Jolly japes and cheer

Today I guess if truth be told
I start my holiday
Christmas and New Year, two weeks
Hip Hip, Hip Hip, Hooray!
I’m quite relaxed but that’s just me
as with most happenstance
I’m always up for jolly japes
when given half a chance
Two weeks to celebrate the joy
that Christmas brings each year
When we as family as one
have jolly japes and cheer

 

Split II

12 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Sitting on deck six
with Split across the way
Picturing all the things
that have made this holiday

It has been all we hoped for
and though we fly home on the morrow
It is with happiness we’re leaving
and not one tinged with sorrow

For we’ve criss-crossed the Adriatic
seen sunshine and some rain
Visited new places and
been back to some again

An unexpected tricycle ride

11 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Mario on his tricycle
caught us with his grin
Charmed us so much that we
agreed to go with him

Took us up through Marjan Park
round the headland of the bay
Showed us lots of things that
we’d have never seen today

Rijeka

10 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

In Rijeka in the market
whilst making little fuss
a lovely lady sold us socks
hand-knitted just for us

Yellow painted buildings
suggested that this city
once held a lot more grandeur
now faded more’s the pity

Still, we had a little walkabout
soaked up the local flair
celebrating somewhere different
and simply being there

Venice II

9 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

We wandered Cannaragio
beside the Canale Grande
Over bridges, watching gondalas
heading for Rialto and
when we finally got there
we had pizza and a beer
in the restaurant beneath it
which we went to first last year

Venice (touch n go)

8 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

The fog came down, it was quite thick
and we weren’t moving far
and dropping anchor out at sea
was unspectacular
Then the captain on the tannoy said
Venice was closed today
which as you might imagine
was met with some dismay
But then out there to starboard
a pale sun made a show
and as the pea soup dissipated
the ship prepared to go

Koper

7 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

For our first time in Slovenia
we found Koper on the coast
originally an island
for the day to act as host

I climbed the old bell tower
two hundred steps for the unwary
and though the view was excellent
the drop was really scary

Ancona II

6 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

I sat on the sun deck with a cold beer
in the hot Ancona sun
watching the Superfast ferry unload
until the unloading was done

Hundreds of lorries off on their way
into Italy with cargoes intact
Like a well-oiled machine, facinating to see
from my lofty position, relaxed

So I watched as I waited for an hour or two
as all the time in the world here have I
Before Slovenia bound we disembark
which I think kicks off around five

Ancona Encore

5 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Ancona encore
with a climb up the hill
to cathedral and Roman remains
The sun shone down bright
on this lovely sight
that Ancona in Italy claims

Ancona encore
for the Trajan gate
viewed from high over the sea
This Italian port
in October sun caught
A highlight for Sally and me

Hoorah for Hvar

4 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Hoorah for Hvar
so pleased that we came
for it was hotter today that we’d hoped
But walking quite slow
with iced beers on the go
somehow we managed and coped

Hvar

3 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

Climbed up to the castle
overlooking Hvar bay
The views we saw when up there
quite spectacular I’d say
Cool olive trees and standing stones
with cairns on every wall
Balanced and precarious
those standing, still to fall

Dubrovnik Divine

2 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

A really fitting ending
to what has been a perfect day
and as golden sun sinks in the west
Dubrovnik has its say

We wandered ‘neath the city walls
enjoying lovely heat
had cold beers and lovely
giant ice-creams in the street

We discovered lovely places
we had not found before
and took photos to remember
all the wonders that we saw

Finding Summer

1 of 12 in ‘The Adriatic Affair’ series from Jemverse

We’re off to find the summer
for a little while at least
and from now til mid-November
all working has now ceased

Yet we shiver in our shirtsleeves
beneath cold English skies
before towards the summer
our big jet plane it flies

Dubrovnik in Croatia
awaits us basking in the sun
beginning here our autumn break
with eight more days to come

Two Days

Two days to go
until summer returns
for eight days for Sally and I
As packing our bags
to Dubrovnik we’re bound
on Thursday morning to fly

This time last year

This time last year in August
we were flyng to Croatia
heading Adriatic way
with a dosage of asphasia

In French I am quite fluent
Greek and Spanish understood
and we’d manage with Italian
I’m pretty sure we could

Tri-haiku XXII (drifting)

The joy of being
on holiday and at ease
Days pass slowly by

As relaxation
finds me in my element
Cock-a-hoop abounds

Merging together
the days pass without a care
And find me drifting

Atlantida Mar

Distant splashing, laughing voices
And all around a happy din

Tawny Wood

The peace and
contentment of Tawny Wood
In our Scandinavian chalet
has been really lovely
We’ve all had a blast
Down in Sandy Balls Valley

We’ve walked with alpacas
stood in the rain
Watched as the sun came out bright
Wandered the woods
Looked up at the trees
with evident nature in sight

Last day of the hols

And here I have just one more day
to spend and use in my own way
I’ll lie in for a little then
write some words with my new pen
over coffee with some toast
and Marmite maybe (make the most)

Our new Alexa, music plays
on this the last of holidays
A playlist of my favourite songs
to which I’ll dance and sing along
Then maybe I will play a game
Red Dead Redemption 2, the same

Angel of the sky

16 of 16 in the Jemverse ‘Venetian Vistas’ series

Holidays are exciting
in lots of different days
For when you’ve finished cruising
then you take to the airwaves

And our Tui flight this morning
is the ‘Angel of the Sky’
From Dubrovnik in Croatia
to London Gatwick we will fly

Holiday IV

We’re Adriatic sailing
Be gone for several days
Hiatus from the Jemverse vibe
Whilst he’s out on the waves

Someone said it’s Thursday

Someone said it’s Thursday
Well that’s just fine by me
‘Cos it means I’ve still got several days
in actuality
And Christmas is notorious
for loosing track of time
I’ve no idea what hour it is
But really, that’s just fine

HAIKU: THE BEST HOLIDAY

By Charles Robert Lindholm

Children At Christmas

HAIKU: SILVER BELLS RINGING

By Charles Robert Lindholm

Silver Bells Ringing

Sixteen hundred

Part 20 of 20 in ‘The Aegean Shores’ series

And of the sixteen hundred
just one-thirty occupied
Five this week we’ve been to
many more of which we’ve spied

Corfu, Kefalonia
Crete, Santorini, Rhodes
Five islands we’ve just been to
Though Greece, of course, has loads

At Sea

‘At Sea’ – 2 0f 20 in ‘The Aegean Shores’ series

Slumber with the engine’s thrum
through decks one to five
Come morning though, the sunshine
makes us come alive

Streaming through our window
across a deep blue sea
This borders on perfection
for my soulmate, Sal, and me

Leaving Blighty

It’s getting quite exciting
watching big planes come and go
Sitting in Departures
and going with the flow
It’s quite warm here but warmer still
in Corfu where we’ll be
Waiting for our flight to board
My wife here (Sal) and me

Helios presides

In cool blue water
Sailing into Grecian sun
Helios presides