Overnight the scenery has shifted dramatically, and as dawn broke we found ourselves passing through the fjord-like Bay of Kotor. The winged lion of St. Mark, evidence of a lengthy Venetian rule in this area, was spotted throughout the picturesque town of Perast as well as the walled city of Kotor. From Perast, a short boat ride took us to the GospaodSkrpjela (Church of Our Lady of the Rocks), where sailors have been depositing a wide variety of votive finds—from rigging blocks and guns to paintings of ships and silver plaques—for several hundred years. From Perast we proceeded to Kotor, where a walking tour with our local guide introduced us to various city landmarks, including the 12th-century Catholic church of St. Triphon. We marveled at the church’s interior, where Roman-era columns mingle with late medieval wall paintings and ultra-modern confessional booths.
This afternoon, while some chose to further explore the walled city of Kotor, others opted to experience the steep, narrow road to the interior of Montenegro. By way of a series of 25 harrowing switchbacks, and numerous, increasingly challenging encounters with traffic traveling in the opposite direction, we reached the quaint village of Njegusi. This high mountain village, capturing both sea and land breezes, is famed for its smoked hams and cheeses, both of which we sampled alongside local wine and a sweet yet subtle mead. Luckily, our journey back to port ran a bit more smoothly, and as Sea Cloud made its final departure through the spectacular Bay of Kotor, our dinner on the lido deck was illuminated by a gorgeous full moon.
