However, not to romanticized too much about Poland there are some difficult sides. The people had the War then communism. As a result people can be difficult and not as friendly initially as you might be use to. I would say this applies to the cities like Warsaw, Krakow etc, not to the villages.

Village life is totally different and people are more easy-going. In the cities they are charging ahead and trying to get and take as much as they can. I would say Polish cities have the feel of NYC in the 1970s, that is a lot of unfriendly and rude people. Polish people taking advantage of Polish people and foreigners coupled with long faces and a low-level of customer service. I think this is most seen in the people in their 50s. People in the 20s are like Americans, positive and friendly as are Poles in their 30s.. The character of American cities have change a lot over forty years and I suspect this will happen in Poland also. I do not want to say anything bad about Poland, but just want to give some people a heads up that sometimes you might encounter some rude people and this is because of communism. It has nothing to do with Poland or the Polish people, just a group of people that are going away that learned the way to interact with people under communism.

Poland is gothic, romantic and something to explore - in contrast the USA can be cookie cutter or seem plastic at times

I am almost 100% positive on Poland, however, there are some things to be aware of. I can not tell you the number of people who have tried to use me in Poland. In the USA it would not happen as much, but it does happen. So you have to be vigilant. When I moved to Poland I thought Polish people could do not wrong. I learned they were just people like all over the world, some are sheeps and some are wolves.

It is easy to go to the dark side and get sucked into the negativity around you. I am sure it was communism that changed the attitude of Polish people. It is not all Polish people just those who have an attitude from communism that nothing good can come from Poland. It is not true. Poland is a blessed nation.

On the other hand, I lived in Poland about ten years and did so for a reason, because I love Poland and it is one of the most amazing places on earth.  I think the women are beautiful, slim and attractive as well as educated if you are a single guy, hint – hint. The history and culture are rich, it is in the center of Europe and it has beautiful nature.

My day in Poland Vs. My day in the USA

I moved to St. Augustine, Florida recently. I would say that life is different from Poland. Not in prices as much as what I do.

My day here in the USA is, writing, swimming surfing, biking and sun.
My day in Poland was writing, and rocking Auchen or Alma or other shopping malls (because it was too cold). On the weekends or vacation I travelled all over Europe and Poland.

I tend to think you need more money in Poland to have the same standard of life.  I have said all along, with one million zlotys in Poland, you can have a big car (automatic), full cable on a flat screen, travel Europe to sunny locations, a nice wooden house in the countryside where you actually keep the heat cranked. A very nice life. This way you can insulate yourself from the darkness and cold.

On the other hand you can live much cheaper in Poland if you want to, and do not have suh high expectations about lifestyle. You could rent a basic flat in a block and eat at the milk bars. Its an interesting life. Nothing like the USA, it has a rustic authentic feel.

• Prices in Poland or Cost in Poland
• Moving to Poland

In contrast in Florida where I live now, it is a different world here. The water is still warm.  I think December and January and February I will be going to the gym more than ocean, basically winter. I am enjoying the easy going life in warm weather and friendly customer service.

Polish people say – ‘ our weather is normal  we have 4 seasons’.  No it is not normal.  It is three season.  PA is normal, NC is normal. It is because they are used to it, they say it is normal. But most of the world’s population does not live that high north in the globe. I am not saying it is bad, a lot of smart people come from northern places as they are inside living a surreal existence of  cold blue dark winter.

• Poland has 3 seasons     Winter, Spring, fall
• St. Augustine has 3 seasons.  Summer, fall, spring – the exact opposite 3 seasons in the other direction.  I might go surfing today, we have this boggy board.
• NC and PA has a true 4 seasons.

If you like skiing and winter sports like skating Poland is fun.   I was going to get x-country ski in Poland.   We went ice skating and that was fun.  Also it is a lot of fun if you need to focus on work and you can be cozy watching the snow fall from your window.  Steven King writes in Maine and it does not stop him.  Cold weather is great for working too.

