The Ancient City of Kotor (Part 1) - Balkan Travel Notes (33)

Montenegro is a country located in the southwest of the Balkan Peninsula and on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. It is a mountainous country bordered by Serbia in the northeast, Kosovo in the east, Albania in the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia in the northwest, and the Adriatic Sea in the southwest. It became independent in June 2006, with an area of ??13,800 square kilometers and a population of 622,000. Although it is small in area and was founded only a short time ago, it has towering mountains, fjord-like beaches, long-standing and well-preserved medieval towns, and rich tourism resources, four of which are world heritage sites.

Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located on the southernmost bay of the Adriatic Sea, the Bay of Kotor. It is surrounded by mountains and has a beautiful seaside, The rolling mountains, ancient old city, and stretching city walls make Kotor a port city with a long history and a famous tourist destination in Montenegro. The Port of Kotor Natural and Historical Cultural Area was included in the World Cultural Heritage List in 1979. After breakfast on May 22, 2015, we set off from Shkodra and walked along the Adriatic Sea.

At nearly 13:00, we arrived in Kotor and came to the gate of the ancient city. The largest gate in the ancient city is the Sea Gate, which faces the Bay of Kotor. Built 500 years ago, the lintel was originally a flying lion sculpture, which was later changed to a double-headed eagle. It is now the city emblem from the former Yugoslavia era. There is a relief sculpture of a flying lion at the corner of the city wall. The flying lion is the symbol of the Republic of Venice. The long stone below the city emblem is engraved with Tito's quotation: "Don't take away our things, we will not take away yours." The stone plaque is engraved with the words November 21, 1944, which is when the troops led by Tito entered the city. days. On the inner wall of the city gate there is a relief of the Virgin and Child surrounded by St. Trevor and St. Bernard.

Walking out of the city gate, you will see the clock tower built in the 16th century. The clock tower is a landmark building in Kotor. It was first built in 1602 and rebuilt after the 1979 earthquake.

The square in front of the bell tower is the Plaza de Armas, because there was an armory here in history. The three-story red-roofed building on the right side of the center is there; the two-story building with a balcony on the left is inconspicuous, but it is The official residence of the chief executive in the Venetian era was called the Palazzo Ducale, with a theater behind it. There are many restaurants and cafes in the square.

Balkan Peninsula Travel Note 2: Zagreb

It is nearly 400 kilometers from the town of Zemun to Zagreb. In order to meet the president, it was almost noon when we set off.

Croatia’s entry policy is much stricter than Serbia’s, and the border inspection is also quite serious. It took a little time, and it was already past four o’clock in the afternoon when we arrived at the B&B we booked.

After a tiring journey all the way, I planned to make do with dinner at my residence. I accidentally discovered that the EL TORO restaurant and bar downstairs of the B&B is a well-known restaurant. After a little renovation, I came to try Croatian food.

The furnishings outside the restaurant are quite antique, but the interior is very modern. After touring the next day, I found that the mix of ancient and modern is exactly the style of this city.

Of course, for us who are hungry, the focus is food.

Although Zagreb is not close to the sea, as the country with the longest coastline on the Balkan Peninsula, seafood is obviously the more popular food. The food looks great and tastes great, and it's a pleasure to pair it with a cocktail.

The tourist area of ??Zagreb is concentrated in the Old Town, and we started from the Cathedral of the Assumption.

This Gothic building is extremely majestic and gorgeous. Although it has been damaged by wars and earthquakes in the past thousand years, it has been rebuilt again and again. It is still an undisputed landmark of the city.

I really like the stopped clock on the mottled stone wall outside the church: it is said that it was originally in the bell tower on the top of the church. It was excavated from the rubble after the Zagreb earthquake in 1880 and installed in it. Current location. The time displayed by the big clock was frozen at the moment when the earthquake occurred - 7:03.

There are many statues of saints displayed inside the church, the most special one is the coffin of Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac, who was canonized by Pope Paul II. His remains are encased in a life-size porcelain statue. Placed in a crystal coffin.

When I visited, I just took a photo of the flower window and found a lady stopping everyone from taking photos, so I followed the local customs.

Opposite the Cathedral of the Assumption is the bustling Dolac Market. A few steps away it feels like you have returned from the divine world to the human world.

The market mainly sells fruits and vegetables, but there are also some selling flowers and tourist souvenirs. The stall owners are obviously used to seeing tourists. They can switch between multiple languages ????with ease, and even occasionally speak Chinese.

Go through the Dolac Market and go down the stairs, and soon you will arrive at Governor Jelacic Square, which is the real city center of Zagreb.

The statue of Governor Jelacic occupies the center of the square. He is a national hero who led Croatia to break away from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19th century.

On the west side of the square is the cable car station going up the mountain. The cable car runs a very short distance and you get off almost as soon as you get on the car. I didn't understand the geographical environment when I bought the ticket, so I bought a two-way ticket. After going up, I found out that the tour route is to walk down the mountain from the other side, which wasted a one-way ticket.

The first thing you see when you get to the top of the mountain is this fortress-like building. I wonder if the design inspiration for the Kaiping Diaolou came from this. I heard from a Hong Kong tour guide next to me that during the Croatian War in the 1990s, the former enemy command post of the Croatian army was located here.

From here you can overlook the entire downtown area. Modern and ancient buildings are mixed together, making it look a bit messy.

The road behind the "Diaolou" leads directly to St. Mark's Church. The lampposts and furniture on the roadside are decorated with flowers, giving it a poetic feel.

There is a very famous attraction on this street: the Museum of Broken Love. I didn't want to pry into other people's love affairs, so I just looked at the door.

The fairy tale-style flowered roof of St. Mark's Church is a major feature. The one on the left of the two badges is said to be a combination of the three ancient Croatian badges, and the one on the right is the coat of arms of Zagreb.

I found that there were always tourists gathering in front of the church to stop and look up, so I noticed the statues of fifteen saints above the porch. Upon closer inspection, the carving is indeed quite exquisite and is said to be from the 14th century.

The colorful windows in the church are extremely bright, injecting warmth into the solemn atmosphere.

The trail downhill from St. Mark's Church has a terrifying name - Blood Street. There are many theories about the origin of the name. The mainstream explanation is that the Nazis massacred the city here.

Today’s Blood Street is peaceful, lined with cafes, bars and tourist souvenir shops.

The Stone Gate at the end of Blood Street is the only remaining medieval city gate in Zagreb. The closed iron door in the gatehouse is said to be the patron saint of the city.

Coming out of Shimen, we quickly returned to the lively Xiacheng District. The famous food street Tkal_i_eva ulica (Tkal_i_eva ulica) below Dolac Market is actually hard to find. Finally, we found a quiet restaurant to sit down. It was extremely hot and expensive, so we ordered some light-looking food. The portions were small but the taste was amazing. When I went out, I discovered that this restaurant called Agava is a Michelin one-star restaurant.

Walking for most of the day under the scorching sun was indeed a bit tiring. Our accommodation that night was still 150 kilometers away on a mountain road. We decided to drive and browse the cityscape before bidding farewell to the city. Next stop is Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Travel Tips It is difficult to find a parking space in the Old Town of Zagreb, and parking fees are paid with phone cards; parking without a local phone card is very inconvenient. On the contrary, public transportation is quite convenient. The newsstands on the street that also sell cigarettes and drinks sell various bus cards.

Where is the highest point of the Balkan Mountains?

The Balkan Mountains are called Stara Planina in Bulgarian and Haemus in Latin. In Bao language, it is called "Laoshan Mountains".

The main mountain range of the Balkan Peninsula is an extension of the Alps-Carpathians. It starts from the Timok River on the border of Yugoslavia in the west, runs through central Bulgaria, and reaches the Black Sea in the east, stretching 555 kilometers with an average width of 50 kilometers.

The Balkan Mountains are called Stara Planina in Bulgarian and Haemus in Latin. In Bao language, it is called "Laoshan Mountains". The main vein is deeply cut into the valley, forming the passes of the Iskel River and the passes of the Kamchia River. There is the famous Shipka Canyon. The mountain range is divided into three sections: west, middle and east, with the middle section being higher. The main peak, Botafu, is 2,376 meters above sea level. The northern slope is flatter, has lower temperatures, is more humid, and has more forests; the southern slope has longer sunshine, is drier, and has fewer forests. Rich in water resources. Mineral deposits include coal, graphite, lead, zinc, iron, etc. Many caves, hot springs and mineral springs. It is a tourist and health resort.

