Montenegro — January 2026
A week in Montenegro with the A6700. Mountains, coast, snow, and rain.
Introduction
I was originally considering Bodrum, my usual destination when I want to get away from London. Sun, sea, good food. However, around the time I was planning to go, I had a dream about Luka, my primary school friend. So I messaged him and he said he was in Montenegro. I thought about it for a week before deciding to go see him and explore a new country.
Found a cheap Ryanair flight for £15 and flew out. Picked up a Jeep Avenger from Sixt at the terminal. Bright yellow. Stood out everywhere I went. Ridiculous, Mickey Mouse car, but it got the job done.
Luka is from here and staying in Cetinje at the moment with his dad, so I’m with them for the week. Cetinje is about 30 to 40 minutes from the coast, up in the mountains. Good base for exploring both directions.
Brought the A6700 and the 18-135mm kit lens. The plan: spend time with Luka, drive around, see new things, eat well, shoot where I see something worth shooting, find a local gym and train, find good coffee, and just enjoy life. I’d heard good things about the Balkans. A friend highly recommended Serbia. Let’s go.
Day One — Wednesday 29 January
Weather: Overcast, cold, heavy rain later
Locations: Cetinje, Orlov Krs, Kotor
Morning — Cetinje
Started at 357 Bakery. Luka showed me the spot. Said it was the best bakery in town. Cetinje is a small town, the old royal capital of Montenegro. Population of around 15,000. Quiet, historic, surrounded by mountains. After that we drove to Orlov Krs and walked to the top. Bumped into one of Luka’s friends up there with his stray dog that he’d taken in. Nice guy, originally from Chicago. His dog had gone off somewhere so he was waiting for him to return. Had a good talk about life and sports, then walked back down to the car.
Afternoon — Kotor Bay
Set off for Kotor Bay. Put the destination into Google Maps and it took us to a random spot by the coast. Had to take a ferry to cross over. Took some pics on the ferry, then arrived at the destination. I was like, this can’t be it. Just a dry coastline. Took some photos together anyway, then it started raining heavily.
Really struggling at this point. Trying to adjust manual camera settings, take pictures, and hold an umbrella all at once. Eventually figured out we needed to get to the Old Town, which was another 45 minutes away.
Evening — Kotor Old Town
Got to Kotor around 4pm. Already getting dark. The rain was relentless. Heavy, non-stop. I struggled to take pictures. Trying to adjust settings, shelter the camera, deal with the low light. ISO was pushed to 2000 to 3000 at times. Eventually I gave up. I don’t like grainy images and it wasn’t worth fighting it.
Still, the Old Town had good vibes. Empty streets, narrow alleyways, cats everywhere. The rain actually added to the atmosphere.
After exploring we went to Marenda Steak House. I picked out a dry-aged T-bone. Great marbling, 600g. Cost €60, which is more expensive than London, but I wanted to treat myself. Good steak. Apparently it’s a bit of a mafia and tourist spot, hence the high prices. Worth it anyway.
Night — Drive Home
Drove back to Cetinje, about an hour. Took the serpentine road. 25 hairpin bends climbing out of the bay. Amazing road, but in the dark and heavy rain I had to go slow. Dangerous conditions going up that mountain. Very narrow too, so when cars came from the other direction I had to be careful.
Just before getting home, stopped at a supermarket and saw a fruit I’d never seen before. Quince (dunja). Looked interesting. Asked a worker and he said I should really boil it, but I was peckish and just bit into it raw. Didn’t even wash it.
Got home, went through the day’s footage with Luka, did some edits in Lightroom. Lit the fireplace. Luka’s dad was in the living room and we had the football on. Liverpool beat Qarabag 5-0 in the Champions League. Stayed up talking. After a long first day, ending it by the fire with the football on and good company felt right. Went to bed around 11, ready for the next day.
