The Bronx Journal/December 2001 W O R L D A 7

YUGOSLAVIA'S LAST REPUBLIC

MIQUELONT JOLIVETTE Bronx Journal Reporter

his past spring, when asked if I was traveling during the summer vacation I replied, "Yes, I am vis- iting my boyfriend’s family in ." If I notices the person's fore- head wrinkle indicating confusion, I would immediately explain that Montenegro is a part of Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia consists of two republics, . Within the Serbian republic are the autonomies of Vojvodina and . While the two autonomies of Serbia are self-governed, they still have to answer to the Serbian government. Montenegro, on the other hand, is a republic with its own constitu- tion and has the right to secede from Serbia whenever it chooses, at least in theory. After giving the curious person details about the geography and the politics of this Balkan region, his/her next remark would be, "Yugoslavia, isn't that the country that just had a war?" In fact, it is the country that just had many wars within the last PHOTO: MIQUELONT JOLIVETTE decade. And yet, I was choosing to vaca- Stradigrad “Old city” tion there. was my first stop in While riding along the curving, and steep 33,000 (60,000-70,000 in summer) people ister at City Hall and must pay a tax of two Yugoslavia; it is the capital of Montenegro roads of Montenegro's mountainous ter- who live there, which means the townspeo- dollars per person each day they plan to and has a population of 100,000. As we rain, I saw why its coastal towns are the ple have to do without water when it runs sleep in town. Last summer, more than were landing, I could see the enormous vacationer's paradise. We were being out (sometimes for up to two weeks). A 66,000 plus tourists were registered in this mountains of Montenegro from the plane's escorted to the small town of Ulcinj in a person who has become accustomed to small beach town. By day, its Mala Plage window. Usually, from a distance of 5,000 1975 orange Yugo owned by my conveniences like microwave ovens and (Small Beach) is flanked with beach feet, objects on land look relatively small, boyfriend's brother- i n - l a w. This village indoor plumbing might be taken aback by umbrellas, souvenir shops, fruit stands, and but Montenegro's mountains overpower borders and it is the town where such an antiquated life. Traditions are vendors. By night, it is a mile-long party the landscape. Once we landed in my boyfriend was born. I was amazed by highly respected and are strictly passed with beach front restaurants turned into Podgorica's airport, (at one time called the beauty of the pebbled beaches and the down from generation to generation. This nightclubs, popcorn vendors, and hordes of Titograd and named especially holds true for people walking along the promenade. after the beloved women. Their roles are very Tourists and locals alike can enjoy their President Tito) we defined. Even though they are pick of entertainment. Whether a person were greeted by a "allowed” to hold full-time prefers to hear the pulsating sounds of a security guard with jobs and become politically D.J., the traditional music of the townspeo- a towel in his hand. involved in their city or coun- ple, or hop from one scene to the next, it is We were told to try, at home the men are still all possible. Whatever a person's choice, wash our hands the "authority.” If you were one thing is for sure: he or she should bring under a portable someone looking to interact dancing shoes since the music has a way of water tank and wipe with a woman in Ulcinj, you inciting people to dance. our feet on a soaking wouldn't find her in one of the The beautiful beaches and the lively wet sponge-like rug, many side-street cafes or din- nightlife are not the only things that make before entering the ers because men dominate Ulcinj attractive to tourists. Prices in a five airport. These mea- these premises. Instead, you'll star hotel are incredibly reasonable, rang- sures were taken to have a better chance of finding ing from forty to one hundred dollars a prevent We s t e r n her in a market, at a vending night. At this point what intrigued me most 's Foot and post, or at home doing house- were Ulincj's unique informal bed & Mouth disease from work. breakfast arrangements. Homeowners spreading to During my three-month stay, I would welcome, and often solicit, tourists PHOTO: MIQUELONT JOLIVETTE Montenegro. Beach Front of Ulcinet, Montenegro grew close to an eighteen-year to rent rooms for five to fifteen Deutsche As per the old girl who at the age of sev- marks ($2.50-$7.50) a night. Ninety per- overzealous attention I received from the turquoise sea. Ulcinj is a two-hour drive enteen had been taken out of high school cent of locals open their homes to tourist airport's employees, I concluded that from Podgordrica. Like many towns that because her parents feared that the interac- each summer. This explains why all the Americans were not typical vacationers in are on the border between two countries, it tion she might have had with male class- houses are built with no less than five that part of the world. However, I was has a mixed population: is about thirty-per- mates would have, in the end, spoiled her rooms. Unfortunately, Ulcinj's annual rev- wrong: Americans do vacation in cent Montenegrin, one-percent Serbian, innocence. The perception of purity is of enue plunged nearly ninety percent during, Montenegro. Sylvester Stallone is known and seventy percent ethnic A l b a n i a n s . the utmost importance for young women in and a few years after the wars between to own a villa in the Montenegrin beach Ulcinj is a paradise for those who relish the Ulcinj, whether they are Muslim, orthodox Serbia and the former republics. A hotel resort town of Svetti Stefan. beauty of nature, enjoy simplicity in its or Catholic-since in most cases their mar- employee mentioned that he sometimes Unfortunately, the wars that have plagued rawest form, and appreciate farm-grown riages are arranged by the time they are would go as long as six months without these Balkan regions have all but crippled organic foods. eighteen. receiving a paycheck during the post- war tourism there, and it is the number one eco- If anyone ever wanted an excuse for not The town is a hot spot for vacationers years. Since tourism increased last sum- nomic resource for the villages that string washing dishes or doing laundry, they who want to have fun in the sun. With a mer, he now earns seventy-five dollars a along the coast of the . The would find one here because they wouldn't population of about 33,000, Ulcinj attracts week and is paid once a month. The year capital gained in summer by these towns have enough water. The city has twelve double that amount of tourists during the 2001 has brought Ulcinj not only tourists, supplements the country's annual revenue. water pumps but only releases two for all summer months. They are required to reg- but also a lift out of its economic slump. Continued on page A-10