We arrived in Poland as the last rays of light disappeared into the clouds. We had just got off the incredible flying advertisement that is Ryanair after a scramble across London to Stansted. The sun disappeared behind the clouds, not to be seen for days as I met Magda's relatives.
The plan was to visit Magda's family and travel around the South West of Poland to see some of the nearby sights. The problem was that the continual rain over the first couple of days flooded the area we were staying in. We were actually lucky just to be stranded; many peoples houses were destroyed and some lost their lives.
Being stuck in Tychy actually turned out well. Magda got to see her family for a lot longer than we planned and I enjoyed some Polish hospitality! We were given so much food and drink it was incredible. It seemed that as we finished one meal, another was laid before us! Everyone I met offered me a warm smile and we spoke through the masterful translation skills of Magda! We also got through a few bottles of Polish vodka, drinking from shot glasses after a traditional toast. I was made to feel so welcome by everyone I met.
Once the waters subsided a bit we managed to get to Krakov for a couple of days. The place was beautiful and with a relaxed air. We went to see the many sights and visited the Jewish quarter for a night out. Amazing bars with masses of personality! Incredible.
I look forward to seeing Poland again. Initially, I thought that the weather was a problem but it turned out to be a blessing since it allowed us to meet so much people. I hope to greet them next time with a few more words of Polish.
Here are a selection of the photos I managed to get in the brief spells between the rain: