Kotor's walled city is nestled snuggly in an imposing fjord. Above the town, walls wind to an even more-defensible fortress. Montenegro was the only Kingdom in this region to remain unconquerred by the Ottoman Turks.
I have posted pictures on many of the previous entries. More are coming.
October 2, 2006 - Kotor, Montenegro
Montenegro voted to become independent from Serbia only a couple of months ago. It has a history quite distinct from neighboring regions as it was the only kingdom to maintain independence from the Turks from the 15th to 19th centuries. It is densely populated and rugged country. The coast shifts from the hills of Croatia to more imposing fjords. Taller, steeper mountains rise dramatically from the azure inland Mediterranean. Only 1000 kilometers inland, mountains rise to lofty heights of 2,500m (maybe 9,000ft). Montenegro uses the Euro.
Kotor sits in the largest Mediterranean fjord. The old town is walled and chalk full of cramped winding streets, old churches, antique Venetian palaces and humanity. Above the town a wall runs to a fortress high above the town. Its small and beautiful but large and alive enough to make ambling aimlessly along the cobbled streets entertaining. Outside of the walled town, buildings are being rebuilt. Some older buildings from the days of Yugoslavia are large, abandoned and look like hell.
The trip to Montenegro was short and smooth. Finding a place to stay was a little more difficult. I arrived on a Sunday, and despite the fact that this town is accustomed to a steady stream of visitors, no one could be found to give a cheap room. Eventually I just started wandering around old town with my over-sized backpack, hoping to find a building with a sign of “sobe” which mean a room for rent. A lady saw me wandering and inquired, “sobe? Sprechen ze Duetche?” As I don’t speak (or spell) German, I replied, “Da. Ne.” On the way to her friend’s place we had a remarkably well understood conversation in Serbian, English, German, and Russian.
While we waited for her friend to show me the place, we discussed family. This is always a good topic as it leads to others very easily. Her kid is studying political science in Beograd (ace w:st="on">Belgrade). It would certainly be an interesting place to ponder governance, national identity and the roll of the state. Her only sibling and husband were both killed in Bosnia. Upon hearing of my travel plans to go to Albania and Macedonia both my guide and my new host were quite perplexed, “Bah! But it is a modern place. There is nothing to see or do there. [There is] only concrete [there].” Past experience indicates that these protestations indicate that time spent in Albania and Macedonia will be well spent.
Despite (or perhaps due to) the recent bouts of weariness I have greater comfort now in the traveling. I buy food at the supermarkets and prepare it in a kitchen more often than not now. I wish I had more history books to read on these areas. It is terribly interesting and complicated. I can’t really complain about what I have been up to though so I will have to be satisfied with retro-active deeper understanding once I get back to the states.
3 comments:
if you're getting tired of being on the road, you're welcome you stay in my room for as long as you want. i have internet, books, and a kitchen so you could knock yourself out.
wait a second is this the same Anders that screams "knowledge is power"? If so, I'm damn impressed by his travel blog. If not, uh...well I'm still impressed.
You playing ultimate at all or what?
-Elliot
Yo Elliot. Sadly, I am not playing ultimate. It's actually sort of hard to exercise. But I am sure I will figure something out. I WILL play ultimate, when I get back to the states. I would like to see the UPS around grad time if I can swing it. Then Ben, Dave, and I will take the lot of you in the alum game.
Vaya con Dios, E-Man.
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