POEM TRANSLATION ECHOES 498, WITH NOTES
BAFFLING BALKAN TOUR
（閒逛巴爾乾之旅）
waddle and wind through
蹣跚地而过
narrow twined cobbled alleys
狹窄盘绕卵石巷
between stone buildings
在建筑之间
Kotor kitties laze
科托爾懶惰
on squares overlooking cliff
俯在懸崖廣場上
tower and churches
古塔和教堂
vain to hike up steps
徒然爬台階
steep hills hug charming inlets
峭丘紧抱迷入口
tourist trot past scenes
遊客快步跑
heritage sighted
遺產物显示
eyes visited but not heart
眼参观但不是心
souvenirs to show
展示紀念品
Note:
In most city tours in Balkan, we followed the guide, waddled through typical narrow cobbled streets. Life here was slow and somber, measured with teaspoons. “People come and go, talking of Michelangelo.” The cats or pets shown us all; laze around and stretched for a good sun bath. We visited heritage sites, listened to the history and culture of each locality, and be educated on our return.
The Balkan Tours have many UNESCO sights. The Educational, Cultural aspects are more obvious, but not the scientific aspect. The main income in Balkan comes from tourism and agriculture. Yet I observed no mention of environmental pollution with large influx of tourists. Hotel sewages are seen drained into Orhid Lake, hopefully well treated prior to discharge; uncertain on how they conserved the waste produced. Equally uncertain was the treatment of lime in the production of tuff in Plitvice National Park; the burning of firewood. Agriculture in Romania and Balkan areas were too small for mechanization; puzzled about hydrology, oceanographic and biodiversity for states along the coast. Of course funds are needed. The US and even Japan and many states are not paying their dues, despite all the talk about environmental protection and human rights. We see a lot of double Talk.
The Tour enables us to see the horror of racialism and bigotries. State boundaries change with time; even personal identities are permeable. Despite this, even the wise among us have not learned. We are currently witnessing the Catalonia shout for Independence from Spain. Soon it might be Scotland and Ireland with UK Brexit from Europe. In Malaysia, we have Ketuanan Malaysia (Malay Supremacy), in the tune of White Supremacy by Trump. The dominant felt that the minorities have stolen from them: land, employment, housing, rights, heritage, history and even dignity. The list of insecurities could be as long as Silk Road. (Gosh, better not to be interpreted as communist ideology.) There is also a claim of five thousand years of past history; without calculating the many years hibernating in Taiwan or African jungles. I could never imagine taking offence in such statements. Let our scholars and politicians argue. We just laze and sip our coffee, beer, wine or whisky, for the world is better seen in semi tipsy state. It is baffling on how much we have learned in the trip to share with other Malaysians across the wide divide.
wonkywizard 