One of the most popular Russian TV channels, NTV, whose reporters visited Montenegro as part of a study tour organised by the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro, recently released an episode of the popular show entitled Poedem, poedim! (Let's go, let's eat“!) filmed in our country.
NTV has an audience of over 54 million per month, while the feature about Montenegro attracted a lot of attention with viewers of the show. The presenter – a well-known TV celebrity – Federico Arnaldi takes viewers on a miraculous journey through our country, focusing on Montenegrin natural beauty, gastronomy, local customs and people.
“Montenegro is a country rich in mountains and serpentines. The most famous serpentines are those on the road from Kotor to Njeguši, which is known for 26 sharp curves. This road was built almost 150 years ago by the then famous engineer Josif Slade and was the main trade route from Montenegro to Austria-Hungary. The end point of the serpentines is the village of Njeguši, with a population of 200 people. The village is located at about 900 m above sea level and tourists love it because this is where the world-famous cured ham (known as Njeguški pršut) is made. Pršut bears a very similar name to the Italian ‘prosciutto’, as both names are derived from the Latin “pere sucto” which means ‘dried’, though production methods are different. “It comes perfect only in Njeguši, because the village is the place where the mountain and sea air mix, which is essential for the production of perfect prosciutto,” Arnaldi points out.
Also, the espide showcases the scenery and history of Kotor, emphasising that the UNESCO-protected old town is more than 2000 years old.
“I’m in one of the narrowest streets in the world named “Let me pass” – it’s so narrow that it’s difficult for two people to get past each other. Or, if you like, it’s impossible for two Italians to greet each other in this alley (referring to their habit of gesturing during conversations). For more than 300 years, the city belonged to the Venetian Republic, which had a strong influence on the city’s architecture. And just when you think Kotor can’t get any better, you get to see the stunning Bay of Kotor. In one part of the bay there are areas were shellfish are grown. This is an endemic species of shellfish found only in the Adriatic Sea. The taste is perfect thanks to the ideal conditions for their cultivation, because this is where salt and fresh water mix, thanks to the multitude of underwater springs,” says Arnaldi.
He singles out the island of Our Lady of the Rocks as a special attraction.
“For two hundred years, fishermen had to drop a stone here every time they sailed by. That’s how the island was built and this tradition has survived to this day. Every year on 22 July, a flotilla of small boats passes close to the island, with people throwing stones into the water. In the XV century, two fisherman brothers found an icon on the reef. The locals thought it was a sign and built a church there. Tourists are rarely told about it, but if you walk behind the altar, you will see an opening in the rock where the original ridge can be seen. Legend has it that if you touch it with your hand, your wish will come true”, says the presenter.
After Kotor, Arnaldi will present Herceg Novi, Regent Porto Montenegro Hotel and Lake Skadar National Park. Furthermore, his viewers have the opportunity to get acquainted with part of the Montenegrin cuisine through the preparation of traditional Montenegrin dishes, including kačamak and Njeguški steak.
Summing up his impressions, Federico Arnald concludes that Montenegro and its beautiful natural treasures are like a glass of good wine.
Watch the show at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C9XoIpKr20&list=PLSgy-gJ-dkS_e1jx7-jZXixIkYD3uPqj
