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Baffling Balkans 3 – Montenegro

Montenegro is another that is nowadays a member of NATO, the WTO and queuing up to get into the EU, yet in a referendum in 1992 it voted overwhelmingly to be part of the envisaged Greater Serbia. And the population is 29% Serb, 45% Montenegrins. Apparently the numbers fluctuate wildly between censuses depending on how people are perceiving themselves. Anyway it declared independence from Serbia after a referendum in 2006 and so it remains. Its relations with Serbia are not as hostile as those the other former Yugoslav States have with the Ultra Nationalists – even though Montenegro recognises Kosovo as independent of Serbia.

We have ridden in from Bosnia and are sticking to the far east of the country along the border with Serbia, before we then move into Kosovo. Last time we were riding the Balkans we got turned away at the Kosovo border by the UN and were pushed up into Serbia. We’re determined this time to get into that 7th self-declared independent State to come out of the former Yugoslavia.

Montenegro though? Come and see it – the mountains, the gorges, the high plains. Totally a great bike ride – the Tara gorge is rafting, kayaking, motorcycling heaven. And as for the ride across the top of the country – Durmitor National Park – well even the pictures can’t do it justice.

 

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