Hotel Podgorica

... smoker-friendly than the USA in general, but Montenegro was even more extreme than the other European countries we’d been to. Employees were smoking while working (including the train ticket lady), people would light up a cigarette right next to you without even thinking about consideration, and people on the train were even smoking (ignoring the no-smoking symbols). It was so weird and so terrible. I’m sure we smelt ...

This morning, before we headed back to Podgorica, we went to check out the Latin Bridge. The bridge is the site of the first (unsuccessful) assassination attempt, and the final (Successful) assassination attempt on Archduke Franz Ferdinand. <br><br>It is a VERY good thing that we decided to get out of there today! As we were heading back to the Hotal to meet up with Pete, a ...

... was half empty because no one really goes to Podgorica) and they served an edible and healthy salad! From the Airport, We went and enjoyed some local wine, which is tasty and VERY cheap (you can get a bottle around here for 3E). <br><br>Needless to say that due to the traveling and the wine, I was exhausted and slept for 13.5 hours! <br><br>This afternoon ...

... was an extraordinarily warm and wise woman in whose presence I felt comfortable and happy the entire time. Before dinner there was the customary libation of grappa (a Serbian hard liquor of incredible potency). If only I could find grappa here in America. After another dinner that would give Manhattan's top chefs a run for their money, Darko brought me upstairs into a guest room to take a nap. I told him I was not tired but he insisted I nap saying we would be driving all night ...

... are modern French, German and Italian cars and the rest are badly maintained leftovers from the communist past: Yugo, Skoda, Lada and the smallest Fiats. The sight of a great number of VW Golf mk2's suggests that western Europe has supplied a large migration of these. I'm sorely reminded of my own Golf 2 that was my first car and disappeared from my home town of Amsterdam one night years ago, without any trace. Wasn't it looking quite ...

... possibly eat seemed to be lost on them, as my continued "No thanks" were met with a total refusal to accept I was full. This of course led to me being in the possession of the last "bacon" roll in the compartment. I didn't want to eat it, I couldn't give it back and throwing it out of the window seemed a bit extreme (and an exceptional affront to their hospitality). Instead I just accepted that if I wished to dispose of it, I ...

... two kilometers long), and particularly the existence of 17 lovely beaches are of great importance for developing holiday centers. That is a distinctive tourist area is seen in the fact that Becici (800m, different colours and granulation) was proclaimed by international experts (Paris, 1935.) the most beautiful beach in the Mediterranean. Since it represents a natural heritage, the ...

... before returning to Australia for next school semester. Then there is Yaya (I can't spell French for the life of me, wie wie?), a temp air-conditioning repairman travelling until he's called back for his next job. He's 6'5" and communicates mainly in French. He and I shared our dislike for big cities and prefer rural villages. Last person is Homer-Romain, the French vegetarian pizza thrower who has worked abroad extensively and can converse ...

... day but they get after it pretty good at night. First night I stayed home and realized that was pointless since it is impossible to sleep with loud music and singing right outside your window, so the next night I went out and met some Serbians who were there on vacation and had some interesting conversation. Keeping to the pattern, they were both giants. I talked to them about the war and got their opinion about some of the things I read in this book ...

... for it, but the alternative is to drive "up there", with no safety rails on roads with no lighting. A colleague lost her husband there - it is easy to make the mistake and find yourself falling a few hundred meters. The tunnel takes you to the coastal road, which is in good order, but always crowded during the summer. After 15h on the road - we finally reached Budva, where a colleague had agreed a room for ...