<center>
*Negdje po putu između Zatona doli i Dubrovnika, stao sam da se okupam. // Somewhere on the road to from Zaton doli to Dubrovnik, I stopped to have a bath.*
</center>
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### CRO:
## Uvod
Dugo već nisam pisao o putovanjima, a već 3 godine je prošlo od mog posljednjeg dalekog i dugog putovanja od rodne Opatije do Sofije u Bugarskoj.
Te sam 2016. godine zapravo htio posjetiti Grčku i držati se obale mora i proći Dalmaciju, Crnu goru, Albaniju i Grčku i skoro se istim putem i vraćati, ali, kako to često biva, planovi se mijenjaju u toku, a promjena je jedina konstanta!
Tako sam se možda i predugo zadržao na Pagu i u Splitu gdje mi je tako lijepo bilo da nisam mogao otići, a kada sam se vraćao s Korčule na kopno i zaputio prema Dubrovniku, već je bio početak mjeseca rujna, a ja nisam još bio napustio Hrvatsku i tada sam shvatio da mi je možda bilo i odviše kasno da idem za Grčku jer sam zarađivao od svirke na ulici, a turistička sezona bližila se kraju te sam zaključio da bih možda manje zarađivao bez silnih turista na ulicama mnogih primorskih gradova...
Tada sam se sjetio moje simpatije iz Bugarske. Jedne predivne djevojke s kojom sam doživio nekakvo romantično iskustvo platonske ljubavi i koja mi je čitavo vrijeme bila u srcu i na umu iako se nismo vidjeli od Nove godine 2016. koju smo proveli zajedno u Beogradu.
## O Bugarskoj...
O Bugarskoj sam maštao godinama sve dok se 2015. godine moji snovi nisu ostvarili! Tada sam se prijavio na EVS projekt u zadnji čas jer već sam imao 30 godina, a ta je dob viša granica do koje se ljudi primaju na EVS projekte, tj. stariji od 30 godina ne mogu više sudjelovati na EVS projektima.
U studenom i prosincu 2015. Godine volontirao sam na EVS projektu „In The Palace“ i boravio u Sofiji u Bugarskoj mjesec i pol dana. Živio sam s 80 mladih volontera iz 11 europskih zemalja. Bilo je predobro! Nevjerojatno dobro! Nas 80 i više radili smo na produkciji međunarodnog festivala kratkometražnog filma – „In The Palace“. U tom sam periodu uspio upoznati mnoge divne ljude sa svih strana Europe i surađivati s njima vrlo uspješno, naučiti neke osnove bugarskog jezika i još k tome se zaljubiti! Bilo je to vrlo intenzivno razdoblje! Tada sam kupio i počeo svirati i *tapan*, a možete samo zamisliti kako je bilo živjeti s 80 mladih ljudi u samom centru Sofije mjesec i pol dana! Svaki dan fešta! Ali nećemo sad o tome. Vratimo se u ljeto 2016. godine kada sam se opet zaputio ka Sofiji u Bugarskoj, točnije, najdivnijoj Bugarki u mom životu...
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### ENG:
## Intro
For some time now I haven't been writing about my travels. 3 years have passed since my last long & far away trip from my hometown Opatija, Croatia to Sofia, Bulgaria.
In 2016 I actually wanted to visit Greece & reach it travelling slowly along the seaside, passing Dalmatia, Monte negro, Albania & Greece & to return back almost the same way, but, as it usually happens, the plans change while the time passes by & the change is the only constant!
So, I probably stayed for too long in Pag & Split, where I felt so good that I simply couldn't leave, & when I was returning from Korčula with the course towards Dubrovnik, it was already the beginning of September, & I didn't yet exit Croatia. Then I realized that maybe it was already too late to go to Greece cause I was earning out of playing music in the street & the tourist season was coming to an end so I concluded that I would make much less money without all of the numerous tourists in the streets of many maritime cities...
I remembered my lovely Bulgarian girl. One beautiful girl with whom I've experienced some kind of romantic Platonic love & who was in my heart & in my mind for the whole time even thou we haven't seen each other since the New Year 2016 which we spent together in Belgrade, Serbia.
## About Going To Bulgaria...
About going ti Bulgaria, I was fantasizing for years since my wishes came through in the year 2015! In that time I applied for the EVS project in the last minute cause I was already 30 years old & that age is the upper age limit till which people can apply for the EVS projects. Those older than 30, cannot apply & participate in the EVS projects.
In November & December 2015 I volunteered on the EVS project called "In The Palace" & I lived in Sofia, Bulgaria for a month & a half. I lived with the 80 young volunteers from 11 different European countries. It was too good! Unbelievably good! The 80 & more of us worked in the production of the international short film festival - "In The Palace". In that period I met many incredible people from many different parts of Europe & collaborated very successfully with them, I learnt some basic of Bulgarian & fell in love too! It was an intensive period! In that time I bought & started playing tapan, & you can only imagine how it was - living with the 80 young people in the very center of Sofia for one month & a half! Every day party! But I'm not gonna write about that now. Lets go back in the summer of 2016 when I again directed myself towards Sofia, Bulgaria, more precisely, towards my most wonderful Bulgarian girl...
