I had absolutely no idea what to expect with Montenegro. I just knew it was between Croatia and Albania and from the rumors and whispers I had been hearing, it's more or less run by the mob. Mostly the Russian Mafia but also some Italian as well. Apparently they tend to turn a blind eye toward laundering activities, or so goes the word on the street. In any event, the country operates on the Euro (even though they are not an official member). I did a little research about where to visit in Montenegro and two places kept popping up: Kotor and Budva.
Kotor is a city on a bay within a bay that was built by the Republic of Venice. Budva is an ancient city directly on the coast dating back over 3,500 years. Both have cool walls and ancient citadels. Both have historic buildings and cool beaches. The tipping point was that there was apparently a really awesome hostel in Budva and Budva was closer to Albania and another interesting town Sveti Stefan, a small island town that became a resort town for the global jet-set and yachters of the 1960's and is now entirely a resort owned by the Aman Resorts and connected via a small isthmus.
My first night in Budva I was still recovering from the cumulative onslaught of my Croatian adventures so I called it an early night. The next day, Helen, Alexey and I decided to tour the town and then find ourselves a little spot on the beach for a much due swim. Before I proceed, the Freedom Hostel in Budva is awesome. It's run by a guy, Nikolai, who loves chatting and hanging out with his guests. He makes nice breakfast sandwiches of fresh tomato and cheese, loves to serenade you with the guitar or chat about Serbian/Montenegran politics, and is happy to offer you free beer. Plus he has a great collection of Bonobo and Thievery Corporation, among other electronic artists. I can't recommend this hostel enough.
To get to the main drag and old town it is about a 10-15 minute walk from the hostel. The first thing that struck me about Montenegro was how modern and built up it looked. As in, way moreso than Slovenia or Croatia.
Where is all the money coming from... hmmm? Second, the main pedestrian street near the coastline is loaded with bars, clubs, restaurants, ice cream shops, and little stores of all make and matter. And a ton of carnival rides which evidently during the main tourism season are packed with little Montenegran children. But there are some seriously sweet looking clubs which are also apparently closed during the off-season. This one was pirate ship themed. And look at those prices! It's like free drinks!
Oh- and did I mention the ice cream? Because I don't think I did it justice. Here is a shot of one of the vendors. But we'll get to trying this awesome stuff later.
After drooling over the goodies for sale along the main drag, we headed into the old town. As mentioned, the sandals I acquired from Lisbon bit the dust on the ferry from Hvar. Walking through the old town I noticed a little shop that had the Brazilian sandals I had been eyeing up for the past several days. And they had them the best way they come- on the cheap. It was about 7 euro for a pair- and they have skulls on them. Whoa, we've got a badass over here.
I immediately liked Budva's old town better than Dubrovnik. One, it was more chaotic, less touristy, and it felt more... real. The center is filled with old churches, looking nicely refurbished and well maintained.
Interestingly, the mosaic above the front door is a copy from a famous Russian artist as Alexey pointed out. Are you following the flow of money? The other notable element of the old town is the preserved citadel. It provides remarkable views of the surrounding area and there is a library that has some fascinating old texts about the Balkans region and the evolution of its peoples. It costs 1 euro to get in. From the top you can see the Mogren beaches and the edge of the fortifications.
A bit peckish we stopped into the Hemingway Cafe for some very reasonably priced and exceptionally tasty club sandwiches. Although, the actual concept of the club sandwich: turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo has yet to fully come across. I think ours had shredded chicken, sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. The cafe itself was awesome- would have loved to spend the afternoon drinking beer and relaxing under the fans but we had a beach to conquer. And I still wasn't sold on any type of drinks after Croatia.
There are two Mogren beaches. The second one is connected by a cave passage through a rock outcropping. How awesome is that? If you turn around midway there, it's a great vantage point for the old town and the citadel with the Montenegran mountains in the background. Interesting side story- Nikolai had told us that the Montenegran people, during the Turkish occupation, retreated into those fortified hills and lived basically isolated from the rest of the world for nearly 500 years. When the occupation ended, they came back and resumed their lives. As such, the culture was largely retained without the blend of Turkish influence, but the downside being the isolation had left them 500 years in the past. The Montenegrans are rightfully very proud of their heritage in resisting the occupation.