Day Two — Thursday 30 January
Weather: Cold, snowy, icy at altitude
Locations: Cetinje, Lovćen National Park
Morning — Cetinje
Started at 357 Bakery for breakfast. This place is turning into my local spot. I love a coffee before the gym, it’s my ritual. Staff there are all really nice. It’s clear I stand out as people look, but in a nice way.
Then trained at Herkul Gym & Fitness. A proper old-school bodybuilding gym. Steel equipment, techno playing early morning. The owner is Saša Rakočević, 63 years old, ex-bodybuilder and recent competition winner. He let me train for free. Very nice gesture. Loads of machines and equipment I don’t have in my gym back home so I was excited to try them all out.
Back to Luka’s. Whipped him up some eggs and had some homegrown olives. They tasted different to the Turkish olives I usually eat. Those are usually in a brine with more flavour. These ones tasted more natural and organic, less processed. Luka got ready and we went to pick up his friend.
Afternoon — Lovćen National Park
First stop was Hotel Monte Rosa for coffee. Took some mountain shots from there. Snow everywhere. The exposure was tricky. Zebras clipping at ISO 100 to 400. Dropped to ISO 50 and the highlights came back under control. Lesson learned: in bright snow, go as low as possible on ISO.
Drove up to the cable car station at the top. More photos. Then on to Horizont Bar. A cliff-edge terrace with views across the mountains. Deserted in winter. Luka told me they do big parties here in summer. Interesting to see it empty and quiet.
Last stop was the Njegoš Mausoleum. The road was icy so we parked up and walked the last kilometre. On the way up, a Šarplaninac came down to meet us. Looked like a puppy. He walked with us the whole way, like he was guiding us up the mountain. The museum at the top was closed, but we got as far as we could.
Evening — Cetinje
Drove back to Cetinje as it got dark. Grabbed pizza, €5, then went to Leno’s place. He started the fire although he struggled. Sat by the fire and talked. Leno was trying to get into AWS so we talked about that. Got late, then went back to Luka’s where we spoke some more by his fireplace. His fire is better and he knows how to start one. Then it was a wrap.
Day Three — Friday 31 January
Weather: Foggy at altitude, rain later in the evening
Locations: Cetinje, Podgorica, Ostrog Monastery, Nikšić, Podgorica
Morning — Cetinje
Started at 357 Bakery again. Then trained at Herkul Gym. Owner Saša let me train for free again. Lovely man. We talked despite the language barrier. He showed me his three Olympia medals, I asked to take a photo of them and he insisted I wear them. Then he took me to the main floor and took a photo of me wearing them. I asked for a photo together too. Sweet guy.
He’s still competing at 63. Potentially on steroids at that age which is concerning. However, he’s happy and that’s what matters. I’ve also come to realise training can become an addiction and unhealthy when it’s all you know. Even I overtrain at times and find it hard to take rest days even when my body needs it. Perhaps we’re all just chasing the endorphins.
Back to Luka’s place, got ready. Nice touch is that Luka puts a portable heater in the shower so it’s cosy in there. Small little things like that I appreciate. Then headed out with Luka and his friend Leno.
Midday — Podgorica
Drove to Podgorica and went to Zrno, the first coffee shop recommended. Sat outside, which was nice. First time properly experiencing a bit of Montenegrin city life. Different vibe to Cetinje. Also first time I saw the girls of Montenegro. The capital ones are probably more city girls. They dress so well, modest and classy. They have something about them.
Afternoon — Ostrog Monastery
From Podgorica we drove up to Ostrog. Ostrog Monastery is one of the most visited Orthodox sites in the Balkans. It was built in the 1600s by carving into the face of a cliff. The decision to build into the cliff was partly for protection during the Ottoman Empire’s expansion in the area. Interesting for me as a Turk. Very quiet and empty when we visited. Off-season apparently, but it gets very busy in summer. Good for shooting without crowds.
