This past weekend we decided to brave the border crossing between Albania-Montenegro at Moriqan and head for the Bay of Kotor.The border was busy heading North into Montenegro, however, the line to enter Albania was over two kilometers in length...little did we know we were witnessing our own future! The drive was spectacular as we drove through the countryside to our first sight of Ulchin down below, red tiled roofs, contrasting with the intense blue-green Adriatic.
We continue past the tourists in Bar and finally arrive at Petrovac for lunch by the sea. A little pizza, salad and a Nik Gold Beer and all is well in my world! Petrovac is packed with beach umbrellas as far as the eye can see; jet skis, boats and tour cruisers cross the bay. We eat a quick lunch and then are on the road past Budva and soon the turn to the tunnel that takes us down to the castle fortress of Kotor.
We are not stopping in Kotor as we are anxious to get to Perast for the annual festival held each year on July 22.
The festival begins at dusk to commemorate the construction of the island for Our Lady of the Rock Catholic Church; the flotilla of small boats carry rocks and trees to the island(yep, the island was created by sinking ships full of stones to the bottom of the bay, thus establishing a foundation upon which the church was built).
Perast has undergone quite a transformation since we last visited in April 2010. We are staying at the Hotel Conte, right on the water, with a view directly into the mouth of the fjord. The Hotel Conte is modern, with wi-fi and cable(if you want to waste your time indoors); a beautiful restaurant and bar and incredible seating by the Bay.
Because of the festival, parking for vehicles is limited and so is access to our hotel. We are shuttled (via battery operated carts; with Segways for support staff)to our hotel; a quick check-in, tour of our room and then we are back outside for the festival. The skiffs and row boats have made the pass in front of the hotel and have turned towards the island of Our Lady of the Rock. The lead boat has a priest and a small quartet singing local folk songs; there is a lot of waving and picture taking from the boats and from the shore.
The small convoy makes the island and we head off to the other end of town (a very short walk!).Perast has a rich maritime history and was once a sea going power to be reckoned with in the Bay of Kotor and into the Adriatic. There is an excellent Sea Museum and statues to local heroes Captain Matinovic and Admiral Zmajevic(who commanded the Russian fleet in the defeat of the Swedish Navy in the Baltic Sea).
The town is now home to many tourists from all over Europe; Montenegrins on vacation, folks from England and France, etc. The night is warm, sultry in fact with a slight breeze skipping off of the Bay; we will sleep with our second floor window wide open to the Bay...we will pay for that decision very early in the morning.
In the morning we plan to head back to Kotor for a tour of the historic fortress and the surviving old town inside the walls of the fortress. Oh, the walls around Kotor are in some places 20 meters high and the wall surrounding the town is twice as long(4.5km) as the wall of Dubrovnik.
In case you do not recognize this vessel, it is a common sized Mediterranean Cruise ship that calls on Kotor almost daily in the summer. Now, remember that terrific view from our second floor window; well it served as a funnel to channel the sound of the horn of the ship into our apartment as it turned around the island and headed towards Kotor...better than any stinkin alarm clock, believe me!!!
Underneath the walls of the fortress is an area for a local farmers/craft market that definitely attracts the people from the cruise ships. We pass through, trying to locate one of the old gates located on the South end of the fortress to enter and start exploring the old city.
The street is paved with well worn stones; some are grooved from human and animal foot traffic, others are colored off red, pale white and grey; some are cracked and some are new; a testament to the multiple times the fortress has been rebuilt as a result of earthquake damage.
There are many churches and old structures barely hanging on within the walls of the old city; in some parts of the city extensive historic remodeling has occurred and is obvious from the color of the new stones.
The old city is alive with tourists and is home to many fashionable stores and some great restaurants. High above us can be seen the upper walls of the fortress. One can climb the 1300 steps to the top of the fortress; we pass today as a storm is coming in and it is getting darker by the hour.
Inside St. Marys Catholic Church we meet the docent who explains the restoration work to church and allows me to take a photograph(without flash) of a 14th century frescoe, that is partially hidden behind the large front door of the church.
We exit the fortress through the main gate opening onto the main thoroughfare of Kotor and directly across from a very large cruise ship. Okay, I am ready to hit Dobrota and Ellas Restaurant for lunch. We ate there last year from a recommendation from the Bradt tour book. It was great last year, so why not take a chance at two great meals...not so good this year, although the view is beautiful as the storm creeps in over the Bay of Kotor and lets loose with a little thunder and lightening, and of course very large rain drops just in time for lunch.
After lunch we are looking for the Banja Monastery which is located near Risan ( a town founded around 400 BCE by the Greeks). The monastery is really a Convent and so as we make the turn from the main road and climb up the hill, I am not sure what to expect when we get to the Monastery/Convent. Well, we get a whole bunch of wet chickens and a beautiful garden.
A nun sees us looking at the garden and invites inside the walls of the convent...I should have kept an eye on the good Sister as she walks up to the bell tower (I am standing directly below it)and begins to manipulate the bells and as bells do they expressed themselves in a clear and metallic manor, much to my surprise and much to Madlyn's delight as she watches me jump from the sudden peeling of the bells!
It is very peaceful within the walls of the Convent(if you don't count the heavy metal playing Sister!); bee hives in one corner; fruit and nut trees; and a grape arbor covering a good portion of the back open area of the Convent. A nice stop, a pause to reflect and appreciate the simple beauty and peace we have shared.
The storm has intensified, so it is back to the apartment to get dry and get ready for dinner at the Hotel Conte Restaurant. Dinner is just what we wanted; an excellent table; an attentive waiter; good wine; wonderful sea food for Madlyn and pepper steak(med-rare!!) for me and fries too! A little dessert and we are walking it off by strolling along the seawall of Perast.
Yes, the L'Austral is as long as the island on which Our Lady of the Rock resides.
The next morning we leave early for the trip back to Albania; we are anticipating delays from the vacationing crowds at the Montenegrin coastal towns...we are wise to leave when we do! One stop at the Hotel Adriatica for a coffee; overlooking the island of Sventi Stefan, it is "picture perfect".
The drive home is slow due to heavy summer traffic and the narrowness of the road heading south towards Albania. We will experience a nearly 3 hour delay in crossing the border from Montenegro to Albania; however, we are not checked as the Albanians have decided to open the border and allow unrestricted access due to the heavy traffic(perfectly legal!!).
Once across the border, we make excellent time in getting back to Tirana.