So this is a short post to get a discussion going on Poland Vs. the USA. I would be curious to hear other people’s experiences.

Kopiec (mound) is a tribute built in commemoration of someone important. It is pretty much an artificial hill with symmetrical paths leading to the top. There are four of these in Kraków, the oldest ones are Princess Wanda Mound and King Krak Mound (the legendary founder of Kraków)and they were originally meant to be graves built by the thankful residents of the town.

Up on a Krakow hilltop - note the smog in the background as Krakow is in a valley

Its amazing I have lived in Krakow for so many years and only hike a few of the mounds and I have certainly not done all of the touristy things. The hills in Cracow are worth seeing as they give you a good panorama of the cityscape of the Royal city which you can not get in any other way.

The Story of Kościuszko Mound

Kościuszko is a Polish, Lithuanian and Us military hero. He was a Polish general who led the Kościuszko Uprising against Russia and Prussia. He was also involved in American Revolutionary War as a colonel. In short words, he was and still is a quite special guy to the Polish Nation, so they decided that he deserved his very own mound. It was built three years after his death, on top of St Bronisława Hill (Polish name: Wzgórze Swiętej Bronisławy), also known as Wzgórze Sikornik.

It is visible from a lot of spots in Kraków, I can even see it right now when I look out of the window. You can see it when you walk along Piłsudskiego Street, which has very nice architecture by the way, so it is worth taking a walk there.

Tickets & opening hours

It costs 10 złoty to enter the mound area (but just going up is free of course only the tower top costs), there is also a chapel of Saint Bronislawa and some exhibitions every now and then. A couple of times a year it is free of charge. It is normally open from 9 till dusk and between may 1^st and Sepptember 30^th it is open until 11pm but only on the weekends and holidays. It is magical at night with the lights along the path great place for a date in Kraków.

How to get there

There are 2 bus lines that you can take, 100 and 101, but it is more more fun if you walk as you can see the landscape along the way. The easiest way to do it is take a tram or bus to the Salwator terminal (trams 1, 2, 6, buses 109, 209, 229, 239, 259, 269, 409) , then head up the hill along St Bronislawa Street (Ulica Swiętej Bronisławy) and then Washington Alley (Aleja Waszyngtona). You can also rent a bike and ride it all the way to Kopiec, there is a place to park it and they even provide free locks.

Make sure you take a camera with you, the view is amazing. I have not put too many photos here as I did not want to spoil the surprise, more something you have to experience.

]]> http://polishgrammar.com/kopiec-kosciuszki-krakow/feed/ 0 http://polishgrammar.com/krakow-balice-airport/ http://polishgrammar.com/krakow-balice-airport/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:55:15 +0000 Mark Biernat http://polishgrammar.com/?p=632 Kraków Balice Airport

John Paul II Airport (KRK) is a fairly small and convenient airport with very good access to the city centre, so you have no need to worry even if you tend to get nervous and / or lost at airports. There is not enough space to get lost, really, though the airport is still growing.

KRK is the Cracow airport code if you are looking up a flight online

It only has two terminals: domestic (T2) and international (T1). There is a shuttle bus that will drive you from the train stop to your terminal, but if you are trying to get to the international terminal it is quite slow, as it goes to the domestic terminal first, then turns around and goes back to the international. I wouldn’t advise taking it if you are in a hurry, unless you have a lot of luggage of course, simply because it is much faster to walk. And it is not a long walk at all.

The transport from Balice Airport to Kraków center

There most convenient way to get from the airport to the city centre or vice versa is to take the train. The ride is only about 15 minutes and even if it takes an extra stop on the way it is never longer than 20 minutes. If you take it from the railroad station it usually leaves off platform 1 every 30 minutes, unless there is a renovation going on. It is just a short white and red train, it’s easy to find it.

If you take it from the airport: there is a shuttle bus right outside the door, it is free and will take you to the train station. You can also walk, I think it is about 100 meters. There is a bus stop on the right and a pavement along it that ends at the train stop.

