Croatia and Montenegro May 2018

Day 1 - May 13 - DXB-DVB

We hung out in the Fly Dubai Business Class lounge until it was time to board our flight. Then we ended up being delayed 2 hours on the ground because there was a sandstorm in Dubai, Marcus was texting his coworkers, but they said just be glad you are not diverting to Fujairah. Did you know that after 1 hour they have to redo the safety briefing? I didn't. The crew was nice and the entertainment was turned on so we could watch movies or TV shows while we waited. Only thing that was annoying is the plane got pretty hot, it was about 110 outside though. After takeoff the plane cooled down and we were served breakfast. The breakfast was less impressive than the dinner we had received the last time we flew Fly Dubai business to Georgia. It was still nice to be in business of course, more room, more comfort, and of course, Taittinger champagne.

We landed finally and met our driver. He brought us to right outside of the Old City Wall of Dubrovnik because there are no cars allowed inside. Someone affiliated with the AirBnB met us and helped us navigate to our place. We dropped off our stuff and then walked around a little bit. We went to Buza Bar, a bar that is basically built on the side of the wall/rock for some local wine and beer. 

After an hour or so there we ended up at a place for dinner. I started with an oyster and then had the shrimp risotto. It was very, very good. 

After dinner we were walking around and there was an old building people were going in and out of. We later found out it was Sponza Palace. There is a room in it dedicated to all the Dubrovnik defenders that died during the siege in 1991-1992. It is also home to the Dubrovnik archive. And then there is a stunning open-air courtyard, and we were in there at the perfect time. 

Then we returned to the AirBnB and since it was Sunday everything had closed at 1pm so we could not buy any water, we decided to boil some in an electric tea kettle and put it in the fridge to cool down. A few minutes later I decided I'd make tea with what was left and TWO ANTENNAE CAME OUT OF THE SPOUT, IT WAS A COCKROACH. I screamed and lost my $h|t. Marcus killed it. After looking around and not seeing more and zipping up all our things just in case we went to sleep.

Day 2 - May 14 - Dubrovnik, Croatia   

We woke up. Marcus found another dying cockroach in the kitchen sink. He started advocating for us to leave the AirBnB and book a rewards stay at a Hilton. We showered and went to breakfast. When we got back to the place I opened the cabinet under the sink to get the hairdyer and there WAS ANOTHER, LOOKING AT ME. I again screamed, slammed the cabinet shut and freaked out. Marcus killed it and then contacted the people to let them know them they had a problem. We turned on all the lights, made sure our stuff was put away and zipped up, and left. 

We walked the whole city wall, it had beautiful views, but unfortunately it was kind of like something that people just do so you couldn't really stop to look or take a photo whenever you wanted because people would just run you over. We did get some. 

ruins

ruins

Saint Lawrence Fortress in view

Old city

Old city

Part of the wall

Saint Lawrence Fortress and Old city

ruins

ruins of a church

Then we went to the Old Pharmacy Museum at the Franciscan Monastery in Dubrovnik, also on the premises it has the third oldest functioning pharmacy in the world, some still made with the Franciscan recipes. Unfortunately photos inside were not allowed, but in the courtyard outside of the museum in the monastery was this gem. 

and this

Next we went to an Irish pub for beer and wine and then to the Dominican Monastery museum. Such beautiful things there. Photos allowed so here are some.

 

 

Did not get the plaque

 

 

An old well out in their courtyard

Then we stopped in the Dubrovnik Cathedral and I lit a candle.

Candle lighting

Then we went in the Church of Saint Ignatius which had a beautiful replica of the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Grotto replica

Next we went to the Saint Lawrence Fortress and explored that. On the way there we saw this...how does one get in there?

Old city and wall behind us

Me with cannon at the Fort

Cannon 

This is a view of the old city and the city wall from the fort

 Me out on a little fishing jetty outside of the Fort

After the Fort we went back into the old city to a wine bar to have some Croatian wines.

