Adriatic Fjord & Waterfront in Montenegro.

This will conclude the three part series on this Blog site for the trip to Croatia and Montenegro, both bordering on the Adriatic Sea.
The trip to Montenegro was by bus running South along the coastline of this blue edged highway. We had to clear Customs & Immigration, as the old Yugoslavia had split into several independent countries, Croatia and Montenegro now being separate entities.
Montenegro now continues to grow as a tourist destination, particularly for Russians with direct flights from their homeland. There are many more sandy beaches along this stretch of coast compared to Croatia which remains mainly rocky. The country is also known for much of the setting for the filming of the relatively recent James Bond movie "Casino Royale".
This locale has also become a draw for entertainers & concerts.
But we were here to take in its vistas.

The first vista was seen while running along the edge of what some have called the southernmost fjord in Europe, the Gulf of Kotor.

We eventually arrived at the town of Kotor itself situated at the bottom of the Gulf of Kotor. This site was originally inhabited by the Romans, subsequently controlled by the Venetians who built the fortifications, hence the Italian influence. It apparently is one of the best preserved medieval towns and hence has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

An image of the wall fortification running up the hillside, and a steep slope it was - not quite the Great Wall of China but still impressive. There were no attempts to walk it on our part!

The old Cathedral was interesting showing evidence of several eras.

          The town itself was remarkably well preserved.

     Outside the walls the modern world is not far away.

We subsequently left the Gulf and headed down the Adriatic coast where many beaches were apparent unlike the mostly rocky shores of Croatia.

The town of Budva has been coined "little Russia" due to the large numbers of Russian tourists. It was a good place to have lunch eating some local food (eg. a pork filet stuffed with ham & cheese) along with a cold beer. The section of the "old town" was quiet but quite gentrified, likely for the benefit of visitors wishing to unload some cash.

Finally we make it back to Dubrovnic as the sun is receding.

Montenegro was an interesting country to visit with a different feel than its neighbor where we were based. Somewhat more laid back, a less frentic feel as a visitor, but again our visit was short.
...........................................................................................................................