Ever since Poland joined the European Union, international travellers have rapidly rediscovered the country's rich cultural heritage, stunning historic sites and just gorgeous array of landscapes. Whether you're looking for architecture, urban vibes or a taste of the past: Poland's bustling cities and towns offer something for everyone. If you'd rather get away from the crowds and enjoy nature,...
History
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world’s great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose around 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians...
Hoard your small bills!
Egypt has a perpetual shortage of small bills and change: even banks are reluctant to break too many bills. Vendors will also perpetually say they do not have change. Hoard your small bills as much as you can, be prepared to make bank runs for change, and break your bills in the easiest situations such as large...
Fluids
Ensure that you drink plenty of water: Egypt has an extremely dry climate most of the year – a fact aggravated by high temperatures in the summer end of the year – and countless travellers each year experience the discomforts and dangers of dehydration. A sense of thirst is not enough to indicate danger – carry a water bottle and...
By train
The state-owned company Egyptian National Railways runs almost all trains in Egypt. The Cairo-Alexandria route is heavily traveled by train, with frequent service daily. Overnight trains are available for travel from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan, in Upper Egypt; these are run by a separate private company called Abela Egypt. On ENR trains, a First Class ticket costs only...
Poland is on the border of European "vodka" and "beer culture". Poles enjoy alcoholic drinks but they drink less than the European average. You can buy beer, vodka and wine. Although Poland is known as the birthplace of vodka, local beer seems to have much more appeal to many Poles. Another traditional alcoholic beverage is mead. Polish liqueurs and nalewka...
See also Stay healthy: Fluids section for hygiene and related info.
Water
Bottled water is available everywhere. The local brands (most common being Baraka, Hayat,Siwa) are of the same price as foreign brand options which are also available: Nestle Pure Life, Dasani (bottled by Coca-Cola), and Aquafina(bottled by Pepsi). Evianis less available and is expensive. A note on the local brand Baraka:...
The European unified emergency number 112 is being deployed in Poland. By now, it certainly works for all mobile-phone calls and most land-line calls. There are also three "old" emergency numbers that are still in use. These are:
Ambulance: 999 (Pogotowie,dziewięć-dziewięć-dziewięć)
Firefighters: 998 (Straż Pożarna,dziewięć-dziewięć-osiem)
Police: 997 (Policja,dziewięć-dziewięć-siedem)
Municipal Guards: 986 (Straż Miejska,dziewięć-osiem-sześć) it is a kind of auxiliary Police force found only in...
Poles take their meals following the standard continental schedule: a light breakfast in the morning (usually some sandwiches with tea/coffee), then a larger lunch (or traditionally a "dinner") at around 13:00-14:00, then a supper at around 19:00.
Tipping
For the most part, Polish restaurants and bars do not include gratuity in the total of the check, so your server will be pleased...
Tipping
Keep in mind that most Egyptian workers expect tips after performing a service. This can be expected for something as little as pressing the button in the elevator. Many workers will even ask you to tip them before you get a chance. The typical tip for minor services is EGP1 (about 14 US cents). Due to the general shortage of...
