This post sees us drive from Kolasin to the Capital Podgorica in Montenegro via Morača Monastery, Mrtvica Canyon, Platije Panorama, Most na sajlama Bridge, Elvedelta Viewpoint, Moraca River Canyon, Duklja Ruins and on to Europcar to return our Skoda Fabia and exchange it for our bigger and better Peugot 308 SW Wagon just waiting there to greet us again…
Our 6am rise in Kolasin surrounded us with 15C but crisp, crystal clear blue skies and shimmering mountaintops. The Morača Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the valley of the Morača River It was built in 1252 by Stefan Vukanović, of the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty because he thought that the strange yellow rocks in the area would turn to gold if he dedicated this place. It is one of the best known medieval monuments of Montenegro.
The rest of our journey has no historical explanation but Mother Nature at her best – magnificent mountains, canyons and rivers with plenty of snaking roads and tunnels. To my eyes, Montenegro is a “spread out Switzerland” inside a “shallow Colorado” – a new rocky view at every corner. This is the reason I chose to run from Morača Monastery along these windy roads – a superb run in every sense and the first time I have run through a totally dark tunnel through a mountain. I had to turn my mobile phone light on and display it to oncoming traffic so I did not end up swashed !!! A new experience.
Our final piece of historical discovery ended at the Duklja Ruins or Ancient Roman Doclea, which were a disappointment. Doclea was built by the Roman Emperor Claudius, between year 41 and 54 AD. A large town with between 8,000 and 10,000 inhabitants, Doclea had been built to conform to the terrain. The surrounding area had a relatively high population density within a radius of 10 km due to the city's geographical position, a favourable climate, positive economic conditions and defensive site that were of great importance at that time. Doclea then became the basis for modern day Podgorica,
A feeling of euphoria and Deja Vou came over us when we rolled up to Europcar to hand over our Skoda Fabia in exchange for our Peugot 308 SW. 18 days had passed since we were last here but it seemed like months. We drove our Peugot to our favourite supermarket in all of the Balkans so far – Voli which had a huge selection of local hot dishes.
The drive from Kolasin to Podgorica is our third best so far.
Enjoy this scenic drive to the capital…
No comments:
Post a Comment