2002 Summer Vacation

Click on thumbnails to see full size pictures.

Family and Guests


everyone but Mary everyone but Blazo
Blazo SredanovicBlazo Sredanovic is the mastermind behind the house in Petrovac.
Mary SredanovicHis wife, Mary, took most of these pictures.
Vjera CovicBlazo's sister, Vjera Covic, is the best cook in the family.
Srdjan (Djidja) CovicVjera's son, Djidja, lives and works in Podgorica, the current capital of Montenegro.
Nikolas SredanovicBlazo's son, Nick, lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Robert GriffinNick's uncle, Robert Griffin, also lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Garrett Griffin Robert's son, Garrett, lives and works in Oakland, CA.
Bruce GriffinRobert's son, Bruce, also lives and works in northern California.

Djidja is first cousin once removed to Garrett and Bruce, in case you haven't figured that out.

The House in Petrovac

The kitchen is the favorite room of the house, especially when Vjera is in residence and providing meals for everyone.
Vjera, Djidja, Blazo and Garrett after dinner Garrett, Bruce, Nick and Robert enjoying dinner Blazo, Garrett and Bruce at dinner

Walking Around Petrovac

Walk up the hill, past the bus station, toward the main road, to get the view looking down on Petrovac and across to the mountains to the south. Walk in the midday sun to get the best lighting. Olive trees are protected in Petrovac, so this area should always be shady and green.
Above Petrovac Islands off the coast of Petrovac Garrett and Bruce above Petrovac with mountains in background

Touring Lovcen

For the Griffins, it must have felt like old home week when they learned that their tour bus was a VW microbus much like one they had had when the boys were growing up. We encountered rain driving up the mountain, so everyone was willing to spend a few minutes in the vehicle. It gave me a chance to get a few pictures.
Bruce and Djidja in our tour bus Robert in the tour bus

At the top of Lovcen Mountain is a mausoleum, the burial place of Njegos, prince, poet, and philosopher. Njegos is the best known Montenegrin hero.

Because of rain and lightning, the monument was closed for a long time. When the folks who manage the monument said that they were opening it, we made a dash through the rain to the tunnel and up 462 steps to the top. The lucky folks (including Garrett and Bruce) had plastic ponchos; I had an umbrella and some folks had nothing.
Garrett and Bruce in front of Njegos status Njegos tomb

Touring Njegushi

To persuade you to pronounce the name of the town correctly, I have put in an H after the S in Njegushi. Njegushi is the birthplace of Njegos, and the S is Njegos is also pronounced as SH; I have not spelled it that way since it offends Montenegrins. Better to misspell the town than the hero.

The house where Njegos was born (and many other family members; the house was in the family for generations) is now a museum. The guide spoke only Montenegrin, so Djidja did simultaneous interpretation for us English-only speakers.

Blazo went shopping for Njegushi cheese while the rest of us toured the museum. When we got out, we had to wait for our driver, who had gone off to buy some Njegushi ham, the other specialty of the area. So the pictures are of us tourists waiting for our transportation to return.
Blazo, Djidja, Bruce and Nick in Njegushi Djidja, Blazo, Robert and Bruce in Njegushi

Touring Cetinje

Cetinje was the capital when Montenegro was independent. It has museums, statues, etc. to match its former glory. I will have to ask Blazo whom this status represents. Nick, Garrett, Bob and Bruce in front of statue

One of the museums contains a relief map of Montenegro that was prepared in 1915. Blazo, the museum guide, Djidja, Garrett, Bob and Bruce Relief Map

Touring Kotor

Kotor has the most dramatic topography. The town is at sea level. The mountains rise very sharply, approximately 1000 meters.
Above Kotor Robert, Bruce, Djidja, Blazo and Nick above Kotor Djidja, Garrett, Blazo, Bruce and Nick above Kotor

To defend against barbarians attacking from above, a wall was built above the town. The picture on the right is the upper right corner of the picture on the left, to help you distinguish the wall. Wall above Kotor shows in upper right Closeup of wall above Kotor 




Another perspective on the city, not so high up.

	






I was sitting with Blazo drinking Coca Cola while everyone else was touring the
cathedral when I spotted the third floor window that you see in these two pictures.  When
Nick, Garrett and Djidja returned, they posed for me briefly.  People still live in
the old city, which is part of what keeps it so alive.

	In the old city of Kotor

	Nick, Garrett and Djidja in the old city of Kotor








Touring Perast



Picture on left is going to the island church --- the town of Perast is in the
background.  Picture on right is returning; you can see a little of the island 
behind the people.

	Blazo, Nick, boatman and Bruce; Perast in background
Mary, Nick, Robert and Djidja returning from island church







We always make our guests suffer through this picture, so be prepared
to go under this bench on the backside of the island church.

	Bruce under the table

	Garrett under the table






You are not allowed to take pictures of the paintings inside the church,
but you are allowed to take pictures of the altar.
Djidja in front of altar of island church







Copyright © 2002-2003 by Mary Sredanovic.  
All rights reserved.