Did you know Polish code breaking skills prior to WWII were the most highly advanced in the world?

For Belgian beers (or any other good beers - you name 'em) check out the Omerta bar in Krakow. Or come over to Piwoteka in my hometown Lodz.
Count on the SP-er Proterra for all the booze-related advice
There's plenty of the infamous Polish white limestone ("soap" as we call it) in and around Krakow. Most routes are bolted.
The Tatras are within a stone's throw but you know it
Life is more expensive than in Bulgaria I'm afraid, but still cheaper than in the West.

Did you know the name for the famous Canadian Rockies ice climb "Polar Circus" came from Charlie Porter at one point calling the venture a "Polish circus". I assume the name was changed to be less offensive.

I really know nothing about Poland other than a few random factoids.

ExcitableBoy wrote:Did you know the name for the famous Canadian Rockies ice climb "Polar Circus" came from Charlie Porter at one point calling the venture a "Polish circus". I assume the name was changed to be less offensive.

I really know nothing about Poland other than a few random factoids.

A recent read :
http://www.summitpost.org/the-gems-of-t ... ras/794261

sjarelkwint wrote:and what about the chicks

http://euro2012girls.com/girls/polish-girls/

sjarelkwint wrote:Just wondering how you can compare poland price wise with germany - holland or belgium so i get an idea of how much booz and cigarettes money i will have left after paying my bills

Want to be able to climb after work and in the weekends ...

Booze:

Beer is around PLN 1,80 to 3,50 depending on the sort. Expect around PLN 7 in pubs.
Wódka: around PLN 20 for a bottle. If you drink the shit the alcoholics drink you'll pay about PLN 13-15 in Biedronka.
If you want to rough it: Cleaning alcohol (Denaturat) legally contains no methanol here, as they found out that the tax revenue they avoid collecting from the bums is less expensive than having to hospitalize and treat the same bums for methanol poisoning. PLN 3 for a bottle of 96% ethanol, with additives that are not poisonous, but have a disgusting taste. Bums solve this by filtering it through bread.

Fags:

10-13 PLN per pack. I smoke a pack of Camel a day which sets me back PLN 11,70.

Mary Jane:

Technically illegal in Poland, but no problem to get. About 40 PLN/gramme for the stuff imported from Amsterdam.

Proper drugs

I can get it, but I don't approve of it. Find someone else

Bus ticket to Zakopane: Around 20 PLN

If you find a job in Kraków, don't go through the "official" channels for finding an apartment, as they will rip you off. They cater mainly to foreigners and have the most expensive apartments on the market, and it's usually not worth it in my opinion. Use gumtree instead, or maybe I can help you.

@sjarelkwint,

Krakow is definitely a good place if you want to spend all your weekends in the mountains or rocks. Other place I can suggest is Wroclaw. Unfortunately it's not close to Tatra but it's beautiful city itself with many hiking possibilities around.

WRT Tatra mountains, you really don't wanna be there in the summer period. It's overcrowded and it looses it's beauty because of that. However, you can go on Slovakian side, which is not that crowded in the summer as polish side. All other seasons are just great in both.

To compare Poland and the Netherlands from the buying perspective,
* shops open in poland mainly from 9-21 7 days a week
* http://ezakupy.tesco.pl/ check prices of interesting products on your own here. It will be the best for you to get a drift how expensive / inexpensive it is
* services in general are much cheaper then in NL
* housing is also cheaper and the private marker is much bigger then in NL. You don't have to pay 3 x rent just to move in (borg) and you will find much more all furnished apartments and you don't have to bring your own floor ;p

I think it all depends how much you will earn. If you will have NL salary and living in Poland, then maaaan, the world is yours ;p

PM me if you're interested in anything more.

rdo wrote:Other place I can suggest is Wroclaw. Unfortunately it's not close to Tatra but it's beautiful city itself with many hiking possibilities around.

Spoke to my landlord, and there are three flats for rent right now:

1) 68m2, central heating: PLN 1800/month ex.
2) 75m2, electric heating, great views: PLN 1800/month ex. (the electric heating makes it more expensive in winter though)
3) 86m2, double balcony, completely renovated in 2012, very luxurious: PLN 2500/month ex.

All three apartments are located in the city centre of Kraków. Flats 1 and 2 are 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, flat 3 is 2,5 bedroom and 1,5 bathroom.

ExcitableBoy wrote:Did you know Polish code breaking skills prior to WWII were the most highly advanced in the world?

Marian Rejewski - Polish mathematician and cryptologist who in 1932 solved the plugboard-equipped Enigma machine, the main cipher device used by Germany.

sjarelkwint wrote:first hike done!

what is wrong with polish people? They give free vodka in fucking zakopane? Bloody trafficjams!!!

What did I tell you...

STAY OUT OF ZAKOPANE DURING POLISH SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!!!

Let me repeat this...

STAY OUT OF ZAKOPANE IN THE MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST!

Anyways,

Good you experienced this yourself, next time be a smart Belgian (like my dog, for example) and go to Slovakian Tatry in this time of year...

My advice: cross the border at Jurgow/Podspady, a road that you catch by escaping the Zakopianska from Nowy Targ (much nicer views too). Then go to Zdiar and stay in one of the countless accomodations. As remote as Zakopane (perhaps shorter in time if traffic jams are considered), cheaper, and as quiet as Ural...
You're just in front of the Tatry Bielskie, and few hundred meters from the trailheads of the magnificent Javorova and Bielovodska/Morskie Oko valleys...