Took some great shots in the fog. Went into the monastery. They had chapel rooms inside, one was particularly interesting with paintings drawn on the walls including one of Lazarus. A worker there explained some of the history. Went up to the top, took more pics, then headed back down.
Drove to Nikšić and went to Nutricia for a late lunch. Had the beef fillet but didn’t love it. Food was greasy. Found out about kačamak though, the cornmeal dish similar to what my dad makes. He calls it mamosa. Bill was reasonable at least.
Evening — The Ticket
Leaving Nikšić on the way to Podgorica, there’s a long straight clear road. I was going about 100km/h and overtook a car. As soon as I passed, a policewoman flashed her torch and pulled me over. She seemed hostile at first. Gave her my documents and got a €60 ticket. Turns out I overtook on a solid white line. They were positioned right where it breaks into dotted and overtaking becomes legal. No speed gun so they couldn’t do me for speeding. Joked around with them a bit, they showed me all the tickets they’d issued. Seemed like they were just making money.
Quick ticket, paid by card on the spot, done. I like that. In the UK you’d get a notice of intended prosecution, points, a larger fine, the whole process dragged out. Here it’s dealt with immediately. Fair enough. We move on.
Night — Podgorica
Made it to Podgorica and went to Fabrika Coffee. Best coffee I’ve had in Montenegro. Ended up having two flat whites. Interestingly, as it got later, 7 to 9pm, more and more people appeared.
Got peckish so stopped by Arabian Tea House. Inside was nice, clean, liked the vibe. The workers were all international which was different for Montenegro. Indian guy, Filipina girl, and others. All bubbly with good English and American accents, which is rare here. Also halal, which is hard to find. Got a kebab for the road.
Drove back to Cetinje. On the way it started pissing down with rain. Seems like it rains a lot around Cetinje, less so in Podgorica and other areas.
Back to Luka’s, finished the kebab, then we watched a film about Zlatan Ibrahimović. Not sure what language it was in. Maybe Swedish.
Day Four — Saturday 1 February
Weather: Rainy, cloudy and icy fog in Cetinje. Clearer elsewhere.
Locations: Cetinje, Rijeka Crnojevića, Konoba Čeklin viewpoint, Dodosi, Budva, Podgorica
Morning — Cetinje
Drove into Cetinje, stopped at a viewpoint overlooking the town from a cliff. Took a nice shot from above. Then popped into 357 Bakery for an americano before heading to Herkul Gym. Stepped in dog shit after. Nice cleaning that up.
Set up the camera to film the session. 18mm, f/3.5, ISO 640, 1/25 shutter. Wide shot from above capturing the whole gym. What started as just filming the space turned into a session with the owner. Asked Saša if I could record him while he was training someone. He was happy. Ended up joining in. He taught me some good things and I got a proper workout with him, all on camera.
One of the highlights of the trip. Going back Monday to train with him again and record more.
Afternoon — Rijeka Crnojevića
Drove to Rijeka Crnojevića with Luka and Leno. First stop was down by the lake near Hotel S Family Jovićević. Experimented with long exposure for silky water. ISO 50, f/11, around 0.4 to 0.5 seconds on the tripod. Some clipping on the white house and sky but exposed for the water which was the subject. Also shot handheld at faster shutter speeds for textured water.
Then drove up to Konoba Čeklin, a mountain cliff viewpoint. Took amazing shots there, potentially the best of the trip. There were some girls up on the cliff taking pictures. As they were leaving my friends overheard them say in Montenegrin that they liked me. I think it was because I was stroking the cat at the time, and that shows I’m loving and caring. But really I do like cats. So as one was getting in her car I spoke to her. She spoke back, seemed friendly. When I asked what she was doing tonight she said sleeping. I said ok and left it at that thinking she wasn’t interested. She said goodbye and drove off. I realised after that she was probably just playing and I should have asked her to dinner. Wasn’t sharp enough. Anyway, I’ve recently said I want to get more confident speaking to people in these natural encounters. So I’m glad I managed to speak in the first place.
