Long Weekends

Spring 2008: Pictures and Poems

Spring is beautiful in Sevilla, Spain

Especially when you're with lovely Miss Lane

The Tower behind us lies in repose

But traversing the city is best with one who knows

Standing before the Plaza de Toros

Just like the old time fighting heroes

Inside the crowd was large and full

But I loved every minute, and that's no bull

And here leans silly old Teacher Tim

Maybe this is how he stays so slim

In front of the old tobacco factory wall

He smoked his pen, ink and all

A few weeks later in Istanbul

The sights and sounds were wonderful

Mosques and minarets in every view

Most notably the one shown here, famously Blue

And, oh, the breathtaking Hagia Sophia

If you're beside it now, I wish I could be ya'

Inside the mosaics glimmered pristine

Hip-hip-hooray to all things Byzantine!

Traveling with friends was quite a coup

This was our balcony, with the Bosphorous in view

Here you see Inga and Whit busy a plannin'

I prefer to use maps simply for fannin'

Who, might you say, is this striking model?

None other than my college friend now in Newcastle.

I call her Jagila, though some call her doctor

Whatever her title, I enjoyed playing photographer

On Saturday we went to a med school formal

The food and drinks were pretty much normal

But I must tell you that I was simply plumb shocked

When the music started playing, those docs really rocked

It was jolly fine to be in this English place

Even though the language barrier I had to face

En route to the airport, I was sad to leave

But not many days later I would receive...

A great big hug from a certain best friend

Who flew to Riga with a few days to spend

Elizabeth arrived in color, fashion and flair

And rivaled the blossoms bursting everywhere

From Paris, France to the "Paris of the East"

Came along the fellow who some call "the Beast"

After just a few days, Andrew became a fast friend

Way to go, Elizabeth, this dude's a ten!

Some traditions are carried from one country to the next

And singing with Elizabeth must be one of the best

When we started out we were about the same height

But size doesn't matter: this girl's got might!

*****

Guests have all gone, and the laundry is done

Plenty of time now to go soak up the sun

As the days grow warmer and finer and longer

These ties that bind only grow stronger

Yours,

Tim