Krakow the beautiful and interesting city.

And, we know about beggers here in UA, so I agree with earlier poster, beware to give them money, I am sure some are the Millionaire !

Sincerely,

Marina – Rivne [Rovno] Ukraine.

I have met lots of beggers in Poland in my short visit there, many of them beg from people sitting at tables by the street or they venture inside the door and ask the people nearest to them for money.

It should be stopped, who wants to eat somewhere people will beg from you. After a while I will become harder and it will be like water off a ducks back I think.

But honestly… right now I prefer to help poor Haitians struck by incredible tragedy rather than getting rid of our ‘social messes’.

The sad truth is that most of our beggars live like kings compared to how average person lived there even BEFORE the earthquake – or in other 3rd-world-countries, plagued by matural disasters, wars and own governments, who make their lives much worse TODAY compared to what Stalin and his minions had done to our grandparents and parents. The worst part is that developed and developing countries often take advantahge of the poorest, so their misery is partially our fault.

Therefore noone will get help on a street from me, unless the situation is clearly demanding some form of help… not only because of what I written above, but also because – surprisingly – a few hours after I wrote my firts post an unknown woman knocked to the door to our flat and asked for food/money. I don’t know how she managed to go past main doors to the building, which are closed to anyone without key/code/invitation… That and going around private flats and asking for alms CLEARLY crosses the line.

Beggars need help. Pensioners need help. They don’t get much help. Pension is postponed 20 years. Beggars are ignored. Thieves pretended they care, but took the money that people gave for pensions and poor people.

Ania had no change. Ania extended hand. She got change from some guy, without asking. She didn’t give it.