An entrance to the city

Then we stopped at the AirBnB, discussed if we could sleep there or not, I said we already paid so we should, plus we saw no more of our "friends." We went to dinner and I had a delicious tuna steak cooked the proper medium rare. Marcus had a local specialty called dirty macaroni. It started raining a little, we were eating outside under an umbrella, but I still got a little damp. Then we went back to the AirBnB and found two more dead roaches...we could not take it anymore. Marcus booked a rewards stay at the Hilton right outside the city wall. We packed our stuff up as quickly as possible, walked our way out of the city wall and to the Hilton. The girl at the desk didn't expect us because we literally booked it 20 minutes before. They has one room left, a suite. We are Gold members so we were upgraded. There were plush robes, nice slippers, and best of all, no roaches. We then went to the executive lounge to relax. I had a cappuccino and Marcus had a coke while I wrote the notes for the day. Bliss. Check out the next day was not until noon so I anticipated lounging around.

Day 3 - May 15 - Orebić, Croatia

Woke up, Marcus went to return the AirBnB key. I lounged around in the comfy bed and then got ready. When he returned we went for breakfast, they had a very nice spread. Then we packed up and I waited in the hotel room while Marcus went to go pick up the rental car. He got back about 11:45 so we checked out and left. It was an Audi A3 convertible and a little less than a 2 hour drive to our next destination, Orebić, so we put the top down. 

The drive was mostly along the beautiful coast and also we drove through a valley, where it got very chilly.

When we got close to the hotel we pulled out of the way of a cop car coming the other direction because it was a narrow road, he put his lights on and then got out of his car and came over, he asked for Marcus's License and the insurance, and then told us to follow him, so we drove back down the road a bit and then stopped. He got out and came back over, he informed us that it was a permit only street and "didn't we see the sign." Marcus said no, sorry, we were following the GPS to the hotel. All the "sign" was was a white circle with a red rim.

the supposed sign

He wrote a ticket and told us it was 250 Kuna, we didn't have change so he told us to follow him again and we drove to a market who gave him change. I'm still not entirely sure we were not taken advantage of, but we do have a real ticket with a stamp and everything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . Then we continued on a different road and were able to find some gravel lot that we parked in. The hotel, Boutique Hotel Adriatic, was around the other side on the permit only road, which seemed to me to have a lot of cars on it. We checked in and told them we got a ticket on the road. One of the employees said, "Oh yeah, I have a bunch of those." She even had ticket payment forms at the reception desk. We already paid though, so didn't need them. It made us feel a little better that it didn't seem to be a total scam. After unpacking we went for a walk around Orebić.

View from the room

View from the room 

in the hotel

walkabout

We stopped at a little mom and pop place and had Dalmatian prosciutto, cheese, and wine. Then we went back to the hotel and took a nap. We had made a reservation for dinner outside, but when it was time for dinner it was raining so we ate inside instead. I had a delicious swordfish filet, and Marcus had pork.

Swordfish

There was an extremely annoying couple at a table near us, the guy was complaining nearly the entire time to his wife about how expensive everything was...but it really wasn't...maybe they were from like Iowa or Kansas? We then ran to the market in the rain to try to buy water because google maps said it was open until 8:30...unfortunately it was closed. We walked back to the hotel past a church, we could hear someone rehearsing inside, and then we came back to the hotel and relaxed.

Stained glass at the church we passed, Parish Church of the Helpers of Christians

Day 4 - May 16 - Orebić and Korčula, Croatia

Woke up, had a nice breakfast, kind of a buffet at your table, plate of meat and cheese, assortment of yogurts, spreads, cheese spreads, etc. We then walked over to the ferry terminal to go to Korčula. The passenger ferry had 7 dogs on it :-). It was a nice pretty ride across.

The car ferry that we did not take

Approaching Korčula

Korčula

When we arrived we first climbed the Saint Mark's bell tower. We are lucky we are small people because the stairway was certainly not friendly for anyone past a certain girth. 

a view from the top of the bell tower

another view from the top of the bell tower

another

another

another

We happened to be up top when the bells started to ring for 12PM. It was so loud but so cool to watch them from right beneath.

Then we went into the church, lovely Catholic Church, but no photos inside. 

Next we wandered to the Marco Polo house and saw the Church of Saint Peter next to it, a super old church that you cannot go in. Croatia claims that Marco Polo was born in this house. However, the Italians disagree.

Church of Saint Peter

We went into the ruins of part of the house but did not pay to go into the museum. 

In the ruined part of the Marco Polo House

Then we wandered around along the coast and took some photos of the blue blue blue water behind us. Then we found some cannons and then the gate to the old city.

