Jun 26, 2009 12:00 AMVenice (Venezia) (IT) - Here I come again
It must have been over ten years, since I last time visited Venice, the city that boasts the perfect entry to the world. Ryanair, with their €20 return including all taxes and charges, lured me into this trip. I absolutely have no plan, and I am not sure what I am going to do, but at least I will take some updated photos of this unique and extremely picturesque city.
Jun 22, 2009 12:00 AMDubrovnik (HR) - what's left to say?
Eleven years ago, when I first ventured to Dubrovnik, it was charming and sufferable. Few groups wandered about the old town, but it was manageable. The Croatians were preocupied with their performane in the Football's World Cup, as their team was doing really well. They took their TV sets outside and with great passion supported the boys. The atmosphere was electrifying. And it was not unfeasable to take a photo of entirely empty main street running from the bell tower to the fountain!
Not on this visit! According to my estimates, there might have been 6,000 to 8,000 people at a time trottering on that street alone! Only spontaneous rapid downpours of rain cleared the throughfare for few minutes.
Fortunately, no signs of the Balkan War were visible anymore, and it was jolly good to see that the city had recovered completely. With pint of lager costing £4.20 surely this must have been easy! My oh my, a pint of lager cost more than pizza! And that was four times more than in Montenegro. Ouch!!
Jun 21, 2009 12:00 AMSveti Stefan (ME) - closed down!
Going to Sveti Stefan on Sunday 21 June 2009 was not a great idea at all. It was nothing short of a disaster actually. Weather was classic bucketing down. Temperature dropped below 20C and it just would not stop pouring down! Not even for a second! Not only was a soaked head to toe, I did not dear to pull out my camera for photos. It was such a shame, since Sveti Stefan was such dramatically situated place. And yet, to add insult to injury, the entire old town on the island was locked and it was impossible to visit its treasures inside, like the famous Church of St Stefan. Had I not crossed the line and let my almost vintage camera face the downpour, I would most definitely call the escapade a total waste of time.
Jun 21, 2009 12:00 AMBudva (ME) - real beach resort with a historical gem
Budva welcomed me with so much rain that it could be mistaken for the tropics. It bucketted continuously all for hours On such a day, walking about the city trying to discover its qualities was not easy. However, the old town complete with a castle and a couple of really nice churches, predictably a maze of narrow stone alleys, had so much charm that weather affected it only slightly. Sitting in a cafe under a large umbrella listening to thunders growling and the raindrops banging was really atmospheric!
The beaches of Budva were empty that day. Well, people were missing, but the equipment; parasols, deck chairs, matteraces, sunbeds; were all there waiting for the sun to come out and call in the sunbathers. They had to wait until 5pm for it. And when the sun came out, the shiny pavements of the old town reflected the visitors and the colourful window shutters. But the joy lasted 1h only.
Had the old town been less attractive, it would have been little reason to come to Budva on a rainy day, actually. The new town had nothing to offer. When it stopped raining and the hot sunrays dried my shirt, my trousers, my bag, my hair, but not my feet, I was happier. Much happier! I even started contemplating of going back to Sveti Stefan to take some photos, despite the entire island being closed. Before I could make up my mind, the sun hid behind a thick layer of dark cloud.
Jun 20, 2009 12:00 AMPerast (ME) - on the way to Kotor
Many visitors pass Perast, as it doesn't have famous sights and is practically tucked away from the main coastal highway. But it's really charming despite having a little posh vibe.
I didn't plan to spend too much time in Perast due to its size and my tight schedule. I selected it for the trip after seeing a few 'doctored' photographs. They featured the tall bell tower if the town's cathedral and a couple small islets featuring small churches. I loved it for the tranquility and ... tranquility.
Blue Line Minibus runs to Kotor every half hour (€1, 20 minutes). It stops at the Conte Nautilus Cafe at the front of the Cathedral. The line served Škaljari - Kotor - Perast - Risan - Morinj - Kostanjica.
Jun 20, 2009 12:00 AMKotor (ME) - Montenegro's gem
If Croatia has its Dubrovnik, Montenegro has its Kotor. What a lovely little place?!
Kotor is an extremely picturesque town in the north-western Montenegro, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. White walls surround the sandstone and marbel palaces, churches and tall tenant houses.
I really could not put my finger on any specific place to call it my favourite spot. It would have to be one of the piazzas (trgs), I think. The one with two churches, a large one and a tiny one, was particularly lovely. But the two just behind the main gate, both with the view of the town's clock tower were very animated, too.
I would expect many more tourists. The town was relatively quiet, and although I came just before high season, it felt like Montenegro us still to be discovered... The impossibly narrow streets of the old town were empty and almost eerie. The many cafes and restaurants, with their tables on the pavement, did not see many customers at all. And even though I was late with my own escapade to the country, it made me feel good (almost) that I might have just been one of the first (or the second) to give Montenegro a go. I actually thought that the 007's Casino Royale would have triggered more tourism.
