Serbia & Kosovo - A new front for the war on terror

Kosovo: 10th December marks the official deadline for sovereignty negotiations to end. For someone that's visited Kosovo (and Serbia) within the last 3 months, I can bring back the following observations.

a) Kosovo has been invaded by Albanians:
Maybe you need to quantify this statement in wikipedia. As a foreign onlooker, the number of Albanian, not Serbian, flags throughout the territory leads you to believe you're in Albania, not Serbia.

b) Almost 1/3 of the traffic on the roads is KFOR:
If, like the newspapers are saying, there is a rumbling of radicalism. It stands to be toward the Serbs.
With 45,000 troops stationed there, any attack on Kosovo is likely to be met with stiff resistance and international back-up.

In black and white
Historically pitted with conflict, there are no black and white solutions.
In an attempt to be seen to be 'doing good', KFOR's presence has had the net-effect of setting both Serbia and Kosovo back 7 years, also, giving rise to the growth of criminal cells with close links to terrorism, who have prospered under the troops presence through illegal-goods, prostitution and the supply of drugs.

Monastery - Pec

Pec Monastery - world heritage site

The politics
Personally, I don't think the region has any potential for serious conflict, Serbia is too poor and Kosovo has too many troops.

If Kosovo achieves independence, you can expect that within 5-10 years resolutions will make it part of the wider Albanian authority, and eventually becoming part of Albanian territory per-se.

Google Earth Travel Guide - Serbia & Montenegro

To download this free travel guide to Serbia & Montenegro.

Google Earth - Download

• Visit link http://www.michaeltyler.co.uk/kml/serbia_montenegro.kml
• When the page displays save as - save to your desktop.
• Install Google Earth
• Double click serbia_montenegro.kml. The file will open automatically.

Browse and visit the main sites and attraction of the world's newest country.

Best tracks - Moraca Valley - Podgorica -> Rasko

Best track

The Moraca Valley running from the Moraca river just out of Podgorica up to the small village, Rasko.

Passes through Moraca village where there's a steam train and monastery and of course, river below.

Best drive in Serbia & Monetenegro
Towering granite spires, deep forest and plummeting river canyon most of the way.

Points to watch: Trucks approaching on the other side of the road.
Tunnels have overhang; Truck drivers work around is to approach on your side of the road.

KML (start): - 42.473850, 19.302940 Podgorica to
KML (finish): - 42.817930, 19.402110 Rasko

Worst tracks - Zabljak -> Niksic

worst track

From Durmitor national park over to Niksic.

Worst roads in Europe
Marked on the map as a major route, this homebound route turned out to be the architypal Montenegrin country thoroughfare.
Windey, dangerous, nutters approaching in the other direction, nutters approaching from behind.
Single track for the duration, about 20 miles. Sheer drops denoted by flowers peppered intermittently on either side.

Scenery's good, if you make it home.

KML (start):- 43.15443, 19.12115 Zabljak to
KML (finish):- 42.902470, 18.962960 Niksic

Guidebooks for Serbia Montenegro

As promised a review of travel guides for the region.

Travel Guides purchased:

Lonely Planet - Western Balkans

Lonely Planet - Western Balkans £11.19:
Bedrock for many a travellers itinerary. I had so many of these I set up a website to get rid of them.
I found this book useful in that it covers, in some depth, all areas you're likely to visit.
You will find yourself referring to it for basic information.

Thomas Cook - Serbia & Montenegro

Thomas Cook - Serbia & Montenegro £6.99:
More of an accompaniment guide, you'll not find any practical information in here but there are some good pictures cultural references.
More of a bed book, not too heavy on factual so as to ruin a trip.

In your hands - Serbia

In your hands - Serbia £13.29:
More pictures better maps more references and in-depth. This has more information than the other 2 combined.
The thing that lets it down an accommodation section which leaves you to pin point locations yourself :(

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 - Just a Walk in the Park

Black Lake - Durmitor
KML: lat - 43.14577 lon - 19.09744

The main town in Durmitor is Zabljak.

Here I park up and take a walk for 3 hours.

Summer walks
There are a number of marked walks from a location close to town.

I take a walk around the Black lake, the easiest walk. There are a number of other walks which can be negotiated with the aid of a map.

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.

Njegos Mausoleum - Montenegro

Njegos Mausoleum

Njegos Mausoleum

Njegos Mausoleum
KML: lat - 42.39935 lon - 18.83712

Njegos, or king Njegos to his friends. Perched himself at top the mountain to look down upon the whole of Montenegro in legacy.

Hard-Drive
Wing mirrors be warned, this is a single lane duel for most of the way. Added hazards included boulders mountain goats, sun (in eyes).

Took a Turkish Coffee at the restaurant at the summit. Seated looking West, the views are great and the coffee wasn't bad either.

The Mausoleum itself costs €2 to get in.

Me - Njegos Mausoleum

Ostrog Monastery - Missing Wheel - Montenegro

Ostrog Monastery

Ostrog Monastery
KML: lat - 42.67462 lon - 19.03027

Seems that the mechanic of the monks has been at work here and forgot to remove the spare wheel he's removed from the priests car.

Right in the middle of my photograph as well.

Hex
Perhaps this wheel is a special wheel.
If children were to play with this wheel, I wonder what would happen to them in later life?
Would they grow up normally? Would the curse of the wheel and their childish folly come to haunt them in later life?

