year, which may last till morning. Their origin is explained by a legend. According to Sybil’s prophecy, the end of the world was to take place in 1000, brought…
Bargaining and Tipping Posted by Kasia on Dec 27, 2010
Today I wanted to talk a little about bargaining while shopping and also about tipping in Poland. Price bargaining, officially known as price negotiation, is quite common when shopping in the markets or bazaars in Poland. There are official regulations which oblige shop or stall owners to show a price, but these are flexible and the…
Szopki Krakowskie – Cracow Christmas Cribs Posted by Kasia on Dec 23, 2010
The most refined forms, the most opulent and beautiful ornamentation – these are the distinctive features of Szopki Krakowskie. They have been made by Cracow masters of carpentry and stone – masonry since the mid 19th century. The design of all these cribs as a rule refers to such historic Gothic and Baroque structures in…
Smoking and drinking Posted by Kasia on Dec 17, 2010
Every time my husband and I visit Poland and we go out, the most annoying thing to me at the restaurants is that you can smoke in 99% of them and there are usually no “no smoking” sections. I don’t want to discriminate smokers, but I hate when I’m having lunch or dinner and someone…
Polish Literature, Literatura Polska – Part 1 Posted by Kasia on Dec 10, 2010
Today I wanted to talk about such an important subject for people from Poland and not only from Poland. Polish literature has always been inextricably linked to the historical development of the country as the political situation, particularly over the last two centuries, has not always favored freedom of speech. Many writers (pisarze) were forced…
Imieniny Posted by Kasia on Dec 3, 2010
Name days (imieniny) in Poland are very special occasions and are more important than Birthdays. It is traditional to call and wish the person Wszystkiego Najlepszego. It is also traditional to give a small gift. The gifts (prezenty) typically are roses or other flowers (kwiaty) and small gifts of candy, glass vases (szklane wazy)…