Irena Jarocka has passed away

Posted by Kasia No Comments
Jan 26 2012

After more than 40 years on the international stage, Polish singer Irena Jarocka has passed away in Warsaw.

One of the best known hits of Irena Jarocka was “Odpływają kawiarenki” (Sail Away Cafes).

Irena Jarocka debuted in 1968 at the festival in Sopot. Her first hit was the song “Gondolierzy znad Wisły” (Gondoliers on the Vistula River).

Over the years, Irena Jarocka sang such well-known songs as “Motylem jestem” (I am a Butterfly), “Kocha się tylko raz” (You Love Only Once), “Odpływają kawiarenki” (Sail Away Cafes), “Wymyśliłam Cię” (I Created You), “Beatlemania story”.

She also starred in the movie “I Am a Butterfly, or a 40-year-old’s Romance” and in the Mrozek’s play “Beautiful View”.

She won many prestigious awards at international festivals and recorded many albums. The last of them were “Małe rzeczy” (Little Things) released in 2008 and “Ponieważ znów są Święta” (Because the Christmas Comes Once Again) in 2010.

She performed in eight languages with such stars as Mireille Mathieu, Charles Aznavour, Michel Legrand and ABBA. She has recorded for the world’s largest studios, such as Phillips, Supraphon, Warner Brothers, Cristal-EMI, Melodia, and Polish Records.

She emigrated to the United States in the 1990s and she took a break from performing for several years, before gaining speed anew, particularly after she returned to Poland, where she always felt most inspired. Over the years she released several albums through such major labels as Universal Music Polska “Little Things” – a collection of ballads and pop songs. 2010 proved to be a productive one for Irena Jarocka, both from a musical and a publishing standpoint. She released a two-CD compilation with the artist’s great hits in new arrangements.

Jarocka will be buried in the Catacombs of Old Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.

A memorial service for Irena Jarocka is being held at the Stanisław Kostka Church in Greenpoint, New York (607 Humboldt Street) on Sunday the 29th of January at 5:00 p.m.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

Nie, dziękuję

Posted by Kasia No Comments
Jan 24 2012

Many times you were probably in a situation when you had to refuse something, say “no” in a polite way.

Today I will try to give you some examples of refusal in a different situations you may find yourself in Poland.

Shopping at the store, when you are approached by the sales representative asking if she/he can help you with anything, sometimes you just feel like just looking around and you do not help…What do you say then?

Nie, dziękuję – no, thank you

Narazie tylko się rozglądam – I’m just browsing right now

Dam pani/panu znać, jeśli będę potrzebować pomocy – I will let you (polite form pani(f)/panu (m)) know if I need help

Nie dziękuję, nie potrzebuję pomocy – No thank you, I do not need help

If you are purchasing something and sales person will ask you about additional insurance, you may use these phrases:

Nie, dziękuję, nie potrzebuję dodatkowego ubezpieczenia/gwarancji – No, thank you, I do not need additional insurance/warranty

Wezmę tylko podstawową gwarancję – I will take only basic warranty

While walking  in public, you may be approached by a person doing gallup poll (ankieta) for some company. You may not feel like talking to anyone, so you can just simply say:

Nie, dziękuję – no, thank you

Dziękuję, ale nie jestem zainteresowana (f)/zainteresowany (m) – Thank you, but I’m not interested

Well, there are a lot of homeless people everywhere in the world. Probably everywhere, while you walking ,you may see a person like this begging for money. In this case decision is yours. But if you want to refuse, just say:

Proszę zostawić mnie w spokoju – please leave me alone

Another situation is when you want to refuse someone who is trying to invite you on a date:

Dziękuję, ale nie jestem zainteresowana (f)/zainteresowany (m) – Thank you, I’m not interested

Jestem zajęta (f)/zajęty (m) – I’m taken

Mam chłopaka/dziewczynę – I have a boyfriend/girlfriend

Mój mąż nie byłby szczęśliwy z tego powodu - My husband would not be happy about it

Moja żona nie byłaby szczęśliwa z tego powodu – My wife would not be happy about it

…and hopefully they get it!

YouTube Preview Image

If there are other situations you may think of and I missed them, please let me know in comments below.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

Kłodzko – Hillside charm

Posted by Kasia 1 Comment
Jan 23 2012

Kłodzko is a delight for the eyes: its Old Town is perched on a rambling hillside, surrounded by winding, steep streets. Overhanging houses and Gothic architecture give this small town a wild, romantic feeling.

Kłodzko is one of the oldest towns in Poland’s Silesia region: it’s estimated to be about 1,000 years old. In that long time, it – like most towns and cities in this most south-western part of the country – has seen much. It changed ownership every 100 years or so, getting grabbed by Bohemia, Austria and Prussia; it was largely due to Kłodzko’s strategic geographical position that its neighbours were constantly tustling amongst themselves for control of it. Additionally, its river location made it an ideal town for trade, commerce and the importation of wealth via water. The town’s fortuned waxed and waned and finally, ownership of it came down firmly on the Polish side of the border, after the Second World War.

