Tuesday 1st May was a public holiday here.
So we went on a day trip.
To Poland!
The border is fairly close and it took us only an hour to get there by car. We travelled with a couple of friends who knew where to go and we ended up at a place called Slubice, just across the River Oder.
Border crossings aren't the same these days. Of course, that's a good thing as it makes it much quicker to cross when you don't have to queue and show passports, but it takes the excitement of visiting a new country away.
Apologies for the tiny pictures - taken with the phone.
At Slubice we visited a market which was a series of stalls under cover. Which was just as well as the weather has been scorching this week. From wearing winter clothes a week ago, last Saturday saw the temperature shoot up to 30 degrees centigrade. And it's remained hot ever since. Not much of a spring then straight into summer. Very odd.
Across from the market was a beautiful lake.
In the large carpark adjoining the market several people had tiny puppies for sale out of the back of their vans. Apparently the puppies (and kittens) were usually disease-ridden and generally removed from their mothers far too early. It was heartbreaking.
Anyway, the market was OK, lots of neon clothes and knock off handbags. Not really my thing, but it was an interesting day out. Numerous perfume stalls rubbed shoulders with shops selling bizarre mixtures of cheap cigarettes, hunting knives and painkillers.
And guns! Quite a few stalls sold guns. As far as I could tell they were all air rifles and pistols with lots of BB guns in there too. We also saw some spectacular swords. Not real ones but fancy, display ones.
Rhiannon wasn't at all well that day and within an hour or so was noticeably flagging. To boost her spirits, Tim took her into a toy shop while I wandered outside wondering what kind of plastic tat would be gracing my floor before long.
They came out with a BB gun! Pink plastic rubbish everywhere and my girl came out with a rather good gun.
That rather tickled me.
In the end we didn't stay long as Rhiannon was definitely unwell so we headed back, stopping en route for a McDonalds - it was the only option available.
I'd like to revisit Poland as I've heard there are pottery markets a little further away. I'd also like to spend a few days in the forests there as I understand there's some fabulous wildlife to be seen.