Travel around 2 be happy: Montenegro day 13: Me! Me!

Friday, 14th October 2022

It took us a while to pay the tourism tax in Budva. We went to the tourist office twice. The first day the till was already closed at 5pm although the office didn't close until 8pm?!? The second day we needed the name of the owner of the accommodation and we did not have it. At this point we quit. Then on day 4 the host texted to remind us we hadn't paid for the accommodation and tourism tax and asked us to go to her office on the 1st floor. We went this morning 15min past the time she said she started working but she wasn't there. As we were leaving she arrived. 'Oh, I'm always late!' she said. Okay...

All payments sorted we were back onto the Panoramic Road # 3 today, eastbound until Virpazar via the E80 road. At some point we traversed the very long Sozina tunnel (4189m) and paid the tunnel's toll (€2.50).

Skadar Lake National Park (Skadarsko Jezero NP) was today's destination.

Skadar Lake is a dolphin-shaped lake surrounded by mountains. It is 44km long, 14km wide and the largest lake in the Balkans with 391km² of surface area. The lake is shared between 2 countries: ⅔ is in Montenegro and ⅓ in Albania. It is Montenegro's only national park dominated by aquatic and wetland ecosystems.

Virpazar is the 'capital' of the national park and it's where one comes to arrange for a boat trip in the lake. We parked on the side dirt road for free, where there were already a few other parked cars. As soon as we enter Virpazar, we are approached by a bored-looking man trying to get us to book a boat trip with him asap. As he put it, there was a boat departing in the next half an hour and we wanted to be in it. Yeah, yeah, we've heard that before... Thanks but no thanks. Heading further into town, you quickly realise that there are plenty of other companies offering the same.

A few stalls on the street. We approached one that had a nice-looking young lady. She was indeed nice, answered all our questions, did not pressure us, had a lovely honest smile and offered a price €5 cheaper per person. Prices are cheaper than what I had seen online. I wonder if it's cheaper because we're on the low season.

We had to wait an hour for the boat to depart. I have been looking for priganice (homemade doughnuts) for a few days now. It seems to be a breakfast delicatessen. We sat at Konoba Demidž restaurant after I was assured there was priganice. The waiter wanted to serve it with honey, the traditional way, I asked for sugar. They were freshly fried, we rolled them in sugar and ate them. They tasted just like a Portuguese delicatessen called 'filhoses'. Yummy!

The town is very small. A few houses and a few boats. That's it. The traditional boats are shallow boats to be able to go through the narrow canals of the lake. They have a very South East Asia feel.

Our captain/guide was very nice and very knowledgeable. We tipped him 10% in the end because we assumed it was expected but, more importantly, because he earned it.

It wasn't the best time of the year for birds but we did manage to see a few: great crested grebe, gull, grey heron, great egret, cormorant, coot, Dalmatian pelican.

Some waterlilies but without flowers. Plenty of bamboo.

The Morača river feeds the lake. This is the river that traverses Podgorica. When in a corner of the lake we see a fair amount of rubbish, our guide is quick to tell us that the rubbish in the lake is the work of the capital's filthy inhabitants. Ouch!

Weather wasn't great for pictures. Very cloudy. Some showers.

There were 5 clients in the boat. Plenty of space!

Our guide's photographic talent.

On the way back to Virpazar, the guide asks if anyone wants to manoeuvre the boat. Me! Me!

Posing for the photo whilst keeping an eye on the route.

Continuing along the Panoramic Road but taking a side route called 'Route 3b', we drive along the lake northbound. We are back to narrow mountain roads with potholes and loose rock. At points the clouds are low and visibility is difficult. Another slow drive.

Pavlova Strana Viewpoint: overlooks a natural horseshoe bend in Crnojevic river (rijeka Crnojevića).

To confuse us, there is a tiny village called Rijeka Crnojevića, sitting on the banks of the river with the same name. We stopped for pictures and because I fancied a hot chocolate. We took pictures but no hot chocolate to be seen.

Once in Cetinje we drove back to Budva. Close to our accommodation there is a patisserie, Branka Pastry Shop (Poslastičarnica Branka), where we finally found a very good hot chocolate, amongst other sweets...

Topla čokolada (hot chocolate)

Browsing through Tripadvisor, looking for a restaurant in Budva with good reviews, we found one at # 5 near our accommodation: L&M, standing for 'Lazo & Milan'. Albeit with an Italian name, it served all kinds of Mediterranean food. The smell of the chargrill BBQ was so good we had all-round grilled meals. For 3 drinks + 3 starters + 3 mains we paid €65.