Budva

17 June 2009

[curtain opens] So today I’m off to Budva to the beach. The Woman in Red offered to take me and I stupidly agreed. If I just get a ride, perfect. I save 3 Euro. If she wants me to tag along on business…

[Aside] Why is it that nothing in Europe that looks like a cinnamon roll actually is a cinnamon roll? I am currently eating what turned out to be a poppy seed roll. I’m not crazy about poppy seed, but I’m not going to starve like yesterday.

[Fade out to Flashback] Not only was I trapped, but I was trapped without food. Pero and the Woman in Red both had pizza. He went out to get it for them. I was hungry enough by that point that I would havwe loved some pizza, but nobody asked. I didn’t have any food that was ready to eat, only uncooked rice, a bag of sugar, salt, and some oil. I thought about excusing myself and chugging some oil, but I decided against that plan of action. So I didn’t eat. I wasn’t able to obtain food until about 11PM and even then it was one sweet bread stuffed with Nutella. Not enough.

[Fade in; later that day] [Aside] I wish I knew how to properly write a play. If I did, I could write in the directions properly instead of just writing what I hope sounds good.
The Woman in Red worked for two years to start a radio station. Unfortunately, she had to sell her half of the company to her partner in order to purchase a flat in Budva. “Her” radio station was playing Lauren Hill and the Fugis.

And Pero is a very imaginative, creative, and sensitive guy who only needs a chance to prove himself. He will be able to pick out the colors of the walls for the new hostel he is the manager of.

And it is so difficult to arrange and organize all things hostel. And fortunately the Woman in Red has a great staff that can accomplish all that she wants done.

And on and on and on.

After what seemed like an eternity, we arrived in old town Budva. She pointed out the best beach (I wouldn’t have found it otherwise) and the best bar and a few other Budva bests. She showed me to her dress shop. Apparently, she makes wedding and special occasion dresses for locals. The dresses were pretty, but nothing particularly special.

Finally, I was free. She let me go. I spent only a few minutes wandering around old town Budva. It was okay, but after spending time in Kotor, I wasn’t impressed. I headed to the “best” beach. The best beach was fine, but nothing compared to the beaches in Mexico. The beach was still pebbly, but the pebbles were significantly smaller. The water and sand and sun were significantly hotter in Budva than in Dubrovnik. At least my toes didn’t fall off from frostbite.

I spent a couple of hours on the beach, but the beach isn’t nearly as much fun alone. I tried listening to music and reading, but the sun was so strong that the glue holding my book together lost it’s stick and my book fell apart. I tried reading individual pages, but with the micro rocks and the sweat and the glare from the sun, it was nearly impossible. I eventually just left. I was too hot and the beach too crowded (this was definitely the most popular beach). I spent over an hour trying to find the bus station. There were no signs (except for at the bus station entrance). The station wasn’t so far from the town either. It shouldn’t have taken me more than an hour. The Woman in Red had told me to go back to the intersection and ask somebody. That was useless. She wasn’t thinking that I do not speak any Serbian. I purposely asked younger people for directions thinking that they would speak English, but I was disappointed. One person told me one direction, so I walked in that direction. Apparently I overshot because the next person I asked (who did not speak English) gestured and told me in Serbian to turn around. I wasn't positive I was going in the right direction, but I walked and walked anyways. Finally, I saw the sign at the station entrance. All my troubles were over (so I thought!)

I asked for a ticket to Kotor and didn't bother to look at it to make sure it was right. Big mistake! My ticket was actually to Tivat (which sounds nothing like Kotor). Fortunately, after about 15 minutes of crazy confusion, I was taken to the right bus and made it back to Kotor in one piece. The bus I boarded looked like a podunk rundown bus from the outside, but was a bumpy wiggly party bus from the inside. The driver was pumping the electronica (which was fine, except when combined with the wobbliness of the ride produces motion sickness). I kind of wanted to bus dance...

[Curtain Drops]