Sports

Euro 2016 Qualifying

October 12, 2015 by polishhousewife 2 Comments

When I first visited Poznan in 2009, there was a countdown clock in the old market square, ticking off the minutes to the first match of Euro 2012. Euro is a European football championship played every four years, it happens in between the World Cup; every two years one of these major events is happening.

It was a big deal for Poland. Soccer stadiums were built and remodeled, new motorways crossed the country, all to accommodate the visiting football fans. The hope was that Poland’s European neighbors would see the country in a new, positive light and return again for business and pleasure, and I saw that happening in the years following 2012. We’d be at a festival in the old square, and end up sharing a table with others who were speaking English. Usually a Irish couple, there on holiday after he had visited during Euro.

The national teams from Ireland, Croatia and Italy played in Poznan. Fans from all three countries filled the hotels and campgrounds. It had been SO long since Ireland has qualified for Euro or World Cup that more than one fan told me they had promised themselves they would be there for the next one, no matter where it was.

The Irish national team had the worst performance in our group on the pitch. They were quickly out of competition, but their fans were the best! They were so loved that the city hosted an appreciation rally for them in the Stary Rynek. They said it was for all the fans, but the focus was singing the Irish football songs, that we’d heard all over town, at all hours of the day and night, back to the fans. “You gotta love the Irish. . . You’ll never beat the Irish.” It was easy to learn the words. The national teams have played friendly matches since then, in both countries, I believe.

I was an English speaking city volunteer in the Poznan fan zone. My interactions with the other national fans were limited. my friend, Caroline, and I gave directions to Italian fans inquiring about the nearest supermarket while we were out on our bikes. A Croatian fan in the fan zone was annoyed that he had to ask me a question in English, a language he spoke very well, but he wanted to know why there were no Croatian speaking volunteers. An interesting point, but I suspect there were no native Croatian speakers who had come forward to volunteer in that capacity.

It’s exciting to see Poland playing well in the qualifying matches for Euro 2016. Robert Lewandowski continues to be a national hero and make a kazillion złoty in TV ads. Poland tied Scotland. As I recall, last time around, they only made it into the competition because they were hosting. The next match is with Ireland.

I’ve delayed in posting this, Poland qualified for Euro 2016 over the weekend, beating Ireland 2:1.

Looking bask and fondly remembering Euro 2012:

FC Tucson, Futbol in Tucson

May 5, 2015 by polishhousewife 6 Comments

Tucson has a semi-professional soccer club, FC Tucson. Semi-professional means that they are closer to Kozły Poznań (the Poznan Goats, a semi-professional American Football team) than to Lech Poznań. They started playing just as I moved to Poland in 2011, so last night was the first time we’ve taken in a match. FC Tucson is part of the Premier Development League (PDL). FC Tucson doesn’t list a team roster on their website, so we don’t know the background of the players. I can tell you that in the PDL most of the players are amateurs, not receiving payment for playing. Some are college students, but the team can also include high school players, and former professional players who want to continue playing at a high level. In the PDL, only eight of a team’s 26 players can be over 23 years old and at least three players must be 18 or younger.

Their pitch has been converted from a Spring Training baseball field. My friend Melinda is very sad about the fact that we no longer have professional baseball in Tucson. She mentioned today soccer is being marketed as a substitute for baseball. I can see how for the die-hard fan like Melinda, it wouldn’t be a suitable replacement. For me, it’s even better! Soccer, as we’re learning to call it again, moves so much faster than baseball, more action, more athleticism.

Even for a layperson like me, the level of play last night was impressive. The play was fast with amazing footwork and most importantly, with some GOALS! The first half was very exciting, but after a 20 minute half-time, I found myself fading during the second half. It seemed like the players did too. The second half brought more passing of the ball back and forth across the field rather than moving it down the field. In this regard, they were much like Lech Poznan. The important thing is they won the first match of the season; we’re off to a good start!

Since we’ve come from the home of “the Poznan.” I would be remiss not to mention the FC Tucson version of the Ultras. They are know as the Cactus Pricks. A dedicated bunch, complete with drum, who did their best to bring the fan involvement and pageantry to our humble stands.

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What would a football match be with a flare in the stands? 😉 Photo source: FC Tucson facebook page

Zlota Rybka Swarzedz (Goldfish kayak rally)

August 30, 2014 by polishhousewife 6 Comments

The 6th annual “Rajd Kajakowy Zlota Rybka Swarzędz” or Goldfish kayak rally took place in Swarzedz (a suburb of Poznan) today. My friend Elzbieta reserved a water bike, as they call paddle boats in Poland, for us. The other contestants were paired up in kayaks. We were not the sleekest or most graceful boat on the water today, but we had a very good time and finished “not last.” It was perfect for a couple of bicycle enthusiasts.

