Cats, Cops and Chaos (Kotor)

Member Name: Praskipark

Product:	Kotor
Date:	08/06/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A picturesque medieval city with a fjord as its bay and mountains as a backdrop

Disadvantages: Claustrophobic, and a little crazy

I knew nothing about the bay of Kotor until I received a postcard from my son saying that he had visited this medieval city in Montenegro and he thought it was really strange because the bay was actually a fjord. I was fascinated with the picture on the postcard which was an aerial shot of the closed town and the fjord. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Montenegro was once very fashionable with film stars in the 60's and Sveti Stefan was the place to go.

So the last time my husband and I visited Korcula in Croatia we decided to take a couple of days out and visit this strange place. We caught a bus from Orebic to Dubrovnik and stayed in the old town overnight so we could catch the earliest coach to Kotor from the main coach station in Dubrovnik.

As we said goodbye to the old town of Dubrovnik it started to drizzle. It was one of those humid days where the sun was desperately trying to get out but the clouds kept pushing it back.

Usually, I spend my journeys window gazing but this time I was too busy listening to two Australian lads who were sat behind us. They were talking of all the trips they had been on and the countries and cities they had ticked off their list. Every now and again I would look through the window and see the odd villa and palm tree and think - Oh yes, this is very Mediterranean. But still that drizzly, humid mist was in the air - a bit like you get in the hills of Madeira or even in Norway.

I also remember the road to Kotor seemed to be a steep decline and then suddenly we turned a corner and we were on a narrow flat road enveloped by high mountains on both sides with villas and luxurious gardens tumbling down the hillside.

When we first saw the sight of the fjord I can remember thinking that it was pretty spectacular with the craggy mountain of Lovcan as its backdrop and high above the fortified town the verdant hillside formed strange shapes and colours and played tricks on my eyes. The sheer beauty of the bay came from the bright blue waters and the startling white of the yachts anchored in the harbour.

If you are wondering at this stage where Kotor is I will tell you. It is one of the oldest European states and one of the most southern European. The city is south of Croatia and about 2 hours from Dubrovnik, and its southern side borders Albania. If you fly into Dubrovnik airport you can catch a bus from here to Kotor but only two leave the staion per day. One in the early morning around 9.30 and the other in the afternoon around 3pm. Purchase your tickets before you get on the bus and they will have a number on the ticket which relates to the seat number. If you sit in somebody else's seat all hell will let loose. They love a good argument in this part of the world and for some reason they are quite strict on keeping to the rules regarding seat numbers. It always amuses me but not so much when I have been on the receiving end of an irate traveller.

I do think the city of Kotor is two cities within one and both have different characters. The area outside the old walls of the urban settlement is a bit rough and ready with some Communist looking apartments and the area has an overall look of shabbiness with street hawkers selling thier wares and people doing deals on the street. The area near to the bus station is untidy and definitely has an air of malevolence about it. Here you will be pestered by all sorts of characters trying to rent you a room. Try not to be intimidated as they are harmless but if you are looking for a room remember to haggle and not take the first price or the first room offered to you. As you walk in a semi circle around the bay and its sparkling waters you will hear lots of car honking and general chaos. A lot of police patrol the harbour front and they are quite interesting to scrutinise. They wear those wide peak caps like the cops in San Fransisco and I did notice that their gait was an extremely lazy one. I remember being very hot and sitting on a bench in the shade across from the marina and just finding the police patrols comical. It was like something out of Top Cat and talking of Top Cat they have those old fashioned tin bins in Kotor like Top Cat and his pals used to scrounge in for tit bits.

Across from the harbour lies the old town of Kotor and there are several different entrances from the road. The walled town is one of the oldest settlements in Montenegro and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is at the very end of the Bay of Boka Kotorska and as you tread through the cobbled streets you feel the age of time passed. The squares and streets are filled with churches, monuments and ancient houses where people still live.

