Index
Day 1 - Random encounters
Day 2 - Unplanned delays
Day 3 - Driving to Montenegro
Day 4 - Montenegro
Day 5 - Back to Albania
Day 6 - More delays
Day 7 - Return
Montenegro and Albania: July 2018
Started the day off with a surprisingly decent hotel breakfast and a quick drive over to the old town of Perast. Had yet another tourist trap shakedown where you end up having to pay to park and basically sold on the water taxi ride to Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, but considering how small Perast is... well... let's just say everyone ends up visiting, so no one complains about having to pay.
After half an hour or so on the little island, you pop back over to Perast and take in the view as you cruise back in. A sailing regatta happened to be today as well, so that was kind of cool too. Provided a nice bit of action on the Bay of Kotor in addition to the old stone houses and churches that make up Perast. Had what was probably the best meal of the trip too-- pretty good octopus, tiny but tasty clams, and yes, another grilled sea bass.
Spent the afternoon at Ostrog Monastery, passing by the very scenic Slansko Lake on the way. Had the one truly frightening experience of the trip as well on the winding two lane mountain highways to the monastery-- after watching maybe 50 cars pass on the left (into oncoming traffic) and doing some of that ourselves-- finally watched an idiot in a VW Passat wagon try to pass on the left around a blind (!) corner and almost slam into an oncoming car, then almost slam into the car back in our (his) lane as he swerved back. Holy crap.
The last few bits of road up to Ostrog Monastery were also a bit of an experience. The late afternoon meant very little traffic, but what there was, both up and downhill, had to share a road that was less than 2 lanes wide most of the time. Often less than 1.5 lanes wide, and a few places, barely a car wide. Had to do lots of backing up and taking full advantage of the little Skoda's agility and size to squeeze into narrow turn-outs. I have no idea how the one Lincoln Navigator (!) we saw fit...
Ostrog Monastery is built straight into a mountainside. It's gleaming in whitewash and is definitely one of the most impressive structures in Montenegro, plus the grounds are packed with pilgrims. Well worth the harrowing drive to get there.
Return to Kotor was much less exciting, although dinner was more style than substance at a waterfront restaurant adjacent to the hotel. Couldn't knock the view of the bay, tho.