</div>
<center>
*Skoro pa svi volonteri na EVS-u u Bugarskoj. // Almost all the volunteers on the EVS in Bulgaria.*
</center>
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## Od Korčule do Zatona malog
Svašta mi se još dogodilo na putu ka cilju: Čim sam se iskrcao na kopno poluotoka Pelješca, ogladnio sam i pronašao majušni restorančić s gotovo svom vegetarijanskom hranom, a sva je bila domaća i s ljubavlju pripremljena, i tamo potrošio malo vremena i novaca, ali sam se svakako izuzetno dobro najeo i čavrljao s vrlo ugodnim osobljem i vlasnicom. Ne mogu se više sjetiti što sam točno jeo, ali opet bih tamo išao i svakome bih preporučio to mjesto! Zove se vrlo jednostavno dalmatinskim narječjem – „Kužina“ – i imaju dva objekta, jedan na donjoj cesti u centru Orebića, bliže moru i drugi, na gornjoj cesti koja vas odvodi iz Orebića.
Nakon što sam napunio baterije, sjeo sam u Twinga i zaputio se dalje prema Dubrovniku. Polako sam prolazio taj ogromni poluotok i negdje oko Malog stona iz automobila koji se vozio iza mene signalizirali su mi da se zaustavim, što sam i učinio, a tad su me upozorili da mi curi „nešto“ iz Twinga u vožnji. Zaključili smo da bi to mogao biti benzin i da je preopasno tako se voziti pa sam stao kod prvog automehaničara u Zatonu doli i povjerio mu moje nedaće. Kod njega je bila ogromna gužva i mogao me je primiti tek sutradan pa sam ostavio Twinga u njegovom dvorištu, uzeo hranu, vodu, alate za održavanje osobne higijene te opremu za spavanje i zaputio se pješice prema moru prvom bijelom cestom koja je vodila u tom smjeru, pronašao neki mirni maslinik tik uz more i tu se utaborio do sutra. Noć je bila tiha i mirna, a Nebo zvjezdano. Duboko sam spavao.
Jutro je bilo hladno i vlažno. Kada spavaš ovako ispod zvijezda, budi te Sunce u zoru, a ponekad i jutarnja hladnoća. No, ne smije te to smesti! Ustaneš se, opereš zube i skočiš u more da se opereš! Poslije kuhaš kavu ili čaj na plinskom kuhalu i doručkuješ.
Kupanje u Pelješkom zaljevu baš i nije neko naročito iskustvo. Gotovo da i nema morskih struja pa je samo more nalik na veliko jezero koje je preplitko i čije je dno prekriveno ljušturama školjkaša, kamenčićima, pijeskom i raznim vrstama morskih ježinaca pa moraš biti stalno na oprezu da si ne izrežeš tabane ili ih ne izbodeš. Međutim, tad sam vidio najmanju sipu koju sam ikad vidio da pliva u moru. U tišini tog dalmatinskog hladnog, jutra, dok Sunce još nije zagrijalo, bez morskih struja i bez daška vjetra, morska površina bila je nategnuta kao staklo i mogao sam razaznati sve komadiće koji su prekrivali dno, mogao sam gledati vlastita stopala kako bešumno udaraju u pjeskovito dno pomno birajući gdje će se spustiti, a dižući pijesak pri svakom udaru izazivajući svojevrsnu podvodnu mikro pješčanu oluju... Negdje usred tog gacanja, ugledao sam izuzetno majušnu sipicu, zapravo najmanju koju sam ikad ugledao živu kako pliva. Kada me je spazila, užurbano se je ukopala u pijesak iz kojeg su joj virile samo oči. Na momente sam je uspijevao gubiti iz vida jer je bila izuzetno malena, ali onda sam je opet iznova pronalazio. Nisam htio čekati da ona nešto poduzme pa sam ja prije nje! Polako sam primaknuo stopalo prema njoj u iščekivanju se veseleći bilo kakvoj njenoj reakciji... I dobio sam je! Kada sam suviše blizu primaknuo nožne prste, ispalila se je kao metak i iščezla u dubljem moru. Bila je manja od mog nožnog palca.
Izašao sam iz mora, posušio se, skuhao i popio čaj, doručkovao, razmontirao „tabor“ i zaputio se prema automehaničaru. Tad je Sunce već počelo dobrano grijati i dok sam se uspinjao onistom bijelom cestom prema automehaničaru, bio sam se lagano i oznojio.
Mehaničari su već radili na kvarovima hrpe automobila koji su čekali na svoj red u radioni. Ja sam sjeo na kavu u kafić odmah iznad radione i čekao da i Twingo dođe na red za pregled i popravak. Prošlo je još neko vrijeme do toga. Sumnjao sam na najgore – probijeni spremnik benzina, ali na moju sreću, nije bilo tako! Dignuli su auto na dizalicu – nije bilo nikakvih tragova oštećenja, ali benzin je ipak odnekud kapao i čitava kabina je smrdjela po njemu. I tad sam se sjetio Paga i mijenjanja pumpe za gorivo koja se nalazila u samom spremniku i Caneta koji mi je rekao: „Ako ti bude smrdio benzin u kabini, samo bolje začepi spremnik i trebalo bi biti OK!“, što sam prepričao mehaničarima. Isto su oni i učinili. Znači, nije bilo nikakvog kvara na Twingu! Samo nismo dobro začepili spremnik.
