I have start with some sad news…Unfortunately Polish blog is being discontinued and this is going to be my last time writing for you. It was a pleasure sharing all I know about Poland and Polish language with all of you for the past 12 years!

I wanted to look back at some of my favorite posts!

This one was really close to my heart, as I talked about beautiful, natural, simple country and its wonders. The old fashioned charm, simple nature, friendly people. And also its diversity – despite being a small country, Poland has a little bit of everything: the mountains, the ocean, the lakes and beautiful forests…and in between beautiful, modern cities, there is a little bit of the old charm and history in the Old Towns, castles and museums!

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Poland?

I also love all the posts about Polish holidays, like Easter and Christmas!

My favorite memories of spending Easter in Poland

My 3 favorite Polish quotes describing Christmas!

Carp in the bathtub?

And then there are posts about some very specific phrases that only make sense in Polish ?!

Poles, and not only, love to think about blue almonds!

It is always great to give our readers a word of advice! Because when you are visiting another country, you have to go with the flow and adapt to its regulations. What is completely fine in one country, could potentially lead to some trouble in another…

Is it legal to spread human ashes in Poland?

How to get out of trouble if you get arrested in Poland

What number to dial in case of emergency in Poland?

Riding a bicycle in Poland – what do you have to know?

And of course I always enjoyed writing about Polish cuisine! Who doesn’t like great food???

Let’s talk about kiełbasa…

Poland’s love of open-faced sandwiches

How to avoid common mistakes while ordering food at a Polish restaurant.

What are your 5 favorite Polish dishes?

Berries in Poland

Find out why Poles absolutely love mushroom picking!

When life gives you lemons…make this Polish Lemon Liqueur!

Well…I hope you have your favorite posts here as well. Even thought the blog is going to be discontinued, it is not going to disappear and you will be able to access all of the articles posted so far.

It has been a great adventure to be able to write for all of you! Thank you for reading and sharing your comments! Keep learning and traveling! I’m going to miss you all…if you want to stay in touch or ask a question, just send me a FB message @kasiascontsas

PA PA!!!

     

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In Poland, the hurdy gurdy appeared in the 17th century and it gained extraordinary popularity in the nineteenth century. This instrument played an important role in sacred music, it was one of the favourite instruments of the aristocracy. Later, it also found its way to ordinary people. It was a symbol of itinerant musicians (wędrownych muzykantów) , poets (poetów), soothsayers (wróżbitów), singers (śpiewaków), beggars (żebraków) and blind people (ślepych ludzi). These artists, who would often play themselves, were proud of their occupation even though they were from the lowest of social classes. Many saw them as wise individuals who knew legends, prayers and magical procedures.

The hauntingly beautiful instrument (zniewalająco piękny instrument) looks like a guitar held horizontally on the musician’s lap. It is played with one hand that rotates the crank and the other plucking the strings.

Hurdy Gurdy. Image by Kasia Scontsas

The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents—small wedges, typically made of wood—against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board and hollow cavity to make the vibration of the strings audible.

Most hurdy-gurdies have multiple drone strings, which give a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes.

Hurdy Gurdy is an instrument with a long and rich heritage. Although it has dropped off the map in the past few centuries, dedicated fans of the instrument still strive to maintain the use of them in modern music.

Below are two videos. One is an old Polish wedding song, sang to the tunes of hurdy gurdy. Another one is a traditional Polish folk song sang to the tunes of a guitar and hurdy gurdy. Two different folk approaches, both beautiful.

       

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• I really enjoy your posts! As a small child l spoke only Polish ... by Krystyna Hollis

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Warsaw Multimedia Fountain Park.Image by paulakosinska0 on Pixabay.

This tourist attraction was opened in May 2011 and it can get a little crowded sometimes…but the show is definitely worth visiting.

Image by Skitterphoto on Pixabay

On the water screen with fog scattered over the water you will be able to  watch an animated story about the history of Warsaw and some of the popular Warsaw’ legends. There are laser lights and several-meters-high columns of water rising to the rhythm of music, lit by colorful floodlights.

To admire the spectacle you can bring a blanket and sit on a grass!
Shows take place every Friday and Saturday in May, June and July at 9.30 pm, in August at 9pm, and in September at 8.30 pm. Make sure to check the website though, as the show is weather dependent.
In winter, streams of light do the dancing instead of water. During weekends the main fountain changes into a multicolor animated sculpture, and shows are accompanied by beautiful Christmas music.

In the park you’ll also find an indoor art gallery, “Fontanna restaurant”, several monuments and a mural of the Warsaw Uprising. Young children can enjoy the nearby water playground, where on hot summer days they can splash in water! What a perfect way to spend an evening!

     

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Ukraine Flag. Image by ELG21 on Pixabay.

I also admire all Polish women (and women from other helping countries), tireless volunteers (niestrudzone wolontariuszki), brave organizers (odważne organizatorki).

From the very beginning, when the war broke out in Ukraine, they selflessly helped refugees. They helped when the terrified families came to Poland, they helped to navigate in a foreign cities, reach a safe place, organize a roof over your head, first need articles, childcare, medical aid. Helping families to get on their feet.

You are all heroes! Be brave!

We celebrate all of you today!

Here is to all strong women!

May we know them,

May we raise them,

May we be them!

