The town of Kotor, Montenegro is wedged between a steep mountainous cliff and the calm sea. It is naturally sheltered by its "fjord"-like position, and has survived centuries of would-be invaders by its imposing fortress walls. Kotor is described as a time-capsule for travelers seeking a truly unspoiled Adriatic town and has only 3,000 residents living inside it's walls. Montenegro itself has a population of only 620,000 citizens.

We enjoyed breakfast on the open deck, taking in the amazing scenery and beauty of the city. Karen and Pete headed off for a walking tour of the old city of Kotor. Our guide was funny, knowledgeable and provided us with a great history lesson about Montenegro and the former Yugoslavia. Our tour took us through the old city where we visited a church, a museum, and learned all about life in the old fortressed city. It was wonderful to walk through the cobbled stone streets, as no vehicles are allowed in the old city.

Following the tour, we met up with Jim and Kelley and did some more wandering through the town. We stopped at a farmer’s market and sampled local cheeses and prosciutto…and were dying to buy some, but since we won’t have a fridge for a couple more days, this was not possible. :(

We went back to the ship for lunch and thought we’d lay poolside while doing our laundry. Little did we know the frustration this would bring…some of the machines in the ship’s laundromat wouldn’t enter the spin cycle, so the clothes came out dripping wet. Once we found a machine that would actually spin, we then entered a battle with the dryers! 3.5 hours later the laundry was done, although many items were still damp!

By 6:00pm, we were back on the pool deck for a sail away party. The scenery sailing out of Kotor and along the Montenegro coast was just breathtaking! The pictures we took just don’t do it justice! We enjoyed our final dinner on board, with our favorite waiters, Wally and Mido, and then said our farewells to all the great people we have met during the past week. What an experience it’s been!