Wearing a kilt in Poland

[GG]

At least, some years ago, kilts – and especially wearers of them - had a very bad reputation in Poland. According to Polish media, even attempts to have kilts banned by law, were made. All that due to hordes of drunken Scotsmen in kilts, only visiting the country because alcoholic beverages were to buy and consume cheaper there than home in Scotland. In return they would often show more of themselves than the Polish people found acceptable.

Last Monday, my wife and I went to Poland on a four-day holiday in Gdansk. I had some concern about possible negative reactions to a man in a kilt, but I was determined to find out and had brought with me my Farquharson, 5-yard 13 oz. wool kilt, sewn in Scotland and which had already been worn in Japan (Tokyo), Germany, Spain, and, of course, in Denmark.
Therefore, the next morning, I started out wearing my kilt on a two-hours long walk around the city on my own, including a visit to a church where a mass was held and with people coming and going (Catholic). There might have been more stares than usual but in no way unfriendly, and some sent me a warm smile.

Back at our 4-star hotel, I had breakfast with my wife in the restaurant. Again, only friendly people around. The same the following days, in the streets, at restaurants, in museums, shopping malls, and on public transport.

I heard the word “Szota” several times, but not in a negative sense, except for once where an old lady in a shrill, loud voice shouted something, I didn’t understand but, no doubt, was hostile.
My conclusion is that a kilt is not (no longer) a problem. Prices have gone up in Poland, and there were not that many native English-speaking tourists around, it seemed. Could be the explanation. By all means, I did my best to not further harm the image of this great piece of clothing and I enjoyed being around in my kilt 24/7 all days.
I can give Gdansk my best recommendations.


In the beautiful city center of the old town. Gdansk has about 500.000 inhabitants.


At the river running through the city. Our hotel was the modern building behind me.

[NHhighlander]

"Szota?" Google trans was no help.
Funny, an almost exactly same-sounding word might be yelled in Bolivia, "chota," with a vulgar meaning of "unkempt woman," to some kilt wearer... I would not dare to do it there, way too culturally different, unless in a very safe and enclosed locale.

Anyway, nice of you to check out the waters, kind of, in Poland, what for me is "the Old Country," even though my folks back when hailed from the very south, the Highlands area there.
Some kind of tunic reaching to the knees was not at all uncommon there among the country folk even 200 years ago, amybe much less, especially among the poor, certainly my own ancestors.
"Płoskonka" means "the hempen one," the one wearing hemp cloth, the cheapest kind then, and that is my surname.

[GG]

"Szota?" Google trans was no help.

O, I misspelled the word, sorry. It is Szkota. There even is a Scottish pub in Gdansk. I didn't visit it, however.