2015 - Montenegro

Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

MONTENEGRO IS an Eastern European sovereign country on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea; part of what has historically been known as "The Balkans." It was once a part of the communist Soviet "Eastern Bloc" Yugoslavia. Gaining its independence in the early 2000's makes it a rather young democratic nation, but with strong traditions and national pride.

The Port of Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

THE QUIET little port of Kotor, Montenegro  Kotor, our port stop, is one of a few popular seaboard cities, but it is tucked way back into the very end of the only fjord on the Adriatic Sea. A medieval town, Kotor is walled, or fortified.

Section of the wall around Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

BOUNDED BY the famous WWI "accellerants" of Bosnia, Herzogovina, Serbia and Croatia, Montenegro was part of the former Yugoslavia during most of the 20th Century, becoming independent only some time around 2006. Its Slavic origins date back to the early 2nd Century, coincident with the time of the Byzantine Empire.

Kotor, Montenegro
Copyright Andy Richards 2015 - All Rights Reserved

TO THE east are the Dinaric Alps (smaller, but similar range than the Alps found in central europe), with deep valleys, peaks, and stunning views. I didn't really get to see that, but my travel mates did. Sometime between the evening after Rome and the morning we docked in Kotor, my mistake of drinking "tap" water in Provence caught up to me, with a stomach issue that was pretty intense, along with headache and just general malaise. We had an excursion scheduled that involved walking around inside the walled city, and then a trip up into the mountains to visit a family farm, sample the food, and (I heard) the grappa! I did part of the walk and decided the best course for me was to return to the ship. It was a sunny, pleasant, warm day (not hot) and before returning shipboard, I laid down on one of the outdoor benches. I fell asleep and was still there hours later when the group returned to the ship. Sounds like they had found. Don't know when/if we will ever return there. The rest of the group thoroughly enjoyed their day in the mountains.