We set up shop on the second beach and went immediately for a swim. One caution about the Mogren beaches in Montenegro- pay attention to the rock formations below you. It can go from about 5-6 feet deep to about 6 inches in a matter of a couple feet if you creep up on an elevated formation. Then you have to foolishly doggy-paddle your way out of there and hope there are no sea urchins underfoot!
After a couple hours shooting the breeze on the beach we decided to head back to the hostel. On the way a mandatory ice cream stoppage referendum was proposed and immediately ratified. I went to select my flavor and noticed some oddities. First, the Mama Que Buena flavor. Each ice cream flavor has a sticker that in addition to the name includes a picture depicting the flavor, in the event you don't speak Serbian, which none of us did. This is the picture for that ice cream:
Apparently that one was flavored like a borderline racistly illustrated black nanny. There was also one called Don Vito and one called Azzurro (blue), which, according to their signage, was smurf flavored.
I ordered up the Mama and Don Vito flavors- eating people just felt right at the moment, I don't know. I also got a taste of the blue. Verdict: Mama tasted like chocolate and hazelnut, Don Vito tasted like chocolate and raspberry, and smurf tasted like smurf. Gargamele knew what was up. Alexey got lemon sorbet and Helen went with two booze-infused flavors.
That night Nikolai recommended a place to eat, Restaurant Relax, that was to have very good very cheap food. Again, he was spot on. Alexey got a special pork steak stuffed with beef and Helen and I shared the mega meat platter which was as follows: burger stuffed w bacon & cheese, chicken stuffed with bacon & cheese, pork rolled around bacon and cheese, chicken skewers wrapped in bacon, and cevapi. All topped with cheese for good measure. Oh, and some fries. Was really happy we also ordered a tomato salad.
We sauntered home, trudging along step by step in spite of our meat coma. Back at the hostel we sat out on the terrace with Nikolai chatting about the history of Montenegro. It took me a bit to digest it all. Especially since I was struggling mightily to digest my meal. And as I sat there, thinking about all of the countries that once comprised the former Yugoslavia, I made some notes:
Montenegrins and Serbians consider themselves the same. As Nikolai put it, "two brothers- they have the same father but choose to live in different houses." the reason for Montenegrin independence was then the "race" to enter the EU. Montenegro felt if it separated itself from Serbia and their problems they could get accepted into the EU faster. And then "we will meet together in the EU one day." Does that mean the possibility of reuniting? Perhaps doubtful but you never know with these countries. Very interesting that Montenegro considers itself Serbian, Kosovo is mostly Albanian, and poor Bosnia is right in the middle of the confluence of Serb, Albanian, Croat and Turkish.
After a while, Nikolai retrieved his guitar and low and behold produced a second one for Alexey. The two made an instant duo and Helen and I talked politics and the state of the world while they turned out one acoustic duet after another. It was a really awesome chill night. Just what needed to get me back into my groove. Resettle my chi.
Around midnight we all retired and I awoke the next morning rested and ready to tackle the bus rides to Albania like a champion. Along the way we passed by Sveti Stefan. We had decided not try and visit because we heard mixed reviews from the other patrons of the hostel. Some said you couldn't get into the town unless you were staying at the resort. Not wanting to waste a day trying to get there only to fail, we passed. But, I did get a nice look at it from the bus. My picture didn't turn out so here is a nice stock one to give you an idea:
Before I close this one out, there was one other place of interest in Montenegro that I elected not to visit but was very curious about. Not because of any sites or any tangible reason, but because of the name. A city called Bar. How awesome would it be to stroll into a bar in Bar? I'd love to open a bar in Bar for that matter. Call it Bar Bar. Anyway, I looked into it and apparently there isn't much to do or see there, especially in comparison to Budva or Kotor. I did snap one shot as we rocketed by on the bus:
All told I really liked Montenegro. It was clean, the people were friendly, Budva had an awesome little old town and some cool beaches, and everything is crazy cheap. It's like what I had hoped to find in Split or Dubrovnik. I would absolutely go back to Montenegro if given the chance. And Kotor and Budva are so close to Dubrovnik that if I could do it again, I would have stayed in Kotor and just bused up to Dubrovnik for a day and then left. But that's why I'm here and writing this. So you, dear reader, can learn from my mistakes and maximize your awesome while minimizing the thinning of your wallet. Next up on the Balkans mega-tour: Albania.
