It’s the simple moments that make travel so enjoyable.
One of our joys is observing people from different countries, how they live their lives and what makes their lives different from ours. When the opportunity arises, we engage to ask questions and reciprocate when they enquire about our lives at home. There is nothing more pleasurable than staying in neighbourhoods, enjoying a cup of coffee with the locals and dining at the local restaurants for the authentic experience.
We also love walking through the local markets to observe neighbours catching up with each other as they do their daily shopping. And, we take notice of families in their neighbourhoods, individuals sitting on their doorsteps watching passers-by like us or gossiping with neighbours who stop to stay “hello”.
One of the highlights of our travels is coming across a wedding celebration on our strolls around town. We often come across happy gatherings while wandering through backstreets, or as occurred in Rome, find guests who unwittingly assist us in finding what we had set out to see.
Guests gather for a wedding in Rome
There was the pleasure and honour in being invited to be part of a simple and happy wedding celebration in a back alley in Istanbul as we walked back to our hotel after doing a little last minute shopping. We’ve stood with other tourists outside the Basilica we were about to enter in the Tuscan town of Arezzo to watch a bride arrive at her wedding on the back of a Vespa and experienced the simple happiness of families as they gather to toast happy couples as they emerge one after the other from the Registry Office at the town hall in Nuremberg. The highest privilege of all is when the happy couple takes time away from their festivities to pose of our camera. There have been many such occasions.
Our daring Italian bride made an entrance arriving on the back of a Vespa
A happy couple releasing doves outside the Nuremberg Registry Office in the city’s main square, Hauptmarkt
We are looking forward to sharing some of our favourite shots taken over the years in the coming weeks on our social media pages. Join us for “Wedding Wednesdays” by following on our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram, or click on the links on the right-hand side of this post).
We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy reminiscing as we share.
Stylish Parisian newlyweds posing in front of the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel by the Jardin des Tuileries
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Our riverboat docked in the dead of night, only a short loud burst of Egyptian voices announcing our arrival.
Drawing back the curtains for his first glimpse of Edfu when we awaken, He is greeted with a view inside the cabin of another ship’s cabin!
It is not until we go up to the top deck that we see that our riverboat is sandwiched between two others and many others are docked up and downstream in a similar fashion.
Edfu is chaotic in the mornings. For a short two hours, business is booming as tourists like us from up to 100 riverboats flood the town.
Horse and carriage drivers and motorised rickshaw operators crowd the roads hustling for business, older men ply the docks selling water or cigarettes, and young unkempt boys work the crowds selling string bracelets and knick-knacks. They should be in school.
Horse and carriage drivers ready to take visitors to Edfu temple
The carriage drivers are doing a roaring trade as tourists fresh off the boat indulge in the novelty. Four of our fellow travellers board the last available carriage. Some trepidation while we remaining four take the less popular mode of transport, the auto rickshaw.
Our rickshaw driver darts in and out, maneuvring between other rickshaws, horse carriages and cars on the road while we take in the scenes of daily life playing around us.
The Temple of Edfu is not far and we arrive into the mayhem of passengers from up to 100 riverboats scrambling to enter the temple complex combined with running a gauntlet of market stalls and their owners (all selling similar products) conveniently placed at the entrance.
We’ve all learnt over the past few days that if you don’t wish to purchase anything the best way to not be harassed is to keep your head down on the way through. Do not make eye contact! If you slow down to admire an item or show any interest at all it is an indication that you are ready to buy. There is the alternative, as He often does and that is, point to another in your travel group and say they are interested.
We successfully run the gauntlet and after some pushing and shoving at the ticket gate (most tourists are from the civilised world), we enter. The remains of the Temple indicate that it was a masterpiece of Egyptian architecture and archaeological expertise.
The temple, sacred to God Horus, the falcon god dating back to 237BC was buried under sand and silt for 2000 years. It is the largest and best preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt.
Two granite statues of the falcon god flank the entrance to a courtyard of colonnades leading further into a chapel and surrounding rooms dedicated to gods. The striking feature is that all the walls of the complex are heavily etched and inscribed with myths. Little of the colour that would have ornamented the drawings remain and we can only imagine the magnificence of what was.
Edfu temple courtyard
A couple of hours later and we are ready to run the gauntlet again. Vendors accost us again as we leave trying to sell their trinkets, scarves and replicas. Our guide tells us to keep walking. Exiting the complex we are back in the street melee to try and find our transport back to the boat.
Safely back on board, we reflect on our visit. He and his fellow travel mate have come up with a business plan. With alcohol onboard our riverboat four times the price offshore, they maintain that Edfu’s economy will benefit greatly by selling alcohol at the docks and in front of the main attractions.