Uredno sam platio „popravak“ i zamolio glavnog mehaničara i vlasnika radione da mi da kontakt od nekog njegovog pouzdanog kolege u Crnoj gori u slučaju da Twingo zakaže i dao mi je podatke od jednog takvog pa sam se zaputio dalje prema jugoistoku. Slijedeća postaja bila je Dubrovnik, ali voziti se Jadranskom magistralom također je bilo posebno iskustvo. Dan je bio iznimno Sunčan, ali ne prevruć. S moje lijeve strane većinom je bio goli krš, a s desne se odsjaj Sunca blijeskao na površini Jadranskog mora ispresijecanog mnogobrojnim otocima, što bližim, a što udaljenijim od kopna. Prolazio sam i kroz razna malena primorska turističko – ribarska naselja, a posebno me se dojmilo Trsteno u kojemu su se nalazila 2 ogromna stabla. Baš divovska! I morao sam se zaustaviti! Fasciniralo me je kako su uspjela izrasti toliko golema u tom siromašnom i surovom krajoliku, ali valjda su se poklopili nekakvi mikroklimatski uvjeti podebljani s ljudskom ljubavlju onih koji su ih posadili, kao i onih, poput mene, koji su se zaustavljali da se dive ili grle s tim mirnim, spokojnim i nekako nježnim gorostasima. Kao što vidite na fotkama, promjer debljine debla jednog od njih bio je veći od dužine Twinga, a jednu su mu granu poduprli neki dobri ljudi da ne bi pukla od težine. Pitao sam se koliko bi mogla ljudskih godina imati ova bića, ali nisam mogao ustvrditi no vjerujem da sigurno postoje negdje takvi podaci!
</div>
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## From Korčula To Zaton mali
A lot happened on the way: When I came back from the island Korčula, on the land of the peninsula Pelješac, I got hungry & found a small restaurant with almost all vegetarian food, but most certainly domestic & prepared with love, & I spent some time & money there & pleased my appetite while chatting with the pleasant personnel & the owner. I can't remember what did I exactly eat, but I would visit that place again & propose it to everyone! It's called by a very simple Dalmatian dialect - "Kužina" (which means "kitchen") - & they have two restaurants, one on the lower road in the center of Orebić, closer to the sea, & the other one is on the upper road which leads away from Orebić.
When I recharged my batteries, I sat in my Twingo & set off towards Dubrovnik. I was slowly passing the huge peninsula & somewhere neat Mali ston, from the car which was following me I was signalized to stop, what I did & they warned me of something leaking from Twingo while I was driving. We concluded that it was gas & that is too dangerous to continue driving like that so I stopped at the first mechanic in Zaton doli & entrusted him my trouble. His workshop was full & he could start working on my car only tomorrow, so I left the car there, took the food, water, tools for the personal hygiene & the equipment for sleeping & started heading on foot towards the sea by the first dirt road leading in this direction, found some quiet olive yard near the sea & encamped myself there till tomorrow. The night was quiet & tranquil, & the Sky was starry. I slept deeply.
The morning was cold & humid. When one sleeps like this - under the stars, the Sun wakes one up in dawn, but sometimes also the morning coldness. You must not let it confounds you! You simply get up, wash your teeth & jump into the sea to wash yourself! Later you prepare coffee or tea on the gas stove & eat breakfast.
Bathing in the Pelješac bay is not something memorable. There are almost no sea currents so the sea is more like a lake which is too shallow & the bottom is covered with the shells of seashells, stones, sand & various species of urchins so you need to be constantly careful of not cutting or stabbing your feet. However, it was the moment when I saw the smallest cuttlefish I have ever seen swimming in the sea. U quietness of the of that cold Dalmatian morning, while the Sun hasn't yet heated the day, without sea currents & without a single blow of wind, the sea surface was taut like a glass & I could see every single particle which covered the bottom, I could see my own feet how soundlessly hit the sandy bottom, carefully choosing where to land, lifting the sand with every hit & forming a micro underwater sand storms... In between all these stepping, I noticed a teeny tiny little cuttlefish, the smallest I've ever seen lively swimming. When she noticed me, quickly she covered herself with the sand so that only her eyes peeped out from the sand. In moments I was loosing sight of her cause she was so tiny, but than I was finding her again & again. I didn't want to wait her next move so I did mine! I moved my foot slowly towards her thrillingly expecting her reaction... & I got one! When I came to close with my toes, she fired herself out with a bullet speed & disappeared in the deeper sea. She was smaller than my big toe.
I exited the sea, dried up & drank a tea, had breakfast, dismantled the camp & left towards the mechanic. The Sun had already started to warm up the day & while I was climbing up the dirt road, I was already sweating.
The mechanics were working on the bunch of cars piled up these days. I went for a coffee in the bar just above the workshop & waited for the repair of my Twingo. I waited for some time. I was preparing myself for the worse scenario - broken gas tank - but fortunately, it wasn't broken! The lifted up the car with the crane - there was no sign of damage, a but the gas still leaked from somewhere & the car interior was stinking on gas. & then it stroke me - in Pag we were changing the gas pipe in the tank & Cane told me: "If you smell gas in the cabin, just close the tank better & it should be OK!", what I told to the mechanics & what they did. So, there was no malfunction! Just the tank wasn't closed well enough.
