Kotor, Montenegro
Sometimes obstacles thrown into one’s best-laid plans can result into unexpected blessings. None of us, least of all the crowd of photographers on the bow of the National Geographic Endeavour seemed to mind an extra hour on deck capturing the sites of the Kotor fjord as we waited to clear immigration formalities. Brilliant blue skies and the bright light of dawn’s first rays hitting the water, created mirror-like reflections of the 3,000 foot high mountains towering above the shore of Boka Bay at the eastern end of this amazing inlet. The morning’s activities were focused on a visit to the village of Perast, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was renowned for its maritime academy and Venetian architecture. While the photographers scrambled up the hill above the town to capture scenic shots of the bay, the majority of our guests boarded local boats to visit the two “floating” churches of Our Lady of the Rocks and the smaller monastery of St. George. In the afternoon, groups went off in every direction. Some chose the strenuous hike up the steep switchbacks leading to the fortress of San Giovanni 260 meters above the town of Kotor. Others took a walking tour of the walled city while others opted for a bus ride inland up 27 hairpin turns to a mountaintop village to enjoy local delicacies and a spectacular view of the whole fjord. The photographers busied themselves capturing the architectural details, children, and the spirit of town before returning to the ship for a pool-deck party. The ship pulled out into mid-channel just as the rising moon cleared the mountain peaks, creating a lasting memory of this magical hidden treasure of the Dalmatian coast.
Sometimes obstacles thrown into one’s best-laid plans can result into unexpected blessings. None of us, least of all the crowd of photographers on the bow of the National Geographic Endeavour seemed to mind an extra hour on deck capturing the sites of the Kotor fjord as we waited to clear immigration formalities. Brilliant blue skies and the bright light of dawn’s first rays hitting the water, created mirror-like reflections of the 3,000 foot high mountains towering above the shore of Boka Bay at the eastern end of this amazing inlet. The morning’s activities were focused on a visit to the village of Perast, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was renowned for its maritime academy and Venetian architecture. While the photographers scrambled up the hill above the town to capture scenic shots of the bay, the majority of our guests boarded local boats to visit the two “floating” churches of Our Lady of the Rocks and the smaller monastery of St. George. In the afternoon, groups went off in every direction. Some chose the strenuous hike up the steep switchbacks leading to the fortress of San Giovanni 260 meters above the town of Kotor. Others took a walking tour of the walled city while others opted for a bus ride inland up 27 hairpin turns to a mountaintop village to enjoy local delicacies and a spectacular view of the whole fjord. The photographers busied themselves capturing the architectural details, children, and the spirit of town before returning to the ship for a pool-deck party. The ship pulled out into mid-channel just as the rising moon cleared the mountain peaks, creating a lasting memory of this magical hidden treasure of the Dalmatian coast.
