Montenegro...part 1

Those amongst you who think I'm a bit of a noodle will be relieved to know that I brought my passport with me to pay a visit to Bokokotorski Zaliv, Crna Gora.

Now the last time I crossed a Croatian related border on a bus, a couple of people were marched off it by armed police and taken into the little roadside cabin. *gulp* I'm sure that this time all will be well.

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So far so mountainous and overwhelmingly green with soaring black pine cypress which give the country it's name. It's a tiny country; 13800 sq kilometres and 600,000 inhabitants, the capital is Podgorica. This used to be called Titograd and between 1945-1992 the country was part of Yugoslavia.

After independence in 1992, they were poor and the economic situation so bad they were bailed out by Germany and took the Deutschmark. They then took the euro. However it's not part of the union. Is this the only country to do this?

After the obligatory contact lense faff, no way am I putting the dratted things in at 5am, I'm ready for the sun!

Kotor Moat

First stop is a trip to the only man made island in the Adriatic, the Catholic church of Our Lady. Biggest collection of silver votives in Europe apparently. Rather stunning place. Next stop Kotor.

On the boat back from the island the objectionable fat child klaxon sounds. He sees a small gap on the bench, plonks himself down leaving 2" for his over large (grand?) mother. She sits virtually on the lap of the man next to her. Such a look of disgust on his face! The child doesn't budge and is absorbed into his icecream. Charming.

Today's blogs are clearly going to be a mixed bag! But to conclude with me not being a noodle, I'm rather peckish and guess what? I've no blumin euros on me...