Warsaw style: kaszkiet

A while ago I wrote about winter temperatures and the absolute necessity of wearing a hat. I also explained that from autumn, when temperatures start to dip, a lot of men in Warsaw wear a so called kaszkiet.

A what?
It looks like the driver cap from the UK and flat cap from the US.

Me and my old man

When?
Introduced for use in the 18th century in many armies, including the Polish. Became popular in the 1930's and has not moved from the streets since.

Who?
Decades and decades ago a born and raised Varsovian (Warszawiak) would wear a kaszkiet.

Warszawiak

Also popular under gangsters and men who had "a job on the side." Like many men back then, it was normal to hustle a bit on the side to be able to feed your family. You also see this style in the popular British gangster series Peaky Blinders.

Where in Poland?
Everywhere but especially popular in Warsaw since the 1930's. Google the word Warszawiak (born and raised Varsovian) and you will see quite some kaszkiets.

You can buy them in various sizes, models and price range. From specialized shops where you can buy handmade products (pracownia) to large retail chains like H&M and C&A for mass produced products.

Pracownia Kapelusze Czapki (Hats Caps)
in Warsaw's Mokotów district. 

It is very nice to see that there are still quite a lot of these pracownia shops with handmade products. I have seen it disappear from the streets in the Netherlands, where retail has been hit massively by e-commerce web sales. The small retailers we saw disappearing one by one, even larger chains are in trouble.
Here is Poland people still make a living of making high quality products selling against higher prices than elsewhere.
But also here the real craftmanship is losing ground. Let's cherish it until it lasts and support local retail, do not let it become a lost art.

Home pharmacy

A Polish woman does not have a few packs of medicine at home, she has a domowa apteczka (home pharmacy).

Domowa apteczka

The pharmacy industry has a good sales market in Poland. Compared to the Netherlands, people hold a lot more medicaments at home. And when I write a lot I mean a LOT.

Everything neatly categorized. The children department, pain relief, flu medicaments , nose eye and ear drops, cremes, you name it.

I have seen examples of huge baskets (koszyki) packed totally full with pills, powders, sprays and all of that stuff. 

And of course the herbal Polish teas 

against obstipation and nervosity.

A Polish woman wants her family to be healthy, whatever it takes.

People who know me good know that I use a lot of medicine every day, but that 3 month inventory I keep gets nowhere near it. 

My wife will probably disagree, but I noticed there were so many tv commercials praising their medicine here. In the Netherlands this is more linked to flu outbreaks etcetera.

The most hilarious tv ad I have witnessed is the one where someone drinks this magical coughing syrup which goes straight into the lungs.

I would not try that at home...some folks make the joke that it is "Intelligent syrup".
I must admit that I also saw it in the Netherlands when I was younger.

Then, another gem of an advert I saw a fortnight ago. "Magnez dla kobiet" (magnesium for women). It is exactly the same substance as the regular stuff.

I might sound a bit like making fun of it, 

but don't get me wrong. In Poland for instance rutinoscorbin/rutinacol is being used by many people. A natural medicine which prevented me numerous times from getting the flu. It just stopped or became a mild flu. It is not expensive and I am clueless why these pills are not being used in for instance the Netherlands.

I wish you all a healthy 2018.

Supermarket adventures: the early days

Supermarkets in Poland have weird names, such as Biedronka (Ladybug), Żabka (Little frog), Małpka (Little monkey). They sure like their animals don't they?

Biedronka is a very popular low price supermarket. Frog and monkey shops are smaller and you see them every few blocks here in Warsaw.

Around our block we have a Fresh Market and a Frog shop, which are comparable small shops.

Personnel does not speak English. Or does not want to. Or is scared to.
Now, that's what I call a massive challenge when just arriving. However, it was the fastest way to learn the language. The basics at the least.

I thought.

My wife asked me to buy cottage cheese once. So I asked what it would be in Polish. "Serek wiejski" she said. OK, fine. Will find it. In fact, I will not leave that shop without it! Serek I heard of, I knew that ser means cheese, but wiejski? Definitely not cottage.

So I enter this shop, full of determination. Took me about 15 minutes before finding the right area in this 80 m² shop. Brie I recognized, French cheese spreads I saw, but no serek. Let's check one more time I thought, really do not want to ask...

Unfortunately it really wasn't on the shelf and went to the cashier. In the meantime I was thinking how the hell I could ask a question.

So when it was my turn it went something like this:

Me: "Dzień dobry" (Good day)
Cashier: "..." (noticed the fear in her eyes)
Me: "erhm erhm....errrhhm" (what the hell was that cheese name again).
Cashier: "..." (looking like I was from Mars)

With sweaty palms I then rattled out the famous words:

"Serek miejski koniec?"