You can buy the tickets at the station’s ticket window , at the machine inside of the train (coins only) or you can also buy it from the ticket controller after the train takes off. Do not worry about getting a fine if you do not have a ticket when the guy asks you to show it. It does not work the same way as Kraków public transport (MPK) , if you don’t have a ticket you can simply buy it with some extra charge. A regular ticket is 10 złoty.

If you want to make your trip to the airport or back really cheap, there are two regular agglomeration bus lines going to the airport: 208 and 292. There is also a night bus 903. They all leave from Dworzec Główny Wschód, the big bus and coach station by Galeria Krakowska and of course stop around the town. You need an agglomeration ticket (bilet normalny aglomeracyjny) for those, as they exceed city district. It costs 3.20zł and you can buy it at kiosks, ticket machines around the town or on the bus. The airport buses have big blue planes on their schedule so even if you forget the bus number, you will still know which one to take without reading every bus schedule at the bus stop.

There will be drivers outside the airport who will offer you a trip to the center in their mini bus for 60 złoty, but it is not a good deal at all, especially here in Kraków with such good transport options and the airport being relatively close to the city. Even a taxi would be cheaper, yet I see plenty of tourists going for it. The cheapest taxi company is called icar by the way, if you ever need to take one in Kraków. There are also other mini buses that I believe charge you 5 złoty for the ride to Galeria Krakowska but they are never right by the exit so you have to look for them. My advice is, if someone walks up and wants you to take their bus say no, because they will more than likely overcharge you. The same applies to mini buses parked right where you can see them after you walk out of the door. They are the most expensive ones and live off of people who have no idea how cheap it actually is to get to the center. Don’t be one of them.

What the name Sary Kleparz refers to now was originally the main square of the city of Kleparz back in the old days. Today if you ask anyone about it they will tell you it is a market. Probably the most popular one in Kraków, along with its younger brother, Nowy Kleparz ( New Kleparz).

Polish girl selling mountain cheese in the old market in Krakow

Most shoppers visit Kleparz to buy fresh organic vegetables. I do and the meat is also mostly organic as are the dairy products. They are grow and farmed by local farms. You can see this by the fact the garlic is actually pink not the white chinese garlic you see in the rest of the world. But pink garlic full of flavonoids.

There is a huge variety of fruit and vegetables to choose from, homegrown organic things, imported exotic stuff and everything in between. The majority of the market are stands, but there are some mini shops also, mostly on the edges of the square, including bread shops (try the famous one that sells everything out in 2 hours, I can’t tell you the name, but you will probably recognize it by a long line of people), diary & meat shops, candy and even a flower-pot store.

You can buy almost anything there. Flower bouquets, antiques, little decorative pumpkins, seeds, homemade cheese, kitchen ware and even underwear, although this one will probably not be of the best quality, just like all Kleparz clothing . You can get some wicker items at a good price, too. If you get hungry while exploring it, there are some fast food places too, selling zapiekanki and so on.

I think the best time to shop there is winter. In December you can really feel a Christmas spirit, and I’m not talking about the kind of fever that you can experience at the mall. It’s much more calm and relaxing there, people just wander around and pick trees or lights and buy candy for the kids. And speaking of candy, definitely try ice chocolates. You might know them or have heard of them, depending on where you come from. These are only sold in the winter as they melt very easily, almost like ice cream.

Stary Kleparz is located right behind the tram stop called Basztowa Lot. You can get there using lines 0, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 15, 20, 24 (trams) or 124, 152 and 424 (buses), but it is quick and easy to reach it from the main square just walk along Sławkowska Street and when you pass the Planty Park go slightly to the right, next to Długa Street you will see something like a cavity since Kleparz is a square.

If you feel like visiting Nowy Kleparz as well, it is not very far from it at the end of Długa Street, which is a 15 minute walk. This is area is also where all the bridal shops are in Krakow.