Elzbieta has participated in Zlota Rybka Swarzedz before, but it was my first time. Let me explain how it works. We checked at the boat dock at Szarzedz lake this morning at 10:00. At 10:30 we started, they kindly let the paddle boat go first, but it wasn’t enough of a head start. We were 5 or 6th by the first check-in point. Here each boat was quizzed (in Polish, of course) about the size of the lake we were on, where a famous person was buried, the first name of the Swardedz bookkeeper, etc. There were 5 questions, and the teams earned one point for each correct answer. Elzbieta earned us 3 points.

At the second check point, we were the last to arrive. Here, each participant tossed 4 horseshoes into a bucket. So we were competing against each other not as a team at this station. Time was up before we got to station 3, so I can’t tell you what happened there.

When we got back to the dock, there was one last feat to perform. A long rope was attached to our boat at the end of the pier and we had to race up the beach and steps until we pulled our boat ashore. It took us 6 seconds, one of the slower times. Now the scores could be tabulated.

The people who came in dead last had already left at this point. We, the next to last team, were the first to receive our consolation prize. Elzbieta’s daughter and her friend came in third, a very good showing. We wrapped up the day with lunch for the 4 of us at Swarzdez’s authentic Italian restaurant. What a fun day! Dzieki, Ela! 🙂

Wine, Polish Drivers, and Cricket

March 2, 2014 by polishhousewife 2 Comments

With a weekend that included a wine tasting, and international gathering, and the Poznan Cricket Club, how do I categorize this post? Daily life? An interesting daily life. 🙂

We stopped by Mine Wine at Galeria Malta Friday evening for a wine tasting. We tried some very nice wines from Czech Republic, but what stuck in my mind from the evening was the tidbit that the average annual wine consumption in Poland is three liters per person. I’m afraid it’s a little more than that at our home.

After the wine tasting, we stopped by an informal gathering of expats in Poznan at one of the hostels, an interesting mix of people and an example of how our perceptions differ. I was talking with my Israeli friend and a Polish woman who has been teaching in the International School System with a recent assignment in Dehli. As she talked about the driving she’d witnessed in India, my friend said something like, ” . . . and Polish drivers are so polite.”

I had to take her by the arm, look her square in the eye, and ask, “you think Polish drivers are polite?!!” It’s all relative, I guess! Apparently compared to drivers in the Middle East, Poles are polite and predictable. Compared to the United States, not so much. I won’t go into all of the details, but I will quote another American’s post on How to Drive in Warsaw. “1. Get in your car, take a deep breath, and call on your inner aggression.”

Also at the expat meet-up, were members of the Poznan Cricket Club. We’ve been wanting to stop by the Cytadela Park and watch them play. When we found out they were meeting the next day at noon, we made that part of our bike ride on Sunday. I still don’t understand the sport. I’m temped to call it genteel, but Queen Anne is reported to have said, “Cricket is not illegal, for it’s a manly game.” Again, it all depends on where you come from. I think next time, watching cricket will call for a picnic.

That brings me to the question: what deserves to be in a picnic basket (or in our case bicycle pannier) for cricket? My British friend, Caroline, was kind enough to suggest Pimms. I had to google it, so I hope we can find it here, blackberry elderflower and lemonade. That just says summer doesn’t it? It’s just the thing. For noshing, maybe sausage rolls, hummus, brie?

What do you suggest?

Kamil – the Pride of Poland

February 10, 2014 by polishhousewife

Kamil Wictor Stoch is the toast of Poland this morning. The twenty-six year old Polish ski jumper won the gold medal in the men’s normal hill ski jumping last night. Poland’s first in the sport since 1972. Very impressive for a guy who began the day with a headache and fever. This morning my facebook feed is full of posts with the YouTube video of young Kamil (see below).

Born in Zakopane, the place where all of the Polish pilots go for their ski vacations, young Kamil was on skis at the tender age of three – taking his first jumps on hills he built with his friends one year later. He attended the School of Sports Championship in Zakopane and has a masters from the Academy of Physical Education in Krakow. His helmet last night was the red and white checkerboard, symbol of the Polish Air Force. According to the guys in Ed’s office, Kamil hasn’t served in the Polish Air Force but he has a family connect that dates back to the early days of military aviation.

Krzemien and Luis Henriquez

September 26, 2013 by polishhousewife Leave a Comment

I have two totally different topics today. First, I will tell you about Krzemien. I visited them yesterday with ten other members of the Poznan International Ladies Club (PILC). It’s an organization that serves developmentally disabled adults. It’s open for seven hours a day during the week. I was impressed to hear that their main focus is helping their participants become independent. It’s a real testament to that fact that 90% make the daily commute on their own – very impressive. They make their own meals, do the shopping, make lists, spend time working on art project or in the gym. I’m going to visit them again, and we’ll do some cooking together.

