More Marvelous Montenegro

Another deviation from garlic. I toured the magnificent Bay of Kotor and the gem-like village of Perast about an hour from Budva and two hours from Dubrovnik.

As I hope the picture above (of Perast) shows, it is truly spectacular. (Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have a house there.) And there are rumors that Pamela Anderson purchased a former military hospital and plans to turn it into a wellness spa of some sort. Those are not the reasons to go but it just shows that people who can afford to buy anywhere are buying in Montenegro.

Garlic in Montenegro

It turns out that oil loaded up with garlic and fresh herbs is the traditional accompaniment to bread at all of the restaurants here. The best was at Porto, overlooking the marina.

Marvelous Montenegro

The fortified city of Budva is like a tiny Dubrovnik. When I sat down to dinner, the waiter brought me bread and a dish filled with olive oil, tons of freshly chopped garlic and herbs. Cool. The pebbly Adriatic beach is surrounded by rocky outposts and brilliant blue water; the city is back by black mountains. (Thus the name Monte Negro -- from the Latin; its called Crno Gora in the local dialect.)

Budva is filled with lots of tarty girls in scant clothing posing tartily. The boys seem suitably appreciative. During dinner, a live guitarist sang and played: Stranger in the Night in Montenegrin, and Abba's Fernando in heavily accented English -- kind of like the original, only different.

At night, I returned to my apartment in the center of the old city (Stari Grad). The 100 square meter, 2 BR apartment has a private patio overlooking the beach. I love it here!