Along the Adriatic Sea, we find ourselves in the stunning Bay of Kotor! This is a sight to behold. High mountains enclose the bay, sparkling blue water dotted with boats and kayaks, and a once mighty fortress overlooks everything!

The old city is enclosed within the walls, and is very well-preserved. I spent a bunch of time just walking around the city and taking in the Venetian style architecture, and climbed up to the fortress that overlooks the city. On a trail going towards the fortress, I came across a herd of goats that gave me a bit of a stare down. Once they realized I wasn’t going to bother them, they let me pass without a hinderance!

One day while in Kotor, we took an “All Montenegro” tour. We traversed a large chunk of the country (as you can see on a map, Montenegro is quite small). Some highlights were the Njegos Mausoleum atop Mount Lovcen. There are 461 steps to the mausoleum, adorned with beautiful sculptures, and enjoys a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. Amazing! Njegos was a king, spiritual leader, and national hero of Montenegro. He received a burial-place made for a king!

Another stop was Lake Skadar, a bird sanctuary and national park. Our group took a 1.5 hour boat ride along the reserve, enjoying the scenery, many bird species, and the tranquility of the Montenegrin countryside. From here we headed back to Kotor. One more stop before we cross the sea to Italy!

Cheers, Shawn