Friday, March 16, 2012

Travel Haiku. Europe Road Ways Review

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Travelers'  Haiku:
Road trips look-back, when costs fit.
Travel still enchants.
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Europe Road Ways Review

Our newest:  Russia

Spotless tourist streets,
Sanitize the past as well.
Enjoy the people.
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Austria
Empires' crossroads.  Wien,
Mauthausen. Complicity's
Shades. Play on, Mozart.
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Belgium
Old pride riven: Wars,
Culture divides. Still, stalwart.
Plus art. Great waffles.
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Bosnia
Muslim. Orthodox.
Christian. Mostar's bridge rises.
Who the heretic?


Croatia
Spirit, Bishop, Nin.
Mass, Croatian. For that, banned.
Seek!  Autonomy!


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Czech Republic
Pilsner, property
Confiscated. Ethnic-cleanse.
Now rising, claims Self.


Denmark
Was fierce! Vast in lands.
Ancient vitality firm,
Then sapped. Return. Sass.
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England
Jolly old. Self-full.
Exploited colonial
Subjects roost roots here.

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France 
Devastate. Repeat.
Marching armies, Popes, Kings.
Courage! dit Piaf.
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Germany
Lockstep. Reconstruct.
Marshall Plan! Wealth back. Affront!
Bailed out, now must bail?
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Hebrides
Standing stones, Vikings,
One-lane roads with lay-bys
Wind. Knights' churches. Breathe!


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Hungary
Roma, Jews,  traces
Of the purged. Oft invaded,
Turns against its own?

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Ireland
Spirit of early
Monks rubbed out by Rules, and faked
Invasion permits.
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Italy
Vatican kingdom
Grows power, riches. Edicts.
We like Juliet.


Liechtenstein
No unemployment!
Banks at ev'ry turn.  Name names!
Nope. Won't.  Can't tax this.
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Luxembourg
Mighty caverns, trade
Routes, military legends,
Patton. Hamm. Salute.

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Montenegro
Mountains, guerrillas,
Invaders, fjords, Cetinje.
Ostrog survives all.


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The Netherlands
Tallness, tulips, cheese,
War-crimes court, social coping.
Heritage. At brink?


Norway
Hairpin turns, tunnels
Vast under fjords, Viking stones.
Christians forced converts.

Orkney
Scots now. Whither Picts?
All Norse place names.  Old wipe-out.
Wind-tunnel town streets.
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Romania
Harsh needs, harsh crossroads.
Rome, Roma, cacophony.
Vlad, Lenin, try all.

.Roma, scavenging, Romania
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Scotland
England's muscle-flex.
Uproot crofter! Kill the brave!
Old lives live, despite.
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Sicily
Ancients, temples, sea.
Wars. Untamed Aetna. Smokin'!
Cultures, cliff towns. Eat!
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Slovakia
Defenses, old, new.
Heaviness of history.
Offset: festivals.
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Slovenia
Caught. Powers straddled.
Old, proud Carantania
Conveniently wiped.

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Sweden
Rus-roots, Caucasus,
Sigge Fridulson. Culture
Highjacked? Uppsala.


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Poland
Easy invade. Flat.
Divided. Abused. Admire!
Retained humor, arts.

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Wales
Edward's great castles.
Stop on the way and listen.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
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Switzerland
Bet both ends v. mid.
Gnome secrets. Alp views distract.
Uncommitted thrive.
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..........................................................

I. Child not for college?
Parents: Offer direct sense
In some way. Go there.

II. Where? You pick distance.
A family root. Crofter?
Mongol? The Black Plague.