Cold in Manchester

Awoke to a cold morning
But the rain had gone away
So putting on a braver face
I set out to greet the day
Unfamiilar are these streets
but my path is fairly clear
and the place that I am going to
is reasonably near

Raining

In was raining down in Shoreham
and in Sussex as we passed
with rain up into Surrey
by its leave but never asked

It was pouring down in London
with umbrellas everywhere
and as we headed northward
there was no let up there

There was rain in the Home Counties
and very wet outside
and rain into Northamptonshire
as if the world had cried

Miles Melting

And as I travel metal sings
cocooned here in the warmth
night passes swift outside
where winter chill escapes me

Slumber beckons but I resist
taking pen to paper instead
I while away time passing
as the miles melt away

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

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

Yorkshire

So I’m back up in West Yorkshire
God’s own country so they say
But my preference is for Sussex
which I prefer ‘most any day

Yes, here there are attractions
unique to Yorkshire and the north
But home’s still where the heart is
when one travels back and forth

So I’ll gladly come for business
or to visit for a while
But take me back to Sussex
as it always brings a smile

Paris

2 of 12 in “The Bucket List” series from Jemverse

We climbed the Eiffel Tower
by the steps not by the lift
with energy and stamina
right there within our gift
And the view of Paris from the top
was worth the climb indeed
made better by the going down
we later did at speed

Twenty Hours

I’m on a train to Yorkshire
in bright sunshine for the day
Left when dawn was breaking
as it’s many miles away
Just shy of twenty hours
this working day for me
From the South Coast and then back again
by midnight hopefully

Airport

Airport bubble
that tinny echo
of voices

Atlantida Mar

Distant splashing, laughing voices
And all around a happy din

Newcastle-on-Tyne

I’m back up in Newcastle
but am posting a view
from when up here last
As nothing’s here new

Being back in this city
is so pleasing for me
As it’s differs from Sussex
and there’s so much to see

The Trip

The early start
the silent hour
the wind outside a-moan
The ticking clock
the coffee hot
the time to leave from home

Mind’s Eye Travelling

The thing is, when I’m sitting here
and outside it’s cold and raw
I don’t need to dress up warm
to find the places I adore
For travelling within Mind’s Eye
is a special thing
as it allows a freedom
only it can bring

Travelling West

It’s dark outside, this early hour
the night is not yet done
Yet I’ve been up for quite some time
For me the morning’s come

Ahead for several hours
a journey beckons me
Travelling down to Cardiff
from Sussex by the sea

Sitting by the Sea

I’ve sat by the sea in Croatia
I’ve set by the sea in Spain
I’ve sat by the sea in Turkey and Greece
but it’s never quite been the same

I’ve sat by the sea in Gibraltar
I’ve sat by the sea in France
I’ve sat by the sea in Montenegro and Crete
but it’s always like taking a chance

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

Zadar

8 of 16 in the Jemverse ‘Venetian Vistas’ series

The Roman forum’s vista
looks to ‘Jadransko More’
Its marbled stone-clad ruins
On the Dalmatian shore
Where Zadar’s Saint Donatus
with Byzantine aplomb
borrowed Roman architecture
to build its walls upon

Bar’s absent castle

3 of 16 in the Jemverse ‘Venetian Vistas’ series

Apparently there’s a castle
in Montenegro’s Bar
“Ten minutes walk” the tour guide said
“It’s really not that far”

But we could find no trace of it
It simply wasn’t there
even though we had a map
and looked ‘most everywhere

Adriatic Sunset

2 of 16 in the Jemverse ‘Venetian Vistas’ series

As Adriatic sunset came
the sun fell on the sea
and glinted golden on the waves
where it shone brilliantly