The Bay of Kotor

Back into Montenegro (I have a soft spot for it in my heart) and the Bay of Kotor.  The bay is this amazing body of water that looks like a Norwegian fjord with the sheer walls shooting directly up from the water.

The crazy thing is that from where I am standing to the other side, which is less than a half mile, is the neck that is the opening into the bay.

Looking out towards the ocean from the "top of the bay".  The bay makes a "T" shape and we're looking down the stem of the T.

Ships come into the Bay of Kotor.  They seem out of scale.

I've now swum in the Bay of Kotor.  So beautiful, clear and refreshing.

The town of Kotor and its walls which go UP the hill around the city.

So this was the last stop in Brian and my trip through the former provinces of Yugoslavia.  I never thought that this part of the world was SO BEAUTIFUL.  And so charged with crazy history and that patchwork of both ethnicity and religion and how the two are often times overlapping with others.  Nothing in this part of the world is clear cut, everything has two sides to the story.  I have a special place in my heart for these countries.  I hope in my heart of hearts they manage to keep on this path of economic development and political freedoms.  I hope that they stay out of war, but in speaking with many residents, they say that even though things are at peace here, grudges are held and most believe that fighting will return. Travel is about learning and understanding and putting a face to what can be just names on a map.  When I hear Sarajevo or Podgorica or Belgrade, I have a little understanding of their recent histories.  My travels here were so eye opening.  There is still so much I want to see in this part of the world.  I hope to go back.