The Timok River originates from the border of Yugoslavia and extends to the shores of the Black Sea, stretching 555 kilometers with an average height of about 700 meters and a total area of ??about 12,000 square kilometers. It runs across the entire territory of Bulgaria and is the watershed between the Danube River, the Aegean Sea and the Sea of ??Marmara. It is known as the "backbone" of the Balkan Peninsula. The main mountain ranges of the Balkan Peninsula and Bulgaria extend about 530 kilometers (330 miles) eastward from the Timok Valley near the Serbian border, forming several mountain peaks, rising to Botev Peak at 2,376 meters ( 7,795_), ending suddenly at Cape Emine in the Black Sea.

It is the main watershed between the Danube and Maritsa rivers. There are about 20 mountain passes across the mountainous area (the famous one is Shipka Pass), several railway lines and the Iskur River. River). Minerals include coal, graphite and metal ores. There are hot springs and mineral springs. There are grasslands in the high places and coniferous and deciduous forests on the lower slopes. Mountain towns such as Veliko Turnovo were the centers of the early Bulgarian nationalist movement (19th century).

Except for being covered with thick white snow in winter, it is an easy mountain to climb. The Balkan Mountains are a climatic barrier between the continental climate of the Danube Valley and the transitional continental climate south of the mountains. Rainfall in mountainous areas exceeds 1,000 mm (40_). The winters are long and cold, the valleys and basins are suitable for the development of agriculture, and the tourism industry has developed slightly.

The western section is about 200 kilometers long from Belo Grachica Pass to Zlatica Pass. This section of the mountain range twists and turns, running from northwest to southeast. The western section is narrower and lower, while the eastern section is wider and higher. The highest peak is more than 2,000 meters. The middle section is from Zlatica Pass to Vlatnik Pass, with a total length of 185 kilometers. This section of the mountain range is relatively complete, and the highest peak of the Balkan Mountains, "Boteshi", is located here. This peak is 2376 meters high and very majestic.

The eastern section includes the part of the mountain range from Vladnik Pass to the Black Sea, which is about 155 kilometers long. The terrain of this section of the mountain range is gentle and the mountains gradually become wider. The climate differs greatly between the north and south sides of the Balkan Mountains. The northern slope is flatter, has lower temperatures and is more humid; the southern slope has long sunshine, is dry and has less forest area. There are many caves, hot springs and mineral springs in the mountains, making it a tourist destination.

A trip to the Balkan Peninsula: "European Jiuzhaigou", territorial division lines and Tito's famous sayings

The Balkan Peninsula is both a geographical term and a historical term; understood from different perspectives, its The range of countries included will be a little different.

Most people’s first reaction to the Balkans is the former Yugoslavia, or the countries after the disintegration of Yugoslavia - Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia (without adding a "North", Greece does not agree), Kosovo (Serbia, China and Russia have not yet recognized its independent sovereignty).

From a geographical perspective, the Balkan Peninsula refers to the land between the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea, bounded by the Danube and Sava Rivers in the north; so those who have a sense of geography will definitely add Greece , Albania, Bulgaria.

In a political sense, Romania is usually added; but from a geographical perspective, Romania is not included.

People who are particularly serious will also add Türkiye - although only 3 of Turkey's territory is located in the Balkan Peninsula.

The above is not the point of this article.

The Balkans are known as the "powder keg of Europe", and they definitely live up to their reputation.

It is said that since the ancient Roman Empire, every generation of people living here has experienced at least one war; all empires and power politics that have ever appeared on the land of Europe have fought here.

If you are interested, check out the history of the Balkan Peninsula, the triggers of World War I, the multiple wars during the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, etc., and you can summarize the scoring items and bonus items of N many powder barrels.

This is not the point of this article.

The focus of this article is the Travel Channel - the Balkans, which has now become one of the best places to travel in Europe!

By the way: When Lao Fei recommends a trip to the Balkans to a friend, sometimes he will see the other person throwing a question mark face showing his historical skills: The Balkan Peninsula! Europe's powder keg! Let’s fight! Can you go? Is it safe?

It’s all done, okay! Uh...Okay, that's it for now.

Firecrackers are not set off every day on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month.

Everyone is now doing their best to develop the economy, okay!

In addition, you have to carry it more, so that the powder keg will explode just waiting for you to sweep it.