Every year, PILC chooses a charity to support. Krzemien was the recipient last year. Fund raising efforts, enabled us to purchase a kiln for their art studio. They do ceramics and slump glass, as well as drawing and painting. Many of the artists have participated in exhibitions and are beginning to have commercial success.

Because of our support, one of the clients, Jakub, felt they should invite us to for coffee and second breakfast to say thanks. It was a very nice morning. If you’re in Poznan, I urge you to check them out. They are some budding artists and are very nice people, both the clients and the staff.

Now, on to my second topic. My favorite player of Lech Poznan, Luis Henriquez, has been suspended for two games. He shoved an opponent in the face, the referee didn’t see it, but the TV cameras did, you can watch it for yourself. He wasn’t penalized during the game, the suspension came later after reviewing the video recordings. During our second season, we had really good seats, sitting in about the fourth row. For half of the match, Luis played right in front of us. I love to watch him play. He’s smaller and older than most of the players. He plays with a lot of hustle and is not afraid to play rough. It can be so disheartening to watch the young stars back down as if they’re afraid of a fast, aggressive team.

My objection to the suspension after the fact is that it seems unduly selective. I’ve seen a ball cross the goal line, but goalie gets it out before the ref notices. When this makes sporting news after the match is over, they don’t change the score. I’ve never heard of a yellow card being revoked because video later showed that the supposedly injured player was “flopping.” If they’re going to rule based on video rather than the ref on the field. then let’s do it for everything.

Poznan Triathlon 2013

August 5, 2013 by polishhousewife 3 Comments

We had noticed temporary fencing going up around Malta Lake and on some of the nearby roads. For the last few days, we had been wondering what was going on. Yesterday, when Ed walked to the mall to pick up a few groceries, the mystery was solved. He sent a text to say that a triathlon was going on.

1500 participants were expected on the two courses offered, one long, one short. The swimming took place in the lake, the running around the lake and the bicycling had the start and finish at the lake venturing out to the town of Kostrzyn.

Just after Ed’s text message arrived, I saw photos of the event on the city’s facebook page. The mayor of Poznan, an athletic fellow, was one of the participants.

Biking, Swimming, Biking to Swimming (Termy Maltanskie)

July 16, 2013 by polishhousewife 1 Comment

After Ed’s second visit to his physical therapist, his PT – the business owner, saw us climbing the stairs outside her office. She noticed that Ed made it up the steps before I did. The next time we were there, she suggested that I might benefit from some time with one of her colleagues. That has helped with my knee and my shoulder (injured on a rough tram ride); it’s also led to a visit with an orthopedic surgeon to see if all was in order. (On a side note, Poznan has an excellent physical therapy program at AWF, one of the universities. There are an abundance of well trained PTs in the city; it’s even commonplace for them to make house calls.)

The diagnosis for my knee was arthritis, which has led me to think that I should cut back on long walks, as that seems to bring on pain and swelling. We’ve been biking a lot, and this week, I began swimming. I paid my first visit to Termy Maltanskie, the new water park near our home. I watched this huge complex rise up from the ground during my bike rides around the lake in recent years. It’s enormus and plays host to swimming and diving competitions.

Key forgotten – it was a 6 mile ride in the rain, just for fun

I rode my bike to Termy Maltanskie twice yesterday, once without the key for my bike lock, a second time with the key. (UGH!) With all my commuting yesterday, I logged 15 miles on the bike and .25 mile in the pool. The facility is amazing, I’ve never seen so many pools in one place before, and with a very nice atmosphere even for the indoor pools.

I guess coming from Arizona, where most pools are outdoors, I’ve never been a fan of indoor pools. I visited an indoor pool in England back in the 70s and that really shaped by opinion of indoor swimming. The air reeked of chlorine, the pool itself was dark and cold. It just wasn’t pleasant. That wasn’t the case at Termy Maltanskie. I visited the sport pools for laps yesterday and the aqua park. Although indoors, the space and the water are bright and inviting.

Since I was at the lake, I treated myself to dinner at Taj India, the best India restaurant in town. It was my plan to take home leftovers – can’t beat fish curry for breakfast. I sat on the terrace, which isn’t much bigger than the balcony at our flat. What they lack in size, they make up in view. The lake was abuzz in the early evening with cyclists, joggers, roller-bladers, and people sitting in the bleachers, just relaxing and taking in the view. I have to remember to take this kind of evening with me when we return to the states, do something that involves movement, relax and enjoy nature. It shouldn’t be that hard, should it?

view from Taj India

an even better view from Taj India

Tonight, I biked to Stary Bowar, one of the shopping malls in town. Since it was getting late, I picked up sushi take-out, grabbed a few groceries at PiP and a chai at Starbucks while my meal was being prepared. Yes, with enough for left-overs. Ed’s in the states at the moment, so that’s my excuse for not cooking. The holiday will have to stop though. I’m in the process of cooking my way through a Polish cookbook, cover to cover, and all this dining out is slowing my progress.