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Florence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the epitome of elegance and charm. The city draws visitors from far and wide to appreciate Italian renaissance including stunning architecture, artistic masterpieces and culture.
Florence is entitled to more than one visit!
We had been to Florence before and were drawn back for a longer and closer look into the hidden nooks and crannies of this enchanting city.
Of course, we revisited old haunts, ambled across Ponte Vecchio, admired the Duomo, strolled around the Piazza della Signoria to admire the replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David and walked up to Piazzale Michelangelo to another replica of David cast in bronze overlooking the city. We savoured the amazing view and lost ourselves in the Botanical Garden and the streets winding our way back to the city.
View from winding paths of the Botanical Gardens in Florence
The bronze cast of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, Statue of David in Piazzale Michelangelo
Included on our list for this visit was a place where fewer tourists visit.
Being a pharmacist in His past life, we often step inside pharmacies on our travels out of curiosity.
In Florence, He was particularly keen to visit a pharmacy we had read about, the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy.
Possibly one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, we felt we were stepping back in time and experiencing a taste of a modern day perfumery in one. It’s easy to miss the entrance to the pharmacy which is a relatively inconspicuous doorway adjacent to the Basilica Santa Maria Novella.
The pharmacy has a long history explained at intervals through the building. The pharmacy dates back to 1221 after the Dominican monks from the Basilica gained a reputation for the medicines and balms they made from the herbs they grew onsite and used in their hospital.
Today, it is described as more of a museum than a pharmacy. Visitors like us wander in to admire the beautifully restored frescoes which adorn the walls and ceilings as much as the old jars and containers that line the walls and purchase the unique elixirs, perfumes and soaps which are now made in a much larger facility off-site.
Some of the beautiful rooms inside the pharmacy and perfumery
Whether you intend to purchase or not, it is worth a detour to smell the aromas and perfumes and enjoy the sculptures, paintings and frescoes inside this unique piece of living history before
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We have a spare day in Dubrovnik. We could take a ferry ride to visit the charming islands off the coast. Alternatively, we could spend the day exploring Montenegro’s natural beauty away from the summer crowd. Kotor is less than 100 km away! We decided to take what turned out to be an exhilarating day trip to Kotor in Montenegro!
Still relatively untouched by mass tourism, this little country has a lot to offer. It is the ideal place to experience a mix of history and natural beauty.
Kotor port and marina
Rather than rushing from one town to another, we idle away a few hours in Kotor. We walk along the city walls and then through the labyrinth of streets. We wander in and out of squares admiring the baroque churches and locals.
Our Dubrovnik host suggested leaving early. Doing so avoids long queues at the Croatian border when Montenegrins and Croatians travel. At times the wait can be two hours or more. The evening wait time can sometimes be longer!
We stop for lunch at a small cafe in a quiet square in the Kotor’s Old City and were lucky to chance upon an informative cafe owner. While discussing our apprehension, he suggests we make our return trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina. He often takes this route. He reassures us the journey is scenic. The travel time will be the same so we jump at the opportunity to have a taste of driving through the countryside. Of course, the idea of avoiding languishing in a long queue also helps us make the decision.
With instructions on where to turn off the main road, we set both GPS devices with the details (our lease car’s GPS is more than adequate, however, we also take our trusty TomTom GPS unit with us too when we travel – just in case!).
Both GPS devices instruct us to turn off the road just out of Kotor onto a quiet little backroad which soon turns into a country lane and then into a goat track. We wave down a decrepit ute driving past us in the opposite direction to make sure we were on the right path. He can’t speak English but he waves us on indicating we are going the right way.
We drive on expecting the road to improve and join a major arterial road. To our horror, the road narrows further as climb uphill on this vertiginous track with nowhere to safely turn back. There is no option but to crawl forward at times reaching 20km/hour. Not to mention the 30 or so hairpin bends we encounter over this hair-raising drive with sheer mountain drops (and stunning views). However, we are intent on staying on the track and don’t dare take our eyes off the road until we reach the top where we came across two hikers taking a relaxed hike along the road. These are the only humans we have seen since the man in the ute. A little further on, join the road we are actually supposed to have been travelling on.
The bypass is so new that it didn’t feature on either GPS units.
We are fortunate. He is an accomplished driver and contains his racing driver spirit until we arrive on the highway to continue a most enjoyable time through the Bosnia and Herzegovinian countryside surrounded by rolling hills, through green valleys alongside gently flowing streams and creeks and quaint towns arriving back in Dubrovnik without incident.
