Like most history buffs, I've always been interested in Montenegro ever since the 2006 Bond film Casino Royale. The former Yugoslavian country has a long, complicated history of Daniel Craig playing Texas Hold'em and beating up international stock manipulators that weep tears of blood.
However, the vibe in Montenegro is different than its history suggests; beachy restaurants and sunny mountain views more closely resemble the laid-back atmosphere of Bond's meeting with Honey in Dr. No or his early retirement in Skyfall.
I did end up playing cards in my hostel with people from all over the world: Brazil, Turkey, Germany and France. So maybe it was a little more like Casino Royale than I realized. Except I don't ever remember a scene where Bond eats a bowl of soup while reading a book alone in a restaurant.
Speaking of, lots of people stress out about eating alone. It can feel lame and even induce a devastating bout of insecurity, similar to how it feels when you pee your pants in elementary school or pull on a door labeled "PUSH" or pee your pants in adulthood. But as someone who has now eaten at least one meal a day alone for the last 140 days, I'll let you in on a secret: eating alone is delightfully meditative and feels unnecessarily fancy (in a good way, like when a flight attendant hands you a warm towel). It's a triple-dose of self care as you (1) eat, (2) drink, and (3) read a book or watch Netflix on your phone.
And in the case where eating solo makes you feel lonely, just pretend you're an international, quip-cracking, well-tailored, gin-drinking, ladykiller spy hiding out in Montenegro.
