Midlife Hobos

Part One

The bus from Herceg Novi to Budva takes 45 minutes, driving straight onto a ferry to cross the Bay of Kotor (a quick 5-10 minute trip). There were a lot of roadworks on the way, making for a bumpy ride. Back in NZ, they’d leave one lane open so traffic could keep flowing, but here? Nope, the whole road was being torn up at once. We also noticed so many derelict buildings along the way again.

Bečići itself is a calm, family-friendly coastal settlement connected to the busier Budva municipality by a seaside promenade that cuts through a pedestrian tunnel. It has a small permanent population of just under 1,000 residents, though as a premier tourist resort, that explodes in the summer. Right now, there are apartment buildings and hotels being constructed everywhere along the 2km sandy beach.

Our Airbnb was the nicest we’ve had yet. It was in a great building, up a very steep hill, of course! We had sea views and a sun-trap balcony. We usually left the big sliding doors wide open, listening to the spillway waterfalls in the swimming pool and watching the different colored sunsets each night. The complex also had a traditional sauna, jacuzzi, and gym. After several months of irregular calisthenics and the occasional outdoor gym, we were back to working out most days. The apartment was almost as big as our apartment back home, with a spacious kitchen bench, lots of cupboards, and a huge wardrobe in the bedroom. Unpacking, it really felt like we were moving in.

The minor cons: no potato masher, no flipping spatula, no peeler, and no toaster (even though there was one in the pictures). The range hood just vented into… a hole in the cupboard, so it didn’t function at all. And, as usual, the non-stick pan was so scratched, it was unsafe to use. Plus, only one tea towel!

Yet again, we had a steep road to climb to get to our accommodation (the price you pay for the view). The  annoying part is the lack of footpaths,  like in Herceg Novi. You’re sharing a narrow road with cars, and there’s barely room for one vehicle. When two cars meet going in opposite directions, it’s a bit “yikes.” Add in drivers looking at their phones, children (or dogs) on their laps and the walk is a bit of a challenge until you get past the main road and walk along the beach. Then it’s bliss.

For groceries, we’d usually walk down to the “big” supermarket. It was the best one we’ve had near us so far, but it came with its Balkan quirks. They don’t sell cream, and you have to check the cheese ingredients because many are packed with vegetable oil and additives! Same with the butter. (The pure butter here is white because the cows are fed grain, hay, or soy rather than fresh green pasture). They also keep their tomatoes (and eggs) in the fridge, so they end up mushy and tasteless.

If we needed something on a Sunday when everything else was closed, there was a little dairy a four minute walk down the hill. Without fail, there were always several men standing around the ice cream freezer out front, drinking beer from very early in the day, always accompanied by a white cat. Speaking of animals, I think there might be even more stray cats here than in Herceg Novi! We had a welcoming crew of three friendly dogs and several cats at the Airbnb. One of the dogs would even take himself down to the beach and hang out with everyone.

We walked down to Bečići beach almost every day, and these are the food places we returned to several times:

• Oda Georgian Restaurant: One of our go-to dishes was the Adjarian Khachapuri, which is as much an experience as it is a meal. This boat-shaped bread arrives piping hot, filled with a molten pool of melted cheeses. A knob of butter sits on top, along with a raw egg. The waitress vigorously stirs the egg, butter, and cheese together while the dish is steaming. The heat from the cheese and bread “cooks” the egg yolk, creating a rich, creamy, velvety sauce.
• GODO Gelato: A regular treat. They pour chocolate right into the cone and even dip the little waffle circle they place on top into chocolate, too.
• Dolce Cafe (Rafailovići Beach): Further along the beach, we found this gem serving potato waffles (a first for me!). They were crispy and served with a mushroom sauce, rocket, and grated parmesan,  caramel brownie on a stick, and the nicest cinnamon scroll Sean has ever had. We haven’t tasted anything like it since Prague.

Part 2 to come very soon!