The Balkan Giants and their bad techno music

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Leonardo Di Caprio is lost on the backpacker trail in Bangkok when he hears word of a magical Beach located off the Southern coast of Thailand. Like most backpackers without a plan would, he follows this secret advice and is justly rewarded for his search. And though he narrowly escapes death, gets chased by a shark, is exiled from the hippy commune and is driven mad, it makes for a good story. Such were our hopes when we heard word of beautiful fjord and medieval town located 3 hours bus journey away from Dubrovnik in the newly established Republic of Montenegro. The advice given by a fellow traveller, was equally as cryptic as the map given to Leo by the heroine junky, ‘Daffy’, in The Beach. We were to take an early morning bus into the town of Kotor passing narrow and winding mountain roads, and entering into the part of Europe where squat toilets and Imams replace toilet seats and Priests. Once off the bus we were told there would be an older, fat man with no hair and a growth on his right eye. He would speak no English but if followed he would take us to his tiny pension where the rooms were 10 Euro per night. Once in Kotor we could visit Montenegro’s largest dance club, gawk at the 7 foot tall local men and women and climb a mountain to a beautiful castle and dramatic fjord. “I would recommend staying in Kotor if I were you,” advised the fellow traveler as we dined on Sag Paneer at Dubrovnik’s Veggie restaurant. We followed the cryptic advise to a tee, until we decided to ignore the man’s warning to stay in Kotor.

We would venture on a mission to find Lake Skadar in the Eastern part of the country. I believe it is a Montenegran tradition to always answer questions asked by tourists regardless whether they are aware of the answer or not. After asking several locals for advice on which bus to take to the lake, and receiving several hands pointing in various directions we boarded a local bus knowing we were probably not going to see the final destination. We drew stares as we boarded, and a man on the bus told us that if we spoke English, people would likely throw rocks at us. We laughed off the man’s comment as a joke and took our seats near the back. The guidebook suggested the lake was only one hour by bus, but after 4 hours we became concerned that it was possible we took the wrong bus. Finally we arrived in the capital of Podgerica where row upon row characterless concrete apartments give form to the cities grid. Men with T-shirts that said things like “Fuck NATO” stared at us, stupefied that tourists would venture near the sketchy bus depot. We ate a sandwich and got out, abandoning our plan to see the lake and taking a bus to the town of Bar and an additional bus to Kotor. We arrived just as the sun was setting, spending an entire day on the bus and learning the hard way to trust the advice given by friendly vegetarians.


Kim left from Valencia a few days later. Back to her lovely family and her not so lovely students.

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Photos

Me and kim
rambling in Kotor

Kim
in the mountains of Montenegro

Dennie and Kim
showing off their sweet sandwhich making skills in the streets of Pogerica

Dennie and I
Drinking Beers in Bar, Montenegro

Comments

[Nigel]

Hello stranger!
Hi, Glad to see your still running amuck around the joint. Hope all is well, tryed to read the last years worth of stuff you put up but well Im not arsed! Skimmed! Am back in fair old (wet and knacker filled) Eire, give us a shout if your heading this way! Nige