Wow, Poznan, used to be 97% German pre 1945, but they surrendered early...

Borsch, hum, eaten across all of Eurasia in various forms, the best in Tajikistan...

Yeah, Disco/bars, the ones in France just suck compared to Fabrique in Moscow, then again, you were probably fiesed...

'the wine is heated' as opposed to the WHOLE REST OF EUROPE AND THE WESTERN WORLD! where they drink Mulled wine, Gluewien, Svarak vino, etc...

Wroclaw or Breslau the capital of Silesia, the city that held out 6 weeks against the Red Army after the fall of Berlin? Is that where you mean, that place with a 99% German population pre 1945?...

Zakopani, yes, that has been ethnically Polish for a few centuries...

And, Gdansk, the former Free City, another one that was 98% ethnically German pre 1945...

Wow, these places are so Polish. It was so nice of them to forcibly exile 3 million Germans from their homes after the war so displaced Poles from new, conquered Soviet territories would have a place to go. It was also, so nice for 2 million of those pesky Prussians, Silesians, Pommerians and Posens to die/be murdered along the way as not to impede upon the Germans already occupied in East and West Germany.

But, I must admit, the Poles are a grand bunch of people and Warsaw is a hell of a town. I've never had a bad time there...

Then again, I would never recommend someone going to a place where 300,000,000 people are considered untouchable and not reticent to life, education, sanitation, representation or rights. But, you seem to think India is a Happy place too... like Poland.

What was not German about Poland after centuries of fascist occupation?
What country does not have it's history?

Hell can be a happy place. Depends how you look at it... And India is by far not hell. Hell is analyzing the hell out of other peoples blog posting and feeling "good" about it. Ever heard of finding a common ground or adding to the discussion?

That fact is that every traveler will experience a place in their own way depending on how they live their life. Travel is about the now. Not about what happened hundreds of years ago. All the places and facts you mention are irrelevant because these places ARE Poland NOW. And the fact is that the country had been ripped and reconstructed for hundreds of years due to it's location, more than anything else.

India, if you have been there, is much more than "300,000,000 people are considered untouchable and not reticent to life, education, sanitation, representation or rights.". It's full of life and culture and yes, history. From it's Arayan roots to the British invasion to Gandhi to Baliwood and beyond! I see real life and rawness in India. I also see sadness and horror. I see that in my own back yard here in Marin County, California. Where do you not see a mix of the good and the bad? India's problem did not start because of it's people, but it's association with the western world. Before that it was a treasure chest to be discovered. Instead America was discovered... Happiness in the eye of the beholder.

Travel is more about a feeling, not the "factoids" of a region. It's fun to know a thing or two, but not at the expense of living in the now.

good stuff here:

http://www.surfingindia.net/

and

http://www.aliandesign.com/

Poland is my favorite country in all of Europe. Seriously. There is a certain warmth that country exudes that most people might not initially expect of Poland. Absolutely lovely country.

Thanks for the cool tips. I will definitely hit Poznan on the next go-around.

As for cheap (all relative :), exotic destinations for a family, the Carribean and Central America come to mind.