MONTENEGRO
One of my other bucket list destinations was Montenegro.
I crossed late over the border from Albania into Montenegro and headed for the town of Ulcinj. It was dark when I arrived and chose a place up in the old city to stay. Up early to check out the sights – which were ok, nothing that spoke to me, so decided to head to Kotor via the other beaches in Montenegro. Again, I was a little underwhelmed with the beaches in Montenegro – but living in Cape Town I am a spoiled brat when it comes to beaches…!
Montenegro became king when I hit Boka Bay and the old city of Kotor! A medieval walled city nestled at the end of a bay surrounded by soaring limestone cliffs – my kind of place! I asked around and finally settled myself into a two bed apartment inside the Old Town – well, threw my bag down and headed out the door…
I had decided to slow down and stay a few days. I had covered a lot of ground (countries) in a short period of time and needed to let the blisters heal and recharge.
I loved staying in the old town, despite Kotor being a popular cruise ship stop. The monsters that arrive and spit out thousands of “cruisers” is jaw dropping and almost panick inducing for this off the beaten track nature lover.
The nice thing about being around for a few days is you get to know the rhythm of the place and can avoid the human spillage into town. Early mornings and evenings are magic.
The Old Town, is a collection of higgledy piggledy little alleyways. I think I only really worked everything out my last morning (I stayed 4 nights!).
A couple of speedboat trips, one included a little man made island devoted to sailors, a cave whose water turns iridescent blue when you jump in the water. Speeding through the magnificent bays all holding their own stories of old is just perfect!
A drive to the north reveals Montenegro is actually just one big stunning mountain range with a few plains being farmed in between looking oh so very neat and picture postcard.
Salt lake with no salt, Black lake that is green and surrounded by mountains, still with snow on their slopes and my favorite kind of forest – pine (I’m in heaven walking through a massive pine forest). An impressive bridge spanning the second deepest gorge in the world. Rolling hills with triangle roofed cottages dot the landscape.
A side trip to Ostrog Monastery and the most human chaos I have experienced in a long time!! They said it was amazing… Maybe on the other 363 days of the year it is!! This idiot went on the weekend of the pilgrimage of Saint Basil. The road up is just big enough for two cars to pass inches apart – God forbid you hit a coach coming the other way – you lose!!! At the top are an estimated 10k people, that have walked there from all over Montenegro most of them barefoot. You get to the top and have to walk over bodies, the pilgrims sleep here to queue up to enter the one person at a time chamber of Saint Basil. He used to be open (yes, decaying corpse) but they covered him when people started snapping bits off him!!!!!). I marveled at the religious dedication and headed down the mountain as quickly as the road allowed.
Kotor is fab! I loved the old city and wanted to become part of its everyday life. Sitting, staring at the water from a bay side restaurant drinking a local draft (or two) is the most relaxing thing I have done in a long time. This place is too beautiful to make you anything but happy!
