“Montenegro Castle Search, Revealed Skadar Lake, Instead”

• July 28, 2020
• By Daryl
• 0 Comment

We found the Monastery that we have been trying to get to for days. We traveled up switchback turns, on a one lane road. Cars go by and drivers think they are Mavericks, as they speed with abandon, taking the middle of the road in a chicken dance. We hug the road, away from the center, in preparation, so it gives the other driver a license to steal inches from us.

The monastery came into view; a cliff hugger with multiple stories in a glorious white color. We climbed endless stairs to the top of this eighteenths century Monastery. At the top was a  small edifice with religious paintings all over the walls and ceilings. A man was guarding the paintings from the thieves stealing photos, so those are limited.

We leave the Monastery, and headed south. Soon, we see a castle sign, we are suckers for castles, so I make a quick left. Bunny’s ears unfolded again. I did not hear what she said, but I found the narrowest road and followed it into the mountain. The road goes on forever and there is no turning back.

Soon, a view of a river comes into our sights, and a lake in the background. It is such a beautiful sight. The center of the river is open with water plants taking claims to the shoreline. Reeds and water lilies abound.

We found a very old village with two stone bridges, one built in 1852 and the other in 1900, crossing over the river. Looking for an iced coffee, we found a man with a boat. Just what we wanted.

Soon we were gliding across the glass smooth water surface.
We crossed under the two bridges from below and passed many relics from past lives, crumbling to the beat of time.

We saw geese, swans, and cormorants. Ducks are flanking our sides in a risky maneuver, to avoid our passing. The bamboo canes and water reeds are mixed with the water lilies and watercress at the edge of the water.  If it was not for the roar of the motor, the peaceful setting would have  been heaven on Earth.  

We enjoyed our time on the water very much!

We crossed the water then made a cut through some reeds to open waters; a lake that is shared with Albania. We turned into what the skipper called the “Amazon Run,” through narrow waterways in very shallow water. Trees lined the narrow route with limbs hanging over the water. Large birds take flight as we approach them.

We headed back and the views look completely different going the other way. Small water birds walk carefully on top of the water lilies, waiting for the chance to grasp a minnow in their clutches. 

The driver talks about the giant carp that he caught in these waters. He said he eats carp almost everyday. In the shallow “Amazon” waters, there minnows abound. 

Our skipper also owns some apartments and a restaurant. We settled in our abode and headed to the restaurant for our nourishment, to end the day.