Leaving Tuesday for Poland any last minute advice?
 

My mother and I are leaving tuesday for Sanok/ STRACHOCINA, Poland for a family reunion. Yes we have rented a car in Warsaw and we will drive to the southeastern region of Poland. Mom is 78 and still gets around well although a little forgetful. Does any one have any last minute advice?? Thank you so much for any help...

Hi there! <BR> <BR>We went to Poland last year for 7 weeks, and loved it except for the one BIG, BAD thing which happened to us. Like the movie, "gone in 60 seconds", our camper van was stolen. <BR>Fortunately, we had the best relatives in the world and good insurance. We never got the van nor its contents back. <BR> <BR>Please believe me when I say, we would go back to Poland in a heart beat. It is a beautiful country, great food, fantastic scenery, history, culture, etc. My one advice to you is to NEVER EVER PARK YOUR VEHICLE WHERE YOU ARE NOT IN 100% SECURE PARKING, or where your eyes are on it 100% of the time. We lost ours while eating lunch at my cousin's home, during broad daylight. It was locked, and we had "The Club" in place. <BR> <BR>When we return to Poland, we will depend on the trains for long distances, and other transportation within the towns themselves. We have learned our lesson, and hope that it will never happen to any others. There is definitely a highly sophisticated car-theft ring, and you will find the police to be very ineffective. Sorry to be so blunt about this matter, but you do need to know the truth. Once you know that, you will definitely enjoy your visit. As a matter of fact, I wish I could also come. We really loved Poland!! <BR> <BR>Cathy <BR>

When we were in Krakow we met two young German men whose car had just been stolen. The police, it appeared to us, were very nonchalant about this theft. It happens. <BR> <BR>Suggestion: buy a Polish newspaper and place it in a front seat along with a pair of very-much-used leather gloves, preferably men's. That way, it looks like a local is using the car. I always follow this procedure in any country in Europe and in Mexico and in Canada. Never had a car molested.

I am not a fan of Poland. I found the people to be very cold. Perhaps they haven't shaken off their memories of life under a communist government yet. I found Ukraine to be much more interesting from an architectual stand point. Lvov is beautiful. I only saw Krakow and wasn't impressed. The countryside in Poland is nothing special. <BR> <BR>As far as the people go, I would add that I'm Jewish and so I was more sensitive to how the people acted towards me in this region in general. I was probably reading more into their simple interactions with me than was really there. I have always read and been told about the anti semitism there and given the cold personalities I met there I can believe what I have been told to be true at least during WW2. I actually met an American in Krakow who was telling me he was planning to move to Poland for several reasons, one of which being that the Pols hated and wouldn't tolerate black people. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this. Sigh.

I spent several days in Krakow not long ago and loved it! I found the people to be fairly friendly, at least civil. To the last poster, I'm just wondering how the locals knew you're Jewish? This has me totally baffled. I'm not Jewish so maybe I'm just ignorant on this matter.

Thanks for the info about car theft. We will be careful. Spoke with my mom today, we live 2 hours apart. I wish I could pack for her, it would make our trip easier. Instead I will have some fun surprises after we arrive. She is not a fashion expert. I just hope she does not forget to pack enough of her medicine. She won't wear a medic alert necklace so I bought a clip-on watch with her name and important medical history engraved on it. Thanks again, Sun

Please post a trip report when you get back. I am Polish-American and would like to visit Poland someday (particularly Krakow & southern Poland), so I'll be interested to hear your impressions.