Before departing the United States, I had not heard of Montenegro but maybe a few times, but now I feel as though my heart has been left there and one day I will return to gather up again. I leave pieces of myself in every place I visit. Each journey is special because it teaches so many lessons. Montenegro is not a place of extravagance, it is a place where simple is prime.
Upon leaving the red tile roofs of Croatia, we passed into Montenegro. Our journey was scenic with miles and miles of vineyards, hues of green, and the rolling hills of the Dinaric Alps contrasting against the bright hue of the August sky. We arrived in Igalo/Hecerg Novi on the Bay of Kotor in the early afternoon. Immediately, we found ourselves in the murky sandbar in the bay and watched locals cover themselves in the dark black mud to exfoliate their skin. It was in that moment as I saw the panoramic view of the Dinaric Alps that I first felt far away. I was in a place where Americanized tourism had left untouched. Where fruit was sold in abundance on every corner, fried sardines were cooked on the street, and ice cream was displayed like small works of art.
We awoke the next morning for kayaking across the beautiful Bay of Kotor and after a delish meal filled with the local meat dishes a few of us decided to take the bus to Kotor. Kotor was an hour bus ride from Hecerg Novi. I always find the best way to get in touch with a place is through public transportation. Our bus was 44 degrees Celsius which is well over 100 degrees in American terms. I don't think I have ever been so overheated from sitting in my entire life. After the hour trek in the sauna we had for a bus, we arrived and up on first glance Kotor's old town had the similar charm as Dubrovnik only on a smaller scale. The most noticable observation on arival was the tall mountains and the fortress wall scaling across the top. Like a moth to a flame, this mountain girl was excited to climb to the top of the fortress.
After a small tour of the city and a stop for water, we ventured up the staggered stones that made up the road tot he fortress. About 1/4th of the way up I was starting to over-heat but in my true stubborn fashion I wasn't giving up. (On a side-note, never wear jean Bermuda shorts on a 100 degree day to climb a 45 degree bank for over a mile.) On the start of our climb, we looked over the old town of Kotor and there was laundry drying, loafs of bread outside rising, and a whole new way of life was being exposed from this vantage point. We continued on up and with every meter something new arose over the horizon. It was a sunny day with a hint of haze but the haze made the red tile roof and green Cyprus tree contrast stand out as the blue mountains and bay faded into the distance.
The Bay of Kotor
As we climbed closer to the top, we decided to rest before doing the final leg of the climb. It was then we noticed a small hole in the fortress wall and a small stone church in the distance. We unanimously agreed to explore the old abandon church and thus starts the lesson that everything in life is better when it is unplanned.
We climbed through the whole in fortress wall and passed several goats grazing in the rock terrain to reach the church. Completely in solitude, the church with its mossy roof and its beautiful but fading details could not be in a more random but perfect stop so high above the town in the mountains serving as a symbolic gateway to heaven. As we walked around we noticed a sign in red paint that said, "Goat Cheese 50 m." All of us being naturally curious people we decided to go on a quest for the goat cheese. The 50 meters turned more into 150 meters and as we walked along the rocky path we were greeted by a horse, a cow, and then of course the goats. We turned a corner and appeared on the side of the mountain a small house made stone with the laundry drying outside. The owners, not speaking a bit of English, invited us in with so much hospitality.
We drank juice, coffee, homemade raki, and then it was time for the main event; their homemade cheese. Now, I am a cheese lover and of all the cheese I have tasted this aged-goat cheese was an sensory experience for my palate. This was hands down the best cheese I have ever tasted. We all sat there soaking up the simple moment and completely blew off going to the top of the fortress.
This whole experience was the highlight of my trip. Proving the simple and unplanned moments of your life can be the most rewarding. It was a turning point in how I look at myself as a traveler. Language shouldn't be a barrier. I could not physical communicate with this lovely couple but yet we still communicated through our trust and openness in mankind. How many American families would ever welcome strangers into their home like this? I realized I can't be afraid to go to places that will make me uncomfortable or places I am afraid I won't be able to understand. I think that is how travelers differ from tourist. Tourists go after what is observed, while travelers seek something of more understanding from the unseen. This place we found is not in a guide book or Trip Advisor but it is hands down one of the top ten experiences of my life that I can't even fully put into words.
I learned that planning things and being scared to go off the path may mean you miss out on the small surprises along the way. Montenegro was never I place on my bucket list and being there in the first place was unexpected but the lessons I took away from Montenegro will stay with me for my whole life. This entire Balkan region is a jewel to the world. A place of amazing food, amazing art, gorgeous landscapes and extremely humble and welcoming people. A piece of my heart was left here in these rocky mountains and one day I will return to gather it again and share the experience with my children or grandchildren. Life is about going off course and finding out something as a well-crafted wheel of aged goat cheese can have a profound impact on your life.
To the small adventures...
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