Once inside you will feel a bit strange. Well, I did. I thought the town was a bit eerie but it could be the fact that it is closed in on all sides and this gives it a claustrophobic feel. I don't know if it was just my imagination running wild but I imagined being part of a computer game as a trader in a medieval town.There are many cobbled squares and twisting narrow streets, generally filled with people as day trips from Dubrovnik drop passengers off for the day. The stone buildings are indeed very mystical and the many cafes, bars and restaurants blend in well in these ancient and picturesque quarters. At night the fortified walls are illuminated making the steep mountain slopes behind the town a magnificent spectacle to view. Look further afield and the many churches, palaces, decorated gates which enhance the walled city suddenly come alive and it is like walking through the tattered pages of a history book. Each doorway you enter through becomes another chapter in the history of Kotor. As you stand in the main square looking at the cathedral and then up into the hills you certainly feel as if you are trapped in a scene of antiquity, a city of traders, sailors and pirates.

So once inside this mystical city what next? There are lots of buildings for you to visit which I will mention a couple in a moment but I think the first adventure to go on if you are up to it is to walk the city walls and visit the fortress of Saint Ivan. This fortress is easily accessible by walking the walls and up the stairs to the top of the mountain where the city walls completes its ring. One thing I did realise when I attempted this journey was how out of condition I was. It is a very steep ascent but the path way up is stepped which in theory should make it easier. It was a very hot day and I had only gone half way and was terribly out of breath and should we say, perspiring quite a lot. There are look out points at certain intervals which was a good thing for me as I could catch my breath and pretend to look cool when other fitter walkers passed by and said, Hello. So as not to look knackered I held my breath, smiled and pretended to take a photo of the view. Once I reached the top I was relieved because then I could really get my breath back and take some photos and boy, what a view. It is so panoramic - a natural setting with the bay and the mountains as the backdrop. Amazing. You can see the whole of the bay and the entrance of the fjord and the walled city. Having been astonished by this wonderful view I then started my descent and you would think it would be easier walking down but it wasn't. My legs were trembling and I felt quite shaky all over. What made it worse was that there were some people running up and down the mountain and one bloke even passed me twice. How embarrassing is that? I was glad to reach the end of that adventure, find a little cafe in one of the squares, order a beer and get my breath back. Well, at least I can tick that event off my list of adventures with a note - never to try again!

As I have already mentioned there are several squares in the old city. The city is quite easy to navigate and whatever crooked street you take it will always lead you back to the main square which is the largest. This square is called Trg od Oruzja. In olden times this was the square where everybody congregated. It is the focal point of the city and still today lots of people gather here, mainly tour groups waiting to be led on a magical mystery tour.

The architecture of the city has many influences. I spotted Venetian, Austrian and French influences and a touch of Russian. The most dominant building and a very pretty building is the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon (Sveti Tripun). I am sure most visitors to the city will own one photograph which has been taken outside this cathedral. It is a popular building to pose in front of. The cathedral is the most recognisable symbol of Kotor and possibly Montenegro.

The cathedral is quite a dramatic piece of work and one of the most attractive Roman Catholic curches in this area. It stands very tall and majestic against the jagged mountains of Crna Gora. An earthquake destroyed the west front in 1667 and bell towers were added afterwards which gave the building a Baroque look. The towers would have had a very soft white look as they were made from original Korculan stone. Pollution has slightly discoulored the walls and facade somewhat but not too much. My favourite part of the building is the wide arch that connects the towers and the rose window that is placed above the arch. This rose shaped window is very distinctive of Kotor. The bones of St Tryphon were originally kept in Constantinople but made their way to Kotor and are now at home in the chapel where you will find a pretty frieze made of white marble. This 18th century work is exquisite to look at and the attention to detail has to be admired. If you look very closely you should be able to pick out the blacksmith's nails in the horses hooves. The wooden crucifix dominates the altar. Very simple in design but extremely large and mystifying to look at. It is best to go upstairs in the cathedral to visit the relics and frescoes that have been uncovered. You are allowed to take photographs and there is a small entrance fee to pay - no more than a £1. There are many interesting jewels on display and some fascinating silver work so it's worth a peek.

