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Location
Mazowieckie province, east-central Poland.

Dialling code
48.

Population
1,702,000 (city); 2,210,000 (metropolitan area).

Time zone
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures
-5°C (23°F).

Average July temperatures
19°C (66°F).

Annual rainfall
617mm (24 inches) (rainfall)
155mm (6 inches) (snowfall).

Language
Introduction
Polish is the official language, but travelers will find that many people, especially those in business or the tourist trade, will speak some English, German or French. Most Poles were required to learn Russian in school, however, it was a matter of pride not to learn it, and speaking Russian may give offence.

Polish is a West Slavic language, related to Czech and Slovak. The following are the Polish characters and their nearest English equivalent: a–u, aj–i (as in bike), c–ts, cz–ch, dz–ds or j, ej–a (as in bake), h–ch (as in loch), j–y, l (with a slash through it)–w, sz–sh, u–oo, w–v, rz–s (as in pleasure). The second-last syllable of a word is always the one stressed.

Phrases
Yes - Tak
No - Nie
Hello - Dzien dobry
Goodbye - Do widzenia / Do zobaczenia
Please - Prosze
Thank you - Dziekuje
My name is … - Nazywam sie ...
How are you? - Jak sie masz? / Jak sie pan ma?
I’m very well - W porzadku / Miewam sie dobrze
I feel ill - Jestern chory(a)
How much does it cost? - Ile to kosztuje?
Do you speak English? - Czy mowi pan po angielsku? (to a man) / Czy mowi pani po angielsku? (to a woman)
I don’t understand - Nie rozumiem
Where is …? - Gdzie jest …?
Entrance - Wejscie
Exit - Wyjscie
Danger - Niebezpiecznie / Niebezpieczenstwo
Open - Otwarte
Closed - Zamkniete
Toilets - Toalety
Doctor - Doktor
Hotel - Hotel
Restaurant - Restauracja
Beer - Piwo
Wine - Wino
Menu - Jadtospis
Today - Dzis / Dzisiaj
Tomorrow - Jutro
Monday - Poniedzialek
Tuesday - Wtorek
Wednesday - Sroda
Thursday - Czwartek
Friday - Piatek
Saturday - Sobota
Sunday - Niedziela
One - Jeden
Two - Dwa
Three - Trzy
Four - Cztery
Five - Piec
Six - Szesc
Seven - Siedem
Eight - Osiem
Nine - Dziewiec
Ten - Dziesiec
Twenty - Dwadziescia
Thirty - Trzydziesci
Forty - Czterdziesci
Fifty - Piecdziesiat
Sixty - Szescdziesiat
Seventy - Siedemdziesiat
Eighty - Osiemdziesiat
Ninety - Dziewiecdziesiat
One Hundred - Sto
One Thousand - Tysiac



Cost of Living:

1 Polish Zloty (zł1) = £0.23; US$0.34; C$0.41; A$0.48; €0.26
Currency conversion rates as of January 2009

Special Events:

Mozart Festival
Mid June-July
Mozart’s 26 stage productions are featured in this celebration of the great composer.
Warsaw Opera Kameralna
Website: www.operakameralna.pl

Art of the Street Festival
July
Five days of street theater, open-air concerts, and unusual art performances.
Throughout Warsaw
Website: www.sztukaulicy.pl

Warsaw Summer Jazz Days
July-August
Accomplished jazz musicians from Poland and abroad descend on the city to perform.
Palace of Culture and Science
Website: www.adamiakjazz.pl

Anniversary of Warsaw Uprising
1 August
Concerts and remembrance parades to commemorate the 1944 uprising against the Nazis.
Throughout Warsaw
Website: www.1944.pl

Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music
September
The latest and greatest in world avant-garde music over 10 days.
Website: www.warsaw-autumn.art.pl

Frédéric Chopin International Piano Competition
September-October every five years (next 2010)
World-renowned piano competition.
Website: www.konkurs.chopin.pl

Warsaw International Film Festival
October
Showcases independent film from Poland and the greater international community.
Website: www.wff.pl

JVC Jazz Festival Warsaw
October
One of Europe’s best jazz festivals, attracting a host of jazz greats.
Website: www.festivalproductions.net

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