Marilyn Monroe: Escape to the mysterious Black Mountain

When many people hear the word Montenegro, they probably think of "Old Monster of Montenegro", but the Montenegro I am talking about is an unknown and mysterious country located in the southwest of the Balkan Peninsula. When I first learned about Montenegro, it was related to Marilyn Monroe.

Monroe was born without a father, and his mother had a family history of serious mental illness. On the twelfth day after he was born, Monroe began to be fostered by many families. Perhaps because of these experiences as a child, I have always loved traveling as an adult.

The Black Mountains happened to be one of Monroe’s favorite travel destinations.

If you could only visit one ancient city in Montenegro, it would have to be Kotor. A city built on one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

The best way to appreciate the interior of the ancient city is to take a walk. There are not many tourists in the ancient city of Kotor at night. The only ones left are some locals slowly going home and some cats walking.

Locals say that cats with collars have owners, and cats without collars are stray cats. But the residents of Kotor are very friendly. They have built simple shelters in the north of the city and prepared food for these stray cats.

Over time, these cats wandered around the city in groups. They were not afraid of people and even faced the photographer's lens confidently. Injured cats are cared for by residents here, and injured people are also suitable to come here for healing.

Perast is one of the most beautiful towns in Boca Bay, floating on the Adriatic Sea. Perast is only about the size of a palm, but it’s full of postcard-like scenery.

By walking on a trail that only locals can walk, you can go from the city center to the seaside in ten minutes, and you can visit the entire town in half an hour.

The quaint church, the blue fjord, the calm sea water, and the bright sunshine. Choose a lazy afternoon and sit on a bench by the sea and bask in the sun.

Traveling in a small town always makes people more relaxed. There is no fatigue from running around, and there is no panic in a strange environment. It only takes half a day, or less, to fully integrate into this place.

If real life makes you feel tired, then this is the perfect place for you to rest and adjust.

With a long history of 2,500 years, it is the oldest settlement on the Adriatic coast and a nightlife and cultural city that you must experience.

The outdoor clubs lined up on the sidewalk are a paradise for young people, partying until two in the morning or all night long.

Beach parties, concerts, beach dances, spread day and night, with aperitifs of music of all tastes. Any worries or trivial matters can be put aside for the time being.

This small town also has a landmark building, the Statua Ballerina, the ballet girl in the sea. The bronze statue is inspired by a local legend, in which a girl who was loyal to a sailor waited for the sailor to return from a long voyage until she died.

I don’t know if she has waited for the sailor’s reply, but no matter what, her sailor is happy, someone has been waiting for him! I think we may be the same, whether you see it or not, there is always someone silently guarding you!

This place was once an unknown fishing village. In 2007, Aman Group signed a 30-year lease with the Montenegro government to transform the place into an Aman Hotel, thus creating an island contracted by a hotel.

Since then it has been favored by celebrities from all walks of life around the world.

Monroe had a special liking for this island.

And this small island is also full of secrets that I want to explore, such as who did Monroe stay and sleep with?

Now this island is exclusive to Amman, and only guests staying there can visit the island, so these secrets are hidden deeper and deeper, and you can only wait to discover them yourself!

The Ostrog Monastery is an architectural miracle completed by nature and humans, almost entirely built on a vertical cliff.

Standing on the top floor of the monastery and looking down, I can't help but think, how much ingenuity is required to build a house on a cliff? How much strength and courage do you need to dare to live in a house on a cliff?

In the early morning, the nuns were busy cleaning. In their busy work, the monastery was kept spotless and clean.

This is also one of the most important places of pilgrimage for residents of the Balkan Peninsula. In the early morning, believers line up to worship. Some people even walk up the mountain barefoot in order to get God's favor.

This kind of devout worship is no less than that of Tibetans on the pilgrimage road in Tibet. The spiritual, religious and cultural treasures of Montenegro are interpreted in this monastery on the Ostrog cliff.

Although we can’t stay here long, we may not have the same belief. But the strength, bravery and blessings conveyed here made me ready to return to my original life when I set foot on the return journey!

Thanks for the temporary escape. Although it was embarrassing, it made my life easier. This may be the reason why Marilyn Monroe has been in love with the unknown and even mysterious Montenegro throughout her life. On the way forward while carrying heavy loads, everyone needs to stop and refuel, right?

The following text is to record all the useful information that I successfully "escaped" to Montenegro~

Chinese passport holders with Schengen, US visa, and British visa can directly enter Montenegro. If you don’t have any, it doesn’t matter. Montenegro has a conditional visa-free policy for Chinese passports. Chinese citizens need ordinary passports to enter Montenegro for 2 or more people, and they can enter Montenegro by booking a hotel or B&B through a local agency and obtaining an invitation letter. If you have any questions, you can also consult the Montenegro Embassy in China in advance.

Information about the Embassy of Montenegro in China:

Address: No. 12, Unit 1, Building 3, Sanlitun Diplomatic Apartments, Beijing

Tel: 010-65327610

Email: china@mfa.gov.me

Montenegro has two airports, Podgorica and Tivat. There are currently no direct flights to Montenegro from China. It can be reached via transfer in cities such as Istanbul, Vienna, and Paris.

1. Coastal accommodation: Accommodation in Montenegro can be divided into coastal and non-coastal according to price. The price of a four-star hotel in coastal areas is about 1,000 RMB or more. It is recommended to book a room two months in advance.

2. Cost-effective accommodation: one is the Boka Bay area represented by Kotor, and the other is the beach area represented by Budva. Most people will choose these two cities when they come to Montenegro, because Montenegro is smaller and considering cost-effectiveness, they can choose other cities, such as Herceg Novi or Ulcinj. The disadvantage is that they are a little far away from the central area.

3. Driving: If you plan to take a taxi or rent a car to travel, you can also choose to travel outside the city, which is less crowded and cheaper.

Generally speaking, Montenegro is an extremely safe and stress-free travel destination. The prices are clearly marked and you are safe. The biggest advantage of this is that you don’t worry about being ripped off, so it is still better to travel alone in Montenegro. Very safe and relaxing.

Serbia-Montenegro-Bosnia and Herzegovina

Serbia has opened visa exemption to China since 2017. Bosnia and Herzegovina has also opened visa exemption to China in 2018, while Montenegro has conditional exemption. With a specific invitation letter (see the above visa information), you can enter and transit Montenegro without a visa.

So this is a route with a 5-star travel convenience index.

Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be introduced in detail in later articles. You can continue to pay attention and it will be more convenient to use them together!