Kotorfjord & Exploring Montenegro
Long before sunrise the Panorama was making her way north towards the entrance to Kotorfjord. This enormous fjord is located on the Dalmatian coast of the country of Montenegro, a recently independent nation. Just after sunrise we passed the pilot station at Herceg Novi and continued our early morning cruise heading for our destination of the medieval town of Kotor.
Our first stop this morning was a cross-fjord intersection, where a pair of religious rocks had been constructed rock by rock, so the story goes, to prepare a foundation for two small churches. As the Panorama continued into the Kotorfjord system the blue roof of Gospa od Skrpjela dedicated to mariners came closer into view. Our captain slowed the Panorama and in keeping with tradition, made a circle around the tiny island blowing his horn in honor of this shine that protects all mariners.
As we were enjoying another lovely breakfast aboard the Panorama, she continued cruising towards Kotor and our anchorage for the day. After breakfast we boarded a bus, and made a short journey from Kotor to the seafaring town of Perast. This lovely and very picturesque town lies just in front of the small man made island, affectionately called Our Lady of the Rocks.
According to the story, the existence of the painting of Our Lady goes back to the year 1452. The building of the church on the rock is connected to the Mortesic brother’s recovery from a serious illness. These brothers had found the painting one night, while fishing in the fjord. It was floating on the sea. The brothers decided to bring the painting back to their home and attributed the miraculous recovery from illness, to having the painting in their home. To show their appreciation, they took the painting to the church of St. Nicholas in Perast. It was later decided to build a church on a rock near the islet of St Elias, to honor Our Lady and house this painting. It is believed that the main alter of the shrine is situated on the very reef where the painting was found. Since the word skrpio is known to Croation fishermen and sailors to mean a sea reef or rock, the name Our Lady of Skrpjel, then means Our Lady of the Rocks a befitting name for a shrine built on a reef to honor mariners.
We boarded a small local tender and were ferried out to make a visit to this island and tour the church and museum, paying our respects and honoring the spirit of maritime travel in this shrine to mariners.
In the early morning we returned to the medieval town of Kotor and had a short walking tour of this walled city. Lunch would be served back aboard the Panorama, and then the afternoon was ours to explore Kotor, climb the city walls for a spectacular view of the harbor below, or take a bus ride up 25 km to the small village of Njegusi.
The ride was a windy series of uncountable switchbacks taking us higher and higher up the “black mountain” which is the translation of the name Montenegro. As we climbed in elevation the climate cooled down wonderfully. The air was drier and we entered a very different world. We saw small farms famous for their cheeses, wines and cured meats. This is one of the most beautiful seasons to visit this part of the world.
Late spring and at higher elevation the small meadows were decorated in wild flowers. We stopped to sample some of the specialties of the area, enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the mountain climate and many of us took a moment to take our shoes off and kneel down in the grasses to admire this year’s outrageous bloom of wild mountain orchids.
Long before sunrise the Panorama was making her way north towards the entrance to Kotorfjord. This enormous fjord is located on the Dalmatian coast of the country of Montenegro, a recently independent nation. Just after sunrise we passed the pilot station at Herceg Novi and continued our early morning cruise heading for our destination of the medieval town of Kotor.
Our first stop this morning was a cross-fjord intersection, where a pair of religious rocks had been constructed rock by rock, so the story goes, to prepare a foundation for two small churches. As the Panorama continued into the Kotorfjord system the blue roof of Gospa od Skrpjela dedicated to mariners came closer into view. Our captain slowed the Panorama and in keeping with tradition, made a circle around the tiny island blowing his horn in honor of this shine that protects all mariners.
As we were enjoying another lovely breakfast aboard the Panorama, she continued cruising towards Kotor and our anchorage for the day. After breakfast we boarded a bus, and made a short journey from Kotor to the seafaring town of Perast. This lovely and very picturesque town lies just in front of the small man made island, affectionately called Our Lady of the Rocks.
According to the story, the existence of the painting of Our Lady goes back to the year 1452. The building of the church on the rock is connected to the Mortesic brother’s recovery from a serious illness. These brothers had found the painting one night, while fishing in the fjord. It was floating on the sea. The brothers decided to bring the painting back to their home and attributed the miraculous recovery from illness, to having the painting in their home. To show their appreciation, they took the painting to the church of St. Nicholas in Perast. It was later decided to build a church on a rock near the islet of St Elias, to honor Our Lady and house this painting. It is believed that the main alter of the shrine is situated on the very reef where the painting was found. Since the word skrpio is known to Croation fishermen and sailors to mean a sea reef or rock, the name Our Lady of Skrpjel, then means Our Lady of the Rocks a befitting name for a shrine built on a reef to honor mariners.
We boarded a small local tender and were ferried out to make a visit to this island and tour the church and museum, paying our respects and honoring the spirit of maritime travel in this shrine to mariners.
In the early morning we returned to the medieval town of Kotor and had a short walking tour of this walled city. Lunch would be served back aboard the Panorama, and then the afternoon was ours to explore Kotor, climb the city walls for a spectacular view of the harbor below, or take a bus ride up 25 km to the small village of Njegusi.
The ride was a windy series of uncountable switchbacks taking us higher and higher up the “black mountain” which is the translation of the name Montenegro. As we climbed in elevation the climate cooled down wonderfully. The air was drier and we entered a very different world. We saw small farms famous for their cheeses, wines and cured meats. This is one of the most beautiful seasons to visit this part of the world.
Late spring and at higher elevation the small meadows were decorated in wild flowers. We stopped to sample some of the specialties of the area, enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the mountain climate and many of us took a moment to take our shoes off and kneel down in the grasses to admire this year’s outrageous bloom of wild mountain orchids.
