Kotor (Montenegro) and Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Few things can compare to the breath-taking entrance of the Kotor Fjord, on the northern coast of Montenegro. As the MS Endeavour wove its way through the twisting narrows and steep slopes of the inlet, we passed the cave-like entrances of the Italian WWII submarine pens – reminders of the near constant turmoil this coast has been endured over the past 3000 years. After rounding the narrow headland at Tursk Point, we slipped into a magical land of soaring peaks, cascading waterfalls, and small villages clinging to the slides of the steep shores. We started the day with a walking tour of the medieval walled town of Kotor, stopping at both the twin-towered Catholic cathedral and the12th century, eastern-orthodox Cathedral of St. Triphon. By mid-morning we were boarding buses for a scenic drive around this jewel-like fjord- towering peaks on the starboard side, mirror-calm seas on the other. Appearing as a mirage in the middle of the lake was the doll-sized 11th century Benedictine abbey of St. George. Along side the abbey was the 15th-century domed chapel of Our Lady of the Rocks, which was literally built on a small reef in front of the village of Perast. After almost circumnavigating the fjord, we stopped to take a photo of the MS Endeavour rounding the headland at Tursk Point before heading inland.
The reality of the bitter conflicts that have torn this part of the Balkan peninsula apart over the past decade were still evident in the lush Valley of the Konvale, where almost all the village houses had new roofs. Turning off the main route we wove a path through the ripe vineyards towards a restored water mill where we were served local brandy, orange juice and dried figs along the banks of a cascading river.
No guidebooks can prepare you for the breath taking experience of rounding that final corner on the high coastal road and catching your first view of the majestic walled city of Dubrovnik. Following the 1992 bombardment, the massive walls with rounded watchtowers, red-tiled roofs and domed churches of the old city have all been newly restored through a massive international conservation effort. After a wonderful seafood lunch we followed our guides through the gothic west gate and down the main marble-paved street of the fortress town, Our first stop was the early 14th century Franciscan monastery, home of the of the oldest pharmacy in Europe. In 1272 Dubrovnik passed a building ordinance requiring all the buildings and houses to be the same height and have the same size doors and windows. Despite the many earthquakes that have destroyed this town through the ages, it was very obvious to us as we moved through the streets of the old city that this uniformity had been preserved. The final stop on the tour was the Rector’s palace – the former seat of government of this aristocratic republic. With a few hours of free time before the ship was to sail, many of us took the opportunity to circumnavigate the town on the narrow track atop the city walls, which run uninterrupted for almost 2000 meters encircling the medieval town. Others found an empty table at one of the many cafes along the marble Stadium and enjoyed either a coffee or a cold Croatian pilsner. A perfect end to what had been a magical day.
Few things can compare to the breath-taking entrance of the Kotor Fjord, on the northern coast of Montenegro. As the MS Endeavour wove its way through the twisting narrows and steep slopes of the inlet, we passed the cave-like entrances of the Italian WWII submarine pens – reminders of the near constant turmoil this coast has been endured over the past 3000 years. After rounding the narrow headland at Tursk Point, we slipped into a magical land of soaring peaks, cascading waterfalls, and small villages clinging to the slides of the steep shores. We started the day with a walking tour of the medieval walled town of Kotor, stopping at both the twin-towered Catholic cathedral and the12th century, eastern-orthodox Cathedral of St. Triphon. By mid-morning we were boarding buses for a scenic drive around this jewel-like fjord- towering peaks on the starboard side, mirror-calm seas on the other. Appearing as a mirage in the middle of the lake was the doll-sized 11th century Benedictine abbey of St. George. Along side the abbey was the 15th-century domed chapel of Our Lady of the Rocks, which was literally built on a small reef in front of the village of Perast. After almost circumnavigating the fjord, we stopped to take a photo of the MS Endeavour rounding the headland at Tursk Point before heading inland.
The reality of the bitter conflicts that have torn this part of the Balkan peninsula apart over the past decade were still evident in the lush Valley of the Konvale, where almost all the village houses had new roofs. Turning off the main route we wove a path through the ripe vineyards towards a restored water mill where we were served local brandy, orange juice and dried figs along the banks of a cascading river.
No guidebooks can prepare you for the breath taking experience of rounding that final corner on the high coastal road and catching your first view of the majestic walled city of Dubrovnik. Following the 1992 bombardment, the massive walls with rounded watchtowers, red-tiled roofs and domed churches of the old city have all been newly restored through a massive international conservation effort. After a wonderful seafood lunch we followed our guides through the gothic west gate and down the main marble-paved street of the fortress town, Our first stop was the early 14th century Franciscan monastery, home of the of the oldest pharmacy in Europe. In 1272 Dubrovnik passed a building ordinance requiring all the buildings and houses to be the same height and have the same size doors and windows. Despite the many earthquakes that have destroyed this town through the ages, it was very obvious to us as we moved through the streets of the old city that this uniformity had been preserved. The final stop on the tour was the Rector’s palace – the former seat of government of this aristocratic republic. With a few hours of free time before the ship was to sail, many of us took the opportunity to circumnavigate the town on the narrow track atop the city walls, which run uninterrupted for almost 2000 meters encircling the medieval town. Others found an empty table at one of the many cafes along the marble Stadium and enjoyed either a coffee or a cold Croatian pilsner. A perfect end to what had been a magical day.
