Last Sunday we took the opportunity to escape the urban air pollution of Podgorica; we made a car trip to Ulcinj, where we had a long walk through the pine forests that stretch from Mala Plaža eastwards until Cape Djerane.
I remember these pine forests from the sixties, when I spent my first ‘Yugoslav’ holidays with my parents just here, in the former ‘Galeb’ Hotel. At that time, the ‘Jadran’ Hotel was still there, on the Ratislav Peninsula, immersed in greenery and surrounded by pine trees. In 1979, it was totally destroyed by the big earthquake and it was never rebuilt. What a pity!
There were many foreign tourists in Ulcinj in those times, in particular from Western Europe. I was 14 and I will never forget the moments I spent on the shady rocks along the sea, dreaming of the future.
Among my travel books I found an old monograph about Yugoslavia. The air photo, made in the 1970s, shows Ulcinj as a romantic place nestled in the middle of Mediterranean vegetation and forests.
A lot of things have changed since then. Tourism is developing, many new buildings have been constructed in the meantime. The area between the site of the former ‘Jadran’ Hotel and the ‘Albatros’ Hotel is now very crowded during the summer months. I heard that there are plans to build new hotels and apartments here. No wonder that the inhabitants of Ulcinj are protesting. They want to protect the ‘lungs of Ulcinj’, the pine forests, and right they are! This is a fabulous place that should not be spoilt by concrete buildings…
The pine forests of Ulcinj have many healing effects. I still remember the times when children with asthmatic problems were recommended to walk through these forests early in the morning and to rinse their throat with sea water.
Moreover, the effect of sulphur and other minerals that literally imbibe the sea and the surrounding air seems to be miraculous. Sulphur water beneficially affects muscles, bones and joints and it is also used for treatment of skin changes and allergies. And last but not least: the sulphur springs are believed to help in the treatment of infertile women!
The so-called ‘Ladies Beach’ (photo: visit-ulcinj.com) is located between the former ‘Galeb’ and the ‘Albatros’ Hotel. Residents of Ulcinj and other visitors of this natural miracle believe that women who struggle with infertility should come to this beach every day at sunrise, sunbathe and swim completely naked. But not just like that! The woman who wants to become a mother should be accompanied by an older woman, and after entering the water, she should move three times around the big rock at the entrance of the cave. And finally she should leave some clothes there that belong to her and her husband….
Where does this ritual come from? Legend says that there was once a brave pirate from Ulcinj, Alija Uruč, who loved his wife Sultaneta very much, but they had no children. He was very sad about that, but he didn’t want to leave her and marry another woman, which was usual in those times. His mother, who was also fond of Sultaneta, had a strange experience. One night, she heard a voice in her dream that advised her to take her daughter-in-law, early in the morning and 21 days in a row, to the sulphur springs in the cave where today the Ladies Beach can be found. She followed the advice and soon after the ‘cure’ Sultaneta got pregnant and gave birth to a son.
Of course, today there were no women on the beach and we continued our stroll through the forests of Ulcinj. This walk is particularly beautiful during the winter months. After having passed the ‘Albatros’ Hotel, the road changed into a narrow forest path that winded its way further along the rough coast line.
We enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, the scent of the pine trees and the relaxing sound of the waves. There were plenty of spots where we had a picturesque view of the cliffs and the blue coves. Although there were some concrete slabs for sunbathing at the beginning of the path, nature took over as we continued our walk. Everything was just green, grey and blue… We saw a few small lizards, birds were chirping in the maquis … and we met a few locals with their dogs. Nothing else – and yet, this area is so close to the town!
However, it was clear that the forests are in bad shape. Many of these 100 years old pine trees were wind-thrown, due to storms and soil erosion. It seems that there is an immediate threat that these ‘Lungs of Ulcinj’ will be devastated. Is there any chance to revitalize and restore this beautiful area? And who is responsible?
By the way, in Japan, going for a therapeutic walk in the woods is known as shinrin-yoku, which means ‘taking in the atmosphere of the forest’. This practice has recently been studied for its ability to ease stress.
And indeed, we had the same experience. A walk along this path that stretches around 4 km along the coast is really refreshing and relaxing!
