My new walking destination is the recently built lookout point on the breakwater, towards the lighthouse, which I've already written about. The Komunalno people cleverly came up with the idea of leveling that pile of rocks, covering them with concrete, and creating a walkway where, not so long ago, there was the sea, far from the shore, and where there's always a breeze.
But, as if the job is not done. The extremely decorative benches are unnecessarily double-sided. The half facing east usually sits empty, and there is usually no room on the west side, especially in the evening, at sunset, when the visual pleasure is drowned in one thought: "God, how beautiful this life is!"
In addition, the concrete surface is narrow, unsecured, it is difficult for walkers to pass each other, and it is steep on the left and right sides. The benches are on the very edge, so eating on them is risky.
There are, therefore, many reasons for refinement, for the "communalists" to stand out once again...
* * *
After many years, we have given up on going to the October Book Fair. We simply have neither the desire nor the will.
When a politician divides his people to the point of hatred, he should leave. Why? Because he is unable to reconcile them. And reconciliation is a vital need for this quarreled people.
It is possible that a worse person will take his place (it is very likely that he will not, you never know), but the crisis that is threatening will, in any case, be resolved. And the possibly worse person cannot and must not undertake anything spectacular that would irritate the half (or slight majority or minority, it doesn't matter) of the people who support the politician who is expected to abdicate.
And in a year or two, things will return to normal, with the usual political and other divisions, but without the current (sinister) hatred.
* * *
I can't help but feel that the neighbors wouldn't even mention the Kotor Basin if, say, Miodrag Lekić were the Minister of Foreign Affairs. I believe that an experienced diplomat would answer them: "For the sake of good neighborly relations, we can talk about anything, even the name of the Kotor Basin, but it would be a good idea to first remove the monument to Miro Barešić, who killed our Montenegrin, the Yugoslav ambassador to Sweden, Vladimir Rolović, in Stockholm in 1971."
Both the late Rolović and Lekić were from Bar, Crmnica.
A little dignity in Montenegro's foreign policy would please its citizens.
* * *
Comments on social media should not be allowed to those who are illiterate, who write "I don't know", "I can't", "I don't know
The only question is how literate are those who post comments, the so-called administrators.
* * *
Exactly 60 years later, I spent five days in Athens. At that time, I was visiting my uncle, who was a correspondent for TANJUG, now under the direction of my eldest daughter. A bizarre event connected these two visits. A motorcyclist, at full speed, with five fingers spread out, “greeted” another road user who had angered him, just as six decades earlier, a salesman on the Acropolis “greeted” another who wanted to take away his customers with the same hand gesture.
"Swear words are the pearls of the Serbian language" - my Latin professor Andrija Miranović used to say. This "pearl" is voiceless and is the oldest gesture of insult among the Greeks.
* * *
Of Greece's 10,5 million inhabitants, one third live in its capital. Athens resembles Belgrade in its crowded streets, friendly people and relaxed atmosphere, as well as good and delicious food. And bakeries on every corner. It also reminds us of Istanbul and its shopping streets.
Almost everything is cheaper there than in Bar, especially the most important thing – food.
Athens is a city of low buildings, whitewashed facades, and sparse greenery. At least that's how it looked to me from Lycabettus Hill, where the Church of Saint George is located, from where you can see all of Athens.
The city is dominated by the Acropolis, an ancient sanctuary built on a hill in the fifth century BC in honor of the goddess Athena. It testifies to the power and wealth of Athens during the time of Pericles. The whole world knows about Phidias, the author of the Parthenon, the most famous building on the Acropolis, but no one knows about the hundreds of slaves who left their bones while building the temple.
* * *
My wish to pay homage to the monument to Georgios Karaiskakis, a military leader and hero in the fight for independence from the Turks, and to see the stadium of my favorite Greek team, Olympiacos, which was named after him, was fulfilled. I was 14 years old and loved football and my country when, on December 19, 1973, Yugoslavia defeated Greece 4:2 (2:2) in that stadium, with goals from Bajević (later sent off), Karasi 2 and Šurjak. Karasi's second goal that took us to the World Cup final with Spain was scored in, as they say now, injury time.
Everything is known about the masterpiece, two months later, on neutral ground in Frankfurt, and Katalinski's goal...
* * *
The gods knew why they chose Greece as their home, but so did Leonard Cohen, the island of Hydra, in the Aegean Sea, an hour and a half by ferry from Athens. The famous artist arrived on Hydra, as the Greeks say, in March 1960, soon bought a house for $1.500 and stayed there. There are no cars on Hydra (except for the fire engine and the garbage collector) or motorcycles, the only "means of transportation" are horses and donkeys, both for people and for luggage. In contrast, numerous cats lie in the sun, fat and grumpy. A special attraction of this fairy-tale, idyllic place are the stone houses that flirt with bogomils of various colors. Because of these bogomils, the narrow, steep streets seem even narrower and steeper.
Silence reigns on the island. Even the music in the evening is discreet. The beaches are clean, half of them have furniture, not even a meter longer.
Hydra is more expensive than Athens, but not than Stari Bar!
Bonus video:
