September 15, 2024

Kotor, Montenegro

 


 

We sailed into the fjord before sunrise, the shore was alive with lights for an hour before we could make out anything – And when the dawn arrived, we were greeted with what indeed looked like a fjord!  

 

We ate a nice breakfast at Mamson’s the Norwegian café in the Explorer’s lounge and had their signature waffle – very tasty with berries, sour cream and smoked cheese. Then on to the port and our included tour.

 


 

Shirley’s take on our tour:  Loved all the cats! In fact, we found a shop called Cats of Kotor and I bought some really cool earrings and matching necklace.  Plus, a little cat for my reading group in the bathroom at home. 


 

Our tour guide Marina is a native of Kotor.  The language here is similar to Croatian and Serbian.  The population of Montenegro is 600,000 and of Kotor about 11,000.  Tourism is the main industry, and they were really hurt during COVID.  Climbing to San Giovannis looks really cooly, but it is 1,452 steps up!  So, we just walked around Old Town, although we did walk a bit on the fortified wall which was cool.  Children study English in Grades 2-12 and Italian in Grades 3-12.  


 

We visited several squares and the St. Tryphon Cathedral where we saw relics and other artworks. There was even a Terra Cotta Soldier from their sister city in China.





 

After lunch and a rest on heat, we went to a guitar concert at St Nicholas monastery in the village of Pichang (Prconj). It was magnificent!

 

There are 1452 steps on the way to the fortress.

 


 

Once back on the ship we lunched and got ready for our next tour – a guitar concert in a Benedictine Convent. We (like all of these adventures) did not know what to expect, except that it would be good (up to Viking standards).

 

We got off to a bit of an mis adventure as our guide took us by a confusing route to our waiting boat.  A 20 passenger old tub that took us on a 15 minute ride up the bay to the Benedictine convent. Once there we gathered in the cloister for a brief talk then to the sanctuary for the concert.  These guys (Darko Nikcevic and Srdan Bulatovic) were good – virtuoso’s even.  We bought a CD and had a few videos there. 

 





 


 


 

We made it back to the pier 10 minutes after we were due, but they waited for us. At 4:30 PM the ship cruised very slowly out of the bay.  It reminded us of Prince Christian Sound in Greenland of one of the fjords.  It was full of scenic kodak moments. 

 


 

One was of Our Lady of the Rocks church.  Apparently, fishermen and sailors would drop rocks there is thanksgiving for a good catch or a safe trip and after a while there was an island.  And after another while there was a church dedicated to Mary.

 


 

We were out in the open Adriatic Sea by 6:30 and on our way south. Dinner was interesting. Some sort of Croatian Pita/lamb sausage thing which was good, followed by sushi, and grilled lobster tails (and gelato).

 

Cruising south we saw some fairly tall mountains to the east.  And a nice sunset. (there was no green flash, Bob)

 


 

Oh, and 8616 steps Anna 






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