Fantastic views of the bay and Adriatic Coast at the Bosnia and Herzegovina border
Visiting Dubrovnik and have a day to spare? Do yourself a favour and visit Kotor. Read about how to spend a day in Kotor, Montenegro on a day trip from Dubrovnik. Or even better, stay for a day or two to savour its unspoilt beauty and explore further afield.
Nestled between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kotor is picturesque and historic and an easy day trip from Dubrovnik. It’s a great way to escape the crowded Dubrovnik Old Town when cruise ships are in port.
Travelling between Croatia and Montenegro
We travelled by car between the two countries. It’s a comfortable two-hour drive each way on the highway, and remember to travel with your passport.
Croatian border security is tight, with long queues in the summer months. We left early to avoid the long queues at border control. We were lucky; it took only an hour to pass through.
The stunning Bay of Kotor
We drove past busy seaside towns and tourist parks before the road tapered into the Bay of Kotor. What a sight to greet us!
The Bay of Kotor
The mountain scenery toward Kotor took our breath away. We had to photograph the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks on a small islet in the bay. The camera came out.
There are numerous photo opportunities and viewpoints on the road hugging the coastline. Be prepared to take your time driving around the Bay!
Our Lady of the Rocks sitting in the Bay of Kotor
Kotor is becoming a major tourist attraction, and traffic can be heavy if you’re arriving by car. A parking area is conveniently located on the waterfront, just a short walk from the old city.
Things to do in Kotor
Kotor Fortress
Walk to the entrance gate and look for the 13th- and 14th-century Venetian Kampana Tower and Citadel that protected the city.
Walk along the Kotor City Walls
A walk along the walls of the fortified old town, Stari Grad, gives you orientation, views of the bay and the walls stretching up the mountainside above.
Meander Stari Grad’s streets, squares and alleyways
After walking the walls, venture into the maze of streets and alleyways. You’ll meander in and out of squares, and plenty of little stores and cafes will distract you along the way.
You’ll also see lots of signs of daily life, like laundry hanging over the streets.
Keep an eye out for some of the city’s landmarks too.
Kotor Clock Tower
The Kotor Clock Tower is one of Stari Grad’s most notable landmarks. You’ll find it in the main square as you enter the West Gate. The original tower, built in 1602, survived the 1667 earthquake but was severely damaged in the 1979 earthquake. The reconstructed version is the one you’ll see today.
The historic Clock Tower in the main square, Kotor
Church of St Luke
Built in 1195, this small Serbian Orthodox Church gives visitors a real feel of the intimacy of Kotor’s Stari Grad.
The quaint Church of St Luke
St Nicholas’ Church
Built on the site of an abandoned Dominican Monastery in the early 20th century, the Church of St Nicholas is a Serbian Orthodox church and one of the city’s main churches.
The Cathedral of St Nicholas is one of the major churches in Kotor
Have some lunch and people-watch
We picked a little cafe (Hoste Apertivo and Bokeria) tucked in a quiet corner of a small square for a light lunch before driving back to Dubrovnik. The cafe owner, well-versed in the queues at Croatian border controls, suggested we take the opportunity to enjoy a more pleasant drive through Bosnia and Herzegovina for our return journey, assuring us that the border crossing would be less busy. The travel time would be the same, and instead of waiting an hour or two at the Montenegro/Croatian border, we would have a chance to pass through another Balkan country and the beautiful countryside this part of the world has to offer.
This quiet little square was the perfect spot to enjoy lunch and people-watch.
Hike up to Kotor Fortress
Sitting high above Stari Grad is Kotor Fortress/San Giovanni Castle. For a fee, you can hike the official path to the Fortress, where you’ll be treated to expansive views over the Bay.
Our conclusion
We recommend a day visit to Kotor if you have a free day in Dubrovnik. For the best experience, check to ensure your visit doesn’t coincide with a cruise ship docking in Kotor’s port.
The landscape is ever-changing, from craggy mountain roads to idyllic country lanes alongside springs and rivers, and the views are striking, as are the breathtaking views of the Bay of Kotor and beyond.
On the return journey, we there was a small queue at the border; however, we had wonderful views to enjoy while we waited.
If you have time
Our Dubrovnik host also recommended visiting Budva, another medieval town on the Adriatic coast, if we had the time. We instead decided to spend an unhurried day in Kotor and its surroundings.
We’ve saved Budva and its Riviera for another visit to this stunning little country. We’ll also include a return visit to Kotor; there’s much more to see and do in this beautiful little city.
In case you’re interested
We took the driving route recommended by the proprietor of our lunch venue for our return journey to Dubrovnik, which we have had the pleasure of visiting twice. Read about our recommendations through the links below.