We wandered more around the coast, passed a nunnery, and on the way back one was driving out of the garage in a white VW.

nunnery

nunnery

Then we went into the Church of Our Lady that had a beautiful mosaic alter with a lovely depiction of the Mother and Child.

Mosaic alter

Then we stopped for a drink at a place on the edge.

We then meandered about more looking for a place with gluten free pasta I had read about, unfortunately it did not open until 3. So, we found another place on the water to eat that had a gluten free desert.

There were lots of little kids playing nearby as it was where the cannons are, and even one "playing" a wooden guitar and "singing" for tips. Next we went to look at the bigger nice boats. Unfortunately the previous ferry had left at 3:30 when we were not yet ready to leave and the next did not leave until 7:30pm, it was about 5:20 so we took a taxi boat back with three other ladies, it was a great ride! 

We had dinner at the hotel again but got to eat outside this time because the weather was lovely, I had seafood risotto, Marcus had beefsteak and we split a bottle of wine.

Day 5 - May 17 - Orebić and surrounding areas, Croatia

We woke up, it was raining outside so we had breakfast indoors. Then we waited until 11AM when we met our driver for our wine tour. We were slotted to visit three wineries. The first winery, Boutique winery Mikulic, was owned by the family that owned the hotel we were staying in. The wine was okay but we were not in love with it so after the tasting we moved on to the next.

The next winery was also family owned, Vinarija Bartulović. The member of the family doing our tasting was so personable and fun. We tried a few wines, and then he must have liked us because he kept bringing more. His wines were soooo fabulous. We purchased three there. We spent a while at that winery chatting and trying wines and eating fresh cheeses.

Grape press

Fresh cheeses

All the wines we tried

Success!

Our last winery on the itinerary was not a family winery like the first two, it was a bigger operation, Matuško Winery. The was was better than the first winery, but not nearly as good as the Vinarija Bartulović. They had a big cellar we could walk around in, there were sooooo many bottles of wine, there were also lots of big groups doing tastings. After poking around and taking some photos we left.

Earlier in the day our driver had suggested that we go and eat mussels at a place as it was extremely fresh and very quiet and nice. When we left Matuško we headed there, it was in Drače. It was called Mussel & Oyster Bar "SUTVID." And was little more than a shack with a deck. I ordered 3 oysters to start and Marcus and I both ordered mussels prepared in olive oil, garlic, and lemon. They literally pulled our lunch out of the bay. I couldn't believe Marcus ate the mussels, but he did! He didn't finish them though so I shared the rest with our guide. We also each had a nice glass of local white wine.

After lunch he asked if we had been happy with the places we'd gone or if we wanted to go anywhere else, we mentioned a place he had heard of but he waved it off and said no no that's a big operation and not traditional and very busy. We asked if he had any more he suggested. He called up his friend and asked if he would do a tasting for us and then we were driving to that winery. It was Winery Dežulović. Outside was a beautiful garden, tended only by his wife, flowers of all sorts, and then potatoes, lettuces, fruits, all sorts of things. We tried four wines, I liked the white one a lot and one of the reds so we got some bottles of those. We also tried sour cherry and another flavor of rakija. Then we went back to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, I put on my bikini and went out to our lounge chairs, I got in the Adriatic Sea but it was pretty chilly so I got out quickly and went back to my nice sunny chair. 

Then we tried to walk to a nearby winery (the one the guide waved off) which according to three different internet sources closed at either 4, 7, or 9. It was about 5:45 when we set off. We got there at about 6:10 and guess what? the sign on the door said it closed at 6. whomp whomp whomp. We walked back along the beach. We decided to eat at a different restaurant that night a little bit past our hotel. We had some so-so wine and I had a steak, it was not really cooked medium...I left some rare pieces on the plate, Marcus had some good looking pork dish. Then we walked back to the room and went to sleep. The next day we were heading to Montenegro. 

Day 6 - May 18 - Orebić, Croatia to Perast, Montenegro

After breakfast we checked out and drove to Montenegro. We kept the top up this time for most of it, but still enjoyed the lovely scenery. The border crossing was pretty quick, exited Croatia (EU county) and then entered Montenegro (not EU country), we did put the top down after passing into Montenegro. We were met by our host, an Australian/Serbian named Saša, with the traditional Serbian welcome drink of rakija. He showed us around the Monte Bay Retreat and told us about various activities we could do, like use the sauna or the hot tub with notice as they were both wood burning, or go on a trip to a winery. Saša restored the building we were staying in into a hotel over the pervious 4 years and is there everyday running it. He used to be a goalie in the Premier League, so, is clearly very dedicated to whatever he does, which made it a great place to stay.