I payed for their services & asked the chief mechanic for contacts of some of his colleagues who can be trusted in Monte negro & he informed me about some so I continue my journey towards the South-East. Next stop was Dubrovnik, but driving along the Adriatic highway was a special experience itself. The day was extremely Sunny but not too hot. To the left of me, were mostly bare rocks but from the right side the Sun reflections from sea surface were cut by the numerous island, some closer, some distant from the land. I was passing through the small maritime, tourist-fishermen settlements & was thrilled by one especially - called Trsteno - where two huge trees were growing. Really gigantic ones! I just had to stop! I was fascinated by their greatness & how they managed to grow so big in this poor & harsh environment, but I guess the microclimatic conditions supported with the human love of those who had planted them, as well as of those like me, who were stopping to admire & to hug with these peaceful, serene i somehow gentle giants. As you can see on the photos, radius of one of them is bigger than the length of my Twingo & one his branches was supported by some kind people so that wouldn't break under the weight. I was wondering how old could these two creature have, but I couldn't find the answer. Probably somewhere this data is known.
</div>
<center>
*Ovo je to golemo stablo kojemu sam se zaustavio diviti... // This is the huge tree I stopped to admire to...*
*Ovdje možete vidjeti poduprtu granu sa kamenim stupom. // Here you can see the branch supported with the stone column.*
*Ljudi i automobili su bili tako maleni pokraj ovog golemog bića-stabla! // The people & the cars were so tiny compared to the great tree creature!*
*Drugi brat / sestra... // The other borther / sister...*
</center>
<div class=pull-left>
## Dubrovnik
Napokon stigoh u Dubrovnik gdje sam planirao zastati barem na par sati jer sam posljednji i jedini put ovdje bio još davne 2007. Godine. Htjedoh i zasvirati negdje u Dubrovniku iako sam znao da su pravila za ulične performanse vrlo stroga u tom najskupljem hrvatskom gradu. Čisto da dobijete dojam o skupoći, znajte da je 1 h parkinga 40 kn (5,50 €) dok se u drugim gradovima kreće od cca 5 do 10 kn, a burek na Stradunu (glavna ulica u samom centru starog grada) stoji oko 35 kn (4,50 €), dok je u drugim gradovima cca 10-15 kn... Međutim, ako nešto mrzim onda je to naplata parkinga – to je jedna od najvećih prevara kapitalizma – a kako parking ne plaćam ni u jeftinijim gradovima, tako nisam namjeravao ni u Dubrovniku, ali znao sam da je grad prekrcan i da ću teško naći parkirno mjesto pa sam ugurao Twinga u neki prostor koji nije bio obilježen i predviđen za parkiranje... Ipak mi je još uvijek bilo sumnjivo i osjećao sam se nesigurno ostavljati Twinga tako, znajući kakve su prometne službe u mom rodnom gradu – Opatiji – i da su mi cca samo mjesec dana ranije u Zadru već jednom odnijeli auto pa sam čekao nekog prolaznika da ga priupitam koliki su manijaci dubrovački prometni redari i policija i dočekao: Prvi čovjek koji je naišao bio je baš pravi Dubrovčanin i upozorio me je da nikako ne ostavljam auto tako jer su službe nemilosrdne, ali mi je također objasnio gdje mogu parkirati besplatno, a da sam i dalje blizu centra. Predložio sam da ga odvezem doma jer je živio baš u blizini tog besplatnog parkinga tako da smo pomogli jedan drugome, a još mi je pokazao i lokalni *biker*-ski kafić gdje su cijene bile sasvim normalne i pristupačne.
Parkirao sam auto i spustio pješice s djembeom na leđima na Stradun. Iako je bilo kasno popodne, vrućina bila nesnosna, a gužva velika. Ali upravo je takva gužva bila dobar znak za obećavajuću zaradu ukoliko uspijem održati performans. Prvo sam se napio vode na najpoznatijoj fontani na sjevero-zapadnom kraju Straduna i napunio si bocu. Na toj fontani je vječno tekla voda, a baš je tamo neki starčić svirao gusle odjeven u tradicionalnu dubrovačku nošnju. Mislim da se taj stil glazbe zove „linđo“ na koji se pleše i istoimeni ples. Bilo bi to lijepo da frajer nije ponavljao 45 min identičnu melodiju i još k tome isprekidano – odsvirao bi 1:30 – 2:30 min i onda stao, zurio naokolo i čekao da mu ljudi ubace novce, a onda bi opet zasvirao oko 2 min i opet stao i tako 45 min. Užas! A ja sam ga pitao ako će još dugo jer sam znao da je na toj česmi baš najbolje mjesto za svirku! 2007. godine smo prijatelj i ja na toj fontani za samo pola sata zaradili oko 250 kn (cca 40 €)...
