Skiing at Kolasin

Kolasin is a popular ski mountain in central Montenegro and one of the main centres for mountain tourism.  It is located 80km from the Podgorica airport, though a 1.5 hour drive.  The road from Podgorica can be a little scary at times as you must drive on a narrow road high above the  Moraca River.  However if you take your time and don't look down it is not that bad:-).  If living or staying in Podgorica skiing at Kolasin is a great day trip. Many parents have been known to drop the kiddies off at school and immediately sneak off for a few runs and fresh air before returning to pick the kids up at the end of the school day.   The mountain is great for beginner to intermediate skiers and even has a small learning area for those just starting out.  If you are new to skiing not to worry you can hire an english speaking instructor to help you learn. The staff have always been friendly, helpful and profesional.  If staying overnight - the Bianca Resort is a great option :)

Photos borrowed from kolasin1450.com

Sweating it Out in Montenegro, an Interview With Our Sports Trainer

After the holidays it can sometimes be tough to start back with training. It can also be hard to keep your your New Year's wish and start working out? We decided to have a chat with our trainer and would like to share his advice with you.

We found Vasko though word of mouth from a friend, and we have been training with him for 1.5 years. He trains his clients at the modern Soko Gym located in the Mall of Montengro. Vasko is a former Ju-Jitsu Champion of Montenegro and he has a university degree in Physical Education and Sport. He is currently training many expats, and now he has started his own company Sports School Olympico Podgorica which offers a variety of different sports and activities for kids. During summer and winter, be sure to check out if he has a ski-camp or summer camp suitable for your kids!
He can be reached at +382 69 470090.

We asked Vasko a few questions we thought were relevant, we hope they will be useful to you. Please don't hesitate if you have any other questions, we would be happy to have another chat with Vasko.

SP: What should you ask yourself before you start training?
V:   It is very good to have some kind of idea about what output you would like to achieve from the training. What is the reason for your training. For example, do you want to loose weight? Do you want to stay in shape? Do you want to get stronger? Do you want to have toned muscles? Do you want to build muscles? Do you want to be bikini-ready :-)? These are all relevant questions to ask yourself. In addition, many people have specific goals like running a marathon, a half-marathon, triathlon, 10km, strong enough to walk a mountain or be able to do 20 pushups.

SP: How will you know if a personal trainer is the right "fit" for you?
V:  A personal trainer should always take your goals and your shape into consideration and the reasons you want to train.  It is important to discuss what you want to achieve and your trainer will create a program that suits you. It is also important to agree on how much time you want or are able to spend on working out. A personal trainer should also make you feel comfortable and keep you motivated.  It is also important that you feel your trainer has time for you and  he/she is "present" during the work out.  Some people meet with several trainers before they decide who they want to train with.

SP: How often should you train?

V:  This is hard to answer in general terms as it all depends on your goals, how fit you are, how much time you have available or if you have any injuries. But if I were to answer in general it is a good rule of thumb that in order to keep fit and maintain your body 3 times a week is good.

SP: What is the best food to eat before and after training?
V:   Before training it gives best results to eat something that gives you energy that is high on carbs, for example a banana, whole grain cereal and fluids. During training it is best to drink plain water. After training you need give your body food rich in proteins so muscles can rest, repair easily and become stronger. Examples are protein shakes, protein bars or lean types of protein such as chicken). Preferably within an hour after training.

SP: Do you have any advice on how to stay motivated?
V:   If you have a personal trainer, the trainer should be able to motivate you and help you achieve your goals. The inner motivation is also very important as it helps you keep a realistic and clear goal. If you find it hard to get to the gym you can give yourself some rewards to look forward to. For example after every 10th training you buy yourself a little treat or book a massage, pedi or mani.

If you don't have a trainer, you can stay motivated by using rewards, have varied training and to make a playlist with your favorite music to listen to. Furthermore, it can be very motivating to train together with a friend as this also makes it harder to cancel training, so it is a win-win!

Thank you to Vasko for keeping us motivated and for making our time in Montenegro healthy, fit and fun! We always look forward to our trainings so we can see your happy face and hear your funny stories. You make our day better. Thank you! If you are new to Montenegro and want to get fit give Vasko a call (+382 69 470090).

Photos borrowed from weheartit.com

Ice Skating in Podgorica

Hmmmm... what to do with kids in Podgorica during the cold rainy month of January???  Not to fear a "pop up ice rink has opened behind the large cathedral and will be here through February.  We took our children over the weekend and they loved it. Ice skates and helmets can be rented rented for just a few euros.  The ice rink is small but a perfect size for kids who are learning or just want to have fun!  Hint - go early as it can get crowded by early afternoon.

Does anyone know if the ice rink in Kolasin is open this year?

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year! Let's make 2013 the best year ever ;-)

Here is some photo inspiration to kick off the year of 2013

All photos found on weheartit

Get into the Christmas Spirit

If you have not yet gotten into the Christmas or holiday spirit, we can suggest for you to try the Hot Wine (or maybe better known as Mulled wine or Glogg) to help you get the right "feeling".

Photo courtesy of Cherokee Billie

They usually serve hot wine at most restaurants and cafe's in the city center of Podgorica, and it is well worth taking your loved one('s) out for a cosy warm treat. 

Photo courtesy of Lorie W- The Kitchenarian

It is time to get into the Christmas or holiday spirit! We hope you enjoy the seasonal holiday with your loved ones. See you for New Year's!

DIY Jar Lantern & Gold/Silver Pomegranates

Yes, you can have a DIY Christmas in Podgorica!  We have been in a holiday"crafty" mood ever since the weather in Montenegro turned chilly.  A few weeks ago when we were searching for material for our advent calendar we also picked some extra supplies for some for home made Christmas decorations. These DIY crafts are extremely easy and quick to make. 

1.  Lantern:

YOU NEED

    glass jar    pliable wire     spray paint

We found the glass jars and pliable wire at and Spray paint at Kips. 

Spray paint the empty jars white  (you can, of course, experiment with different colours). 

Cut 2 pieces of wire the circumference of your jar.  

Twist them together and secure around the top of jar.  

Cut 2 more pieces for the handle (you decide on length).

Twist these pieces together and tie to the wire you first attached around the jar.  Our wire is quite thick but looks great with thinner wire as well.  

How easy and cute are these?

 

2. Painted Pomegranates:

YOU NEED

pomegranates  &  gold and silver spray paint

Pomegranates can be found at local grocery stores

Christmas Shopping

After days of rain, the sun finally popped out showing a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains.  It was a perfect day to get out and do a little Christmas shopping.  We decided to head down to the Porto Montenegro on the coast near Tivat in search of some unique gifts. Here are some of the cute shops we hit while out and about: 

noe & zoe

Noe & Zoe is a beautiful and whimsical store with unique prints and simple shapes. We found the perfect gifts for our kids in this shop. Our favorite purchases are the prince/princess crown, pink tutu with layers of stars underneath, and a soft pillow in the shape of a whale.

Supermarket

Supermarket is the perfect shop for all things unique. We loved this store in Belgrade and were so excited when it came to Montenegro. The shop is a bit smaller though still filled with special items.  It is really hard not to buy when in this store.