Montenegro: The Village of Njeguši
Our final stop at the top of Mt. Lovcen, was the small village of Njeguši. When our bus pulled up, I was a little less than enthused. It didn't look like much--just a few weathered stone buildings, some barns, and a handful of local vendors with their wares for sale on make-shift stands. But as we started wandering around and learning the history of the village, I began to see Njeguši with a new set of eyes. With the mountains hovering all around and fields of wild grass covering every square inch of land, the character of the this small mountaintop village began to shine through.
Njeguši, while quaint, is quite famous for its well-preserved traditional folk architecture. It's also popularly known for its smoked ham (prosciutto) and local cheese (called Njeguški sir and Njeguški pršut--say that five times fast). And fun fact...according to a 2003 census, this village only had 15 inhabitants. A bit outdated, but if I had to guess, there might be 40 people here now. 60 if you include the wild roosters and feral cats.
Nowadays, the village is a popular place for tour groups to stop. This gives Njeguši some much needed income as it's a tough commute down to Kotor Bay for many of the village locals. Those who don't work outside the village sell their handicrafts and smoked meats to happy tourists. It seems to be a win/win situation for all. I know I sure appreciated the salty bite and sip of wine after that hair-raising bus ride up the mountainside! After our snack we continued on wandering the village roads, inspecting abandoned buildings and taking in the greenery. It was such a nice reprieve from the busyness of our cruise ship. Like exploring someplace hardly changed by the passage of time. If folklore and smoked ham are high on your "love" list, maybe a stop in Njeguši could be in order for you. Do vijenja!
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