Kada sam konačno dočekao kraj njegove torture i spremio se da započnem sa svojom, odnekud se pojavio neki kip-pantomimičar i tvrdio da je to njegovo mjesto pa sam bio dodatno razočaran, ali svakako se nisam pokolebao ni odustao! Prošao sam kroz sjevero-zapadna vrata grada i prešao preko mosta ispod kojeg se nalazio park s narančama i mandarinama i svirao na autobusnoj stanici. Tamo sam zaradio nešto sitno jer je bilo vrlo bučno od prometa i nisam mogao izvoditi finese, a onda sam se premjestio unutar zidina vrativši se preko mosta i zaustavivši se u zavoju prije samog ulaska na Stradun točno ispod znaka „zabranjeno sviranje“i tamo svirao još nekih pola sata te zaradio još nešto sitno. Svi ti parametri sveukupno su me razočarali pa sam odlučio ipak krenuti put Crne gore... Shvatio sam da gubim vrijeme i da bih se radije što prije našao u društvu predivne Bugarke, a da do Sofije, gdje je živjela, imam još nekoliko stotina kilometara pa što prije krenem, prije ću stići!
## Podgorica, Crna gora
Taj dan sam vozio najduže dosad – od Stona do Podgorice u Crnoj gori. Nisam imao pojma gdje ću spavati tu noć, a u Podgoricu sam stigao oko ponoći i jedva pronašao hostel u kojem sam prenoćio. Čini mi se da sam platio samo 11 € za noćenje. To nisam požalio! Taj dan je bio jako naporan tako da mi je godio čisti, meki krevet, topli tuš i kuhinja u kojoj sam mogao skuhati topli obrok.
Fino sam se naspavao i jutrom odmah krenuo u razgledavanje glavnog grada Crne gore... Na izlasku iz hostela iz susjedne kuće pozdravio me je neki lik i pozvao na kavu / pivo / pljugu. Odmah sam dobio neki čudan osjećaj o njemu iako mi se činio izuzetno simpatičan i prijateljski nastrojen. Nisam odmah prihvatio poziv, ali obećao sam da ću mu se javiti prije nego li odem iz grada. Zaboravio sam mu ime, a spomenuo je da ima neke daleke rođake u Rijeci, u gradu koji se nalazi nedaleko mjesta u kojem ja živim.
Podgorica je nekako bila miran i čist grad, nekako tipičan južnoslavenski, kontinentalni grad u kojem se ipak osjećalo te južnjačke strasti i žustrine iako se sve odvijalo nekako usporeno. Inače, među narodima biše Jugoslavije postojala je šaljiva „predrasuda“ o izuzetnoj lijenosti Crnogoraca – smatralo ih se ljenijima od Dalmatinaca, a upravo je ta njihova narav „opjevana“ u mnogobrojnim vicevima. Kroz podgoricu teče rijeka Morača, a most iznad nje neopisivo me je i neodoljivo privlačio pa sam ga odlučio preći pješice i jedina fotografija koju sam napravio tijekom mog boravka u Podgorici, bila je napravljena baš na tom mostu:
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## Dubrovnik
Finally I reached Dubrovnik, where I planned to remain for at least few hours cause I had been here the last & the only time long ago - in the year 2007. I wanted to play music too even thou I knew that the rules for the street performances are pretty strict in this most expansive town in Croatia. Why the most expansive? 1 h of parking costs 40 kn (5,50 €) while in other cities is only 5 - 10 kn, burek in Stradun (main street in the center of the old town) is around 35 kn ( 4,50 €) while elsewhere costs 10 - 15 kn... If I hate anything in the world, it's paying for parking - it is one of the biggest fraud of capitalism - & as I do not pay for parking in neither in the cheaper towns, i didn't plan to pay any parking in Dubrovnik either, even thou I knew that city is overpopulated in that time of the year & that finding a free parking place will surely be a very difficult task, so I tucked Twingo in some space which wasn't marked nor provided for parking... Still, I was suspicious & felt uncertain to leave the car like this, knowing how vicious are the traffic services in my hometown - Opatija - & that maybe just a month earlier in Zadar my car was taken by the Zadar traffic services. I waited for some passenger to ask about the Dubrovnik traffic customs: The first guy who came up was domestic & warned me not to leave the car like that cause the traffic services are merciless, but he also explained where I can park for free & still be near the center. I proposed to drive him home cause he was living just in the very same street with the free parking & so we helped each other! He also showed me the local biker bar where the prices were normal & easily payable.
I finally parked the car & got down to the center - on Stradun - with the djembe on my back. Even thou it was late afternoon, the heat was unbearable & too many people in the streets. But this number of people suits well for the street performance! Firstly I drank some water from the most famous fountain in the North - West end of Stradun & filled a bottle. From that fountain, the water flowing always without stopping & right there was some older guy was playing fiddle dressed in the traditional Dubrovnik clothes. I think that music style is called "linđo", same as the traditional dance practiced to the music. It would be nice that the guy wasn't repeating the same melody over & over again for the 45 min but with cuts - he would play for 1,30 - 2,30 min & stopped, waiting for the people to throw some money in the hat, & then played again for 2 min, & then again stopped & like that for the 45 min. Awful! I asked him if he's gonna for long cause I planned to play exactly here on the fountain cause it's best place for the street performance! In 2007, a friend & I earned around 250 kn (approx 40 €) on that same place in just half an hour...
