42 25.4 N 18 46.2 E

Kotor

Sunday 2^nd – Wednesday 5^th June

We spent another couple of nights in Bigova went ashore for bread and a meal at the small café, where we met an Australian couple and shared information with them as they were heading for Greece. We had more rain and thunder but Sunday dawned with clearer skies so we left early and motored to the Boka Kotorski. On the way we had an uncomfortable swell from the south which caused us to cork-screw and roll! When a particularly large wave hit us the cooker jumped out of its gimbles and we later discovered that the bolts holding on the fixings to the sides were sheared off! Rob managed to jamb the cooker into the alcove using cork placemats and once in the calmer waters of the Boca Kotorski he was able to investigate further. Meanwhile we motored up to the first town – Herceg Novi where we took fuel and then set off for the main attraction in this area – the Town of Kotor. It certainly proved to be a most scenic passage as we past various small villages and the high heavily wooded slopes of the hills around us. It rather reminded us of Alpine scenery but with water added. We tried to moor at a small village recommended in the pilot book Muo but on approaching the quay found there were no rings or bollards to tie up to as there were men re-making the harbour edges and surrounds. We pushed on the town quay at Kotor and that is where we have spent the last 3 days. There are mooring lines on the quay as well as water and electricity and the charge for our 12 m boat was 34 Euros (inclusive). We were also informed that the small sailing club set at the south end of the old wall had showers, toilets and wifi available and a bar and wide screen TV – where Jacky went to watch the French Open tennis competition when Nadal was playing.

The old town is really spectacular set below a towering backdrop on which are the remains of ancient protective walls and forts all of which are lit up at night. Within the walls of the old town are rambling lanes and squares sheltering palaces built long ago some of which are now hotels, bars, museums etc. There are a good number of churches the earliest dating from the 11^th Century, as well as the Cathedral which began as a church in 809 and was finished and restored to its present condition in 2009. We found a very good supermarket heading away from the town quay round the head of the bay and opposite this a butcher’s shop - Tanjga, where they had spit roasted chickens, joints of Pork and Veal. In addition Jacky discovered from the young man in the butchers that there was a laundry further round the bay so headed off there on Tuesday with all the bedding and towels. A bag of washing cost 7 Euros to washed and dried (about 5 kilos) as the machine is a standard domestic size.

We went out for a meal on our last night alongside with Tony and Margaret. We chose a tavern/hotel inside the main gate to the left. It was called the Cattaro and the main building was in the original 18^th century Theatre. As it began to pour again before we had sat down we were offered the chance to eat upstairs in the hotel restaurant so we did as we were assured the food prices would be the same. We sat in the very elegant dining room with huge chandeliers and walls covered with elaborate 19^th century paintings (prints) of sea battles etc. The food was good and the service excellent and the prices were very reasonable. It certainly would be a lovely place to stay if visiting this town. The following day we took water, washed down the boat, collected the laundry, did a final shop bought some spit roasted  veal and hot roasted potatoes and headed all of ½ a mile across