Image by Hansuan_Fabregas on Pixabay

 

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I have read a book and watched a movie. It is a true story of how the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands. “When Germany invaded Poland, Stuka bombers devastated Warsaw—and the city’s zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Janand Antonina Żabiński began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen “guests” hid inside the Żabińskis’ villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and itsanimal inhabitants—otters, a badger, hyena pups, lynxes.With her exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, Diane Ackerman engages us viscerally in the lives of the zoo animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors. She shows us how Antonina refused to give in to the penetrating fear of discovery, keeping alive an atmosphere of play and innocence even as Europe crumbled around her.” (From the publisher)

With any adaptation from book to screen there will always be differences and edits. Sometimes what flows well on the page doesn’t work well on screen. I usually read a book first…although in this particular situation it was the other way around.

My daughter and I at the Warsaw ZOO. Image by Kasia Scontsas

I loved both movie and the book! It was a sad story, but it was a story about my country’s history…and watching the Warsaw ZOO and reading about it brought back so many memories from when I was a little girl. I visited the ZOO with my daughter back in 2010 and we had a blast looking at all of the animals and walking through the ZOO.

What were my favorite parts? Well…reading the book, you can only imagine how everything looks like. Even though a lot of times you have a detailed description, it is your imagination that does the rest. And that’s what I love about books. Once you watch a movie, you have a clear vision in front of you.

Watching this movie I have to say that music was just amazing – such an important part of movies. One example: the traditional “Mah Nishtanah” melody was heard during the “burning of the ghetto” scene. Already a haunting melody, this adds a whole new level of meaning to this emotional chapter of Warsaw’s history.

Another very important part of the story is Antonina playing her piano to send the secret messages to Jews hidden at the house, with one melody to warn of danger and a different one to signal that danger had passed. According to plan, she went straight to her piano and began to play a lively tune from an operetta by Jacques Offenbach, a signal to Jews being sheltered in the house that they should be quiet and not leave their hiding places.

I also absolutely loved Antonia’s personality: brave, beautiful, calm, loving…with compassion to both animals and people. She was an animal whisperer, a loving mother with love not only for her children, but also any children in the world.

This brings me to another amazing part of the story…the part where Jewish kids, hidden in the basement of Żabiński’s house, were drawing on the walls. They were drawing their stories…I love art and this was a true art of life.

And then of course so many characters’s love, compassion and willingness to help other people, no matter how dangerous it might be, is what I loved about the story.

I guess all I can say that book is definitely worth reading and the movie is definitely worth watching. And to remember that it is never too late for acts of compassion and it is never too late to act. One person can make a difference in the world.

Giraffe at the ZOO. Image by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay

       

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• I enjoyed the book very much and now I will watch the movie ... by Linda Kozlowski
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Few faces of my dog Ripley! Image by Kasia Scontsas

Whether your want your dog to be bilingual or you are visiting friends/family in Poland and possibly taking care of their furry friend – these Polish dog commands will come in handy!

• Fetch – Aport
• Bark – Daj głos
• Sit – Siad
• Lie down/Down – Waruj
• Heel – Do nogi
• Bite – Bierz go
• Search – Szukaj
• Track – Wąchaj
• Stay – Zostań
• Come – Chodź
• Good dog – Dobry pies
• Bad dog – Zły pies 
• Down – Leżeć
• Shake/Give me a paw – Łapa/Daj łapę
• Crawl – Czołgaj się
• Jump – Skacz
• Rollover – Turlaj się
• Leave it –  Zostaw
• Stay – Zostań
• Guard – Pilnuj
• Go inside – Do środka

Other useful phrases:

• Leash – smycz
• To unleash a dog – spuścić psa ze smyczy
• Collar – obroża
• To put a collar on – założyć obrożę
• Muzzle – kaganiec
• To muzzle a dog – nałożyć psu kaganiec
• Obstacle course – tor przeszkód
• Vigilance – czujność
• Scent – zapach
• Obedience – posłuszeństwo

I have a 9 month old puppy! He is doing pretty well so far:)

My dog Ripley. Image by Kasia Scontsas

       

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You know that tomorrow the whole Poland is going to go crazy for donuts! From morning to evening Poles will be eating donuts filled with jam, sweet cheese, adwokat (rich and creamy alcoholic beverage made from eggs, sugar, and brandy), custard, and all sorts of other utterly delicious sweet fillings. According to the locals, if you don’t eat pączki tomorrow, the rest of your year will be full of bad luck….why take a chance?

Donuts – Pączki. Image by Ceja on Pixabay

Why Fat Thursday? It’s the last Thursday before Shrove Tuesday (tłusty wtorek przed Popielcem/Ostatki) and Ash Wednesday (Środa Popielcowa), so the date changes every year according to the Christian liturgical calendar. Some people in Poland obtain from meat, alcohol and meat-by products, such a eggs and milk, during Lent from Ash Wednesday until Easter. Fat Thursday is often thought of as a means of treating oneself and indulging prior to a period of abstinence during Lent (Wielki Post).

Faworki. Image by Marcinw on Pixabay

The second special treat of a typical Fat Thursday are faworki. These are also known as angel wings. They are delightful little crisps of pastry which have been fried and turned into twisted ribbon shapes (one of my favorite things to make when I was a little girl) . Faworki are sprinkled with powdered sugar (funkier purer). They are very light and just delicious!

Tasty treat that often gets overlooked during Polish Fat Thursday

I mean, just have to try both of these treats!

Yes, you typically compare them to donuts…but pączki are much fluffier and sweeter than donuts, with more eggs & sugar used. Just wait to try them in Poland! My mother used to make her own pączki and faworki, but a lot off people wait in long lines to get them at local pastry shops…so most likely you will see long lines in front of these on Fat Thursday! Take a look at this video where Natalie experienced her first Tłusty Czwartek in Poland.

Let us know what is your Fat Thursday experience?

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• Hi Kasia Where can I purchase a gold Polish made eagle ... by David
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