We ventured out again to new countries with new friends this weekend. First we took another beautiful drive along the windy roads through the mountains, up and up and up until we reached the tiny town of Trpezi. Along the way we stopped at several beautiful overlooks. All the while winding along a river that had Jim drooling for his fly rod and reel!
We also stopped in the town of Kolašin. In the winter, Kolašin is a popular tourist destination for the skiing community. While there we had lunch at a delicious local restaurant that boasted many national dishes. One of the dishes, called kačamak, is a combination of boiled potatoes, local cheese and cream. It was as decadent as it sounds! Local folklore is that if you don't finish your portion of kačamak, your significant other will leave you! (Don't worry...we polished off two orders of it with no problem!)
By the late afternoon we made it to our destination of the Etno Selo Vrelo hotel in Trpezi, Montenegro. It was a lovely new B&B nestled in the mountains. The owner's property also had a beautiful trout farm that is fed by a fresh mountain stream. It was a family run business and we were the only guests so we were made to feel like part of the family! The homemade food was absolutely amazing. All of the veggies were straight from their garden and the trout was on our plates mere minutes after leaving the stream!
The friends we were with are in a competition with their family to see who can collect the most stamps on their passports so our mission for Sunday was to acquire two more. We left Trpezi and drove across the border into Serbia for a pit stop and then headed back into Montenegro. While this was just a taste to help them accomplish their goal, it made us excited to return some day soon. Next we crossed the border from Montenegro into Kosovo. I have to admit that I wasn't terribly excited about this venture. My small view of the world had given me the impression that Kosovo was going to be a scary place to visit filled with abandoned streets and shelled out buildings. I was quickly proven wrong as we crested the mountain and viewed the thriving town of Peč, Kosovo. We stopped in town for a delicious lunch and to wander around a little. I was quickly reminded that a large part of this experience for me is to open my mind to what the world has to offer. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't be smart and cautious about where we visit, but there's a way to do that and also experience new places that we would never have otherwise.
This week we're focusing on all that is involved in preparing for the application process at the university. No part of this has been impossible but it has involved lots of return trips, struggles with the language, additional official translations and multiple cups of coffee at cafes. Turns out it is quite an ordeal!
Until next time,
The Adventuring Armstrongs
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