This is the Beatroot’s second visit to Polandian. This time he’s brought along his very own extra-large coffee mug to “save us the washing up.” We’ll be counting the spoons after he’s gone. Ah, the perfect Polish picnic. Sitting with the girlfriend and dog by the pond in our local park on a warm, early [...]

All the world loves a party. In Iceland they splash around in hot springs eating whale-blubber-on-a-stick and getting giggly on Viking vodka, the Igbo people of Nigeria chow down on antelope haunches and wave sanity goodbye through the bottom of a bottle of palm wine, while the Falkland Islanders get through the long cold nights [...]

I wondered if we might explore the treasure chest that is bilingualism? One year ago, my daughter, Zosia, had just passed her fourth birthday. One particularly fascinating aspect of fatherhood up to that point, and since, has been watching her language develop in a household where both Polish & English are used. We decided from [...]

There are three or four images of the Podgórze Ghetto in Krakow that crop up time and again, but what do these places look like today? First, a short history lesson. Between March 1941 and March 1943 a small section of the Podgórze district of Krakow was walled off and served as a holding pen, [...]

Probably the world’s most misunderstood game but I’m certain it is one that the wise folk who hang around these parts will be able to comprehend with ease and is close to taking Poland by storm. Who needs volleyball (girls game anyway) when you can play cricket? EDIT – HOLD THE FRONT PAGE – There [...]

Kraków soup festival happens once a year, towards the end of May (Sunday 25 this year). I had trouble finding anything about it in English on the internet, so I thought it could do with a mention here. After all, even Anglophones should have equal opportunities to access free food. Soup for all I say! [...]

The Beatroot is a guest on Polandian. We’ve given him some comfy slippers, a cup of tea, and a nice biscuit. Now let’s all sit quietly and see what he has to say. I don’t know why I put myself through the yearly ritual, ketch fest that is the Eurovision Song Contest. It just keeps [...]

There was an animated debate here on Polandian about hand-kissing and Polish chivalry. Irish television finally explains it all… simply and elegantly. RTE, the Irish broadcaster, brought the soap opera ‘Pierwsza Miłość’ to Irish viewers to enlighten them about various aspects of Polish culture. One has to admit they did a magnificent job with the [...]

There are hundreds of photoblogs in Poland, probably thousands, and I can’t claim to have looked at more than a fraction of them. However, I have looked at a lot and these are the ones I like the best. Not that anybody should have the slightest reason to feel honored or slighted by my approval [...]

Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends. We’re so glad you could attend! Come inside! Come inside! This post might be called “Myth #666 – Polish people are religious”, but the myths are Island’s domain and I really couldn’t do them justice so you’ll have to put up with something else. I’ve [...]