Surprise, surprise, there are stereotypes among the Balkan nations, and the Montenegrins have a reputation for being lazy. Our tour director, Oleg, who is Croatian, delighted in telling us jokes in this vein, and Karel got into the spirit and looked up some good ones online. Some of our favorites:
A man swimming in the sea is screaming:
-Help! –Help!
A group of Montenegrins standing on the beach:
-See, that man is drowning.
-Yeah, drowning for sure.
-And we’re standing here.
-Yeah, standing.
-Then why don’t we sit!
Q: How do Montenegrins build a highway?
A: They build the first kilometer, then post a sign that says, “Etc.”
Our hotel was located inside the walls of the old city of Kotor, and we had two full days to enjoy it, which was great, because there was a lot to do, starting with getting lost in the maze of narrow, stone streets. We went on a kayaking excursion across the bay. There was a festival going on (of course), which meant there was a night-time floating parade on the harbor of whimsical floats that seemed to have a theme of life in the city. The best part is that this was a home-town event; the majority of onlookers were locals, and the floats were delightfully home-made, but clever and well-done.
Back at our hotel, Karel pulled out his guitar and we sat out on the steps and started playing. The response we got was wonderful! Strolling tourists stopped to listen and dance. A man and his family from Montenegro sat with us a while; when we learned that he was a guitar player, Karel let him play a few on his guitar. Later, we were indulging in a bit of Pink Floyd, which brought two guys running over to join us. They turned out to be tour guides from Croatia and Slovenia enjoying some free time, as well as being huge fans of Pink Floyd and wonderful singers. Best harmonies ever! What a great time we had, but we reluctantly had to call it quits or risk angering nearby residents and hotel guests who were trying to sleep.
On the second morning I set out early to climb the ancient walls to the old fortress high above the city. After that strenuous workout, Karel and I found a pizza at one of the many outdoor restaurants. The day was getting warm, but Kotor was the first old city we found to have adopted misting fans, so we were in heaven.
More jamming in the evening, this time joined by a young guitarist and a singer (both from Montenegro), we had a sizeable crowd of listeners. Magical moments!
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