Bonus photo: shot of Budva from the citadel.
Kotor is a city on a bay within a bay that was built by the Republic of Venice. Budva is an ancient city directly on the coast dating back over 3,500 years. Both have cool walls and ancient citadels. Both have historic buildings and cool beaches. The tipping point was that there was apparently a really awesome hostel in Budva and Budva was closer to Albania and another interesting town Sveti Stefan, a small island town that became a resort town for the global jet-set and yachters of the 1960's and is now entirely a resort owned by the Aman Resorts and connected via a small isthmus.
My first night in Budva I was still recovering from the cumulative onslaught of my Croatian adventures so I called it an early night. The next day, Helen, Alexey and I decided to tour the town and then find ourselves a little spot on the beach for a much due swim. Before I proceed, the Freedom Hostel in Budva is awesome. It's run by a guy, Nikolai, who loves chatting and hanging out with his guests. He makes nice breakfast sandwiches of fresh tomato and cheese, loves to serenade you with the guitar or chat about Serbian/Montenegran politics, and is happy to offer you free beer. Plus he has a great collection of Bonobo and Thievery Corporation, among other electronic artists. I can't recommend this hostel enough.
To get to the main drag and old town it is about a 10-15 minute walk from the hostel. The first thing that struck me about Montenegro was how modern and built up it looked. As in, way moreso than Slovenia or Croatia.
Where is all the money coming from... hmmm? Second, the main pedestrian street near the coastline is loaded with bars, clubs, restaurants, ice cream shops, and little stores of all make and matter. And a ton of carnival rides which evidently during the main tourism season are packed with little Montenegran children. But there are some seriously sweet looking clubs which are also apparently closed during the off-season. This one was pirate ship themed. And look at those prices! It's like free drinks!
Oh- and did I mention the ice cream? Because I don't think I did it justice. Here is a shot of one of the vendors. But we'll get to trying this awesome stuff later.
After drooling over the goodies for sale along the main drag, we headed into the old town. As mentioned, the sandals I acquired from Lisbon bit the dust on the ferry from Hvar. Walking through the old town I noticed a little shop that had the Brazilian sandals I had been eyeing up for the past several days. And they had them the best way they come- on the cheap. It was about 7 euro for a pair- and they have skulls on them. Whoa, we've got a badass over here.
I immediately liked Budva's old town better than Dubrovnik. One, it was more chaotic, less touristy, and it felt more... real. The center is filled with old churches, looking nicely refurbished and well maintained.
Interestingly, the mosaic above the front door is a copy from a famous Russian artist as Alexey pointed out. Are you following the flow of money? The other notable element of the old town is the preserved citadel. It provides remarkable views of the surrounding area and there is a library that has some fascinating old texts about the Balkans region and the evolution of its peoples. It costs 1 euro to get in. From the top you can see the Mogren beaches and the edge of the fortifications.
A bit peckish we stopped into the Hemingway Cafe for some very reasonably priced and exceptionally tasty club sandwiches. Although, the actual concept of the club sandwich: turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo has yet to fully come across. I think ours had shredded chicken, sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. The cafe itself was awesome- would have loved to spend the afternoon drinking beer and relaxing under the fans but we had a beach to conquer. And I still wasn't sold on any type of drinks after Croatia.
There are two Mogren beaches. The second one is connected by a cave passage through a rock outcropping. How awesome is that? If you turn around midway there, it's a great vantage point for the old town and the citadel with the Montenegran mountains in the background. Interesting side story- Nikolai had told us that the Montenegran people, during the Turkish occupation, retreated into those fortified hills and lived basically isolated from the rest of the world for nearly 500 years. When the occupation ended, they came back and resumed their lives. As such, the culture was largely retained without the blend of Turkish influence, but the downside being the isolation had left them 500 years in the past. The Montenegrans are rightfully very proud of their heritage in resisting the occupation.
We set up shop on the second beach and went immediately for a swim. One caution about the Mogren beaches in Montenegro- pay attention to the rock formations below you. It can go from about 5-6 feet deep to about 6 inches in a matter of a couple feet if you creep up on an elevated formation. Then you have to foolishly doggy-paddle your way out of there and hope there are no sea urchins underfoot!