When I finally witnessed the end of his torture & prepared myself to begin "torturing" with my tunes, from somewhere appeared some live statue-pantomimist claiming his place. I was even more disappointed but I didn't gave up the idea nor left! I passed through the North-West city gates & passed over the bridge under which was the park with oranges & tangerines & stopped to play on the bus station. I earned a bit but it was noisy from the traffic so couldn't perform as fine as I wanted so I moved back over the bridge inside the old town walls & stopped in the curve before the very entrance on Stradun, right under the sign "performances forbidden" & I played there for half an hour & made some more money. All these happenings around got me even more disappointed so I decided to leave into directions of Monte negro... I realized I was loosing my time & that I would rather be in the company of the adorable Bulgarian girl, & that to Sofia, where she lived, awaits me few hundreds kilometers to pass - as sooner as I leave, sooner I will arrive!
## Podgorica, Monte negro
That day I drove the longest route - from Ston, Croatia to Podgorica, Monte negro. I had no idea where to sleep that night, while arriving in Podgorica around midnight & barely managed to find a hostel to sleep in. I think I payed only 11 € for the night. I didn't regret it! It was a hard day behind me, so I was very pleased with the clean, soft bed, hot shower & a kitchen where I could cook a warm meal.
I slept so good & early in the morning head for a tour around the capital of Monte negro... On the way of the hostel, from the house next door, some guy said hello & invited me for coffee / beer / joint. Momentarily, I got a strange feeling about this guy even thou he seemed so nice & friendly. I didn't accept his invitation right away but I promised to visit him before I leave the town. I forgot his name & he mentioned having some relatives in Rijeka, in the city near my hometown.
Podgorica was also a quiet & clean city, somehow typical Southern-Slav, continental town in which was still possible to sense the Southern passion & agility even thou everything was happening somehow slowly. Otherwise, between the Yugoslavian nations was a funny prejudice about the laziness of the Monte negro people - they were considered among the rest of us as more lazy than the Dalmatians, & their very nature was sung in the numerous jokes about them. Through the town flows the river Morača, & towards the bridge above it I was madly attracted so I decided to walk over it & the only photo I made in Podgorica, was made exactly on that very bridge:
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*Na mostu iznad rijeke Morače // On the bridge over the river Morača*
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Prešao sam čitavi centar i činio se podosta prazan pa čak i dosadan, ali to je bilo baš zato što je sezona u crnogorskom primorju još uvijek trajala pa je mnogo ljudi radilo negdje na obali. Već sam bio odlučio zaputiti se nazad u hostel kadli me ispred jedne muške brijačnice / frizerskog salona zaustavi bradati kolega jer je primijetio novo lice u gradu koje ga je zanimalo i pozvao me na kavu, ali i njemu sam ime zaboravio. Salon je bio jedan od onih trendovskih koji se brinuo o muškim bradama koje su tada opet bile u modi. Popio sam dobru kavu, napričao se i podružio, a onda se opet zaputio ka hostelu i uspješno do njega stigao bez novih zaustavljanja. Brzo sam se spremio i utrpao stvari u auto te pozvonio na vrata onom liku kojem sam obećao posjetiti ga prije odlaska. Pustio me je u kuću, skuhao još jednu kavu i otvorio pivo, a onda krenuo zvati neke ljude u namjeri da nabavi trave da zapalimo iako ga ja to uopće nisam tražio, ali upravo ta je razina gostoprimstva još jedno važno obilježje Crnogoraca, ali nije opjevano, za razliku od lijenosti... Svašta smo pričali, ali najdublje mi se urezala u pamćenje informacija koju je taj lik posebno naglasio – da je biseksualac – kao da se nadao da ću ja na to „pozitivno“ reagirati i prepustiti se u seksualnu interakciju s njime. Takav dojam mi je odavala vibracija njegova glasa i stasa. Osim što mi se činilo da sam mu bio privlačan, također mi se činilo da je usamljen i da nema s kime podijeliti tu ljubav koja u njemu čuči, a k tome i zadovoljiti svoje strasti i potrebe. Međutim, onda sam i ja također uzvratio posebnim naglašavanjem da mi se sviđaju žene, ali i da ću uskoro otići jer mi je bio plan stići do Skopja još danas. On nije odustajao – nudio mi je još jedno pivo i mogućnost da prespavam kod njega i predlagao da pričekam travu koju je naručio. Zapravo to njegovo pokušavanje i „udvaranje“ sam prepoznavao i kod sebe u situacijama kada mi se neka žena zasviđa pa je pokušavam pridobiti. To je onaj tipični muški nagon koji se pojavi valjda kod svih muškaraca kad im dopadne neki drugi čovjek – žena / muškarac – nekima se sviđaju ljudi drugog spola – žene, a nekima istog spola – muškarci. U ovom slučaju, ja sam se osjećao na momente kao žena, tj. mogao sam otprilike osjetiti kako se osjeća žena kad se ja tako ponašam – kada ti onaj maločas spomenuti „muški nagon“ zamuti sluh i svijest i kao da ne čuješ odbijanje od sugovornika/ce nego samo nastavljaš po svom nahođenju i nekako ju / ga pokušavaš pridobiti svim raspoloživim sredstvima. Na momente sam u njemu vidio sebe, a sebe sam vidio kao žene koje su mi bile zgodne i koje sam na sličan način isto tako pokušavo pridobiti i okusiti. Jedina razlika je u tome što možda moj „nasrtaj“ nije baš toliko indirektan, a opet toliko silan. Ja bih ipak to činio puno iskrenije i direktnije i s malo više sluha i razumijevanja. Doduše, moram priznati, da sam se blago osjećao kao objekt. Uskoro sam mu se iskreno zahvalio na svemu i odlučno krenuo dalje. Nisam ni pojma imao koliki me još put čeka?!