In a word: The Balkans are currently safe, comfortable to travel, and quite affordable.

Okay, now on to the Travel Channel!

Don’t read it wrong - this group of rankings is in order: Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Bulgaria; this is the order recommended by Lao Fei, the higher the ranking. The ones farther back are more worth visiting.

There are three finales left - Serbia, where the tourism industry is becoming more and more popular, Romania, which is seriously underestimated from the perspective of walking, and Greece, which is so hot that it is well-known by passers-by. These are the ones you should visit most. Balkan countries.

I have traveled through all of these 11 countries three times. Based on my own travel experiences, I would like to share this briefly with interested friends.

In Tirana, the capital of Albania, you can tell more than half of it just by looking at the main square in the center of the city.

By the way, this group of sculptures in front of the National Museum’s facade is worth taking a good look at - this group of patterns is made of stones of various colors, and the materials and labor for creation are very expensive. !

After the change, the Albanian people initially planned to give it a setback on the grounds that it was "a waste of money and a waste of money".

After calming down, I thought: It wastes people and money, but it also means it is worth a lot of money! This one is tiring and injurious, and it’s very painful to dismantle it! As for the painting style, forget it, the theme is "fighting for freedom", "national independence", and "national unity". It is applicable to everyone, so we won't worry about it.

As for the Tirana Pyramids, Lake Shkodra, the Ancient City of Butrint, etc., those who are really interested can go and see them.

You can also see the bunkers – don’t forget that Albania is the “Land of Bunkers”.

Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, is now peaceful; there are more light boxes of European and American brands on the streets, suggesting that from now on Kosovo will embrace American culture.

This is nothing—Kosovo is today thanks to the intervention of US imperialism and NATO. In order to please US imperialism, two streets in the capital have been renamed. They are now called Bill Clinton Street and Bush Street.

It is recommended to visit Theresa Cathedral.

If we look at anything else, we can only look at the renderings - the mosque to be built.

You can also take a photo with the peacekeepers like us. Anyway, they haven’t withdrawn yet.

Special reminder - there are not many travel resources in Kosovo, but if you arrive in Kosovo, don’t forget to visit Gracanica Monastery. Drive from Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, to approx. 15 minutes.

It was built in 1321 by King Stefan Milutin of Serbia. He built 40 churches in various places during his lifetime. Gracanica Monastery was the last one and the most recognized one. The one with the highest artistic achievement.

Speaking of this, I will cry first - because China, Russia and Serbia do not recognize the independence of Kosovo, I drove to Serbia and specifically checked the world cultural heritage monastery. The information stated that this is in Serbia. After Lao Fei scanned all the monasteries in Serbia and counted them on his fingers, he missed this heavyweight monastery. Then he checked more carefully and found out that it is in Kosovo!

And it is only a 15-minute drive from Pristina, which Lao Fei swept over!

When North Macedonia first became independent, it was called Macedonia, and the Greek people were very unhappy. As for why they were unhappy, I won’t go into details. Please search for this grudge between the two countries.

The founder of the Macedonian Empire was Alexander the Great. Anyone who studies art or architecture should recognize him.

Speaking of Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, there is really no destination worth visiting. The first impression is the new sculptures all over the streets, and almost all of them are straightforward and powerful ones.

The old city wall of Skopje is relatively empty.

Lao Fei ran to look at the round church just to make up for the money.

Ohrid is worth visiting in Macedonia. Its small lakeside church is unique in Balkan style and very beautiful!

Starting from Montenegro, travel begins to get interesting - although the capital Podgorica is basically nothing, Montenegro has three destinations that are worth visiting.

The medieval ancient city of Kotor is listed as a World Heritage Site; St. Tripuna Catholic Church (completed 179 years earlier than Notre Dame in Paris); and Budva.

Kotor Old Town is the best-preserved medieval town on the Adriatic Sea.

If you are a freelancer, it is recommended that you choose a B&B in the ancient city of Kotor.

Tito's famous saying - "What's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine" - well, this is domineering enough, but it's a pity that it's a pirated translation; the genuine translation is "I don't want what's yours" If you want it, you can’t take it away from me” is still engraved above the low main entrance of the old city.

Slovenia is where the Alps, the Dinaric Mountains, the middle Danube plains and the Mediterranean coast meet. Of course, this is from a geographical perspective, and you can’t photograph it with a drone.

