the POLSKI blog

The Londoneer, quoted by me many times before on this very site, wrote a brief post on the Polish War Memorial in London.
Usually mentioned in traffic bulletins only (”heavy traffic on the A40 near the Polish War Memorial”), the monument commemorates the Polish airmen who fought for Britain during World War II.
Pete wonders why the [...]

Not that many, is the shortest answer. According to yesterday’s Observer, in 2008 (or was it 2009? it wasn’t terribly clear), 1.58m people visited Poland from the UK. That number rose by 1.7% compared to, presumably, the previous year.
In the same period 1.49m people came from Poland to visit the UK, an increase of 15.3%.
It’s [...]

I’ve recommended north-eastern parts of Poland a few times before, but I don’t think I’ve mentioned the Rospuda Valley.
Like many areas in that part of Poland, Rospuda Valley is quite spectacular. To quote a recent AP report:
the Rospuda Valley [is] a pristine area in northeastern Poland containing a peat bog amid a virgin pine [...]

If your commute takes ages – like mine – and if you keep complaining about not having enough time to digest your dinner, consider Cittaslow.
It would seem north-eastern Poland, with its lakes and forests and endless green fields, is hoping to attract people who want to live their lives in the slow lane. Hence the [...]

This one is for music lovers planning a trip to Warsaw.
To mark the bicentennial of Frederic Chopin’s birth (yes, he was Polish), the Polish capital has published a Chopin audio city guide.
Available in eight languages, the guide will take tourists to some key locations related to the great pianist.
You can download the audio guide from [...]

It’s a strange thing. My first ever visit to the UK years ago brought me to Birmingham, as my family lived in Worcestershire and I had to change there. My first impression? “God, this place is as ugly as Katowice!” Katowice is a big city in the south of Poland and it’s the capital of [...]

I had a bit of a break and enjoyed a week in New York. But even while there you can’t escape all things Polish.
Every five minutes I saw ads for Sobieski, the Polish vodka, which seems to be getting a big marketing push in New York (and I’m guessing elsewhere in America too):

The posters and [...]

My second Polish travel tip for the summer is aimed at those of you who love water – and big lakes in particular:
1. What is it?
Mazury is famous for its wild, largely unspoilt nature and numerous lakes. It’s very popular in the summer, many Poles go there for their summer holidays.
2. Where is it?
Mazury is [...]