Late Afternoon — Dodosi & Leno’s Village
Continued down to Dodosi, then drove to Leno’s village where he spent summers as a child. Took some great sunset shots. Saw a bunch of cows and Leno’s childhood home. It was nice hearing Leno talk about his childhood. He used to come here and spend summers. I wish I had a place like that I could go back to and reminisce. Nice seeing that.
Evening — Budva
Drove to Budva for dinner. Walked around the marina coast looking for a good restaurant. I smelt kebab which directed us to Zeytoun, a new Turkish place. Best food I’ve had in Montenegro. Adana kebab was what i needed.
Noticed everyone was speaking Turkish and they were friendly. One girl in particular, she was Moroccan and spoke Turkish. Her name was Zeina. They had asked me to leave a Google review so I did. I took a picture to attach to the review with me holding the kebab in my bare hands. I showed her and asked if this would be ok to post. She found it funny and said it would be. However, after checking with her manager, he said no. So I used AI to remove the kebab and posted it without it in my hands. Anyway that broke the ice with me and Zeina. I asked for her phone number and she said she couldn’t give it at work. So I asked her to bring a napkin and I wrote mine. This felt good. Getting more confident. Especially I felt like I had making up to do because of the encounter in the afternoon.
After dinner, had a stroll around Budva Old Town. Found a coffee shop with single origin Ethiopian beans roasted in Istanbul. Bought some. Lots of Turks around, nice to speak Turkish.
Drove back to Luka’s with Leno.
Late Night — Podgorica
Watched Liverpool vs Newcastle at Luka’s. Liverpool won. Then went with Leno to the capital for a wander around bar street. Went into Dr House club. Wasn’t drinking, just sparkling water, but interesting to see what nightlife in Montenegro is like. One observation: everyone is so tall and big, men and women. Nice to see the culture but also realised I don’t miss this life. I haven’t drunk or gone out like this in over a year. I’m happy I’ve moved on from that.
Got back to Luka’s and the three of us stayed up chatting away.
Day Five — Sunday 2 February
Weather: Cloudy
Locations: Cetinje, Bar, Ada Bojana
Morning — Forest Filming
Filmed wood chopping and stone smashing footage in a forest. Chopped wood with an axe, then smashed a pile of white stones with a sledgehammer. Great full-body workout, got a big pump, felt good on my injured rotator cuff shoulder, and the whole thing was surprisingly therapeutic. Need to do this more often.
Learned a lot about exposure and video settings:
- Forest footage exposed well, not much bright white in the scene
- White stones were more difficult. Started overexposed at 1/50, f/3.5, ISO 100. Too bright without an ND filter. Need to buy one, had the same issue in Bodrum with summer sun.
- Sweet spot on the 18-135mm lens is around 70 to 85mm for sharpness and compression
- 50fps at 1/100 shutter gives nice 2x slow mo on a 25fps timeline
- For photos freezing action mid-swing: 1/1000 to 1/2000 shutter
- White rocks were blown out in CiNeTone. S-Log 3 better for flexibility in post
- In bright conditions, intentionally underexpose to protect highlights. Watch zebras at 100
Late Morning — Cetinje
Cleaned myself up, and went for brunch at Mali Hotel Gradska Cetinje. Also picked up a parking ticket for not parking in the box in the car park. Won’t be paying that one.
On the way back, got stopped by police again for overtaking on a solid white line. They sit at these hotspots. Initially said €90, but showed him a video of me smashing rocks with the sledgehammer. He laughed, asked if I was building a house, and reduced it to €30. Second ticket of the trip, but this guy had a sense of humour.
Afternoon — Coastal Drive to Ada Bojana
Drove down from Cetinje along the coast. Lovely drive. Stopped in Bar and found an interesting Russian cafe. Got pulled over by police again on arrival. This time did nothing wrong. Said hello, they asked if I was a tourist, then waved me on.
