After spending a few days taking in the charms of Dubrovnik, I ventured further out into a region that was still a mystery to me: the Balkans, a group of countries located in southeastern Europe. The day before, I had visited the previously war-torn country of Bosnia, and today my travels were leading me to the tiny country of Montenegro, which is roughly the size of Connecticut. It is a picturesque country with historic towns seemingly hidden amongst a mountainous terrain.
I usually explore on my own, but since I did not have a rental car, I booked a day tour from Dubrovnik to Montenegro. To my surprise, as I stepped onto the bus, I was the only person on the tour who spoke English. I was a little confused, and upon looking closer at my ticket, I realized I had booked a combined 'English/Spanish Tour.' As luck would have it, my traveling companions for the day would be several older ladies from Spain who spoke little to no English.
Our first destination for the day was the charming medieval town of Perast. The town's population may be small, with only 200 inhabitants, but the stunning views of the bay, ancient towers, and island churches make it an intriguing destination to explore. One of the island churches, Our Lady of the Rocks, had an enchanting origin story. According to legend, the island began as a pile of rocks, and when fishermen found an icon of the Virgin Mary there, they vowed to build a church on the site.
Continuing through the shimmering Kotor Bay, I struck up a conversation with my tour operator for the day, Marija. In between her double narrations on the history and geography of the region (once in Spanish and once in English specifically for me), she told me that she was originally from the country of Venezuela, but as life would have it she ended up working as a tour operator out of Croatia to help pay for her daughter’s education. One day she hoped that it would work out so she could return to her peaceful life on little Margarita Island.Â
Surrounded by the beautiful, blue Adriatic Sea and tucked in between dramatic rocky peaks lay Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage listed old-town and the highlight of the trip. Here our tour guide paused and allowed us to wander the streets of Kotor as we saw fit. Marija knew I was interested in photography so she recommended that I climb the city walls to get the best views of the area. As I walked into the depth of the little town, the passageways got narrower and I managed to find the entrance to the city walls.
These fortifications were built into the rocky cliffs over hundreds of years to keep the invaders away from the town and despite years of invasions and even a recent earthquake, the walls are surprisingly intact. I trudged up the 1300 cobblestone steps of the city walls and by the time I made it to the top of the crumbling fortress, my Nike sweatshirt was soaked from the effort but the picturesque views of the bay and old-town made it well worth it.Â
I quickly made my way back down to the tour group and looking back I really wish I had more time in the beautiful town. Even so, we continued to what would be our final stop for the day, Budva. I learned here that in the 2006 James Bond movie, Casino Royale many of the scenes were set in this beautiful country of Montenegro. Following the blockbuster, this tiny country saw a boom in tourism but funny enough, none of the scenes were actually filmed there and instead used locations in other countries.Â
It was also here where I had one of my most cherished travel memories. Feeling pretty spent from the hectic day, I decided to have a quiet lunch at a local restaurant, enjoying a cappuccino and an excellent dish of pasta. Following the meal, I wandered the town for a bit with my companions being the dozens of cats wandering the streets.
As it approached 3:30 PM, the time our tour guide had instructed us to return to the bus, I made my way towards the parking area. Walking past the marina, I spotted some familiar faces from the tour, a group of older Spanish ladies, enjoying a meal at a waterside restaurant. Concerned that they may not have realized it was time to depart, I gestured to my watch, indicating the need to leave. However, to my surprise, they insisted I join them for lunch instead of heading back to the bus. Despite informing them that I had already eaten, one of the tourists who spoke English and Spanish conveyed their desire to treat me to dessert.
As I traveled solo through my seventh country, I couldn't help but feel the absence of companionship. Perhaps sensing my loneliness, the older Spanish ladies from the tour insisted that I join them for lunch. This experience highlighted for me the stark differences in personalities that people can have. While I was stressing about returning to the bus a few minutes early, these ladies were leisurely placing their dessert orders at the time we were supposed to be back. With a shrug and a laugh, they reassured me that the bus wouldn't leave without all of us there.
I decided to set aside my anxious personality and embrace the moment with my new Spanish friends, even though our communication was hindered by language barriers. Soon, we were laughing, joking, and learning about each other. Just as we were enjoying each other's company, Marija arrived, clearly anxious that none of us were back at the bus on time.
When I explained the situation to her, she burst into laughter, admitting that she knew the Spanish ladies had a tendency to take time commitments lightly. Nonetheless, she had been worried when I didn't show up.
Reflecting on my travels, I realized that moments like these, when we connect with people in unexpected ways, are what make them truly special. I will always cherish the kindness of these ladies for making sure I had some company on the trip and for showing me the joy of living in the moment. In our fast-paced American culture, we can all learn something from their carefree attitude. Perhaps we should all take a step back and learn to savor the present moment, just like I did on that sunny day in Montenegro with my new friends.