STILL 2016 --- BAR, BUDVA, KOTOR and other great spots in Montenegro.

The trip through Montenegro lived up to all the hype suggesting it has great beauty, spectacular sites, lush green countryside and mountainous regions to die for. ( or on......)

CORRECT !!!
I won't be writing too much drivel as I'm hoping the pictures tell the story.

 "BAR" NONE !!

Bar is a coastal town and seaport in southern Montenegro. It is the capital of the Bar Municipality and a center for tourism. In 2011, its population was 40,037.  

 So many absolutely stunning little ports, fishing harbours, old villages, monasteries, its hard to decide on what was better. Also small in size, its makes up for in sites.

Ostog Monestary.

This was a magical drive high up into the mountains, windy mist filled scenery all around for over an hours drive. Partly scary due to drizzle the entire way and having to be continuous aware of oncoming traffic.

On arrival we duly parked OL in the allotted car-park in anticipation of the uphill walk to the Monastery. So off we went, up the narrow, unkept rocky mountainous incline. Continuously negotiating our way past people returning to their respective vehicles. Just over a hour later we arrived at this awe inspiring building which was securely embedded into the face of the mountain. We had arrived at last !!

The Monastery of Ostrog is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church situated against an almost vertical background, high up in the large rock of Ostroška Greda, in Montenegro. It is dedicated to Saint Basil of Ostrog, who was buried here

There were loads of people there, ancoiusly attempting to jostle their way inside, and out of the rain. What a crazy site to behold. Needless to say we also tried our luck until establishing that after 45 minutes we had edged forward no more than a meter or so. While standing in line we got enlightened that this was a most  sacred place where pilgrims from all over have been descending (ascending) upon it for a week already. Steams of them coming and going. Most sleeping in the wild, on the mountain side waiting for their turn to enter for prays and thanksgiving..

And there we were, standing in a long que believing at some point it would begin moving faster.  Lol. After about a hour of absorbing the atmosphere and spirituality of the place, we thought it best to descend back to the Van, its warmth, and dryness.

As it turns out, "today" was the last day so the decision was easy. Sleep over and redo the upward trek again when not so busy .....

As it happened, we were parked very close to a light pole and after a little investigation it transpired that it had an electrical socket. Aha, now we could charge batteries, PC 's etc. Another blessing was the fresh spring water-tap conveniently located within hosepipe distance. Wonderful!!!.  Having an endless supply of water has it's benefits for sure,  now we could extend our shower from 3 min each to 5 min each !!! .. GREAT !!

The next day was a breeze relative to the previous day. Although still an uphill battle, at least there was no negotiating of our steps within already limited foothold space.

The spirituality was all around us. Every now and again we'd would comment on it, making this a very special stopover indeed. The Monastery in itself was fantastic indeed, but also very small. We would NEVER had entered the previous day for sure.

When its overcast and rainy, one needs to chill out, grab a book and enjoy the gentle sound rain makes on the roof of the Van. This was one of those days. In-between those rainy spells we ventured into the coastal town by bike which was most enjoyable. While in the Van, the lapping of water outside enticed and beckoned us to stay a little longer, and until we simply accepted that this is where we would sleep the night.

Budva is a town in Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea. Part of the Budva Riviera, it's known for sandy beaches and nightlife. Stone walls built by the Venetians surround the narrow streets of the medieval old town (Stari Grad). This historic district is home to a seaside citadel and religious sites such as the Church of Santa Maria in Punta, established in the 9th century.

Bar is a coastal town and seaport in southern Montenegro. It is the capital of the Bar Municipality and a center for tourism. In 2011, its population was 40,037

Perast is an old town on the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor and is noted for its proximity to the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks