Kotor, Montenegro
Montenegro. Land of the Black Mountains. We didn’t know what to expect, but were told to be out on deck in the early morning, even though the skies still threatened unusual summer rain. There were clouds and light sprinkles, and the surrounding mountain peaks and deep fjord made us feel like we’d taken a wrong turn to Norway. However, the entrance into Boka Kotorska, or Kotorfjord, was nothing less than spectacular. We did not expect the “wild beauty” that Montenegro – newly independent from Serbia as of last year—so proudly boasts.
We docked in the medieval stronghold of Kotor, an independent city-state for most of history, that was only conquered by Napoleon for a few years in the early 19th century. The city walls and architecture are Venetian, but we only got a mere glimpse as we drove along the shores of Boka Kotorska and out to the historic maritime settlement of Perast.
Perast is the long-time home of fishermen and mariners, protectors of Kotorfjord and naval officers and captains of the major fleets and expeditions of the maritime world. But most intriguing and by far the most charming is the small island of Gospa od Skrpjela, Our Church of the Lady of the Rock. This amazing little church is built on an island that was made by faithful fishermen after they found a shining icon on an undersea bank. Today the church is dedicated to mariners, and every year the fishermen of Perast row out and drop more rocks on the reef to maintain the foundation of the island.
We returned to the delightful and artistic town of Kotor, where many of us had lunch and lost ourselves in the medieval charm. In the late afternoon, most of us took an adventurous bus ride up the 25 serpentine switchbacks of the Montenegran mountainside, over the top of the crests and into the highlands of Montenegro. We stopped in the unassuming little village of Njegusi, home of Montenegran dynasties but now famous for its smoked and dried ham. After a relaxing walk in the refreshing air, we chanced upon the towering and smiling figure of Bosko, who invited us into his smokehouse. With many photos and a “przuto” over the shoulder, we returned to Panorama to slice the ham and toast the Lady of the Rock on our way out of Kotorfjord.
Montenegro. Land of the Black Mountains. We didn’t know what to expect, but were told to be out on deck in the early morning, even though the skies still threatened unusual summer rain. There were clouds and light sprinkles, and the surrounding mountain peaks and deep fjord made us feel like we’d taken a wrong turn to Norway. However, the entrance into Boka Kotorska, or Kotorfjord, was nothing less than spectacular. We did not expect the “wild beauty” that Montenegro – newly independent from Serbia as of last year—so proudly boasts.
We docked in the medieval stronghold of Kotor, an independent city-state for most of history, that was only conquered by Napoleon for a few years in the early 19th century. The city walls and architecture are Venetian, but we only got a mere glimpse as we drove along the shores of Boka Kotorska and out to the historic maritime settlement of Perast.
Perast is the long-time home of fishermen and mariners, protectors of Kotorfjord and naval officers and captains of the major fleets and expeditions of the maritime world. But most intriguing and by far the most charming is the small island of Gospa od Skrpjela, Our Church of the Lady of the Rock. This amazing little church is built on an island that was made by faithful fishermen after they found a shining icon on an undersea bank. Today the church is dedicated to mariners, and every year the fishermen of Perast row out and drop more rocks on the reef to maintain the foundation of the island.
We returned to the delightful and artistic town of Kotor, where many of us had lunch and lost ourselves in the medieval charm. In the late afternoon, most of us took an adventurous bus ride up the 25 serpentine switchbacks of the Montenegran mountainside, over the top of the crests and into the highlands of Montenegro. We stopped in the unassuming little village of Njegusi, home of Montenegran dynasties but now famous for its smoked and dried ham. After a relaxing walk in the refreshing air, we chanced upon the towering and smiling figure of Bosko, who invited us into his smokehouse. With many photos and a “przuto” over the shoulder, we returned to Panorama to slice the ham and toast the Lady of the Rock on our way out of Kotorfjord.
