Poetry Monday :: Craziest Vacation Memory

  Diane of On the Border is supplying us with topics for this weekly endeavour, sometimes with the help of others - If you have any good ideas, just say so in the comments. She and Mimi of Messymimi's Meanderings also write wonderful, funny, thought-provoking, ingenious and honestly well written verse. Go and read.
  SpikesBestMate often publishes a nice verse in the comments, and helps out at topic supplying.
  Karen of Baking in a Tornado has joined us in this crazy pursuit, and promises us at least a poem a month - we hope for more.
  Jenny at Procrastinating Donkey is taking a break due to her husband's illness and passing from this world. Let's continue to send warm thoughts, good energy, and lots of prayers her way.

  I have something more to ask of you: If you read this and the poetry of others, would you please leave a comment. Half - if not more - the fun of these challenges is receiving the responses of others.

This week's topic, Craziest Vacation Memory,

As stated in my "Bucket list in Reverse" I have travelled extensively and much, seen sights and done things, I only now wonder how I ever survived.
Citing only the travel-related lines from said poem:

I've sledged down a mountain side
Sat on a camel for a ride, ...
Seen forest fires and deserts grand.
I've been to many a foreign land.
How many? Well, I cannot count,
As many are no more around.
I've been shot at in Damascus once. ...
Dined with a prince,
And also stayed for days with nuns, ...
Heard Jessie Norman sing as young
and almost unknown, she was strong!
I have heard mastersingers sing
In Salzburg - singing of The Ring.
Heard Papageno win his love
The Queen of Night watched from above.

I've been to Khartoum Porto, Rome.
Eaten simit in Izmir, seen St. Peter's tomb,
Been to Dubrovnik before the war ...
I've eaten bread with beetles, yes!
At least in bread
they were baked and dead
In biscuits - yuck! I'll let you guess.

I've seen a lion, ...
Slept in a hut with palm leaf roof,
Swam in the Nile,
Met a crocodile ...
And rode a mule. 
I've been at sea one stormy night. ...
I've seen the Pyramids, a sight
I've climbed a mountain, ...
Eaten olives from a tree ...
In Salzburg I've sat on a bench.

I've been to the Oktoberfest -
The pretzels were the very best.
I've crossed the polar line in May
It also snowed a bit that day. ...
I've met the Pope ...
I've been to London, rode the tube, ...
And nearly drowned in tidal brine.
I drove a bus down hairpin bends,
so sharp that sparks flew from both ends. ...
And pilfered mango from a tree. 

... but my craziest vacation memory? Hmm, let me see if I can put it into a rhyme.
I only changed the rather unique name of our enthusiastic, elderly and naïve, but God-trusting friend:

Just after mass one Sunday in May,
On holiday plans we talked a while
We stated out plan: Go to Lourdes and pray
"Oh yes," Elizabeth said with a smile
"I'll meet you there, as that same week
Is the Nordic pilgrimage to there-week."
And we said "Yes" and parted ways.

We travelled Europe for a week
Then went to Lourdes our friend to seek.
But the very size of town and square
Seemed to make a lie of "Meet you there"
A signpost read: '6 million pilgrims every year'
As many as in Denmark live - we'll never meet.
And God knows only how many square feet.
We pitched our tent and went to sleep.

Next day was dreary, threatening rain
But that day would never come again
So off we went - yes young and brave
And crossed the gentle river Gave
A giant grind just opened now
We went inside, and then somehow
The first person we ever met?
Oh yes you guessed - Elizabeth!

Next Mondays topic is From Your Pet's Point of View.