As you walk away from the cathedral square you will see a smaller square with some orange trees and underneath these trees lie about twenty bin cats. They were always asleep whenever I passed and I have many pics of them . They were very scrawny and so varied in colours - real street cats.

Another popular venue to visit is the Maritime Museum. You will be aware after being in Kotor for a couple of hours that the city is very influenced by the sea. The museum is located in the Palace Grgurin which is very stylish in a Baroque way. Details of opening times can be viewed at the tourist office inside the old town or there is a kiosk outside the walls also. Not all people working in the offices speak English. The museum depicts the history of Kotor's seamen from the 9th century and illustrates how successful the Boka fleet and its navy actually were. Models of old sailing boats, portraits of seamen, old navigational equipment are all on display. Also geographical maps, engravings and some nice water colour paintings of the surrounding coastal areas are displayed. These interesting articles are a testimony of the glorious days of Kotor's navy and sailors and the many battles between themselves and the pirates who roamed the Adriatic.

Accommodation
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I am just going to briefly touch on this because another review of the hotel we stayed in, in Kotor will be posted shortly. It depends on what type of accommodation you are looking for. Private rooms are plentiful but if this is the route you want to take then be careful that you don't get ripped off. The Montenegrins are a shrewd bunch and if you act naively they will take liberties. As soon as they spot you are a foreigner they will up the price and try to get the highest price. Always ask to see a room first and if you don't like the look of it then don't take it. Don't feel pressured to take it just because the person has taken you to see it. Haggle to your heart's content. They are used to bartering and they enjoy it. You will pay more for accommodation in the old town. We looked at a room above a cafe and the owner wanted to charge us 50 euros per night. It was basically a small room with a bed, TV and a bathroom but it was still in the process of being decorated and had all sorts of wires coming out of orifices. He was taking the Michael and of course we didn't take the room.

The tourist office in the old town which is also a travel agent has a list of accommodation and hotels. If you can afford a hotel then I think that is the best deal. You are looking at 50 euros+ per night including breakfast. The Hotel Marija is a very pretty hotel in one of the old pink cobbled squares. It is a little noisy from the bars and cafes but not too bad. I recommend this one as the staff are very helpful and the room was very comfortable. (Review to follow shortly).

Restaurants
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You will never starve in Kotor. There are lots of restaurants including some top notch pizzerias. Other restaurants serve traditional food and are very nicely decorated and seem to be run efficiently. Local Montenegrin beers and wines are served. Niksic is a beer I recommend - it has a very strong barley taste. Vranac is a red wine or black as the Montenegrins like to call it. It is made from a coarse black grape and is quite smooth to the palette. Very good wih strong cheeses. One italian restaurant I recommend is slap bang next to the cathedral and is called Le Pasteria (review to follow shortly).

Shopping
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Shopping in Kotor is quite interesting. Apart from the souvenir shops selling kitsch and overpriced goods there are some very trendy boutiques which sell expensive shoes and designer clothes. Most of the shops are small and busy so it can be a bit of a hectic experience. There is an excellent bookshop near to the Bar Montenegro. It is one of those old fashioned bookshops that is crammed full with books and the shop is too small to hold all the stock so piles of books are lying on the floor and block your entrance to the shop. The young guy who owns the shop is very friendly and helpful and can speak some English but not very much. Only snag is that most of the books are in Serbian. For some reason I bought 5 Serbian/English dictionaries. I think at the time I was thinking that the whole family could learn Serbian. Actually, it is quite an easy language - much easier than Polish.

Well, I think I have rambled on enough about Kotor. I read somewhere that a great poet, probably Byron, as it usually is, said that Kotor is the Bride of the Adriatic and is the most stunning city in southern Europe. I am not sure whether I totally agree. Yes, it is very interesting with the walled city and the fjord and mountains but I don't think it is my favourite place in this neck of the woods. I am glad I have visited the area and it is beautiful and unusual but I still think there are more beautiful places actually in Croatia.

Summary: A bit of Southern Europe that has its own true identity