If we are going to AquaCity we need ski clothes. Time to practice our shopping skills. We are getting better at shopping. Normally we have a goal, achieve partial success, get distracted, get annoyed with shopping and go home (or to the pub) with the depressing knowledge we have to try again tomorrow.
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| Grabbing a trophy off the shelf does not mean you win. |
Today we managed to stop each other being distracted but also, and I think this was key, had others with us. Ewa can be slightly competitive. Beating me at shopping is easy and doesn't awake the urge to win. With her sister attempting to succeed at purchasing a planned list Ewa's instincts kicked in.
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| I got distracted by a church, it's not even shiny, I am a bad shopper. |
I only had to remind her not to get distracted once. We won by a handy margin which meant we got to wait for the others. Somehow we were shopping in the one place in Poland that does not sell beer in the waiting area. I spent the time reading up on tax laws in various countries. Not sure that is a prize which will inspire me to win in future. We have stylish ski outfits though.
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| I still look for KitchenWare shops, this one Confused and Annoyed me after seeing it on the map |
Cultural Observations: Fast Food
KFC seems more common here as a ratio compared to McDonalds. I have been in one city for one week so this observation is obviously accurate and true. I wondered about this and came up with some theories. First some numbers (then the theories which I haven't even bothered to adjust for the numbers because they are from Wikipedia and we all know what a lying she-devil that site can be).
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| No Arches To Be Seen |
KFC Locations:
AUS 618 (7th biggest market in the world)
POL 185
McD's Locations:
AUS 920
POL 349
Polish Pricing:
KFC Zinger Burger: 9.95zł
McD's Big Mac: 9.60 zł
Populations:
AUS: 23 million
POL: 38 million
So roughly:
1 Mcd's and 0.6 KFC per 25 000 people in Aus
1 Mcd's and 0.5 KFC per 110 000 people in Poland
Enough numbers. Time for Half Arsed Opinions:
I couldn't find prices for McDonalds or KFC online, haven't had McD's in years and I only eat KFC once a year (to eat while watching the Bathurst 1000) but I think that the price is less than AU$9 for each of the burgers above. Given the rough and ready approximation of "stuff costs the same number here" and the exchange rate being about 1:3 that means McD's and KFC are sort of roughly three times the "price for the locals". I haven't checked the cost of production comparison but as a starting point I figure that demand affects price more than cost of production anyway.
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| A McPate Sandwich, traditional style |
I think that McDonalds got here first and was definitely viewed as The Biggest Shiniest Bit Of America, Land of Dreams when it arrived. Ewa clearly remembers being given "a lot" of money for her and her brother to get McDonalds. They were excited, ate it, were still hungry and depressed. She still talks of the Polish burgers which are 5zł and the size of your head (although now admits that maybe this is just a memory).
So McDonalds got turned into a luxury / status food. Even a few years ago apparently a mid thirties fellow taking a first date to McDonalds would have been making a statement about his wealth.
Rating 6/10 (although -3 if this is why I am somewhat tubby by comparison, +2 if we can find a Polish Burger the size of my head)
We have a pretty consistent small amount of snow falling now. Street is looking pretty and I am now required to wear my Winter Finery. No more wandering the streets in sneakers, T shirt and jeans. I now have my winter coat, scarf, gloves and boots.
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| I thought one of the signs was obscured by snow and came down in my pyjamas because I had a great caption for it but unfortunately I just have old eyes and so you get this caption instead |
Temperatures are hovering around the -8 to -10 all day and a touch lower overnight. So the snow is too dry to make snowballs easily unless you take your gloves off. This is probably for the best I guess.
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| My finery is functional, Polish Ladies want some style with the warmth |
Amongst the many people I know that have birthdays during the Christmas season is Ewa's younger brother. We bought him a cake and a new samsung tablet.
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| I am not a professional but I think that pre chewed food is a poor decorative touch. |
At Polish School in Sydney it was mentioned that the Polish version of "Happy Birthday to You" is "Sto Lat". This means 100 years and, I believe, is meant to be a wish that you will live 100 years (not that you look like you have.
Poland must really have a think about updating their traditions. Modern medicine is pushing longevity and just what are you saying to someone that is celebrating their 101st birthday by singing that?
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| School didn't teach us the rest of the words, I just sang the Stol Lat bit loud enough everyone knew I had joined in |
The younger brother is sick and came down in his boxer style dressing gown. I refrained from yelling "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Great white hope, The Force from the North, A Tower of Power: Kshshshshshshshshshsh". I did do a little bit of Eye of the Tiger though. Personal touches make gifts better.
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