Looking into the Adriatic Sea. The border to Montenegro is about a couple of kilometers from here.

We cleared the border formalities very quickly – in a matter of minutes. And then started going all around the Bay of Kotor. This is in Bijela.

When I think of European lakes, this is the picture I have in mind. Blue waters surrounded by high mountains!

The one on the right is the “Our Lady of the Rocks”. It is actually an artificial island made with sunken ships and rocks. The other one – Saint George – is a natural one.

There was a vista point on the road. We got off to take in the views. I noticed that there were some caves on the other side of the road in the mountains. Crossed the road and walked down to the caves. Turned back and saw this bridge over which I must have gone a few minutes back. You can see the towns on the Bay through the arch!!

Check out the two dates on the two pillars!

What is it? In India, we grew up with these “tubewells”. Never had that structure.

This is in Old Town, Kotor, Montenegro.

Could have called the town Cator, for all I care.

If you squint your eyes, you can see the fortress way up there in the mountain. It has 1,375 stone steps to get there. We avoided all of them!

The website for the fortress says “Visiting Kotor and not climbing up St. John’s / San Giovanni Fortress is like going to Rome and not bothering to see the Colosseum.”

Well, done that twice. (Rome, but no Colosseum). Long dead people don’t excite me. Living people, strangers as they might be, is my kind of gig…