Cashier: "..." (the queue getting longer)
Me: "Jutro?" (tomorrow?)
Cashier: "..."
Me: "Do widzenia." (goodbye)
Cashier: "..." (totally confused)

So I went home empty handed, also confused. I mean, I said what the name of the product was. With a bit of effort that cashier could have said at least something about its availability.

At home my wife wanted to know what I asked, so I explained the whole story.
She then laughed so hard that her belly must have hurt from it.

What the fuck have I done wrong?

She started to explain that she wanted me to buy what they call "village cheese". That I should have asked for "serek wiejski" not "serek miejski." 

I was still confused, just one letter was different, they must have understood me.

Right?

Well no. Instead of "village cheese finished?" I asked "City cheese finished?"

We still make fun about it when we are in that shop. "Honey you get the bread, I will get the city cheese ok?"

From then I realized that learning the Polish would be a tough cookie. Later I will write about my language school adventures, stay tuned!

Opłatki

Christmas wafer (opłatek, plural opłatki)
A Christmas tradition celebrated during Wigilia (Vigil) on Christmas Eve.

 Opłatek

What are they?
The unleavened wafers are baked from pure wheat flour and water, are usually rectangular in shape and very thin; they are identical in composition to the altar bread used in the Catholic Church.

From a few days before Christmas, you can also buy opłatki on the street, this photo I took at the Metro station in the center.

Family
Before partaking of the Christmas Eve meal, the family gathers around the table. The eldest member holds a large wafer and breaks off a piece to begin the ritual. The remaining wafer is passed on to another member while a prayer for loved ones is said. This continues until everyone at the table has a piece of the wafer. Finally, the family members consume their share quietly.

History
The breaking of the Christmas wafer is a custom that began in Poland in the 10th century and is practiced by people of Polish ancestry around the world. It is considered the most ancient and beloved of Polish traditions.

Where?
In Poland and some parts of Central Europe, these Christmas wafers are dyed and used as ornaments. They are also sent as small trinkets with greeting cards to loved ones who are away from home.

Symbol
They are identical in composition to the altar bread that becomes the Eucharist at the consecration during Mass in Catholic Church. Being only a reminder of the Body of Christ used in private homes, Opłatki lack sanctification by a priest or bishop.
Opłatki also symbolize the unity of the family, the main pillar of society. They also symbolize forgiveness and reconciliation.


All in all a very nice family tradition, I participated for the first time a few days ago. Another Polish tradition under my belt!

It's too late to wish you a Merry Christmas, so let me wish you and your families a happy new year, in good health.

The mastodon

Pałac Kultury i Nauki (PKiN)
In English, palace of culture and science.
Every time I see the building I get a buzz,
I don't know what it is. Some might call it Stalin's palace, some might want to have it demolished, but most citizens see this impressive building as an icon of the city.
I always call it the mastodon, its sheer size is so impressive to see.

Why controversial?
The Palace of Culture and Science was built between 1952 and 1955; it was a "gift of the Soviet people to the Polish nation", offered by Joseph Stalin.

Some facts and figures
The Palace is the highest building in Poland, standing at 237 m (42 floors), has over 3000 rooms, including offices, institution headquarters, two private universities, Polish Academy of Sciences, a post office, cinema, swimming pool, museums, libraries, theaters, conference center facilities. And I am sure that I forgot to mention a few here.

From left to right Złote Tarasy,
Złota44, Rondo1, Intercontinental hotel,PKiN, Cosmopolitan tower

Trzydziestka
The big attraction for tourists (and residents) is the a large terrace on the 30th floor of the Palace (at a height of 114 m), where you can admire the gorgeous panorama of Warsaw.

Taras widokowy

I remember taking hundreds of pictures there.

Every time I watch these photos I recognize more things, especially the side of the terrace which looks over downtown (Śródmieście):

Back then I saw a bridge and a stadium, Świętokrzyski bridge and the national stadium PGE Narodowy.

Nowadays I know every street and every corner on this picture. After language classes at the Polish Linguistic Institute I always go for a walk through the district. Every time I found (and still find) more hidden gems, fantastic district.

A few more shots of the other sides:

View over Park Świętokrzyski,
left to right the Warsaw Financial Center, Spektum tower, Q22 tower, Cosmopolitan tower.

Rondo Dmowskiego, where the two most famous streets come together: Marszałkowska street and Jerusalem ave. The iconic Rotunda PKO building below the Lewandowski billboard, currently being rebuilt. Behind the Novotel hotel the stadium of Legia Warsaw. In the distance the Vistula river

View over Central Station, with left the Marriott Hotel and Kia tower. Right the Comarch tower.Right bottom you see Złote Tarasy and the Hard Rock Cafė if you have good eyes.