Where to shop in Kraków

 You would probably expect me to say the best shopping spots in Kraków are Floriańska Street and Galleria Krakowska, which are located in the center, but these are actually the worst spots, unless you don’t mind overcrowded places geared for tourists. I prefer peaceful shopping with better prices and try to avoid those places if I am not in a big hurry. Here is my list of places to shop in Krakow for various consumer and tourist items written by a Cracovian who shops.

Krakow has the largest shopping mall in Europe - this i a bold claim but if you look at square feet I think it is, but this is largely because of the large movie house in this mall so it ups the size a bit artificially.

• Clothes – The most convenient place to shop for clothes in Kraków is Bonarka City Center. The location is about the only issue it has, it is definitely not as approachable as Galeria Krakowska, but a lot less crowded, too. Whatever it is that you are hunting for, in Bonarka you have more to choose from than anywhere else. It is a huge 2- story mall with all kinds of shops. I think it is the largest mall in Europe almost as big as Mall of America and the King of Prussia Mall in the USA. Watch out though, because of its size it is easy to get lost and the maps are not very helpful. So if you want a mix between Polish prices and Western brand names go to Bonarka. Take the bright yellow 304 bus there. In this mall my favorite shops are – Auchen for WalMart prices. It is the French WalMart. For women’s clothes Kappha (Swedish Store), Reserved (Polish store).

• 

  Alma is like a natural food store in the UK or the USA

• Food – If you are looking for a place to buy cheap food, again Bonarka is the best choice for you. This is where the cheapest supermarket in Kraków is. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, there are Stary Kleparz by Basztowa Street and Nowy Kleparz at the end of Długa Street. The sellers are often the ones who grew the crops. I cannot say it’s organic food, but it tastes real and nothing like supermarket stuff. Kleparz offers all kinds of goodies, from usual things such as bread or cabbage to hand carved wooden spoons, wildflower bouquets or funny cosmetics sold by a Russian girl. If you are in need of something sophisticated and rare you should probably look in one of Alma stores as they tend to carry a lot of foreign food that is generally hard to find in regular stores. I also like Alma, which is basically WholeFoods of Poland. There are many Alma’s in Krakow but I go to the one in Gallaria Kazimierz. They also have Kosher food in Krakow if that is important to you.

• 

  The high quality fresh food is found at the farmers market in the center of Krakow

• 

  I shop for clothes at Bonarka

• Antiques – There are several antique stores in Kraków and I think Kazimierz has the most of them. There is also a flea market every Sunday morning at Hala Grzegórzecka. The prices are very decent and you can really find some treasures or crazy things. I’ve even seen a big fossiled egg one time.

• 

  You must purchase something in Cloth hall

• Souvenirs – I know this is quite obvious, but I have to say Sukiennice (Cloth Hall). Not only because everything in it is about souvenirs and you have a lot to choose from. They are real souvenirs from Kraków, designed and made in Poland, a lot of times by hand, not something that says Kraków but was made in China. The fact that it is a historical building and most likely the first mall in the world makes it more fun to shop there rather than in some regular souvenir shop. Other than that, I think Grodzka Street has a lot of gift and souvenir stores, there is also a good one in about the middle of Sławkowska Street, you can recognize it by different kinds of stuffed cats in the window. There is another good one on Gołębia Street and I believe that one only sells handcrafted items. If you happen to be in Kraków around the holidays- Christmas or Easter, you should definitely check out the holiday market that is set up twice a year before the holidays. This is where the most unique souvenirs are, especially pottery. If it’s there you will see it as it is right on the Main Square.

• 

  Buy a chess set or Amber in cloth hall in Cracow, the price is right

• Art – You can buy paintings at the famous wall on Pijarska Street as well as in numerous galleries around the old town, such as one on Poselska Street, Dominikańska Street or Plac Szczepański. It is not hard to find one and you will most likely come across a few of them while taking a walk around the historical center.

• 

  Krakow bookstore Empik for Polish books there is an American bookstore for used books called Massolit

• Books- Go to Empik for Polish books and magazines in all languages and Massolit for used English books cheap. Massolit is more an expat hangout in Krakow.

