The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves...: Europe 2018 Day 4

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Europe 2018 Day 4 - Montenegro

The first full day of the cruise saw us hugging the eastern shore of the Adriatic, before making the turn to enter the stunning Bay of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A boat came out to meet the ship, to deliver a local pilot to guide the Star into the long and narrow fjord. Today we would visit the tiny mountainous country of Montenegro, one of the Balkan republics arising from the former Yugoslavia.

The ship dropped anchor as we neared the town of Kotor, complete with a walled medieval Old Town and an ancient fortress looming in the mountains above. We tendered into port on small boats from a fair way out, as another cruise ship was already parked in the prime spot.

After a tour of the Old Town area with Montenegrin guide Vladimir, three of us elected to undertake the daunting "hike up the city walls", which consisted of some 1,460 rough and steep stone steps up the mountainside connecting a series of fortifications.

Jane recognized her current limitations regarding mountain-climbing, but was still determined to crutch the uneven cobblestones of the Old Town and explore rather than sit idly on the ship. This would be a harbinger of events to come!

Cats are protected in Kotor, owing to their revered status for helping to control the rat vector population during the horrible Plague that ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages. We saw many cats in the town, and even several high up the mountainside lounging along the walls of the fortress.

The hike itself was well worth the view, but was tough slogging with steep grades and loose and slippery stones. Coming down on rubbery legs was less taxing but more dangerous! Back in the Old Town, I headed towards the sound of a woman playing the "Game of Thrones" theme on a violin....and ran into Jane!

We grabbed a few souvenirs and enjoyed the medieval feel a little longer, before catching a tender boat back to the ship as darkness fell. Our ship had moved closer during our visit, after the other cruise ship departed, making a much shorter ride back to the Star. The four of us enjoyed a late dinner in the Versailles Dining Room, followed by drinks on deck as we bid farewell to Montenegro.

Definitely worth a return visit in the future!