At Vienna airport for my connecting flight to PodgoricaBoarding Dash 8-400 at Vienna – a guy asked me, in Slav, why they didn’t fly jets to Podgorica – he seemed to take it as an insult to his country that he was being forced to fly on a turbo prop…Wacky old Austrian Airlines – giving out these (very) limited edition cans during the in-flight service – made Gabrielle, the stewardess, laugh when I pointed it out though – which was worth it – but seriously, what were Coca Cola thinking?
In The City:
The Hotel Nikic – it’s a bit garish inside – lots of chrome – but the rooms are nice, staff very friendly & it’s in a great locationThe view from my hotel room in Podgorica – in fairness the hotel – M Nikic – is niceClearly the new Hilton is going to be no architectural masterpiecePodgorica makes no claims to be anything other than a working city – an administrative centre – it knows it is no tourist-trap – but residents of Basildon, Maidenhead, Plymouth & Swindon will feel right at home hereIn most places this would be considered ironicSimple but effective – the lights change colour and so the water does – I could watch this for hours. I like Podgorica, a nice simple city. Even though it is not rich, it is friendly & open…The Capital Plaza: still under construction here – it opened in October 2015
Monuments:
Monument to St. Petar of Cetinje (1747-1830). In 1781 he became Metropolitan of Montenegro, later becoming the secular leader of the Montenegrin Serbs. For the rest of his life he devoted himself to promoting peace and unity among warring tribes and clans, and to helping his people rise above petty quarrels and animosity at a difficult time in their history. He also defended his nation against Napoleon’s army at Dalmatia, and took part in the first Serbian uprising against the Turks…Bust of General Vasos Mavrovouniotis (1797-1847) – he played a leading role in the war of independence against the Ottoman Empire…The monument to Alexander Pushkin and Natalia GoncharovaRemains of the 18th century Clock Tower in Bećir Beg Osmanagić Square.
Fashion Parade:
Quite the strangest window display – but, frankly – in keeping with most window displays here – it’s like going back to the early 60’s
Churches:
The beautiful Cathedral of the ResurrectionSimply stunning inside – beautifully decoratedSweet little mosqueAstonishingly ugly church
The River Morača:
The ferocious, tumultuous River Morača – water is clear, thoughIt’s not very deep but it probably rises during floods
Gradsko Groblje Čepurci Cemetery:
The hotel receptionist was a bit alarmed when I said I wanted to visit the cemeteryLots of Cypress trees all around the city – not just here in the čepurci gradsko groblje
Gorica Park:
War memorial in the park – a memorial to the partisansChurch of St Djordje – St George – a sweet little chapel by the entrance to the park
Beer Time:
Brewed by the Trebjesa Brewery, Nikšičko is the number one beer in Montenegro. The brewery is owned by Molson Coors…Lav – brewed by Carlsberg in Serbia – the choice of beer in Podgorica is fairly limited – Carlsberg & Tuborg everywhere as well as Nikšićko