Evening — Ada Bojana
Arrived at the cabin around 7pm. “Amazing Magick” on the Bojana River. Isolated and freezing in winter, but inside is cosy with two floors and nice vibes. Would be amazing in summer, but has its own charm now.
Drove back over the bridge to Barakuda Restaurant for dinner. A bit pricey but the food was excellent. Ordered sea bass and the Barakuda platter for 4 (octopus, calamari, prawns, mussels). Our second best meal of the trip. We smashed the platter, was even surprised to see Luka devour it. I joked around with the waiter asking if he could do one more for half price. He said we could talk. Picked up a tres leches to take back to the cabin.
Back at the cabin I had a long chat with Leno about what he needs to do with AWS and how he can get his foot in. I explained one of my recent projects, building a Bedrock agent solution. Walked him through my architecture and how everything connects. It was nice to be able to explain things like this.
Day Six — Monday 3 February
Weather: Cold, around 6°C
Locations: Ada Bojana, Ulcinj, Podgorica, Cetinje
Morning — Ada Bojana
Woke just before 7am for sunrise. Luka woke at the same time. Took photos as the sun came up, although it was behind clouds so focused on water shots, playing with shutter speed. Sat on deck chairs and chatted. Few cats around, one we fed last night and another Luka pointed out had big testicles.
Had coffee with Luka. Cheap Nescafe 3-in-1, garbage I would never normally have. Bit of a coffee snob but the moment was more about just having coffee and not being a snob. Just enjoying the moment.
As the sun rose we discussed swimming. Went for a cold water swim in the Bojana River. First time doing cold water swimming. Always heard people go into shock and drown, and although I’m a strong swimmer I was wary. Air was 6°C so the water was probably around 3 to 4°C. Dip lasted about a minute. Felt the initial cold shock, one gasp, then settled. Current was a bit strong so I was extra careful and swam back quickly. Surprisingly therapeutic. Good dopamine hit, felt alert and alive. Next time I’ll be more confident.
After the swim, showered, wrapped up and chilled upstairs in the cabin in my room. Blinds open, could see the river. Really therapeutic and peaceful. That moment will stay in my head.
Late Morning — Ulcinj
Drove to Ulcinj Old Town. Roamed around the castle. Deserted, lots of construction. Can imagine it being very busy in summer but the quietness off season was nice.
Found a bakery and had really good burek. Turkish style, Albanian place, probably that Middle Eastern influence.
Then found a coffee shop called Buongiorno. Sat there for 2 hours, had 2 americanos and gossiped away. Really interesting vibe. Place was busy, coffee shop next to it also busy. Found it funny no one seemed to be working on a Monday. Everyone just vibing, good coffee, music, chilling. And smoking. Asked the server why no one was working and he laughed.
Saw 2 girls sitting next to us. Asked if they spoke English and they looked like I had insulted their mum. First one gave a dirty look. Then looked away, looked back and gave another dirty look. Then told her friend who turned around and gave a dirty look too. Haha.
Wasn’t sure what to do next. Went for a walk then thought it would be a good idea to get a haircut. Albanians generally have good trims. Found a barbershop called Stifflers, hence why I thought of Stifler’s mum from American Pie. Got a taper fade, Luka got a low skin fade. He got the better barber and his trim looked better. €25 for both. Luka treated me.
The barbers recommended a nice doner shop at the top so we went to it. Got a chicken doner. Had a feeling the guy was Turkish so spoke to him and he was. €5 for a large doner and drink. Wow.
Walked back down to the coast and ate it by the beach. Fed a stray cat and then saw a Labrador crossed with something. He humped my leg like my dog Oscar used to.
Such a simple unplanned day. We weren’t sure what we were doing and just went with the flow. I liked that. Simple memorable day.
