Packs and Boots: The Bay of Kotor

Our long bus ride(s) to Kotor, Montenegro consisted of two parts. Part 1 was about eight hours long. We whined, we complained, and we tried to sleep, all the way from Sofia, Bulgaria through Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We had to stop at multiple border crossings because we hadn't yet entered the Schengen area. Border stops are always a thrill, especially in the middle of the night. We also had a few interesting experiences when we learned the bathrooms at rest stops cost 25 cents... in a currency we didn't have. (This is where I say thank you to the really nice Serbian college student I meant who gave me a handful of change so I could use the restroom in the middle of nowhere. Thank you, friendly stranger!!)

Part 2 was much shorter, but incredibly beautiful. When we woke up from our half-sleep, the sun was out and our bus was approaching the Bay of Kotor. Out of our slightly foggy windows, we could see lush mountains, and then bits of clear, turquoise water. Our bus began winding around the Bay of Kotor, giving us views of the little towns that filled each bit of flat land between the mountains and the sea.

Then, when we got off the bus, we were greeted by some new friends:

Kittens do a pretty good job of erasing any last bits of sleepiness and moodiness.

Even without the kittens greeting us at the bus station, we would've found it pretty difficult to be even a bit grumpy in the lovely old town of Kotor. The walled city is filled haphazardly with tiny alleyways that open into large, pleasant plazas lined with cafes and restaurants. The walled city is best by early morning or evening, when the crowds and tours disappear and your imagination can more easily transport you to another era.

They had ice cream cones in medieval times, right?

We got a different perspective of the old town by climbing up a mountain directly behind the town. We climbed up the old, slightly crumbling walls and made it to the top of the hill to the old fortress. The views from atop the mountain were incredible; we could see the old town, plus the bay and the peaks that surround it. If you plan to make the climb, make sure to wear flats. We saw a number of women in heels attempting to make the climb. Stilettos and crumbling stairs don't mix.

Old town from above

Walking along the old wall

A piece of the fortress

Just relaxing on some ruins

Yeah, that's another terrifying bridge

You can see the walls, plus the older and new parts of Kotor

That's where we climbed. You can kind of see the walls in the hills. Forgive my expression; Tom made me point

One day, we decided to walk along the bay to a nearby town. It was a little farther than we expected--about 7 miles. When we got too hot, we dove into the cool water. (Okay, Tom dove in. I dipped in a toe and an ankle because, well, I'm a wimp about cold water.)