The majestic Kłodzko Fortress is not beautiful, but it is impressive: it sits at the top of a hill, overlooking the entire town. Squat, solid, and witness to a siege by Napoleon in 1807, it is the dominant feature of this lovely town, and its most recognisable landmark. Well worth a visit, it is open daily in the summer months between 9:00 and 18:00. Set aside an entire morning if you decide to go: the fortress is truly massive. How massive is it? Well, the Austrian rulers started to build it in 1662 – and the Prussians finally completed it 200 years later. It is sprawled over 17 hectares, the lower walls are 11 meters thick, the ‘thin’ upper walls are a mere four meters. In one of its courtyards, you can take abseiling lessons. It is, in fact, the largest fortress of its kind in the entire country – and in a country that had to fortify and protect itself against invaders every few deacdes, this is really saying something.
As impressive as the fortress itself is, what most visitors come for are the defensive tunnels, an extensive network deep below the fortress itself. Dating back to the Prussian era –which started in the early 18th century – the tunnels were excavated by prisoners of war. Today, there are guided 40-minute tours of the labyrinthine depths which take visitors on a 1 kilometer circuit. Claustrophobics take note: there are some places so low that you need to bend double or even crawl; note also that although there are torches and lights, much of the tour is conducted in semi-darkness. Despite the slight discomfort, the tunnel tours are a big hit with kids – and with most everyone else, really.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

Visiting Krosno and its’ neighborhood

Posted by Kasia No Comments
Jan 21 2012

Today I wanted to give you some ideas what is worth seeing if you are in Krosno area. A charming town in southern Poland, Krosno is primarily known as a big glass-manufacturing center. It also boasts numerous historic attractions, including splendid medieval churches and ancient tenement houses. A number of cultural events give Krosno its special atmosphere, the best known of which are the cyclical Krosno Theatre Festival and the open-air events of the Mountain Ballooning Competition (A mountain Balloon Competition is one of most beautiful and most spectacular events in Poland. The party has international character), Karpaty Climates and Krosno Fair. The town makes the ideal stay over because of its proximity to major routes leading to Slovakia and Hungary.

While sightseeing the town of Krosno you should visit its beautiful churches. Erected in the 14th century, the Gothic parish church was reconstructed and extended in the 17th century. Its interior features several gems, including a main altar from the 16th century, baroque stalls, tombstones and sculptures. Notable for its fine stucco decorations is an early-baroque chapel, built in the years 1647-1648 by an Italian architect. Last but not least, the 15th Franciscan church is also well worth a visit. Yet another of Krosno’s treasures, one that definitely deserves a mention, is the huge bell known as “Urban”. Weighing 5 tonnes, it is one of Poland’s biggest bells.

Besides historic monuments, the town has two interesting museums – the Museum of Craftsmanship and the District Museum. In the latter visitors will enjoy a rich collection of antique paraffin lamps as well as collections related to archaeology, history and the folk culture of both Krosno and its surroundings.

Once you have seen all there is to see in Krosno, you can proceed to some distinctive places in the region of the Low Beskid and Pogórze, such as the spa towns of Rymanów and Iwonicz, the open-air museum devoted to the oil industry in the village of Bóbrka, Odkrzykon Castle and the “Prządki” stone preservation.

Did I miss something?Let us know if you have other suggestions for the must see in Krosno!

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

Kurozwęki Palace – historic place to stay

Posted by Kasia No Comments
Jan 20 2012

There are many historic places to stay in Poland, including majestic palaces and rustic farmhouses. One of them is Kurozwęki Castle, in the southern region of Świętokrzyskie.

Like many historic castles, palaces and stately homes in Poland, Kurozwęki Castle has had several owners over the centuries. Originally built in the 16th century for the Kurozwęcki family, which gave the castle its name, it was then owned by the Lanckoroński family. It was transformed into a Baroque and Neo-classical style residence by Maciej Sołtyk towards the end of the 18th century. Today, Kurozwęki Castle is owned by Marcin Popiel and his family; direct descendants of the Kurozwęki family, making it one of very few historic properties to come full circle return to the heirs of the original owners.

The Popiel family has invested, and indeed continues to invest, in the reconstruction of Kurozwęki Castle, employing local craftsmen who take great pride in applying traditional methods and techniques to the process. While this may mean that progress may be slow, the Popiels are confident that patience will pay off, and that the end results will be worthwhile in the long run. One of the most impressive examples of the restoration work currently being undertaken is an ancient yet well-preserved mural in the Kurozwęki chapel.

Kurozwęki Castle’s two annexes contain comfortable apartments, each with classically styled interiors. There is also a conservatory, a lounge and a banqueting hall. It is a great place for families to spend a short break – especially those with small children. There are sight-seeing trails that have been created with younger guests in mind, and there is even a small zoo, where pony and camel rides are on offer. A further attraction is a labyrinth carved in a field of maize. With a total of 4km of alleys, it is the largest of its kind in Poland, if not in Europe.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

Back to the Top