You will not find anything like the shopping in Krakow any where else in the EU, everything is modern and new

 What to buy in Kraków- the must have items

 These are things to buy in Cracow. I think the these are all good, but if you want a nice gift or something of lasting value, buy Amber.

Traditional shop in the main market square of Krakow during holiday times

1. Obważanek, also referred to as precel, although it is not its proper name, is probably the most Kraków thing. There are stands selling obważanki all around the town. It tastes close to a roll, but has different crust and is sprinkled with poppy seed, sesame, or grained salt. It’s fun to get one and share it with the pigeons or swans by the river. Do not buy one with salt if you want to that though. This is literally a pretzel circle.

2. Dragon. It’s a symbol of Kraków. You will see dragons on every souvenir stand around the town. There are all kinds, little wooden ones, bigger stuffed plush ones and dragon t-shirts too, so make sure you do not leave Kraków without one. It might be a little tacky but it’s like going to Paris and not buying a miniature Eiffel Tower.

3. Bombki. Poland is famous for hand-made and painted glass Christmas ornaments. You can buy them at any time of the year, for example on Grodzka Street, although they might be slightly overpriced in the very center of Kraków.

4. A zapiekanka in Kazimierz. Another very Polish thing. It’s fast food, but probably a kind that you have never tried before if you are a foreigner. You can get them anywhere in Poland, but Kazimierz has the most sophisticated ones and you can pick each ingredient that you want as your zapiekanka topping. You can read more about zapiekanki in a separate post.

5. Amber. The Baltic Sea is the richest sea in the world when it comes to amber, so you will see plenty of amber jewellery in Kraków at good price. This is a good gift idea, too. Talented Krakow artists are everywhere, this city is a mecca for designers and the prices will be a fraction of NYC or London but better quality in terms of material and design, really.

6. Wawel chocolate. Especially the Kasztanki or Tiki Taki kind, simply because you will not find it anywhere else other than Poland.

Yet, another small little shop in poor Poland

Poland has some great sweets. Sometimes I wonder why is it that everyone talks about Polish sausage or wodka and few people appreciate the sweet stuff. It is just as good as Swiss sweets to me. This is what you will find in every bakery in Poland.

Braked and sweets in a Polish bakery

Pączki , which are a Polish version of a donut are a popular snack here. They are actually a lot better than donuts because they have jam inside, usually rose jam, but other kinds also, as well as chocolate or coconut cream. The bad news is, they will kill your silhouette if you have too many of those treats. They are fried and topped with either icing or powdered sugar. This adds up into about 300 calories. Pączek actually has its own celebration day, kind of. It is called Fat Thursday (Polish: Tłusty Czwartek) and falls on the last Thursday before Środa Popielcowa (Popielec), which is the day that the Fast begins. Fat Thursday is meant to be your last chance to indulge yourself before the fast, as you are not supposed to have treats once it begins. That tradition has vanished though and no one obeys it anymore except for the nuns. But Tłusty Czwartek remained there and you will see lines of people in the bakeries all around town. It is almost a crime to come home without a box of something sweet for your family on that day.

Drożdżówki are distant cousins of Pączek, but those are baked and never fried. The name means something made of yeast. So it is a sweet yeast bun with a filling. The most popular ones are sweet cheese, marmalade, poppy seed or pudding, but there is a million other kinds. They are considered breakfast food and make a great addition to coffee. If one works in an office, chances are they eat it every day. There are also French or half-french drożdżówki, which shouldn’t be called that since it’s a completely different thing. Not everybody likes them but I’m a fan. They are messy to eat though and will leave crumbs all over your clothes.

Kremówki. Those are exceptionally sweet for Polish standards, which is why they are usually not very big. Not as sweet as Hiszpan, the most extreme case which I will describe later, but still can give you a sugar rush. The name means something creamy and it is a light colored cream (usually yellowish) between two layers of French pastry. Most of the time it is whipped cream and vanilla pudding, some of them have two layers and those are called Kremówka Wiedeńska (Vienna style kremówka). Kremówki were popularized by the Polish Pope John Paul II as during the visit in his home town of Wadowice he mentioned eating them with his friends after taking high school final exams.