The welcoming rakija

The sauna

We were definitely up for a winery and he said he'd try to get some other guests to go as well one of the days. He was a really nice guy. Then Marcus and I walked down to the town of Perast, it's a pretty small town but lovely. 

Saint John the Baptist Church

Church of Saint Mark

We stopped at a place for an early dinner, 5PM. It was delicious. I had chicken with an avocado and zucchini salsa...I've never had cooked avocado before. Marcus had chicken risotto. I also had a glass of really good local red wine and he had local beer. 

view from the restaurant

view from the restaurant

We went back to the hotel and relaxed, then bought a bottle of wine and drank it out on the pool terrace while the sun set. When we came back in Saša said he had thought we'd already gone in and forgot about us out there and called us great guests. He told us if he couldn't get any other guests to go to the winery he'd go with just us. The room had a lovely bathtub so I took a bubble bath and then we went to bed.

Day 7 - May 19 - Perast and Kotor, Montenegro

We woke up and got ready. The shower had those color changing lights like at a spa and there was a waterfall, rain, or wand option. Loveddddd it. Then we had breakfast. I had yogurt and fruit and then scrambled eggs and bacon, Marcus had fancy artisanal bread and then scrambled eggs and bacon with toast. Then we drove to Kotor, about 15 minutes away. We walked around the town square, a Catholic Church had a sign with a X across tank tops and shorts (my attire) and said something very dumb about "your attire shows your respect for God, yourself and where you're from," so we didn't go in. There was also a Serbian Orthodox Church but we didn't go in that one either.

Serbian Orthodox Church

Another older Serbian Orthodox Church

Then we climbed St. John Fortress. Halfway up there is a beautiful little chapel, I peaked into it but did not go in. Then we summited the Fort! It was slippery on some of the stones in my Toms.

On the way down I decided it was a Catholic Chapel so I went up to get some holy water and cross myself and say a prayer, the keeper saw me and said please, please, go inside. So I did. There was a beautiful Mary statue in it, but I took no photos. When I came out he asked me if I knew the name of the church and I said no because I did not see it on the map. He said it was Our Lady of Good Health and told me a little more about it (later on the map I did find it written as Our Lady of Remedy). We finished walking down the steps and then had lunch. We walked around some more and then left Kotor. On our way to the hotel I had seen a sign about a cave and I wanted to go to it. We drove until we found it, it was really a stairway up to just a small cave that I am sure someone was squatting in.

Then we walked down to the rocks where apparently when it rains the water floods through and out into the bay.

When then drove back to the hotel and went up to the pool deck to lay in the sun and I got in the water even though it was cold.

Then we went to dinner at the same place we went the night before because it had been so good. I had delicious steak frites and Marcus had chicken in Gorgonzola sauce. Then we walked to a market and bought a bottle of wine to bring home and two mini bottles to drink back at the room. We had the wine out on our private terrace in coffee mugs à la Doris Burton. The staff was around and I could hear a Serbian-Canadian/Romanian couple upstairs say "where is everyone?" So when we finished our wine we went upstairs and I said "everyone is here." Marcus and I got a glass of wine, white for me this time, Marcus called his parents so I talked to Saša's cousin, also Saša. He had just arrived from Serbia to work there the day before Marcus and I arrived. He has a degree in Forensics from a university in Bosnia but is working "behind this bar" so we were kindred spirits. Then an English couple came back and it was his birthday so proprietor Saša got a round for everyone. Then Marcus and I talked to both Sašas about air traffic, life in Dubai, Hilary, Trump, where we were from, etc. Then bed.

Day 8 - May 20 - Kotor Bay, Montenegro

Woke up, breakfast, then changed into swimsuit and coverup for our boat tour. First we went to Our Lady of the Rocks and went in the church and then museum.

There was a beautiful Madonna there. 

Also lots of other cool old things. Then we took the boat over to the island that the Benedictine Monastery is on, but you can't go on it.

Then we went to the old Yugoslavian sub hideouts. 

