The entrance to the big ol' fort on the hill from the old city
I got up early this morning, just before 7 am, to make the climb up to the top of the fortress of the old city of Kotor. It gets pretty hot here on the Adriatic Coast and as you are climbing up these mountains totally exposed to the sun, it is even hotter. So I figured I would do this before the sun really came out. And am I glad I did.
One side of the walls of the fortress - the side I walked up.
The total length of the main ascent is 1,200 metres and there are about 1,350 stairs. Me and my love for stairs. They are such a good workout. Only 3 other people had the same idea. The other bonus is that you don’t have to pay because the ticket booth is not set up yet. These walls of the Kotor fortress are an excellent example of medieval fortification. They were gradually built up between the 9th and 19th centuries to for a continuous belt around the old urban centre and the sheer cliff of the Hill of St. John. Pretty impressive. Glad I was not a construction worker in those days. It really is baffling how they would have done this.
Stairs on the way up. How many people have walked on these????
The total length of he walls is around 4.5 kilometres, the breadth between 2 and 16 metres, and the height varying, but reaching 20 metres in places. Sadly, like the old town of Bar, the earthquake of 1979 did some significant damage to this fortress and the old city. But it has been since 1979 that this has been designated a World Heritage Site.
Looking down from whence I came with the old city at the bottom
You have to marvel at the persistence of human nature to create structures and paths to where man needs to go or how he wants to protect himself. I don’t know. I am just too darn lazy. I tried to descend down the opposite and less used side as a map indicated that I could but the path was pretty overgrown and I only managed to go so far before it turned me around and I hooked up with the original ascent stairs.
Almost there - a view of the fortress at the top
I guess one could start getting bored of such historical structures but not me. My next destination, Dubrovnik, apparently has an even more impressive walled city. So get ready for that post. I still need to post regarding the old city itself of Kotor which is quaint and reminds me of both Naxos and Nafplio in Greece which are two of my all time favourite ancient towns, along with Chester, England.
Kotor Bay from above with a view of my weekend yachts (ya right!)
With all these incredible sites to behold and occupy my time, it is hard to put thinking time towards the whole purpose of my journey. Of course one perhaps should not force such things, but if you keep yourself so distracted it become tougher for the answers to be heard. 
I’m loving your photos and descriptions. Have you though about doing a stint as a travel writer?
I imagine it’s a challenge to think about purpose when frequently moving from location to location – so much to see and process and time needed to organize the next part of the trip would take up a fair bit of mental energy.
Thanks Irene. I am glad they are effective and not just drivel and self indulgence. I would love to be a travel writer if I only knew how to do it. it would fit my dream perfectly. You are right about the amount of mental energy available to ponder one’s destiny. I suppose I have to do it at some point. Part of me just hopes it will make itself apparent. The world is so big and amazing with so much to see and every place has beauty that thinking of settling any one place is daunting although travelling like this is also exhausting and unsettling in its own way. I think I understand why normally it is the bastion of the young or solid couples in their later working years. Thanks for your continued support by reading. I hope you are well.
Hmmm …. lots of travel writing done already, but there’s always a niche/angle that hasn’t been covered effectively yet. The challenge is figuring that one out!
All is well at home – thanks for asking. Your package from Turkey arrived yesterday. Len hasn’t had the chance to open it yet – he’ll likely do that tonight or tomorrow. Enjoy Italy!
Thanks Irene. Maybe my niche is looking at things without tourist eyes but more of a discovery of man and humanity. Looking forard to Italy as it should be good.
Read your blog every morning and I agree with your friend, Irene, that you should be a travel writer and what a wonderful occupation!!! Love Mum
Yes, I will have to look into that to see what kind of opportunities there are. I think it sounds easier to come across as an occupation than it is. But I am up to the challenge to investigate.