By the way, Trump’s wife Melania is Slovenian.

Closer to home, Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, the ancient city of Piran, and Lake Bled are naturally worth visiting.

There is also Pojama Castle, which is the only castle built in a cave in the world.

Starting from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the trip enters the channel recommended by Lao Fei - they are all destinations worth visiting.

If you have watched "Walter Defends Sarajevo" and are impressed by the content of the movie, you are really showing your age - either you have already started dancing in the square, or you are about to dance in the square. On the way to dance.

Sarajevo is now the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has two destinations worth visiting: one is the capital Sarajevo, which has a strong flavor of ethnic blending - Serbs, Muslims, and Croats live together; Orthodox, Islamic Christian and Catholic churches are also not far away.

Although there are still territorial boundaries between the three ethnic groups in the city of Sarajevo, Muslim girls wrapped in headscarves and Serb girls in modern attire can come out of the same university and chat while walking together.

From a historical perspective, Sarajevo also has two famous sights - Sniper Street; and the Latin Bridge, which triggered World War I.

The second is the jewel in the eye of Bosnia and Herzegovina - the beautiful town of Mostar.

The Bridge in Mostar is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the most outstanding examples of Islamic architecture in the Balkans.

It was blown up during the Bosnian War. When it was renovated in 2004, local materials were used and kept in its original state.

Sarajevo and Mostar, even if these are the only two destinations, Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be missed!

Croatia has been very popular for a while, such as the grid army that did well in the World Cup in Russia! Modric! Mandzukic!

Then there is the beautiful President Kitalovich!

The treadmill is on, the treadmill is on, let’s switch back to the travel channel!

Croatia has the longest coastline among the former Yugoslavia countries, separated from Italy by the Adriatic Sea. Dubrovnik, the pearl of the Adriatic Sea, is famous all over the world, and tourists are rushing across the river. The crucian carp.

After you have been there, you can write like this: "If you want to see what heaven is like, then go to Dubrovnik!"

Then add One sentence: This is what Bernard Shaw said.

You can also imitate cats and tigers and use the stills of "Game of Thrones" to create a live version.

In addition to the must-see Old Town of Dubrovnik, Croatia also has an Istria; and the world-class natural scenery of the Plitvice Lakes-Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Well, let us straighten our backs now, because Plitvice Lakes also has a well-known nickname - "European Jiuzhaigou"!

Bulgaria has roses, rose valley, and rose essential oil. Women almost all know, if not maybe not, that the place where Rose Valley is located is called Kazanlak.

In Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, its Hagia Sophia is the second largest Orthodox church on the Balkan Peninsula. It is very beautiful!

Bulgaria has an ancient cultural capital Plovdiv that is older than Rome, Athens, and Constantinople.

Bulgaria also has the Rila Monastery, which is famous in the religious world.

Want to know more about the officially funded UFO Memorial Hall? For those who are obsessed with ruin culture and those who like internet celebrity portrait photography, this place will definitely scratch your itch.

The rankings are not in any particular order at this point, and we have entered a state where the parents-in-law have their own reasons.

Greece is a popular destination and there are tons of online articles, travel notes and photos. I won’t go into details here, but will stop with a few words of reminder.

Santorini is indeed beautiful, but you not only have to accept that people follow the crowd, but you also have to accept that going abroad is the same as not going abroad - there are so many Chinese people traveling here!

When Lao Fei was scanning the Holy Island, he heard a loudspeaker calling directly in Chinese: Dear brides and grooms, let’s line up, and the wedding ceremony recording will begin later!

When Lao Fei was photographing the sunset on the Holy Island, he visually observed that there were thousands of people crowded together, and four-fifths of them were Chinese! And those who speak Shanghainese, Sichuanese, Cantonese, or Beijing accent don’t consider themselves outsiders. If you can’t find a local accent among the crowd, I lose.

The Meteora Sky Monastery is worth visiting!

The Acropolis of Athens is silent. The guards in Syntagma Square in Athens change the guard. They raise their legs high and lower their feet. Do you want to know?

A reminder from my conscience: For those who are phobic due to mathematics in high school, it is best to avoid Greece. Otherwise, if the streets are full of , , , , Ω and π, what will happen if you are not afraid of being frightened?

Serbia, once the powder keg of the Balkans! Now it is known as the "Balkan Tiger" because of its economic boom.