W-Z, also known as Wuzetka. The name comes from an East-West route in Warsaw (Wschód- Zachód). Do not ask me what is has to do with a cake. But what we know is that it is made of two layers of chocolate pastry with whipped cream in the middle and chocolate on top. Sometimes it has a thin layer of jam just under the chocolate coat.

Hiszpan. The word means ‘Spanish Guy’. I’m quite positive it is the sweetest cake you will find in Poland. The base is called Beza (Meringue), which is made of egg whites and sugar. The space between two bezas is stuffed with whipped cream, chocolate or coffee cream. A lot of Polish people stay away from it, as they generally do not like their cakes too sweet. I am one of those people but I actually bought one during my low sugar time. And still could only take two bites.

Ziemniaczek (‘potato’) is a little brown ball covered in coconut, cocoa or walnuts, made of ground pastry or digestive cookies with some chocolate and alcohol added. It often has nuts inside as well. Those are easy to make at home too, and do not require baking.

Napoleon is probably the most funny looking one here. It is a tall Barbie pink cake, or as Polish people would say- panty pink. It basically consists of a sticky egg white with some strawberry syrup and is covered with a thin layer of French pastry, decorated with some more of that sticky pink stuff. Do not order it if you are on a date, it is definitely not a masculine cake. When it comes to sweetness level, it is just after Hiszpan.

There are many more of course, those are just the most significant ones. My advice is when you are in Poland, try a different thing every time you go have coffee, as there is a lot to explore.

Sounds simple and and it might seem like it’s not hard to guess what is in it, but chances are you will be surprised by this Polish salad, especially by how time consuming it is and the fact that it is probably the most fattening salad ever invented. It is a vegetarian entrée, but definitely not vegan.

Polish food is a lot more than sausage and Pierogi - salad is an important part of the diet and I use an array of dairy products as dressing. There are kefir and yogurt, I mix it will dill,lemon and salt and it is better than any dressing you can buy in a store.

In an average Polish home it is made a couple of times a year and is a must have on the holidays, usually made in large amounts. Some people avoid it because of its figure ruining effects but I have never heard of anyone who would dislike it.

It usually consists of 8 main ingredients, including cooked, raw, canned, and brined ones. Potatoes, carrots, parsley root, and celery should be cooked all together in as little amount of water as possible, without salt or any other spice and with skin on. My advice is throw an extra potato in as you will probably eat in the process. I don’t know if it’s the slow cooking or the other veggies that it is cooked with, but it tastes great with just a little bit of salt. Anyway, you peel the veggies after they are done, then chop them up. My salad is well chopped as my family thinks it is better that way, but it can be bigger dice as well. I recommend making the pieces tiny though, it really tastes better that way even though it is more work. The next ingredients are boiled eggs and brined pickles. The proportions should be about even for all these, but you can use more pickles if you like as this is what gives you texture and the specific taste of this Polish salad. If you want it to have mild taste, use more potatoes. The last group are onions and canned peas. Be careful with those, especially the peas, it can ruin the salad if you put too much in. I personally think there is no need to add peas but I guess it’s tradition. My aunt replaces it with corn for instance, not sure if this is the best solution though.

The dressing is very simple, it can be just lots of mayonnaise with salt and pepper. Make sure you use good traditional one without a sweet taste to it. I think Kielecki is the best one when it comes to Polish stuff. Oh, and save fat free or light things for a different occasion too if you want the salad to taste real. You can also mix it with some sour cream and mustard, it is great that way. Remember, it needs lots of seasoning.

Do not serve it right after you stir the dressing in, just try it to see if it needs anything, cover it up with plastic wrap and let it stand in the refrigerator for a few hours. Serve with ham, country sausage or any kind of cold kiełbasa and wheat or wheat-rye bread.

