To Kotor

Wednesday 20th September 

It was a wrench to leave the beauty of Slano and continue to motor down the coast. Maybe we should have stayed. It was perfect (except the biting things that almost turned Dawn’s legs into a measles exhibit). If the weather is ok when we turn around, we could come back. Actually we have no idea what route we will take, not even an idea of the direction. That will come later. The Green Card insurance cover we have will allow us to travel back through any country except Kosovo (I did ask), so even a speed north from Greece through North Macedonia and Serbia is a possibility.

The coastline improves dramatically as you approach Dubrovnik, as the cliffs and mountains are once again dramatic and the soil supports vegetation. So the barren rock of earlier days is replaced with dense growth, including cypress trees and it all looks beautiful.

We were soon gasping at the two cruise ships docked at the port and we were able to stop and look from above. It was hot, around 31C and we followed the navigation instructions and drove along, high above the town, until we were able to stop once more, making a dart across to a lay-by on the left and then back across the road on foot and there we could see the classic view of the old town.

We have been there and walked the streets, both in the heat of the day and the warmth of the evening and so we were happy to remember that and look from a distance.

Coffee stop was, as usual, on a side road. 

The other day we stopped next to a small church with graveyard. They had the builders in and a guy came to say hello. We asked what the job was and were surprised to hear that they had been called in as the remains of a Roman church had been found inside. They were stabilising things before the Ministry of Checking Things Over and Deciding What to Do got there a few days later.

Soon we reached the border between Croatia and Montenegro. The formalities were easy and the passports were stamped. The drivers coming north were queuing though. It was a huge jam between the two border posts and the vehicles would have waited for a couple of hours.

We were aiming for Kotor; we have to drive past anyway and we remember it as a stunning ‘fiord’. This bit was true, it is an amazing natural wonder and we drove all the way around, stopping first to look over to the far side and Perast, then we had lunch at a choice spot.

.

Oh wow, Kotor is now busy - terribly busy and it looked uninviting as a resultt.

Cruise ship passengers were being ferried around in oversized golf trolleys and traffic was backed up right through the centre. It was a bit sad really. We unfortunately all want to be tourists.