Then Mamula island, which our boat captain told us was "the Yugoslavian Alcatraz". Apparently you used to be able to go on it, but now they are building a 5 star hotel on it so when we tried to pull up there was a man and he spoke with our captain in their language and then our captain said not possible and told us why.

Mamula

Next we went to the blue grotto, he said we could go swimming but there were 3 other boats in there and it was a little choppy so we opted not to.

Then we saw a fort, then an Orthodox Church on an island, then a beach you can only get to by boat, then Herceg Novi, then another Catholic Church on an island and this one had a German Shepard and a pug or similar small mixed breed, around this point the sea water made the lens on the phone all smear-y and the rest of the photos from the tour weren't so great. Then we went near the Tivat Airport and then the Port of Montenegro, which had some huge boats, some probably cruise ships, some yachts.

a fort

Orthodox Church 

Beach accessible by boat

Herceg Novi

Herceg Novi

Then we headed back and passed some watch towers and a old ruined church that had some girls sunbathing at it with a dog. Then we docked and walked back to the hotel. 

We relaxed and then went for a snack, I ordered an "iced coffee", and received in turn, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, a shot of espresso, and whipped cream, not what I was anticipating at all...but really yummy. Then we went to look for a souvenir, we couldn't find anything that wasn't too tacky. We went back to the hotel and relaxed for a few hours. At 8PM we had a 4 course dinner with a white bottle of wine prepared by Saša's father-in-law, a professional chef. I had selected the fish menu so had for the first three courses fish soup, then shrimp risotto, then a whole sea bream. Marcus had opted for the meat menu and had carrot soup, followed by prosciutto and cheese, and then lamb cooked in the Montenegrin way.

For dessert we were given the option of baklava or granita and were served up on the pool deck. I had the granita since I cannot eat baklava, Marcus had baklava. Then we were given a limon rakija for a night cap by Saša. We chatted a bit about life with the English couple who had also done the four course dinner, and then a Greek and English couple that later came up to the terrace. Then was sleep.

Day 9 - May 21 - Perast and Vinarija Dabović

Wine tour day. We woke up, had breakfast, but skipped the starter as Saša said there would be a ton of food at the winery. After eating we relaxed in the room until about noon when we went upstairs. We waited for everyone, there was an English girl and her wonderful gay friend, an English girl and her Greek husband, and us. We set off with a driver and a girl from Holland that works at the hotel who rode with us until the first stop we made that had a nice picturesque view of the bay. The girl hitchhiked back from there, I said in America that is how you die, but apparently it is very common in Montenegro.

Bay of Kotor behind us

There were several tunnels along the way and at times the road was pretty bumpy. We arrived at the winery, you can see Bosnia from the house, and went in the 300 year old wine cellar where our host gave us rakija as the traditional welcome drink. Then she gave us another one.

Next we went up to have lunch. It was delicious, there was lamb, veal, pork that was breaded so I didn't eat it but Marcus said it was great. Homemade bread and corn bread that Marcus ate, deliciously prepared zucchini that Saša got Marcus to try, potatoes, and a soup that had noodles so I didn't eat it. We drank red, white, rose, and rakija. A highlight was that Saša read everyone's coffee grounds.

The spread

Saša reading coffee

Then we took a drive to a waterfall. We had to walk down to it. It was beautiful, the crazy English girl and her friend went in, but I didn't want to get my dress all wet.

Then we drove to the farm. I befriended a dog, fed some goats, saw chickens, pigs, a cow, and a donkey.

Saša and us

Then we went back to the winery for more rakija and wine, then loaded up and drove back to the hotel. I went in the hot tub. Marcus was tired and had to drive us back to Crotia in the morning so went to the room. The English girl and guy that were with us on the wine tour and this American couple that checked in while we were all gone were dancing on the pool terrace. They tried to get me to join but I didn't want to dance alone, so I sat in the hot tub then laid on a chair and looked at the stars for a bit, then went back to the room. 

Leaving Day - May 22 - Perast, Montenegro to Dubrovnik, Croatia to Dubai

We woke up, got everything ready, had a quick breakfast and then had to wake up some other hotel guests because we were blocked in in the lot and we needed to leave. Going out of Montenegro was quick, getting back into Croatia took longer, probably 20 minutes. Then we went to the airport and then to the lounge and then boarded our flight home.

***If you'd like to see all of the photos, please email me and I will send you a link. :-)

Hope you enjoyed it,
Rupert's Mom