The truth is most Poles do not eat out that much. I am married and my wife cooks gourmet meals everyday. I guess it is also a matter of economics.

How is dining out in Poland different from in the USA?

When you walk in the restaurant, you probably expect a hostess who will lead you to the table. This is quite rare in Poland and mostly used at very busy places. Normally you can just choose the table you like. The waiter will not come right away to ask you about the drinks before you even look in the menu, either. If you want something before your main course you can call the waiter and order it, of course, but if you don’t, the drinks generally come with the meal or just a minute before it.

Oldest restaurant in the world in Krakow Poland and where I had my wedding reception

When you are done reading the menu and know what you want, close the booklet so that they know you are ready to order. The prices are in Polish Złoty and the tax is already included in the quoted price. This applies to anything that you buy in Poland and all over Europe, I believe. There might be some exceptions but none that I know of , and I’ve seen quite a lot of the continent.

In Europe it is not obvious that you want ice in your drink like it is in the USA, so make sure you tell the waiter about the ice if you want it. Otherwise you can get just a chilly or even room temperature beverage, especially in the winter. (However, this rarely happens during warmer seasons and will never ever happen with alcoholic drinks.) It’s because a lot of people here don’t like their drinks freezing or believe they will give them a sore throat. When I worked in a restaurant it was quite common that someone would ask for a room temperature Coke. It’s unacceptable in America, but not here.

Service is not included in your total. The tip should be about 10% of what you spend, as it is around the world. Try to leave them in cash as some restaurants do not allow the waiters to take tips off of a credit card. It makes things easier.

Smoking is not allowed in most places nowadays, only if the restaurant has a separate room for the smokers, but few of them do, thank goodness.

]]> http://polishgrammar.com/polish-restaurants/feed/ 0 http://polishgrammar.com/kielbasa-polish-sausage/ http://polishgrammar.com/kielbasa-polish-sausage/#comments Sat, 17 Sep 2011 15:36:22 +0000 Mark Biernat http://polishgrammar.com/?p=592 Types of Polish Sausage

I wrestle in my mind how much eat I should eat both for ethical and health reason. But when I am in Poland, which is where I live, I can not resist Polish Kielbasa, especially grilled.

I do not know one person who could name all the kinds of Polish sausage, simply because there are too many to remember. Some of them are local products, too and you cannot just go to any store and buy it. Here are the most significant kinds.

Look at all the different types of Polish sausage

Zwyczajna

The name means ‘regular’, ‘usual’ or ‘average’. Zwyczajna is the common kind, almost always destined for grilling or frying on a pan. There are numerous types, such as Śląska or Podwawelska, but they are all similar in taste. Make sure you eat it with good mustard and a wheat roll or bread. It makes a good addition to scrambled eggs after it is cut into half slices and fried, too.

White sausage – Biała Kiełbasa

This kind is boiled instead of smoking which makes it pale and not attractive looking. It usually goes with żurek, polish sour rye soup, sometimes they are even cooked together. I’m not a fan of this one, but a lot of people like it. It is the most controversial sausage- you can either love it or hate it. As a foreigner you are probably more likely to dislike it, but still give it a try.

Kabanos

Kabanos is a skinny cocktail sausage, usually a spicy one. The more dry it is, the better it tastes so do not keep it wrapped into anything after you buy it, although there are low chances of kabanos to last until it is dry, you will most likely eat it the day you get it, this is what happens at my house every time. It is meant to be eaten cold. I have heard of someone making hot dogs with it, but I don’t think it is a good idea. A regular skinny sausage would make a better hot dog as it is not dry. Kabanos is a good party food too, you can make koreczki with it, which are pieces of kabanos or ham, cheese and bell peppers (or whatever you please) on a toothpick.

Country – Wiejska

Another one that is only served cold. Wiejska is the most favorite one and a must have at every Polish home on Christmas, Easter or anytime the family gets together. It tastes best with vegetable salad and country bread.

