We read that in the early 90’s, two thirds of the population in Montenegro lived below the poverty level. This had us expecting to see shacks along the road and gypsies everywhere. Instead we found a country on the rebound. Construction projects were everywhere, the EU is heavily involved with improving the poor infrastructure, and tourism is priority number one.
The city of Kotor was our first stop. This once Venetian city lies deep in the fjords of the Bay of Kotor. (This location kept it safe from pirates.) We had a great lunch here (lots of fresh fish, mussels, and spaghetti), climbed the mountain behind the town, and chatted with the locals. After that it was time to head to Budva along the Adriatic coast. This is Montenegro’s biggest tourist draw although there’s not much to see except the beach. The area has no real charm, but they’re definitely working hard on that, as fancy new resorts are popping up all over. Even Lenny Kravitz and Madonna played a show here this summer.
The main city gate.
The city wall zig-zags for over 3 miles, finally reaching the fort on top of the mountain.
In this photo you can again find more of the walls running all over. And if you look really close, you can find the flag on the fort way up top.
This is Lady on the Rocks, a catholic church in the Bay of Kotor.
This friendly local loaded the girls up with all kinds of free jewelry. He was also a wealth of information for Angie and I when it came to learning more about Montenegro.
Sveti Stefan is the most exclusive resort in Montenegro. Today the island is owned by one company, and while the exterior of the buildings have retained their old world charm, the interiors have been transformed to include every modern luxury imaginable. The rich and famous can rent a room or the whole island, depending on their mood and their pocketbook.
To speed up our return home, we took a car ferry across the Bay of Kotor. Is it just me, or does somebody on this boat look guilty?
