Herceg Novi — Bound To Go Back

The town of Herceg Novi is a place you can’t just visit once, somehow it binds you to come back, again and again.

My parents were born in a country that doesn’t exist anymore — Yugoslavia. The country comprised six sovereign countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. She was a perfect blend of best qualities that each country possessed.

I used to spend every summer in a Montenegrin seaside town Herceg Novi — and I loved every minute.

My grandfather, who was born in the tiny village of Bijela, in the northern part of Montenegro, was a partisan. After the war, he and many others were given free land by the seaside. My grandfather, proud highlander as he was, choose to build a house further away, up in the hills, just above the town of Herceg Novi.

As a child and a teenager I used to get upset with my grandpa’s choice as the road to the town and beach was steep, long and exhausting. Now, I am grateful because even though the house may seen hard to get to when walking — it is worth every step.

The views from the village where my house stands are breathtaking and I would not trade them for anything. I am quite blessed.

The town of Herceg Novi is a fortress. Its guardians are the ancient rocks, its tall peaks so sharp and the terrain so steep that many fear crossing it. But for those fearless, the reward is priceless:

There are given a dream come true. A place to bathe in the warmest sea, climb the highest mountains, explore the deepest caves and sit in the company of the most noblemen.

As I grew up, the options opened up to me: I traveled to many places, far places and I brought back a lot of souvenirs. Sometimes I could literary have a vacation in the so-called paradise resorts — but I choose Herceg Novi instead. Over and over again.

Family Comes First

People in Herceg Novi still live by the invisible codex which states that above all — family comes first. Not the business presentation, the spreadsheet or that “important” appointment — family.

When I stand in front of the house my grandpa built, I am reminded of all those evenings when our family was together. When the house was full of close and far relatives and neighbors. It is a reminder of how things used to be, and how they should be.

It is prompting me to create fresh memories. My grandpa didn’t build the house, so it stands alone, empty on the hill, overlooking the bay. He built it for us, for future generations: to reconnect, to spend time together, and ultimately to remind ourselves what matters the most.

He could have picked any town, but somehow he chose Herceg Novi. He had a reason. There is no other sea-side town in Montenegro which fulfills all the needs of a family. It is a child friendly town, safe, accessible and full of beautiful beaches and parks.

It’s a paradise for both children and parents.

Friends For Life

I have met my oldest and best friend in Herceg Novi. She has been my neighbor since childhood. Our mum’s used to exchange recipes and steal cigarettes of one another, while we caused troubles around the village.

I won’t forget the day we pulled a prank by putting up a poster of the famous singer Beyonce as a missing person. We knew that no one would recognize Beyonce in Herceg Novi so we expected people to fall for our joke. Just to make things worse, we added that an old neighbor's car was up for sale.

When our parent found out were grounded for the rest of the summer.

Together we had our first nights out, first drinks, we had our fall outs and make-ups but our friendship stood still the same way as Orjen mountain stands strong overlooking Herceg Novi. We grew up into young ladies.

My friend is now very accomplished young lady and I am very grateful that I have her in my life. But if it wasn’t for Herceg Novi, our paths may have never crossed.

Where Do You Belong?

In Montenegro people never ask you: “Who are you?” Instead : “Who do you belong to?”

As a child it puzzled me. Growing up, I understood the importance of tribal structure in Montenegro. Not so long ago, the country was referred to as Montenegro and the Hills.

The Highlands were ruled by the seven tribes, which had autonomous power over the tribe-less highlanders. Once again we can see the importance of family and the question of belonging. Nowadays, many Montenegrin's can identify to which tribe and clan your ancestry belongs just by your surname.

When I was 19 years old, I spent a month in the northern part of Montenegro just exploring my ancestry — visiting villages, talking to people up till late and listening to stories of past. I have learned a lot, but not enough. I promised myself to come back as now I have way more questions than I had then.

The most valuable thing that searching for ancestry gave me, was the sense of belonging. The next best thing were the stories of elderly. Looking back now, I know that hearing those stories inclined me to write.

Montenegro and Herceg Novi has a specific effect on it’s visitors. You can’t just visit it once, somehow it binds you to come back, and I believe I found out why. No town, and trust me, evokes the sense of belonging like Herceg Novi.

And when you feel that, you can’t help yourself but share it with others.

Thank you for reading.