Monday, February 28th. Bus ride included passing through immigration, which was thorough. The drive entailed a long and fast trip on a nearly sea level road along a long and winding bay off the Adriatic. Rising seas will have an impact. Got off for boat ride to Kotor, which allows for a better perspective of the rising mountains all around. Towns are long and narrow. Though many of the towns appear new, Kotor itself was clearly old.
Kotor has a long history, which seems to also be a largely quiet one. Montenegro has the distinction of never becoming part of the Ottoman Empire, either through wise diplomacy or the possibility that it had nothing the Ottomans wanted. Fortifications very high on the mountains were built over a span of centuries. A climb to the top involves 1,300 steps. (There’s an annual race, up and down.) The section of town that we toured was 100% tourism. Too many souvenir shops. It had the feel of Disneyland, with Anaheim a short distance away that goes unvisited. I think I’d have preferred trying to climb the 1,300 steps. Many, many Orthodox churchs. Citizens seem unusually tall. Had delicious lamb soup and bread. Had my first taste of Rakija, a traditional brandy in the region. Not bad.
The return through immigration included an entertaining look at what they do to visiters who come from Albania, home of smugglers. The car was essentially strip searched.
Walked into the Old Town for dinner on my own. Again, delicious.