Sucha Krakowska

Dry Kraków sausage, I have no idea why it is called dry sausage because it is not dry at all to me. Maybe it’s because it seems dry on the outside. It is mostly used for sandwiches, kind of like ham and is a good addition to vegetable salad as well. Although it is a chubby sausage, it is called skinny because it contains very little fat compared to other kinds.

Parówkowa

It’s just a really fat hot dog but often made with better quality meat, depending on where you buy it.

There are more kinds that are not popular or widely available but these are the basics that you should try while visiting Poland.

The best an only way to travel to and from Vienna is by bus from Krakow. In the evening every night there is a bus and it take about 9 hours with no border stops. It gets into Vienna in the morning. You could also drive but this is a very cheap and fast way. Many Poles work in Vienna (Wien) for the weekend. There are Poles everywhere there. In many ways they are similar cities but really Vienna is a Baroque and linear city and Krakow is city from Ancient times has a more medieval and chaotic character.

A comparison between Krakow and Vienna

A Cracovian’s first impression after coming to Vienna is usually: “Wow, this is almost like home”. Those two towns are quite similar. What I love about Vienna the most was that despite having a skyscraper district it is a big town with a fairly small town atmosphere, just like Kraków.

I prefer beautiful Krakow to Vienna - You can see my wife and daughter in the photo - it is in Krakow

Both towns have big rivers passing through them, similar architecture and downtowns. Kraków’s Main Square and Vienna’s Stephansplatz look a lot alike. Both are loaded with cafes more than any average city, too. They even have the exact same trams or at least they did a couple of years ago when I visited it last time.

They both have cultural variety, but naturally Vienna has more as it is almost twice as big as Kraków and is also the capital (which Kraków is not). You might get an impression that there are more foreigners living in the town that native Austrians, and this might be true. They are mostly Asians and Middle-East Asians, but it varies in different districts. Vienna was rated the best city to live in the world, no wonder everyone wants to live there.

Transport – how to get about town

Vienna has better public transport, no doubt about that. Besides buses and trams there is the underground that Kraków lacks. Although a lot of times it is crowded, I recommend using it, rather than buses and trams, it is faster and more convenient, especially during hot summers. There is a train coming every 2 or 3 minutes usually and you can get a monthly or a 2-week pass. No one knows why Kraków doesn’t have it, except some legendary reasons like “oh, we cannot have it because it will destroy our old buildings”. This is how the president of the town defends himself for not doing anything about it. If Vienna and Rome can have underground and not collapse, then Kraków can too. Maybe a couple of years down the road it will.

Entertainment

So Vienna has this “fun district” called Prater. There is an amusement park, a regular green park and a zoo. Kraków has a zoo as well, many parks but no amusement park, except a mobile one for a couple of weeks in the spring. I think this is a quite a flaw, since there are not that many other places that the whole family can enjoy. But again, maybe someday.

Kraków and Wien are the capitals of art. I’m not even going to try to name all the places to visit, but any guidebook will help you choose the things you want to see. Vienna is a lot about Mozart, not as much as Salzburg, but still. You should experience something connected to Mozart while in Austria or your visit doesn’t count. If you are not enough of a fan to go to a concert, at least eat a Mozartkugeln.

There is this American shop in Vienna that I adore as it is the only place around that sells American food. You can get thigs like Diet Cherry Vanilla Coke for instance, and that’s hard to get even at Walmart. I’ve heard of people taking pilgrimages for Cadburry chocolate, too, even though Austria’s own chocolate is probably better to be honest or at least at the same level. Either way I wish Cracow had a place that could provide me with the sweet taste of Dr Pepper every now and then. If you know one, please share.

Cost of living

Kraków is a lot cheaper, especially if you rent a place. Food costs less also, and so do theatres, museums and public transport. Any country that has the Euro as currency tends to get pricey. But it’s not too bad and if you live and work there it will not bother you at all. However, if you just visit the town as a tourist, you will have way more fun in Kraków and won’t run out of money as quick as you would in Vienna.

Let me know what you think of both cities if you have been to either or both.