After 5 Days In Budva

Budva. The name pretty much says it all but the five days I’ve spent here has been fine. Not bad, pretty good, but nothing special or great. However, the time has passed very fast. Aside of a day long boat tour I stuck fairly close to the town with walks, a few runs, and daily swims in the sea. I’ve taken the boat over to Hawaii, an island one mile off the coast, a couple of times to swim and enjoy the rocky shores. Yesterday I walked a good distance along the waterfront from beach to beach, resort to resort via road, promenades and a couple of tunnels.

The overwhelming majority of those visiting Budva are Russians. The downside is definitely the language barrier. I’ve had very little conversation with anyone aside of a father and son from the states whom I had first met on a ferry out of Split. They happened to be staying in Budva and we by chance crossed paths again last night. They seemed pretty eager to engage in easy conversation and invited me to join them for dinner.

The father and son are from Tucson, Arizona. The son has just graduated high school and the father at 62 is more or less retired. Both have the travel bug and a zest for adventure. They’re roaming around on a very loose plan. Our conversations covered all kinds of topics and the dad seemed to appreciate what I had to share with his son. It was as if I was kind of confirming what he’s already told his boy but sometimes things register and are heard a little differently when coming from someone else. His son strikes me as being very intelligent and carries himself very well. His goal is to be an Airline pilot. I have no doubt he will succeed in doing so. I told him not to get disappointed on his way to getting there. The road to success is often littered with disappointments along the way.

Although Budva has been a good stop I’ve been feeling a bit flat. One things that has really been lacking on this trip is meeting people I can easily communicate with on a regular basis. Over the fence, next to where I’m staying, under the grape and kiwi vines I heard a woman talking in American English on the phone with someone. I almost shouted over, “where are you from”, but I thought it would have been a little awkward. I assume she’s renting a room next door.

My accommodation has been great and by all means a bargain. The family who owns the property and live on premises have been super nice. The husband of the daughter speaks a little English. Good enough for very simple conversation. He told me how his wife’s sister lives in Boca Raton, Florida. They have been there twice and he really likes American doughnuts. He was calling them donkeys at first but when he showed me a photo on his smart phone I corrected him with a big smile.

The weather here has been ok but cloudy and overcast at times with a few thunderstorms. I think I had the right idea to bail from the mountains and head back to the sea.

Every evening I’ve been going on a walk along a path next to the water that passes bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, etc. There are lots of pretty women but don’t expect any eye contact. Russian woman carry themselves like fashion models. They don’t pose for a picture with a goofy smile. They portray a toughness that can be intimidating. Without a common language there’s no chance. I don’t think I could ever really see myself with a Russian lady but they make for easy people watching. I’m merely an observer here.

Budva offers some high end options but for the most part it’s a middle class resort town. Some would say it’s a little gritty but a little grit is what keeps things real. For me it’s a nice balance. It has something for everyone. It’s family friendly and very affordable if not downright cheap at times. One thing I must mention, that goes without saying, is that it is very beautiful here and the water is lovely and clear. You just may want to wander a bit to find the most desirable beach. Some areas are nearly spotless while beaches are kind of dirty. Forget about sand. It’s all rocks.

Tomorrow I’m off to the port town of Bar for my last night in the country. In some ways Budva has kind of grown on me but on the other hand I’m ready to get out of here. (Top Photo - Budva as seen offshore. Bottom photo - A nice spot on Hawaii, Montenegro where I swam).