Kotor, Montenegro
We gathered on deck this morning as the local pilot boarded to navigate the 13-mile long fjord-like channel of Kotorska Boka (Kotor Bay). As is tradition, our ship first circled the small island church of Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks) before passing through the narrow straits to dock outside the walls of the Old Town of Kotor.
After being cleared at customs, we took a bus to the nearby town of Perast, which guards the entrance of the straits to Kotor. Perast was home to many sea captains, and the shoreline has many charming houses. One of the old mansions has been converted into a Maritime Museum. In the small square there is the Church of St. Nicholas under whose altar it is said that the Venetian flag was buried rather than handed over to the Ottoman Turks. Because of its strategic importance, Perast received special privileges from the Venetian Empire, including tax-free trade.
A small boat carried us out to the man-made island on which Gospa od Skrpjela sits. The story is that some fisherman found an icon of the Madonna and child on a reef. Because of some miraculous events connected with this icon, the locals decided to build an island on the site where it was found. Many enemy ships were filled with stones and sunk here. Over the years, enough stones were carried out to the site so that a small island could be constructed. The church itself is a beautiful example of Baroque architecture, with opulently frescoed walls and ceiling and a marble altar. Attached is a museum of votive offerings given in thanks by sailors for their safe return. Perhaps the most striking votive is a hand-embroidered portrait of the Madonna and Child by a wife who waited more than 25 years for her husband to return from sea. She used Japanese and Chinese silk, as well as gold and silver thread and even her own hair. On the neighboring island is a small Orthodox monastery surrounded by verdant cypress trees.
Back in Kotor our guides Stefan and Mina gave us a walking tour of the UNESCO protected Old Town, including visits to the Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to St Trifon, the patron saint of Kotor, and the Eastern Orthodox church of St. Luke. Under the town bell tower is a pillory where locals who broke the law were displayed with placards detailing their offenses. The social humiliation was considered enough punishment and discouraged repeat offenders. Just outside the city walls is the farmers market with ripe grapes, figs and even pomegranates as well as huge ripe red tomatoes. Yiannis our hotel manager, bought a selection of cheeses, smoked ham and fresh fish for our lunch back on board.
After lunch our bus driver Zheljko drove us up Mt. Lovcen on a road with 25 serpentine switchbacks. The road is barely wide enough for a bus, so there is an elaborate ritual of who has to yield when two vehicles meet. This road connects Kotor with the highway to the capital of Podgorica, as well as serving as the only road to the villages up in the mountains. At switchback 13 stands the abandoned customs building that connected the Kingdom of Montenegro with the Hapsburg Empire that occupied Kotor in the 19th century. Growing out of the limestone karst are the dark pine trees for which Montenegro received name from the Ventetians for “Black Mountain” (Crna Gora).
Our destination was the mountaintop village of Njegusi for a sampling of smoked ham, cheese and two kinds of wine: the red Vranac and an effervescent honey wine. We then split into several groups. One visited Boshko's smokehouse to learn how the local “prsut” is prepared, first by salting, then drying in the mix of mountain and sea air, and finally smoked with oak wood for three months. Boshko also gave us samples of his homemade wine, rakija (grappa, or grape brandy), cheese and honey.
The others went in search of crocuses with Sharon in the meadows of the village. The village is small with several stands of local handicrafts and a monument to the victims of WWII. At one of the local restaurants our guide Stefan donned the local Montengrin regalia and played the one-stringed gusle used to accompany traveling bards as they recited epic poems of Montenegrin resistance against the Ottoman Turks.
The drive back to the port was eventful – two rental cars had a head on collision ahead of us and all traffic was at a standstill until the local police arrived to document who was at fault and clear the road. Luckily no one was hurt and thanks to our skillful driver Zheljko we arrived safely back at the Panorama.
Before dinner we gathered on deck to admire the illuminated walls leading up 1,350 steps to the fortress of St. Giovanni that guards the Old Town and harbor. After midnight we set sail for Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic.
