Mark a Miracle

Yes that's right, Mark a miracle.

I've seen this one before.

St. Helier 1999, the Total Solar Ecilpse. A true miracle, a perfect circle of pure blue sky appeared cutting through the clouds obscuring the eclipse from our view.

Anyone on Jersey that day can testify to the event.

Cloud or Trial?

This one looks almost as bombastic and almost as well timed. Amazing.

I'll let you make up your own minds.

Wow - Is it a Miracle!!

Mark a miracle, find it on the map!

Port Said

KML 31.263 32.314

Or port Sa  id as it is pronounced.

Sports the Mediterranean entrance to the world most lucrative stretch of water. The Suez canal.

Port Said is supported by a mixture of naval tradition and cruise ships which stop off.

Part of my journey is made along the canal which offered better views of the massive ships than I was expecting in Port Said.

Suez Canal

Hotels

After some time travelling round sunesta and hotmellia couldn't be bothered looking any further, and went for an Egyptian job costing $30. No Internet connection, hence no blogs for a couple of days.

Tourism

There isn't much by way of tourism, but what is to be seen is easily taken in with one of the guides horse and carriage tours which last about 1 hr.

This took me to the bazar, past the military museum, which was closed, past the chapel of st. Eustice and a couple of mosques.

Here are a couple of shots of town to give you the idea.

Lighthouse, Port Sa-id

War Memorial, Port Sa-id

Caddilac, Port Sa-id

I would say Port Said would be worth visiting as a stop-off point.

If you want to see the ships, stick to the desert south of Said.

Sinai Desert

KML 28.869, 34.475

Sinai desert

KML 28.845, 34.344

Sinai desert

Oarsman

I asked the concierge to make my bed up the same as he did yesterday and here's what they managed.

Oarsman of Styx

Styx
Looks like the oarsman from the Styx.

Perhaps if I throw a couple of coins at him, he'll row me to some alternative reality.
Next time I go to sleep.

Sweet dreams.

Think Pink

With pink abandonment, this tree seemed to have taken the eye of a group Russians who were Queueing up to take pictures in front of it when I went to get a fix.

I am the Walrus

Big guy

Durmitor National Park - Little Church on the Prarie

KML: lat - lon -

This is where you can expect the multi-million pound mansion complexes springing up over the next few years.

Durmitor National Park - Montenegro

The road to Durmitor
KML: lat - 43.14944 lon - 19.29432

Definitely the high point of the trip so far.

Denoted by the deepest canyon in Europe at 1.3km. The park is intersected by the river Tara and has some scenery and nature to behold.

Enjoy the silence
The air here is lush with the smell of Scot's pines earthy forest smells.

Sunset over Budva - Montenegro

Sunset over Budva
KML: lat - 42.30130 lon - 18.89166

Coming down the road (n95) toward Budva from Podgorica.

Caught this sunset over the shimmering sea.

The road to Ostrog Monastery - Montenegro

The road to Ostrog Monastery
KML: lat - 42.67389 lon - 19.03156

Located high in the hills where the birds and the bees are plentiful. It's proximity to the heavens offer some great views out over the valley.

Served by a windy road, single lane, snake pass style.

Checked a restaurant for a beer and an omelet on the way back.
A beer, cheese omelet and baklava came to €5.

Road to Podgorica - Montenegro

There's no accommodation in Podgorica unless you book ahead.
I had to drive back to Centinje for a room in a hotel without running water.

Sunset over lake Skada.

Road to Podgorica
KML: lat - 42.37853 lon - 19.02737

Rijeka Crnojevica - Montenegro

This village is advertised by guidebooks to be the best thing since sliced bread.

Do not expect sliced bread or a village. This is a hamlet with no shops, no commerce and no reason to visit.
I visited twice, once last night on the way to Podgorica, and again today on the way back.

Rijeka Crnojevica
KML: lat - 42.36369 lon - 19.06059

Sveti Stefani - Montenegro

Advertised in my travel guides as somewhere to visit and get closer to the glitterati. I arrive to discover the island has been sold to a special guest. Visitors are no longer allowed.

Security is on the heavy side, but I realise this is still a socialist country. These guys just sitting around doing nothing.

Here's some shots of Budva and the surrounding area.

Budva - Montenegro
KML: lat - 42.27748 lon - 18.83348

Budva - Montenegro
KML: lat - 42.29464 lon - 18.85423

Welcome to Montenegro

Kotor Bay - Serbia

Kotor Bay - Serbia
KML: lat - 42.48435 lon - 18.72716

Finding accommodation in Montenegro is turning out to be difficult.

Kotor
Kotor had exactly 0 hotels. The tallest building in town was inhabited by a petrochemical company. I discovered after disembarking the S80 and boarding Kotor's tallest building.

It's funny when you're in a strange town, you can expect the tallest building to be a hotel. I think this is something we have inherited off the Americans. Makes perfect sense 'cept in this case it was a petrochemicals company.

Budva
After Kotor, took the coast road along to Budva. Budva is Montenegro's most touristic spot.

I'll embark on that after I've got some photo's of the town over the next couple of days.

Like Serbia, the women here are far better looking than UK standards.

Near Drina Valley - Serbia

Tara National Park - Make me a rainbow

Tara National Park - Earth Meets Sky
KML: lat - 44.06278 lon - 19.63300

My Car
KML: lat - 44.06278 lon - 19.63300

Just in case you're thinking of doing a blog. I recommend for foriegn hire car; bigger is better.
I had a Mustang in the US. An S-series in Poland and this slightly shady Toyota here.

Towns are easier to find your way round if your car does the talking for you.

Tara National Park - Photos

Lonely Church - Tara National Park Serbia
KML: lat - 43.78581 lon - 19.68522

Where earth meets sky - Tara National Park Serbia
KML: lat - 44.04085 lon - 19.63574

Earth - Tara National Park - Serbia
KML: lat - 44.04085 lon - 19.63574

Pictures from Tara National Park, Serbia.

Zlatibor

Random view from near Zlatibor, the most touristy place in Serbia.

Took me about 6 hours to get down here. The weather's turned shit though, there'll be no country walking checking the rich flora and forna in 8ºC and intermitent rain.

Hotel Mam
The hotel is the best in Zlatibor.

Had a sauna and russian bath. Wireless is painfully slow. Back to BG tommorrow.

Belgrade - Bombed out buildings

Bombing Central Belgrade

Bombing Central Belgrade

Evidence of Bombing: Central Belgrade.



KML: lat - 44.80570 lon - 20.46005

Novi Sad - National Theatre

Outside Serb National Theatre

Opportune photo.