View over Złota street, left Złote Tarasy and right the Złota44 tower, designed by Daniel Libeskind. Footballer of Bayern Münich and national hero Robert Lewandowski owns a penthouse here.

Emilia Plater street. Next to Złota44 the Warsaw Towers, Rondo1, Intercontinental hotel and the Warsaw Financial Center. In the distance you see the Warsaw spire (Samsung tower).

Such a magical place...good night.

From village to metropole

For the ones who don't know, in the Netherlands I was born and raised in Neede, a village with around 10 thousand inhabitants.

From 10 thousand

Life in Poland has been refreshing so far. We live in a city of 2 million inhabitants (officially), with so many hyper modern buildings, but I remember so many things from my youth strange enough.

To 2 million

In general Polish families are traditional. Some very traditional. I do not want to romanticize things here, but is has been refreshing to me. It is something very hard to describe, it covers all senses really.

Yesterday for instance I smelled something which had me dreaming away to the time I was attending primary school in the Netherlands. Still do not know what I smelled exactly, but it smelled so damn good! And this is happening to me regularly. I can really appreciate these little things.

Rat race
What I despised in the Netherlands the last years was the daily rat race. Don't get me wrong, that same rat race is taking place here, we just need to deal with it. But I now am that one person who does not mind to get overtaken by an elderly lady when I enter the ants nest of Warsaw Central Station. Some of them are pretty damn fast!

Family
Like everywhere on this world, family is important. In Poland family life is a key pillar in society. Eating together, drinking together, laughing together, crying together.

The kitchen
In my perception the kitchen is the
aorta of the family. That's where it happens. It is not just the fact that many Polish women spend more time in the kitchen than I was used to in the Netherlands,
but it is also the place where the family comes together to talk. I can really enjoy these moments. The Polish readers can recognize this I think.

I also learned so much in the kitchen,
saw kitchen appliances I never saw before (some looking pretty dangerous) and got to know Polish dishes and customs. 

Next month I will blog about those, keep an eye on it as it will be interesting to read and see especially for the Dutch readers amongst you.

Stereotypes part II

"The Polish are hard as nails."

Obviously, there are softies everywhere so also here, but in general I cannot disagree with the above mentioned statement.

Winter in Poland

I remember my first winter in Warsaw. On a Sunday, I clearly remember, my wife and I went for a walk. Nothing strange really... besides the fact that it was -22°C.

Extremely cold weather will not stop them from going outside. My second winter had days of -25°C I remember. During the night even a tad colder. I was wondering how they can have a normal birth rate here, as my balls were about to freeze off.

Frozen nasal hair

-25°C with my nasal hair being frozen, that was some experience. First I was not sure what I was feeling, so strange. I asked my wife if she experienced the same, but she did not. Even Polish nasal hair is Baltic proof it seems.

However, when temperatures are dipping after autumn: wear a hat.

Not wearing a hat is asking for trouble. First of all with the wife, mother or grandmother ;-) Second of all, you will get sick.

But seriously, in the Netherlands people start to wear hats at much lower temperatures. But I got used to it and always do. I was used to winters with below zero temperatures in the Netherlands, but only here I started to understand why the head is the number one place to keep warm.

Before it turns really cold, many Varsovian men wear a kaszkiet. Of course I also wear one.

Curious? Keep an eye on the blog!

Stereotypes Part I

You know the annoying ones...bad economy, people being either unemployed or truck driver, always drunk, bla bla bla. 

Bullshit, or like we say here, gówno prawda. Poles can just stand the alcohol better ;-)

Polish people are handy

Very handy in fact. My wife is more handy than me, really. The other day I picked her up from work and saw her inspecting the electric circuit of Christmas lights, which was having some problems...

They also have a saying here which is something like:

"A Pole can do everything, if he wants to."

The last bit is not to be excluded, as me and the mrs went through a hellish "remont" recently (renovation of our block).

So Poles are handy and skilful, good with their hands. 

Fixers

I would rather say that they are excellent "fixers". Truly amazing...I have seen methods so unorthodox that it was hilarious to see. 

Some take creativity a bit too serious...

But what counts is the result!

Why are they so good at fixing things?

That was the question I asked myself and probably it has to do with the time when things went less good with Poland. 

That people were more persistent to fix things as a replacement was either not available or would be too expensive.

But...let's try to not find a reason for everything. It's just a cool thing in the current world of mass consumption. 

Wife in action

Just look at her, hero without a cape!

Trzepaki: Polish cult!

I remember asking my wife, 
"what the...are these things?"
I noticed them before, but never bothered to ask.

These are trzepaki.
There are thousands and thousands of them here. There even is an Instagram page which posts photos of them: Warszawskie_trzepaki. They sure take their trzepaki seriously I thought when seeing this profile. Or the account is owned by an absolute nutcase. Or a combination of the two...