Ostrog Monastery - Top Trumps - Montenegro

Ostrog Monastery

Ostrog Monastery
KML: lat - 42.66820 lon - 19.03135

The Monastery at Ostrog is set in the mountainside. Built around original sacred caves where miraculous happenings took place in the 17th century.
The Ostrog monastery is a shrine and pilgrimage for many in the orthodox faith.

St. Andrews Church

St. Andrews Church
Located in a church down the hill is a shrivelled, severed hand in a glass case.

The orthodox priest invites me to kiss the case and offer some money.

No
The priest tells me a story of how the hand was chopped off a peasant boy for stealing, gesticulating toward the fresco on't wall above.
I note to him that the swordsmen in the fresco look like they're Turks "how the boy was special if the Turks came to Montenegro and killed hundreds of other civilians?"
This kind of draws a blank. I end up skipping the hand kissing and he gives me and orthodox playing card for free.

Swapsees
There are many of these playing cards to collect. Like trumps or football cards, you can compare with your friends, swap or see which ones are best over a beer or coffee.

Here's a my favourite Orthodox trump card. If anyone wants to exchange you know how to contact me.

Top Trump

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.

Bar Accommodation - Montenegro

Accommodation Problems

Temporarily solved.

Found a nice, fresh hotel in Bar. It's been OK as a base for a little travelling without the stresses of finding accommodation at the end of the night.

The Hotel Princess is round the corner from the harbour.
Overlooking the breakwater and early morning sailing from Bari, Italy. Just as the sun comes up.

KML: lat - 42.10155 lon - 19.09127

http://www.azalea-hotels.com/hotel_montenegro_princess_bar.php

Rock falls on roads - Montenegro

Speeding is a danger in Montenegro due to the sheer amount of rockfall produced by the combination of basalt and limestone.

During the day this is less of a problem, but at night, if you experience a rockfall at high speed after a couple of beers you can expect the next bundle of flowers at the side of the road to be yours.

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

Cetinje Montenegro

Historical capital of Montenegro. Surrounded by basalt mountains more like a Swiss chalet town than a national capital. I had to drive though twice before satisfying myself it was actually the capital.

Yes there are large holes in the ground, some of the roads are not made up and there are large piles of logs in the street, but this town did once used to be the national capital of Montenegro.

There are a few attractions in the town, like the national museum. And some of the women are good looking.

Cetinje Montenegro
KML: lat - 42.38645 lon - 18.92385

Cetinje - Montenegro - Monastery

Cetinje Monastery
KML: lat - 42.38774 lon - 18.92215

Again, the orthodox. People are invited to prostrate themselves at glass boxes.
Each box houses a different worthy god. Kissing is obligatory.

Candles are lit.

There is also a shop selling honey, postcards and different touristic nic-nacs.

Some parts of the monastery are out of bounds.

Cetinje - Montenegro - Museum

Museum Cetinje
KML: lat - 42.38914 lon - 18.92340

Located in the centre of town, this grand old museum documents the chronology of Montenegro from the Romans up until the end of the soviet era.

It makes an interesting series of exhibitions, marked most notable by a wall of portraits of wartime veterans.

There are some interesting weapons here which I have not seen elsewhere.

The exhibition is €3.

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

Budva - Montenegro

KML: lat - 42.27939 lon - 18.83721

Budva is a vibrant, wealthy beach town.
It's a party town. There are yacht's parked in the marina, there are Porsche's in the car parks and there are notoriously good looking Serbian women walking the streets.

I've it weren't for the Russian dancing music, I would have forgot I was in CEE.

Accommodation - Budva

Since arriving in Montenegro, most of my time has been spent looking for accommodation.

Early riser
Spoke to girl last night at Fisherman's Cafe, who told me the season ends when October begins.

Spent last night in the Blue Star hotel. You might check them. They have 3 hotels in the Budva region. The Montenegro, The Blue Star and the Splendid.

Am in the Splendid at the moment. It is the only hotel I've stayed in to have piped TV in the bathroom, apart from Caesar's Palace. Aside from that, it's part of the group and I managed to check all three from the Blue Star.

I've marked the blue star on the map for your interest.

http://www.montenegrostars.com/

Blue Star - Budva

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.

Volvo S80

Volvo - S80

So here we are in Montenegro.

Laundry duties
I took the weekend off doing some washing. Stayed at the Argosy Hotel, Dubrovnik. A few Brits located there.

Sorted the car out. Now have Volvo S80. It shifts. I had one for the UNESCO blog in Poland. It was the fastest car I've driven. 200 klicks at a sneeze and a joy to drive. Here's a picture.

Bus trip to Dubrovnik

Purchased bus ticket to Dubrovnik. Cost 2,390 Din about €30.

Long Bus Journey
The bus trip took 14 hours. Longer than anticipated.

It had the standard seats, instead of Cama.

South America consists of some pretty eyewatering stretches on the old Bus.

Floarianopolis to San Paulo was 23.
Arica to Valparaiso I think 26 for that one.
Not in that kind of league, but a boring bus journey.

Planes, trains and automobiles.
If you were to do public transport, I'd recommend you'd stick to the railway lines running in Serbia to Montenegro. They are quicker and see a better slot of countryside.

Near Drina Valley - Serbia

Tara National Park - Make me a rainbow

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