Zabljak, Montenegro – 291 km

We left Mostar at around 9 am this morning under high cloud, but relatively warm temperatures.  Our first stop was at Stolac where there is a graveyard from medieval times. The limestone tombstones are remarkably well preserved.

On the road - flag is getting a little tattered.

Our next stop was an unexpected one at Medjugorje as there was a pilgrimage going on! In 1981 (according to six teenagers) Mother Mary, introducing herself as the Queen of Peace, appeared to them at this site. To date 15 million people have visited. Traffic was snarled and there were police everywhere. There were people parking on the side of the road, up any bit of grass they could get to and as far as you could see. There were also numerous buses. The guy in the car ahead of us abruptly stopped and started shaking pilgrim’s hands until the police shooed him along.

Bullet holes in war hero statue

Shortly before noon we crossed through customs. Once again, 2 stops – one to exit Bosnia another to enter Montenegro. There were stray dogs hanging around the border looking for handouts from the stopped vehicles.  Maybe that is where border collies came from. The crossing was uneventful though there was quite a line up in each direction we think as a consequence of the pilgrimage.

Very soon after the crossing we stopped for lunch. Matje, our guide left us at that point to fly to Australia to promote his tour company at a big Australian motorcycle rally. Lunch consisted of bean soup and veal soup – very good.  Cynthia ordered a mixed green salad, something you would think would come fairly easy. We waited and waited after everyone

had their lunch and after Tomas asked again they brought it out. What she got was some pickles and red peppers. Tomaz was rather embarrassed (his English is not as good as Matje’s). We all had a good laugh.

Montenegro means “Black Mountains”. And we found some of them today. Another workout for Doug negotiating the hills and tight curves but at least most of the pavement surface was in better shape. We had been warned to watch for sheep, cows, gravel, long dark tunnels and police and we saw it all!

We are in a ski resort, sort of like Whistler but on a much smaller scale. The hotel is very nice. We have a suite with cooking facilities, not that we are going to use them. We are hoping to do some laundry. As Primoz told us the other day, for the cost if you get the resort to do it you might as well just go buy new stuff. We will see. It may consist of laundry in the sink.

Later - that is what Norma just did! Also there are more pics but the internet is very slow here.

Tomorrow is a non-riding day.