So what are they?
Racks to hang dusty carpets on. 

Vital accessory:

a trzepacka :)

With this you can hit that filthy dust from your lovely carpets. Or whoop ass if a situation asks for it.

A bit disappointing really, I was hoping for a more exciting answer.

However, there is a nice story around them. They are Polish cult. Back in the days they were very popular amongst kids playing on them.

Dads would play volleyball.

And mothers would join their spouse to meet people from the same block. Some people call it "the facebook of my youth".

Polish cult!

Stereotypes 🇵🇱🇳🇱

Stereotyping, we all do it don't we?

Let's wind back time and connect with real life experiences in Poland.

But first I would like to reverse things.
As a Dutch guy I also am being subject to certain stereotypes here. Let's go through them.

The Dutch
Tall, blond, liberal people who are tight on the money. Own at least one bike, speak English, grow tulips (and/or weed), wear wooden shoes and consume tons and tons of cheese and mayonnaise.

My 2 cents
It is all true. Let's continue :)

In the next blog posts I will shed a light on how I saw Poland, Warsaw and Polish people before coming here. 

Of course, in all fairness, I will also share my current perception.

Stay tuned, will be funny!

Adidasy

Polish folks like their footwear
Today's post will be about Adidasy.
Yes, Adidasy.

First experience
On a party someone was making fun of my K-swiss trainers.

"Look at these Adidasy typu Holenderski!"

Everyone was laughing like crazy, but it was not that funny was it? I mean, it's not a famous brand here but they were like seeing the holy 5 stripe Adidas grail.
I blamed it on the number of beverages consumed back then...

Targowisko Bakalarska 
This market in the Ochota district is a great place to visit. Main sales items are clothes and shoes. Nike Air Max with a "slightly different" logo, Lacoste Polos with a crocodile logo having teeth as big as the average mammoth, that kind of stuff.

10 seconds before making this picture the penny finally dropped, at least a year after that moment on the party:

They call all sneakers Adidasy!

New Pumas? Adidasy Pumy, Adidasy marki Puma.

Conclusion: You know you're Polish when you refer to all sneakers as adidasy.

The Polish and their footwear...more to follow...stay tuned.


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Dream about Warsaw - Sen o Warszawie

Sen o Warszawie (Dream about Warsaw) - Czesław Niemen 

This song is the anthem of football club Legia Warszawa, being sung by fans before every match. It touches the hearts of Varsovians, not only Legia fans, and still gets a lot of airtime on the radio.

First experience

The first time I heard it on the radio,
I felt the emotion, the pride, and it sounded melancholic to me. At that time my knowledge of the Polish was close to zero, so it got me curious.

You'll not understand if you aren't one of us

I can remember good that I practiced the first few sentences over and over, I did not know the meaning of all words though. As a football fanatic, one of my dreams was to visit a match of Legia Warsaw. My brother-in-law arranged tickets, under one condition: "You MUST learn the lyrics, the whole stadium sings it so if you go you also have to." 

Matchday

Shirt: check. Scarf: check. Lyrics: check.
I remember it like it was yesterday. The moment the floodlights got visible on the horizon, the groups of fans melting into one while walking to the stadium, love it.
I had visited many football stadiums before, so knew the drill. When we reached our seats, I noticed that no one was sitting except the section with business seats. That looked promising...
While kickoff was getting closer and closer, the stadium speaker yelled something through his microphone.
Everyone held his or her scarf above their heads (old school!) and then it happened.
The first chords of Sen o Warszawie blasted through the stadium speakers.
Within a few seconds the hair on my neck and arms stood up. Fans were literally screaming the first sentence, which gave me the heaviest goosebumps I ever experienced. After a while, I stopped singing and watched around. People were watching into nomansland, like in trance. The atmosphere was raw, people singing from the gut. At the last line I saw tears rolling from the cheek of the woman standing next to me. She smiled.

That was the moment I realised that this city has something very special. The pride and melancholy was bursting from the stands.
I wanted to meet its soul, explore, suck up historical information and blend in. Just like the walk to the stadium.

Sen o Warszawie - Dream about Warsaw

Translated lyrics, source: www.tekstowo.pl

I got, just like you do
my own city in which
there's my beautiful world
most beautiful days
I left there my colourful dreams

One day I'll stop the time
and I'll fly like a bird
with all strength of my wings
to where I'll find my dreams
and Warsawian colourful days

If you'd like to see
dawn over Vistula
let's set off today
and you will see
how we'll be greeted
by a Warsawian day

I got, just like you do
my own city in wich
there's my beautiful world
most beautiful days
I left there my colourful dreams

If you'd like to see
dawn over Vistula
let's set off today
and you will see
how we'll be greeted
by a Warsawian day

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