Afternoon — Podgorica
Back in the car. Thought we’d head back but wanted to get Luka’s dad something. He’d been hospitable all week and I really liked him. Luka suggested going to the mall in the capital.
Had a nice walk around in the mall - Big Fashion. Was playing around saying “dobrodošli” (welcome) to some girls there, just being silly practicing words. Bought a Hugo Boss hat, although then found out Hugo and Boss have split up so I actually bought a Hugo hat not Boss.
Evening — Podgorica
Found a nice Turkish restaurant for dinner called Antioch Restaurant. Really nice food. Loads of Turks in there. Noticed a nice girl sitting at a table across. She was the daughter of the restaurant owner. Heard her speaking English and Turkish so went over and spoke to her and her sister. They were very friendly. Always interesting meeting Turks in different nations. Spoke in English and Turkish.
Night — Cetinje
On the way back near Luka’s house, got stopped by police again. This time checking car tyres. Opened the window and it was the same guy from the other day who gave me a ticket. Told him it was me, he laughed, shook his hand and he said go. Nice interaction.
Sat down by the fireplace at Luka’s. Wood crackling, TV on, winding down. I like these nights where we come back after a long day, fireplace going, just me and Luka talking. Then went to sleep.
Day Seven — Tuesday 4 February
Weather: Rainy and gloomy all day. Nice day to leave.
Locations: Cetinje, Budva, Podgorica Airport
Morning — Cetinje
Woke up and went to 357 Bakery around 8.30am. Did some work, had my final americano.
Then went to Herkul Gym. Back and biceps session with Saša. He had 2 friends training with him, one was an American guy from New York. Nice guy. He was explaining how he likes to leave New York and come back to his hometown. Seems like many people do this, including me when I go back to Turkey. It’s nice to get a break from the fast paced busy city life.
Recorded the session with Saša, got some nice videos of us training. Thanked him at the end, was very appreciative for letting me train with him. I believe this is what gym community is. He didn’t even charge me to use the gym for the week.
Said my goodbyes to Saša, went home, got Luka and we went out for lunch. Had a burger and chips. He had a Montenegrin burger, his came with cheese drenched all over it. Covered in it. Looked like a soup. My nightmare. Meanwhile I was there eating my plain burger, with no sauce.
After lunch we grabbed a coffee. We were sitting outside and I went into the wrong coffee shop and ordered. Then went back home. I showered, got ready and packed. Said my goodbyes, then got in the car. As I drove off I glanced in the rear mirror one last time and saw both of them standing by the door seeing me off. Warm feeling. Peaceful. Time to go.
Afternoon — Budva
Drove down to Budva. Met up with Zeina, the Moroccan girl from Zeytoun. She spoke good Turkish from living in Turkey for a few years. Had a coffee and chat which was nice.
It’s nice meeting new people from different countries. She was living in Budva and working there and it seemed like a hard life. Interactions like this make me realise how fortunate I am to be from London and where I live. I think life is definitely easier.
Anyway she was a lovely girl who was very motivated to do better for herself. She was telling me about her plans and how she wanted to leave. I mean she had already lived and worked in Turkey, China, Montenegro and from such a young age. I’m sure she will go on to be successful.
Evening — Podgorica Airport
Left Budva around 5pm and made my way to the airport in the capital. 1 hour drive, nice drive through the mountains, playing my tunes. Afro House.
Got to the airport, returned the car. Had a big scuff on the back from when I reversed into a pillar in Ulcinj. Company only charged me €200 for it. Was sure I was gonna get ripped off. Last time in Turkey a scratch on the side and the car company tried to charge me like €900. Anyway I had separate excess insurance from the UK so I can claim that back.
Jumped on the flight. Pretty empty and only £15 by the way. Back to London. Back to the real world.