Not a bad view from the bridge to Stary Browar tonight either

While being on my own is not a new experience for me – ask any military wife about that, there is always something strange about being on my own and so far from any family, 6,000 miles (10000 km). At the moment, my reason for being in Poland is gone, and this feels just a little bit crazy. Fortunately, my reason for being here will be home soon. 🙂

Biking

July 8, 2013 by polishhousewife 4 Comments

I’ve been riding a bike in Poznan for the last couple of years – ever since my friend, Elzbieta, planned an outing for us on bicycles. Before that, my last bike had a baby seat on the back. The baby now rides a motorcycle and is old enough to rent a car, so it’s been awhile.

I usually do a lap or two around Lake Malta. When I’m feeling really up for a challenge, I have done as much at 30 miles at the lake; that’s a lot of laps. Occasionally, I’ll ride to the supermarket and bring home groceries in the basket that’s designed to carry a dog. I’ve also taken the dog to the vet’s office just a few blocks away by bike, and one time I biked to Sweet Surrender.

Recently, my husband got the clearance and encouragement to start biking as part of his physical therapy in recovering from sepsis. No surprise here, the fighter pilot is more adventuresome than the accountant – also better with maps. I think it’s been 3 weeks since we started riding together and I’ll bet we’ve logged 100 miles and only 1 lap around the lake. There are some really nice long bike paths in Poznan; they’re just not all connected at this point. If one path has been too congested, Ed has been really good at finding us a better route.

We have been exploring, been to the Olympic Stadium, through the forest, found the remnants of old forts (the fortress kind not the kids playing kind), and out for pizza on our bikes. We’ve ridden on a narrow bike path that is in the median of a highway – cars whizzing by both sides in opposite directions; that will make you dizzy. We’ve found some beautiful paths along the river, although, this time of year, some that we’ve looked for are under water.

We’ll try this one again when the river is lower

This bridge to the cathedral used to be the middle span near Polyteknika Univ. Our friend, Norbert (who is now a professor at said university), told us that when he was in school it was tradition to walk over the top of the arch. I can’t remember if it was at the end of the year or when you graduated. Maybe someone who knows will answer that question. It’s now the place where couple seal their commitment with a lock and throw away the key.

It’s also a popular spot for wedding photos

PS – interesting tidbit from New Poland Express fb page:

Mixed up in the facts ahead of yesterday’s men’s final at Wimbledon was this gem that the trophy engraver, Roman Zoltowski who’s been doing the job for 35 years, travels to the All England Club by car from his home in Poznan. The reason – the airlines won’t permit him to carry his tools on-board as they break security regulations.

Golf and Recent Happenings

July 2, 2013 by polishhousewife 1 Comment

We’ve been to the driving range at Hotel Solei a few times recently. Even if you’re not hitting balls, this is a great place to hang out. My husband is an avid golfer, so I’ve seen a lot of driving ranges in my day; this is the nicest one we’ve come across.

From the golf side, this is one of two driving ranges within two hours of Poznan, and wouldn’t you know they’re both on the same side of town (not our side). Golfers are hitting from a state of the art artificial surface. The only down side is that the range is not particularly long and the end doesn’t have a net. While it improves the view, I’m sure that knocking their range balls into the surrounding wheat field would be discouraged.

As for the aesthetics, the hotel is just outside of town, near a lake. The driving range is bordered by forest on one side and wheat fields on the other two. Behind the hitting area, is a row of gazebos complete with tables and chairs. The wait staff from the hotel restaurant will check to see if you want anything, mineral water, coffee, salad. It’s a beautiful setting to enjoy a snack, read a book, or watch the golfers.

cafe affagato – espresso with ice cream

We were on our way home from the driving range Sunday and ran into long lines of traffic and detours, twice. After the first detour, we wondered if there was a special event going on. After the second, we began to suspect that there had been a big accident. We could hear a lot of sirens in the distance and were passed by three ambulances before we got home. Monday morning we found out what had happened in the New York Post, of all places. An accident took place at the Gran Turismo Polonia car show. The driver of a souped up sports car, lost control skidded into the crowd of onlookers. There were no fatalities, but many were taken to hospital.

Similar events have taken place in front of Galeria Malta, near us. I’ve been surprised by the lack of sturdy barriers. The kind used are meant to keep the people off the street but do nothing to keep the cars off the sidewalk. Let me be the first to admit that safety concerns in the United States have become ridiculous. Our propensity for law suits seem to have removed any common sense we may have had. There must be some sane, reasonably careful, middle ground.

Sad news from home this week. A crew of nineteen were killed fighting wildfires in Arizona. We can’t legislate all risks out of life. And surprising news in Poland. Foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, has confirmed that Edward Snowden has applied for asylum in Poland – not likely.

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