Kotor, Montenegro

Saturday, June, 4, 2016

   Today was absolutely spectacular!  I purposely chose Tauck Tours because it was the only decent one I found that went to Montenegro. We were not disappointed!  Kotor sits at the end of the Bay of Kotor and is so very lovely. We went through several inlets and a larger bay before reaching the Bay of Kotor. As we approached Kotor, we saw homes and churches nestled in the hillsides that were postcard perfect! We knew we were going to have a special day.  Lord Byron famously called Montenegro's coastline the planet's most beautiful encounter. Because our ship was smaller, we were able to dock right in town unlike the massive cruise ship that was out in the bay. As we were having breakfast we saw hundreds of people from the large cruise ship lined up at the dock. We were so thankful that we weren't among them. We disembarked at 9:00 am and met our local guide. We were transported to the very small, quaint town of Perast a few kilometers from Kotor . There are only about 300 inhabitants in the town, which is noted for it proximity to the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks.  Despite having only one Main Street, this tiny town hast 16 churches and 18 formerly grand palaces. In Perast we boarded a small boat out to the island to view Our Lady of the Rock Church.  It is an artificial island crated by a bulwark of rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks.

   According to legend, the islet was made over the centuries by local seamen who kept an ancient oath after finding the icon of Madonna and Child on the rock in the sea on July 2, 1452. Upon returning from each successful voyage, they laid a rock in the bay. Over time, the islet gradually emerged from the sea.  The custom of throwing rocks in the sea is alive even nowadays.  Every year on the sunset of July 22, an event call "fasinada" takes place when local residents take their boats and throw rocks into the the sea, widening the surface of the island.

   The first known church was built on the islet in 1452,  It was taken over by the Roman Catholics and in 1632 the present Church of Our Lady of the Rocks was built.The church contains 68 paintings by Tripo Kokoija, a famous baroque artist from Perast as well as paintings by Italian artists. The church also houses a famous tapestry embroidered by Jacinta Kunic-Mijovic from Perast. It took her 25 years to finish it while waiting for her husband to come from a long journey, and eventually she became blind. She used golden and silver fibers but what makes this tapestry so famous is the fact that she also embroidered her own hair in it.  It really is quite beautiful.

   After viewing the church we rode the boat all the way to Kotor which, once again, gave us magnificent views of the coastline.

The Bay of Kotor

 

The islet of St. George

Our Lady of the Rocks

The embroidered tapestry

Perast

Perast

View on the Bay of Kotor

On our boat ride

When we returned to Kotor, we returned to our ship for lunch and we met our guide at 3:00 for a tour of Kotor. We took a walking tour of the old city and then visited the Maritime Museum.

Restaurant in the central square in Kotor

Clock Tower

St. Tryphon Church

When we returned to the ship, we were entertained in the theater by the Klapa Singers, a women's A Capella group from Kotor.

At six we had wine and cheese on the pool deck and viewed the beautiful bay one last time as the ship left for the port for our next stop.  We also viewed a marvelous sunset, a fitting finish to a wonderful day.

Leaving Kotor

Parting view

Another view of Our Lady of the Rocks

Gorgeous sunset