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 next to me is putting up a cloud of smoke!

Despite the Polish government’s preparations for banning smoking in all public places smoking restrictions are not yet as widespread as in Great Britain, for example. Generally it is forbidden to smoke in public places such as railways stations, airports, department stores, shops, any forms of public transportation (except separate places for smokers in trains), cinemas, waiting rooms, bus stops (nobody respects that), banks and all places of a similar public nature. Any violation of the above restrictions can lead to a fine or ejection from the premises by security, or both. Smoking is allowed in restaurants, summer gardens, pubs and clubs if not marked no smoking zone.

Drinking alcohol (including beer) is forbidden in public places except special areas in restaurant summer gardens. The fine for drinking alcohol in a bus is 100 zł and is higher in other public places if you are apprehended. If you are very drunk, violent or disturbing the peace and are arrested by the police you will be fined and put in a cell to sleep off your drunkenness. This will not save you a night in a hotel as this police service is rather expensive and you will be charged for your night in police custody. Drinking is strictly prohibited in parks, the surroundings of night shops and railways stations.

Drinking alcoholic beverages is one of the things that Poles do and like to do and are good at. There is a German joke which says that that 2.5 ml of alcohol in the blood is fatal but this rule does not apply to Poles and Russians. Is this really a joke, or is it true? I’m not going to try to convince you either way. What is true is that most Polish people like to have a drink or more now and then. Small amounts or relatively larger volumes are consumed at most social gatherings in Poland. Polish people enjoy themselves at weddings, anniversaries, birthdays or names day parties and other occasions that bring friends and family together. This alcoholic consumption lubricates the evening and breaks down the barriers of contact amongst strangers or family members who haven’t met since the last wedding or funeral. People drink to enjoy themselves, to dance and be merry, just like everywhere in the world. But I have to say that at the same time Polish people eat a lot while drinking. The amount of food that is put out during the wedding and parties is few times more than here in US. For example at our wedding we had 4 warm dinners coming on the tables every 2-3 hours, on the top of tables full of warm and cold appetizers all the time, fruit and desserts. Our party lasted till 5am, but I think that a lot of food helped with all these shots of vodka…

If you come to Poland, or should I say, when you come to Poland, you might, or then again, you will be invited to a Polish celebration, be it a wedding, christening or any other excuse to celebrate, you will realize that this is the perfect occasion to meet other Polish people during a boisterous occasion. If there is anything that the Poles know better then it’s, how to have a good time. You will never see as much food in one night, so pace yourself; you will be getting bigos and a fattened roasted pig at three in the morning, plus soup and salads. The tables will heave with food, you will be tempted, and the wine and beer and all other kinds of refreshments will flow. And with it that great polish hospitality, that meeting of people, of friends and family, of history and tradition. And in the morning, well you can sleep it off, if you have overindulged. Sometimes you have to. As they say, you only live once, and in Poland it can be to the hilt!

One thing I have noticed while going back to Poland is that all of my friends stayed away from drinking if they were driving. And they would not even have one drink or even a single beer. It really impressed my husband and myself.

Remember!

– The sale of cigarettes and alcohol to under 18 year old people is strictly forbidden.

– 0,2 m alcoholic content in blood is the permitted upper limit for driving. Take note. One beer and you are over the limit. Driving when under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offence. So Don’t Drink and Drive! They take it really seriously in Poland.

After writing this article I found out that as of November 15th 2010 Poland joined 10 other European countries who have already implemented the ban and the outcome is that people out and about in Poland can no longer smoke in restaurants, clubs, pubs and work places, schools, museums, theatres, airports, railway and bus stations, stadiums, hospitals and playgrounds.

I haven’t been to Poland since last June, so please let me know if this has been really kept everywhere.

Do następnego razu! (Till next time…)