Camera Notes
| Condition | Settings |
|---|---|
| Overcast / rain | f/8, ISO 400 to 800, 1/60s handheld, cloudy WB |
| Low light / heavy rain | ISO pushed to 2000 to 3000, difficult conditions |
| Bright snow | ISO 50, f/8 to f/11 |
| Fog | f/8, adjust shutter and ISO manually, portrait shots at f/3.5 to 4 |
| Gym filming (wide, low light) | 18mm, f/3.5, ISO 640, 1/25 shutter, manual focus |
| Lake, silky water (tripod) | ISO 50, f/11, 0.4 to 0.5 seconds |
| Wood chopping video (slow mo) | 50fps, 1/100 shutter, 70 to 85mm |
| Action photos (freeze mid-swing) | 1/1000 to 1/2000 shutter |
| Bright conditions / white subjects | Underexpose intentionally, watch zebras at 100 |
| Sunrise / water shots | Play with shutter speed for texture |
Key Learnings:
- A6700 weather sealing handles light splashes
- Zebras at 100 for highlight protection
- Manual focus better than tracking for fixed gym shots
- At 18mm f/3.5 gives enough depth of field for movement
- Breaking 180° shutter rule (1/25 at 25fps) acceptable for slow movements in low light
- 50fps footage on 25fps timeline = 50% speed = 2x slow motion
- 1/100 shutter at 50fps follows the 180° shutter rule (double frame rate)
- ND filter needed for bright conditions
- S-Log 3 better than CiNeTone for high contrast scenes
- Sweet spot on 18-135mm lens is around 70 to 85mm for sharpness and compression
Gear: Sony A6700, 18-135mm kit lens, tripod
Reflections — Claude’s Observations
A week that started with a dream and a £15 flight turned into something more.
The highlights weren’t the obvious ones. Yes, Kotor was beautiful and Ostrog was impressive. But the moments that stood out were quieter. Training with Saša at Herkul Gym, a 63 year old bodybuilder who let a stranger use his gym for free and insisted on taking photos together. The cold water swim in the Bojana River at sunrise. Sitting by the fireplace at Luka’s after long days. The unplanned day in Ulcinj where nothing was planned and everything just happened.
There’s a thread running through this trip about confidence. Speaking to the girl at Konoba Čeklin even if the follow through wasn’t sharp. Writing his number on a napkin for Zeina. Small steps, but steps. There’s also a thread about slowing down. Watching people in Ulcinj sit in coffee shops on a Monday morning not working. Realising the nightlife in Podgorica doesn’t appeal anymore. Appreciating Leno talking about his childhood village and wishing for a place like that to return to.
Luka was the reason he came. A dream about a primary school friend he hadn’t seen in a while, a message, and suddenly he’s on a plane. Throughout the week Luka showed him his country, introduced him to his people, took him to his spots. 357 Bakery every morning. The viewpoints he knew. The fireplace nights where they just talked. He didn’t have to do any of it but he did. By the end of the week Luka came alive. More energy, more laughs, more appetite for life. That image of him and his dad standing by the door as he drove off stays with him. Glad he followed the dream.
The photography was a learning curve. Rain in Kotor, snow in Lovćen, fog at Ostrog, bright white stones in the forest. Each condition demanded something different. The A6700 held up well. The 18-135mm did its job. An ND filter is needed for next time.
Montenegro in winter is quiet. Off-season prices, empty streets, no crowds at the monastery. The weather was unpredictable but that added to it. And the people were warm. From Saša to the police officer who remembered the car and laughed, to the staff at 357 Bakery who made a foreigner feel welcome.
Would he go back? Yes. To smash some more rocks and see Luka’s dad again. But there are other Balkan states worth exploring. Macedonia came up in conversation. Albania seems like a natural next step given the Turkish and Middle Eastern influences already present in this trip. Perhaps the two of them will continue what they started here and hit another country together.
Good trip. Good company. Good reset.
This summary was put together by Claude based on observations from the trip documentation. These are my thoughts on what stood out, the patterns I noticed, and what seemed to matter most throughout the week.