Montenegro

Today I learned that you shouldn't go swimming in Montenegro without titanium footwear.

We got up early in the morning and were picked up by a driver who took us across the border. We stopped in Kotor, an ancient walled city for gelato, then continued on the main town in Montenegro, Budva, where I swam.

The cathedral in Kotor

I shouldn't have dared to swim. The water was so murky that I couldn't see the bottom. The ground was all big rocks, some sharp, covered in slippery slime. But something in me wanted to swim in another country, so I braved it.

Suddenly I felt like I was being stabbed in the foot. I thought I'd sliced it open, then realised there were spines still stuck in there. I plucked them out while standing on one foot, then went back to shore to inspect the damage.

I'd stood on something like a porcupine underwater, and had about eight spines firmly embedded in my foot.

Made me glad I hadn't sat down.

About half an hour past the border.

St Marko Island, a major Montenegro landmark.
Now privately owned by a Russian billionaire.

We went back to the island of Lokrum after returning from Montenegro.
We caught the last ferry back at 8:00pm. Perfect timing for sunset over Dubrovnik!

Old town just after sunset.