Hot Hot Kotor!

View...pants?  or no pants?

The first day I took pictures and explored the old town.  It is such a maze that it took me hours of going in circles to find the place where the Montenegro Hostel put me and hours to find the Montenegro Hostel to get my laundry back ...even though they were less than 300 meters away or 1/4 of a city block. 

Tomorrow will be my third day and I think I finally got the hang of it.  The Hostel offers specials...as do most Hostels...in conjunction with local restaurants and pubs.  My first night I bought a ticket for a complete three course Seafood entree meal at the local Italian restaurant.  I ended up sharing part of my meal with one of the local cats.  


The evening cools down to 90% so I decided to leave my walled city and venture out into the real world.  I was passing a fountain in the park when I noticed a commotion.  There was a big Black Lab in the fountain but couldn't get out.  Apparently, in the heat, the dog thought the water would be cool so jumped in but the walls were straight up and he was swimming and swimming but could not get out and was barking for help.  A huge crowd gathered to assist but no one could get him out.  They found some wooden planks and put them in the water but he couldn't navigate them. I saw the police across the street so enlisted their help. They weren't going to assist ...no American police mentality there...but they called and said someone would come and help.  Meanwhile some park gardeners tried to help and I kept going thinking it would work out when the help arrived.  Well 20 minutes later I'm returning by the fountain and the dog is still yelping for help.  A different crowd was there again trying to assist.  I went into my Old City walls confident that eventually the dog would be saved.  Later I started getting pangs of regret.  Why didn't I just get in the damn fountain and lift the dog out?  I had on a swim suit.  Just then the dog came running around the corner.  Someone liberated it.  It was running all over , just so happy to be free.  It was like going up to everyone and thanking them.  I never saw a happier dog...so was I.

Tonight I was considering the 3 course Meat entree meal the hostel offered but it has been so oppressively hot that it didn't sound all that good so I opted for an air-conditioned restaurant that was reasonable.  I had the Chicken breast with rice and cabbage salad accompanied by a large beer.  I did avail myself of the Hostel's Happy hour special which was 5 Absolute Vodkas at a local pub for one Euro each during Happy Hour.  Happy Hour turned out to be from 10pm to 11pm.  That is the latest I've been up.  I arrived right after dinner and after the first two was told they ran out of Absolute and was offering me the local rot gut called Lova which cost $1 in Bosnia...I had to order a Lemonade to dilute it in order to get it down. So much for that deal.  I left and passed a musician in the square as I was headed home. He was playing BoDiddley then Bob Dylan, and Norwegian Wood and every song on my playlist.  He must have been tuned into to me as I passed by.  I haven't seen TV, read a newspaper or seldom even talked to anyone in English so this was refreshing.  I sat next to an Englishman named Daniel that has lived right next to where I'm staying in Old Town Kotor for over 4 years.  He is involved in Real Estate and also has some Montenegrin s out selling LED flashlights to tourists for him.  He gave me one. He sat in with the musician earlier and commented that he had been playing non stop for four hours!  I was impressed and bought Daniel a beer and he bought me a wine in return.  He sailed the Caribbean , vacationed on the West coast of Africa during December and January and was a very likable chap...he also played Texas Holdem.  He suggested that if I couldn't hike the Mountain wall of the city, I should take a taxi to the top and hike the crest then come down.  


 It was the latest I had stayed up in a year I think.  Life is different at that time at night.  I forgot how much I enjoyed it, thanked the musician and promised to return  my last night which would be the next night to hear some more.  He reminded me of Shea Vino...one of my favorite troubadours.  It is after 1 am now and I have to raise my winnings another 100K before retiring.  Later