Albania and Montenegro

Shkoder - (Montenegro) Budvar - Cetinye - Kotor - Sveti Stefan - Herceg Novi

Dobro den,

LAST THINGS ABOUT ALBANIA
So, Albania, a country where power and water cuts are frequent, roads and public transport is terrible, buses refusing to travel after dark due to fears of banditry of times past, and currently in-between governments. Lets also not forget the lack of street names and street numbers (the postman just happens to know what is what, more to
experience and knowing who's who than logic).

Albania is also 70% Muslim, though you wouldn't know it. Being the only atheist country in the world during the communist era, everyone is a non practicing such and such, though this could change now that the country is open to the world and outside religious influence. Though I am told that Albanians would consider blowing oneself up for
God as absurd, and even more absurd would be them giving up alcohol!

Did meet some interesting people. The hostel owner happened to also be a TV anchorman, who I had hilarious discussions on the quirky, amusing (yet also shameful) story of Albanian politics. Also briefly hooked up with a pretty American Jewish girl called Olivia, with Moldavian roots, working in Kosovo, who amongst many things told me about the state of affairs with the UN and Kosovo. The UN apparently should leave Kosovo to rebuild their lives since the UN staff do nothing but seek ways to remain employed rather than solving problems.

I also discovered how friendly the Albanians really are when you are out of the capital city. It's not that people in Tirana are unfriendly, it's just that they are more reserved and shy. The ones who do talk to me always inevitably ask the question "So why are you here?" I guess they cannot perceive their country as being a tourist attraction.

The people are generally good humoured and happy, astonishing considering their past turbulent unhappy years. As with the rest of the Balkans and Eastern Europe, bad politics has ruined what was once such an affluent rich fertile land full of manor houses, country villas and romanticised people into a disorganised broken down state, with bleak communist concrete buildings and war torn ghost towns - where the people had vanished from what was once vibrant towns I wouldn't know. But it's a dreadful shame to know that all these changes had only occurred within the last 50 years.

Finally, I must not forget my tradition of rating the girls in each country I visit. In Albania I could say they are prettier than Macedonians, but can't compete with Bulgarians and Montenegrins. Albanian girls take on all sorts of appearances; it's hard to stereotype their look. Olivia was often mistaken for Albanian, which made it more amusing when shocking the locals when seen with me, an Asian, rarely seen in Albania, holding hands down the street!
Sometimes when you get stared at all the time as I do, you find it's fun to mess with locals heads...


MONTENEGRO
Is a beautiful country. Montenegro, meaning "Black Mountain", is very much that; all over the tiny country are towering mountains burdened with lush green vegetation and little villages all the way to the dramatic coastal beaches and resort towns. Cheaper than Croatia and most of the popular beach resorts of Europe, Montenegro is a local secret (which will probably change in a few years time). You don't really see any foreigners here that do not have Slavic roots. So the staring and "Chinese" whispered in the wind continues...


BUDVA
Is a resort town that I stayed at, the largest and most populated with tourists and vacation beach seekers mainly from the ex-Yugoslavian countries. A plethora of hotels, private apartments, outdoor bars, cafes and clubs as well as street side stalls and a carnival, to create that true "I am on holiday" feeling amongst the huge "almost sandy" pebble beaches, blue water, tiny islands and the reconstructed walled old town fortress with the narrow sandstone coloured buildings and angled streets, on a peninsula overlooking the blue Aegean sea.

At night, the crowds do what Balkan crowds do best - strut their stuff in the promenades in the ritualistic evening stroll, to see and be seen. The girls here are stunning, very tall, and as with most girls I encounter, completely unattainable!

The funniest thing I’ve seen is the flying boats they have here, which is literally a boat with wings flying overhead.

The problem with travelling solo is that there are no single rooms at all in Montenegro, because they couldn't imagine anyone travelling on their own, especially here. Which makes things a little lonely for me, since I rarely find English speakers, and everyone has company. Sigh.


CETINYE - OLD CAPITAL OF MONTENEGRO
Was a little disappointing, the bus trip there and back was beautiful though high up on the mountains overlooking the towns by the sea. Anyway, I did check out the Monastery which contains a piece of the True cross, and also the brown mummified Hand of John the Baptist which was used to baptise Jesus. Lovely. Apart from that though, just a series of old buildings used as embassies, and many outdoor cafes.

KOTOR
Kotor is one of those places I fell in love with immediately upon arrival. Situated on the deepest fjord in southern Europe, the Italian influenced walled old town sits at the edge of a beautiful bay of glass, perfectly reflecting the surrounding grey mountains covered with forests and, in the case of Kotor, a solemn ruined fortress, which is a heck of a climb up, but worth the dramatic views. The town itself, consisting of narrow streets, piazzas and plenty of places to sit, have a coffee and watch people walk by. Indeed, Kotor would be on my favourite towns list, and I could see myself easily retiring here one day..

SVETI STEFAN
Is a small island fortress of terracotta roofed stone houses and buildings, accessed through a causeway from the mainland. Although you don't bother going into the place as it is just a hotel complex, the beaches around are quite nice, with the picturesque view of the island in front of you.


HERCEG NOVI
Stupid thing about Montenegro is it is not very logical. You would think there would be several buses going to touristy Dubrovnik from Budvar, which is really not that far away. But of course there is only 1 morning bus, which was booked out, so I thought I’d make my way to the border town of Herceg Novi, for surely there'd be heaps of buses going to the Croatian town. Of course, upon arrival (at 10am), I’m told "Nope, this is Montenegro, you have to wait till 4pm for the next bus!" This being annoying because I wanted to arrive early to find cheap accom. So, stuck in Herceg Novi, I thought I’d make the best of a bad situation and explore the steep hilly town (with my big backpack
mind you). But it is worth it, the town doesn't get a good mention in the Lonely Planet guidebooks, but it is a beautiful Italian inspired old town worth a look.

It is here that I am writing this, waiting for the bus to Dubrovnik...