One-fifth of the Danube River, the second largest river in Europe, flows through Serbia.

First of all, the night on the Sava River in Belgrade was ranked among the top ten nightlife in the world.

Don’t ask me about this. I am driving in Serbia with my wife and children. I have the heart but not the courage; even if I have the courage, I really don’t have the time.

Vrnja?ka is located in Senan, about 200 kilometers away from Belgrade. It is famous for its natural drinkable mineral water. It is said that Vrnjachka is also the birthplace of love locks. Lao Fei recommends that you don’t go looking for it because the scale is small anyway.

Novi Sad EXIT Music Festival - one of the largest music festivals in Europe, originated in 2000, was originally held to celebrate the abdication of former leader Michaelis (Exit); plus Serbia People are eager to break through the blockade of war and the shackles of ideas, hoping to find an outlet. This outlet is music, so it is named EXIT Music Festival.

There are many highlights to traveling in Serbia! Definitely a destination worth checking out. The following are the highlights of Lao Fei:

For example, the Uvac Canyon is the first choice for natural scenery.

For example, Serbia has 5 ruins listed on the World Heritage List, the most important of which are the medieval monasteries in the southern mountains. These monasteries are the most representative places of Serbian history.

For example, the old must-visit large sculptures from the former Yugoslavia period, made of reinforced concrete and full of futuristic feeling - gun chambers, red stars and bullet holes.

There is also an internet celebrity destination - the fairytale wooden house in the Drina River.

Laofei shares his self-driving itinerary, Beijing, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Subotica, Bajina Bashtatara National Park, Zlatibor, Uvac Canyon, Novi Pazar, Kraljevoya Godina Belgrade Beijing, for your reference.

In the countries on the Balkan Peninsula, the best travel season is basically autumn.

What I am saying is: In the autumn after the epidemic, you should choose the above countries and arrange a trip.

#游# # take you around the world #

A wonderful journey in the Balkans - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro (the final chapter)

From Bude Va took a bus to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. After the Christmas holiday, everyone's daily life was finally normal. The bus departed every half an hour and cost 6 euros per person. It traveled all the way around the sea and mountains, and arrived at the destination after 2 hours of leisurely travel.

There is a world of difference between Podgorica and the scenery along the way. It can’t be seen that it is the capital of a country. After getting off the car, the oncoming wind and sand of level 4 or 5 made me think that it was 7 or 8. The Loess Plateau in the 1900s finally brought the good mood of our Balkans to the bottom. In order to check in at the Podgorica Orthodox Cathedral left over from World War II, the fifteen-minute route-finding process reached our psychological limit.

The big difference between Orthodox churches and Catholic churches is that the appearance can be simple, but the interior is absolutely magnificent and dazzling. The spatial structure pays attention to multi-angle and multi-level division, from the dome to the ground, surrounded by 360-degree murals. Eye-catching rendering. The Podgorica church can be accessed at will, because it is not a tourist area. People who enter the church should be local residents and worship very devoutly.

However, the most profound experience in Podgorica is that the prices are extremely low. Compared with the rich area of ??Budva, it is nearly double. A cup of coffee originally costs 1.2 euros in Podgorica. Only 0.9 euros (6.5 yuan). The last big meal before heading to the airport was so big that I tasted a small portion of the pizza and then moved it to an empty table next to me, ready to take it away before leaving. As a result, the waiter in the store was scared [face covering] , thought we tasted it unpalatable and moved away, and hurriedly approached us with a confused look on our face to ask if we had any questions [awkward laugh][awkward laugh], the embarrassment was over, and finally settled with 40 euros (approximately equivalent to RMB 280). . With this level of consumption, we in Podgorica can definitely be regarded as properly wealthy.

The International Airport in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, may be the smallest international airport in the world. There are only two boarding gates, and the arrival time is sufficient half an hour before boarding. The Balkan routes are basically propeller planes, and these antique planes are far less fast than high-speed rail. Because the wind was very strong when we took off that night, the first half hour felt like we were sitting in a "tractor" sprinting upwards, with the lives of a family of four in the palm of our hands [Xiong Ji].

For those who are interested in trying the Balkan route, it is recommended to rent a car and drive yourself after arriving. It is free and affordable, and the money is at your disposal[ok][666].