## Anegdote od Zatona malog do Podgorice
A zaboravio sam na jednu važnu anegdotu u ovom pripovijedanju koja se dogodila prethodne večeri prije nego li sam stigao u Podgoricu. U Tivtu sam, čini mi se, kupio burek sa sirom i sjeo u neku birtiju odmah do pekare i nekog supermarketa. Već je bila noć. U toj je birtiji zrak bio ispunjen gustim dimom od cigareta, a jedina žena bila je konobarica. Tri su stara Crnogorca pili pive i razgovarali. To je baš tipična lokacija i situacija u ex-Yu zemljama, ali čim sam ih pitao kojim putem da najlakše stignem u Podgoricu, sva trojica pretrgla su se od objašnjavanja i želje da pomognu – još jedno tipično obilježje naroda s ovih prostora!
Krenuo sam prema Budvi, a onda prema sjeveru. Od Budve ka sjeveru penjala se nekakva brza cesta slična autocesti. Penjala se naglo na više od 800 m. n. v. i nastavljala dublje u unutrašnjost. Negdje na toj uzbrdici, otkud se još moglo vidjeti more i svjetla Budve u daljini, stopirao je usred mraka i ničega neki tip u svjetlosnom prsluku, a pokraj njega stajao je auto s 4 upaljena žmigavca. „Očito je u kvaru i treba pomoć“, pomislio sam i stao da pomognem. Radilo se o Raši i njegovom Renaultu Laguni koji me je molio da odšlepam njegovu Lagunu 300-400 m uzbrdo pa da tamo postoji neki prijevoj na kojem ćemo pokušati gurnuti Lagunu i upaliti je. Zamislite to! Mali Twingo šlepa duplo veću Lagunu! Na tren mi više nije bilo drago što sam stao da pomognem Raši u tom njegovom suludom naumu i pomišljao sam kako Twingo to neće izdržati.
Rašo je bio odjeven samo u jednu kratku majicu i u taj narančasti, svjetlucavi prsluk i smrzavao se već sat vremena jer mu nitko nije htio stati i pomoći, a ja eto vječni dobričina / budala... I tako je Rašo povezao stražnji dio Twinga debelim konopce s prednjim dijelom Lagune i istovremeno mi zahvaljivao što mu pomažem. On je sjeo u Lagunu, a ja u Twingo. Morao sam pokrenuti Twinga najnježnije moguće jer nagli trzaji bi mogli prekinuti konop ili čak oštetiti jedan ili oba autobomila. Twingo se naprezao, ali na moje zaprepaštenje uspjeli smo krenuti. Twingo je uzdisao kao preopterećeni telgeći konji. Motor je vrištao, ali ipak – krenuli smo – i još k tome – uzbrdo!!! Uspio sam čak prebaciti u drugu brzinu, a pokušao sam i u treću, ali to nije bilo moguće i tu sam napravio grešku pa smo stali, a kad sam opet pokušao krenuti, konop je puknuo. Rašo ga je iznova privezao pa smo se nedugo zatim opet kretali uzbrdo u drugoj brzini, održavajući istu brzinu i jednak tempo bez trzaja. Meni se činilo da je ipak ovo šlepanje bilo duže od 200-300 m. Uspjeli smo stići do prijevoja koji je bio ravan i gdje se nalazila sporedna cesta koja se nije koristila jer nije bila dovršena, ali imala je kosinu koja je išla u našu korist – nizbrdicu po kojoj sam ja rukama gurnuo Lagunu i Rašu u njoj. Imao je samo jednu priliku da upali auto! I upalio je! I ja sam se radovao njegovom uspjehu!
Dovezao se nazad do mene i skoro me izgrlio i izljubio te počeo pozivati: „'Ajde kod mene jesti i piti! Možeš i prespavati! Spasio si me! Hvala ti! Dužnik sam ti!“ Nažalost, ja sam već tada imao čvrsti plan da što prije stignem k Bugarki, ali sad mi je žao što nisam bio prihvatio Rašin poziv. Sada mislim da bi vrijedilo. Činio se kao posebno dobar čovjek!
Rekao mi je gdje živi i razmjenili smo telefonske brojeve i dodao: „Zapamti! Kad god dođeš u Crnu goru, imat ćeš što god ti treba!“ No, ja sam zaboravio ime naselja u kojem je živio, a broj sam izgubio. Nažalost. Ali nema veze! Ako bude trebalo, opet će nas spojiti Bog / Svemir / Sudbina / Ljubav... Važno mi je da sam napravio dobro djelo!
