Congratulations to Montenegro, our newest country!

Monday they signed the stabilzation agreement with the EU.

And today, they approved their first constitution.

Their first elections are planned for 2009.

Montenegro's status as the world's newest country may be shortlived. Is there not a good chance that Kosovo might declare independence before the end of 2007?

Hidden, thanks for posting. I'm researching a trip to Montenegro for next summer, and so far have found noone on ST with insight into the region beyond tourist experiences.

I see from your profile that you may know a bit more than the average casual visitor. I would welcome any comments you have about Montenegro. Our trip is focusing on the northern mountain regions and the rural life. We will, of course, visit the beautiful tourist destinations of the coast and the bay of Kotor, but we really prefer getting to know a country from the inside out. (This was why our first three trips to Italy didn't included a visit to a single large tourist city.)

Other than the internet, there just isn't very much literature out there. I have Annalisa Rellie's, Bradt guide to Montenegro. And I have a couple of history books. I'm reading Zorka Milich's "A Stranger's Supper" right now and find it to be a facinating glimpse into the lives of Montenegrin women 100 years ago.

The entire region's tribal life and blood-feud culture also explains a lot to me about the most recent Balkan conflicts. (Which resulted in my city of St. Louis, MO becoming the new home of one of the largest populations of Bosnian refugees in the US, by the way. The estimates are around 40 - 60 thousand.)

I gather from the various websites I've read, that Montenegro is in the process of distancing itself from Serbia and offering reparations to Dubrovnic for its part in the aggressions of the Milosovic era. And that Croatia seems pre-disposed to accept the apologies and be a welcoming neighbor.

Does your magazine have any articles about Montenegro? Especially the north-central areas from Durmitor to Kolasin? Perhaps I could order back issues?

Hi Deborah

Excellent that you've read the Bradt Guide. Another key book if, as you say, you are interested in the mountain areas is Rudolf Abraham's The Mountains of Montenegro published by Cicerone Press just in the last month or two. Aimed mainly at walkers and trekkers, the book is very nicely produced, lots of good pics and maps, and includes information that would surely appeal to more than just the dedicated mountain hiker.

There is some superb historical travel writing about the Balkans - and you may in particular want to look at Edith Durham and Rebecca West. As you indicate an interest in gender issues (with the ref to A Stranger's Supper), you might dip into the Allcock and Young edited volume Black Lambs and Grey Falcons: Women Travellers in the Balkans which will throw up much good Montenegro material.

The key recent book is Elizabeth Roberts' Realm of the Black Mountain, just published this year. It's a weighty tome from Cornell Uni Press, but I must confess I've not yet had a chance even to look at it.

One of the most exciting current developments on Montenegro's mountain borders with neighbouring Kosovo and Alabania is the Balkans Peace Park initiative, and you'll find some good material online at www.balkanspeacepark.org.

Yes, (in answer to your question), hidden europe has published bits and pieces on Montenegro. We hope to have a feature on the more mountainous regions in March 2008.

But most of all... it's a fabulous country - a little overdeveloped along some parts of nthe coast, but endlessly interesting. Take a good map, an open mind and a willingness to handle a few phrases in the local Montenegrin language (very similar to Serbian) and you will most surely have an amazing time. Please let me know if I can assist further.
Nicky

Something of an afterthought Deborah, but I'll just venture a word on your 'tribal life and blood-feud culture' thesis as a way of explaing recent Balkan conflicts. I sometimes think this is overplayed by Westerners who venture into the south Balkan region. Certainly you will find in rural Montenegro (and nearby areas of northern Albania) vestiges of a pre-industrial society that survived well into the last century. But that's not to say that the events of the 90s can necessarily be explained by 'ancient rivalries'. As it happens, I've just finished reading Misha Glenny's The Fall of Yugoslavia and he quite debunks the ancient rivalries theory, preferring to see in the dismemberment of Yugoslavia a quite different sequence of events (in which the West was far from blameless). Glenny's book does not address Montenegro in any detail, but it's excellent on the Serb - Croat conflict and the ensuing proxy war in Bosnia. And he has a very good account of the involvement of Montenegrin forces in the siege of Dubrovnik (many of those troops from Montenegro headed north, reached the airport and then raided the duty-free shop and got drunk!).
Anyway, just thoughts.
Nicky
editor / hidden europe magazine
www.hiddeneurope.co.uk

Nicky, Thanks so much for the quick reply! Working for a bookstore company, I am constantly trolling for books.
I do have The Mountains of Montenegro and I ordered Realm of the Black Mountain just last week!
I bypassed Edith Durham's book mainly because it was about travel and was so outdated. I thought I probably wouldn't get much useful information for a 2008 trip. Perhaps I should re-think that. And I am going to search for Black Lambs and Grey Flacons.. today.

Is Hidden Europe available in the US?

I have been reading the info on the Balkans Peace Park. And I do have the website bookmarked. It is on our short list for visiting.

Thanks so much for the comments about the tibal life and blood feud thoughts. I will make it a point to read The Fall of Yugoslavia next.

Isn't it more the case than not? -- We as citizens of our respective countries are always fed our own country's self-serving slant on the political issues of other countries.

Deborah
Thanks for your good comments. Do let me know if I can help further. With respect to the US availability of the magazine about which you asked, the best thing is simply to order it online. Just click here. You will find a lot of good material on Montenegro has appeared of late in the travel pages of German, Italian and British newspapers. Many are available online. The three English language ones worth checking are The Times, The Independent and The Guardian. And, BTW, thanks for giving me a new perspective on Umbrian sunflower farmers.
Nicky

Your opinion: best beach in Montenegro?

This train ride from Belgrade to Bar is one of the reasons we are going to Montenegro.
We plan to fly into Budapest, spend a week there, then on to Belgrade.
We will take this train ride into Montenegro, getting off at Kolasin for a week.
It is a very long video, but if you advance to the 2:50 mark, that is when the beautiful scenery starts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5KRqnvUY3c

Kolasin is an esp. nice spot. Good walking in the hills to the east.

Thanks for the encouragement Nicky,
If you go to my blog, you will see the photos of the ecotour company we are using while in Kolasin.

We are in Montenegro for 3 weeks and want to spread ourselves around with a week at Vila Jelka then a week each in two other locations.
We are trying to figure out what those two other "home bases" should be.

We are thinking of somewhere on the coast about half-way between Budva and Bar for one of them and somewhare around Cetinje for the other.

We plan to have a rental car and prefer apartment rentals to hotels.

If anyone with experience in Montenegro has some suggestions or recommendations, both on general locations and specific villa rentals, we'd be grateful.

Nicky, I still need to order copies of Hidden Europe!