And I am baking in the sun. Those forecasts predicting rain and thunderstorms were so wrong. What rubbish!! I will come back to London with burnt nose, I am sure!!
Jun 20, 2009 12:00 AMKotor (ME) - at night...
if Kotor appeared quiet in the afternoon, it was heaving at night. That was because the local crowd, mainly teenagers and twentysomethings, flocked into the old town to visit the bars, and sit on stools if only just to be seen by peers that they could. It was completely different picture and felt like the old town suddenly turned into a giant open-air dance club/lounge. Weather was about to catch up with the forecast of rain and thunderstorms and the night sky flashed with lightning every few seconds. Still adding to the club ambiance! Luckily it remained dry. It was so cool to layze on a sofa at one of the lounges listening to local pop music, looking at the illuminated city ramparts climbing up the mountain and watching the sky light up violently but without a sound. It was so surreal, wonderful, incredible and utterly thrilling!! With every single flash of white light, mountains that surrounded Kotor showed their sillhuettes like giant ghosts, who were waking up to close on the old town. Life was good again! It was the most beautiful thunderstorm I had ever seen in my life! There are absolutely no words!!
Jun 19, 2009 12:00 AMHerceg Novi (ME) - what a surprise
Palm trees swaying slowly rocked gently by light breeze, incredibly blue and cristal clean waters, endless cafes and bars along a miles long seafront promenade, serenades played on guitars... Do you get the picture?
I arrived in Herceg Novi at sunset. The taxi from the Dubrovnik airport in the neighbouring Croatia set me back by €50. Although some drivers wanted €60! At 8pm at, there were no other sensible options and the airport had no information desk. As I descended from the border, I had a serious doubt about the town. Concrete, grey blocks of flats everywhere occupying the slopes of the mountains sliding steeply into the Adriatic. Luckily my consternation did not last too long. I soon spotted stone houses with red tiled roofs and the palm trees squeezed between them as if they treasured every square inch of soil that remained amongst the tightly urbanised old town.
I was not expecting a world of Herceg Novi to be honest. I chose it for the first night as it was closest to the border and I did anticipate I would need to take a taxi from the airport. I had managed to find a few words and shots about the town, but they alone would probably struggle to convince me to come here. And I was very glad I did. It was almost a perfect introduction to Montenegro for me. It had everything. The palm trees, the old stone town with red roofs, the beaches, the seafront promenade, the cold beer, the mountains around and little green islets sticking out of the clear blue waters of the Adriatic, and the Russian middle class on holiday...
Jun 18, 2009 12:00 AMMontenegro - right around the corner
If all goes well at work, at this time tomorrow (9pm) I should be relaxing in Herceg Novi in Montenegro. Things will have to go well, otherwise I won't be able go. It happened before. Anyhow, I remain excited and provided I can find accommodation in a few different towns, I plan to visit a few places. Finding places to sleep in Montenegro in advance proved an impossible challenge. I contacted a few agents over the internet as advertised on a few official and semi-official websites of the country tourist board. In vain. People either did not respond or refused to make a booking. I am preparing myself that on the first night, as I will land relatively late in Dubrovnik, Croatia, I might need to spend on a beach. I did that in the past - in Dubrovnik and Hvar, actually.
The plan, so far, includes the following places:
Herceg Novi (first night)
Perast
Kotor (second night)
Sveti Stefan
Budva (third night)
- if time allows also Bar and Stari Bar
Dubrovnik (just before fourth night's flight out)
It would also be nice, if I could make it to Dubrovnik proper, although it is not on the right side of the airport, so I am not counting on it that much. It has been 11 years since I was in Dubrovnik last... I wonder how things have developed to date.
I plan to wind down properly on this short break. I am hoping for good weather, so I cannot promise I will write any reports from the trip... :) I will make notes, if I can, so you will never know. I guess it will depend on the nightlife, and the overall busy-ness of the places. If I have a few hours bed time, reports might actually come around. Otherwise, no. :)
Jun 15, 2009 12:00 AMAn early comeback to London
Again, this time for the return trip, I had to raise from bed at a very unsociable hour to catch my train to Brussels and connect with the Eurostar service to London.
05:15 B InterRegio Ghent to Brussels (fast non-stop service!)
06:59 Eurostar Brussels to London
07:55 Arrival in London - connecting to London Bridge and Canary Wharf
The Eurostar terminal in Brussels is still under renovation and it does not look and feel very welcoming. There are also limited number of (somewhat comfortable) seats, and only one cafe selling stuff 20%-80% more expensively than a number of cafes just outside the Eurostar concourse. Anyway, there is still no shopping and no free internet connection. The London St Pancras station is in this respect simply unrivaled. Hopefully they will fix the Brussels terminus quickly and nicely.
I did not get much of the Eurostar service this morning as I fell asleep and only opened my eyes, as the train pulled under the grand arch of the St Pancras's station. Which was a good thing...