After a couple hours shooting the breeze on the beach we decided to head back to the hostel. On the way a mandatory ice cream stoppage referendum was proposed and immediately ratified. I went to select my flavor and noticed some oddities. First, the Mama Que Buena flavor. Each ice cream flavor has a sticker that in addition to the name includes a picture depicting the flavor, in the event you don't speak Serbian, which none of us did. This is the picture for that ice cream:
Apparently that one was flavored like a borderline racistly illustrated black nanny. There was also one called Don Vito and one called Azzurro (blue), which, according to their signage, was smurf flavored.
I ordered up the Mama and Don Vito flavors- eating people just felt right at the moment, I don't know. I also got a taste of the blue. Verdict: Mama tasted like chocolate and hazelnut, Don Vito tasted like chocolate and raspberry, and smurf tasted like smurf. Gargamele knew what was up. Alexey got lemon sorbet and Helen went with two booze-infused flavors.
That night Nikolai recommended a place to eat, Restaurant Relax, that was to have very good very cheap food. Again, he was spot on. Alexey got a special pork steak stuffed with beef and Helen and I shared the mega meat platter which was as follows: burger stuffed w bacon & cheese, chicken stuffed with bacon & cheese, pork rolled around bacon and cheese, chicken skewers wrapped in bacon, and cevapi. All topped with cheese for good measure. Oh, and some fries. Was really happy we also ordered a tomato salad.
We sauntered home, trudging along step by step in spite of our meat coma. Back at the hostel we sat out on the terrace with Nikolai chatting about the history of Montenegro. It took me a bit to digest it all. Especially since I was struggling mightily to digest my meal. And as I sat there, thinking about all of the countries that once comprised the former Yugoslavia, I made some notes:
Montenegrins and Serbians consider themselves the same. As Nikolai put it, "two brothers- they have the same father but choose to live in different houses." the reason for Montenegrin independence was then the "race" to enter the EU. Montenegro felt if it separated itself from Serbia and their problems they could get accepted into the EU faster. And then "we will meet together in the EU one day." Does that mean the possibility of reuniting? Perhaps doubtful but you never know with these countries. Very interesting that Montenegro considers itself Serbian, Kosovo is mostly Albanian, and poor Bosnia is right in the middle of the confluence of Serb, Albanian, Croat and Turkish.
After a while, Nikolai retrieved his guitar and low and behold produced a second one for Alexey. The two made an instant duo and Helen and I talked politics and the state of the world while they turned out one acoustic duet after another. It was a really awesome chill night. Just what needed to get me back into my groove. Resettle my chi.
Around midnight we all retired and I awoke the next morning rested and ready to tackle the bus rides to Albania like a champion. Along the way we passed by Sveti Stefan. We had decided not try and visit because we heard mixed reviews from the other patrons of the hostel. Some said you couldn't get into the town unless you were staying at the resort. Not wanting to waste a day trying to get there only to fail, we passed. But, I did get a nice look at it from the bus. My picture didn't turn out so here is a nice stock one to give you an idea:
Before I close this one out, there was one other place of interest in Montenegro that I elected not to visit but was very curious about. Not because of any sites or any tangible reason, but because of the name. A city called Bar. How awesome would it be to stroll into a bar in Bar? I'd love to open a bar in Bar for that matter. Call it Bar Bar. Anyway, I looked into it and apparently there isn't much to do or see there, especially in comparison to Budva or Kotor. I did snap one shot as we rocketed by on the bus:
All told I really liked Montenegro. It was clean, the people were friendly, Budva had an awesome little old town and some cool beaches, and everything is crazy cheap. It's like what I had hoped to find in Split or Dubrovnik. I would absolutely go back to Montenegro if given the chance. And Kotor and Budva are so close to Dubrovnik that if I could do it again, I would have stayed in Kotor and just bused up to Dubrovnik for a day and then left. But that's why I'm here and writing this. So you, dear reader, can learn from my mistakes and maximize your awesome while minimizing the thinning of your wallet. Next up on the Balkans mega-tour: Albania.
Bonus photo: shot of Budva from the citadel.
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