## Kraj ove etape.
### Pratite me kako biste mogli čitati i slijedeći nastavak...
### Hvala!
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I passed the whole city center which seemed pretty empty & even boring, but it was so cause of the tourist season in the Monte negro seaside was still on & many people were there to work. I had already decided to go back to hostel when in front of some barbershop / hair salon some bearded guy stopped me cause I guess he noticed a new face with a long beard in the town who he was interested with & invited me also for a coffee. I forgot his name too. The salon was one of those trendy ones where was cared about the men's beards which were than a trend again. I drank a coffee, talked & hang out for a while but soon I was on the way back to the hostel without stopping this time. I quickly packed & put the stuff in the car & rang a bell on the doors of the neighbor who had invited me before & to whom I had promised to visit. He let me in, prepared another coffee & served me a beer & then started calling dealers for ganja even thou I didn't ask him to do so but it was that level of hospitality which is one more important part of the nature of Monte negro people, but which was not sung about... We talked about lots of things, but most deeply I remember him putting an accent about his bisexuality - like he was hoping of my positive reaction & let my self to the sexual interaction with him. This appearance was vibrating in his voice & look. It seemed that he liked me & that he was lonely & not having anyone to share the love with, & to satisfy his passions & needs. However, I also put a strong accent on my attraction towards women, but also of my soon departure cause I planned to get to Skopje today. He wasn't giving up - offering me another beer & a possibility to sleep over, proposing to wait for the weed he had ordered. Sincerely, his trials & courting, i recognized in myself, during the moments when I start to like some woman & my trials to get her. It is a typical man instinct which appears probably within all men when they starting to feel a physical attraction towards somebody - woman / man - some like the opposite sex - women, but some like the same sex - men. In this case, in some moments I felt like a woman, more precisely, I think I could sense how does the woman feels when I behave in such manners - when the already mentioned "men's instinct" blurs your hearing & consciousness so that you do not hear the refusal from the other side but you still continue your way & are trying to get your goal by all means. In moments I saw myself in him, & myself as women who attracted me & who I tried to get & taste. The only difference is that my way is not so indirect, but again so intensive. I would do it a lot more sincere & direct & with a bit more hearings & understanding. However, I must admit, I felt a bit as an object. Soon I expressed my gratitude for everything & decisively hit the road. I didn't know at all what awaits me on my journey...?!
## Anecdotes From Zaton mali to Podgorica
I've forgotten one important anecdote in this story which had happened on the road before I arrived in Podgorica. In Tivat, I think, I bought burek with cheese & sat in some bar next to the bakery & some supermarket. The night had already fallen. In that bar the air was filled with the thick cigarette smoke & the waitress was the only female. The three older Monte negro guys were drinking beers & talking. It was a typical locations & a situation in all the ex-Yu countries, but as soon as I asked them for direction to Podgorica, all three of them showed strong will to help me - another typical characteristic of the nation from these areas!
I headed towards Budva & from there straight North by some kind of speed road, like highway. It went up suddenly to the 800 m height & continued deeper inland. Somewhere on that climb, from I could still see the sea & Budva city lights in the distance, some guy in the orange vest hitch hiked in the dark in the middle of nowhere & next to him was a car with all four blinkers turned on. "Apparently his car broke down & needs help.", I thought to myself & stopped to help. Guy's name was Rašo & his Renault Laguna was broken & needed to tow it 300-400 m uphill till the flat part where the downhill starts & where he can push the Laguna & try to start it. Can you imagine that! Small Twingo is towing a double sized Laguna! I wasn't feeling right anymore for stopping & helping in this cause while thinking that Twingo won't stand that.
Rašo was dressed only in a T-shirt & that vest & he was freezing for an hour & nobody was stopping to help, but me - the ever good fool... So Rašo tied the back of Twingo to the front of Laguna & in the same time expressed gratitude for helping him. He sat in Laguna & me in Twingo. I needed to start Twingo as gently as possible cause the sudden moves could cut the rope or even damage one or both cars. Twingo was under heavy pressure, but we managed to move uphill! Twingo was catching breath like a overloaded horse! The engine was screaming, but still - we moved uphill!!! I even managed to change into the second gear but I also tried the third but it was not possible & made a mistake with that trial so we stopped, a when I tried to go again, the rope broke. Rašo reconnected it so we were again moving slowly uphill in the second gear, with the constant speed without sudden moves. It seemed to me that it was more than 300-400 m. We reached our goal where I pushed Laguna with Rašo inside down the short part of the road which was closed for traffic. He had only one chance to start the car & he made it! I was very happy too for his success!
He drove back to me & almost hugged me & kissed me while inviting: "Common, come to my place to eat & drink! You can also sleep over! Thank you! I ow you!" Unfortunately, I already had a firm plan to go to my Bulgarian girl as soon as possible, but now I'm sorry for not accepting Rašo's invitation. I think it would have worth accepting it! He seemed as an especially dear guy!
He told me where he lived & we exchanged the phone numbers & he added: "Remember! Whenever you come to Monte negro, you will have everything you need!", but I've forgotten the name of the place where he lived & I have lost his number. Sadly. But it doesn't matter! If we need, God / Universe / Destiny / Love will reconnect us... It is important that I had done a good deed!
## This is the end of this episode!
### Follow me to be able to read the next episode...
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Dear @tibfox, if I recall correctly, you asked me to tag you in the travel posts towards Morocco but I didn't yet started the journey... Still, I have some memories from the recent voyages to the Eastern Europe which might be interesting to you! Enjoy reading, bro!
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