Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

The rain stopped, the wind slowed down and the sun appeared as we reached the Faroe Islands.   It was a beautiful 50 degree day!  The 22 Faroe Islands form a breathtaking archipelago of jagged mountains and dramatic Fjords.

Every where you look, fresh water streams were rushing down the mountain sides.  Fish ladders (on the far side of the stream) enable Atlantic salmon to spawn upstream.  It rains 273 days a year keeping the countryside lush and green.  Trees only grow in protected areas because of the strong winds and low temperatures.  (Summers average 60 degrees and winters 50 degrees.)  With nearly 100,000 sheep on the Island, people are outnumbered two to one.

We visited the scenic village of Kvivik, site of a 10th-century Viking Settlement.  The resident's here enjoy the sport of rowing and hold tournaments every two weeks during the summer.

The Faroe Islands are self-governing within the Kingdom of Denmark.  Their official language is Danish and Faroese, though most residents speak English.  Fishing is their main industry.  

Traditional grass roofs are found on many of the homes and buildings.  Properly cared for, they are said to last 100 years or more.  In the summer, the grass requires cutting which can be done manually or by placing a lamb on the roof.  The roofs are fertilized once a year and if the weather is dry, they are watered.  When compared to metal roofing, the sod roof insulates the house and reduces noise from rain.

The Danish army once maintained a garrison of troops in the barracks seen here.  After the troops left, the facility was converted into the Faroe Island's prison.  It currently has 8 inmates serving short sentences.  Criminals with major offences are sent to Denmark to serve their time.  

Twisting roads lead to picturesque valleys with gorgeous views.  The major islands are connected via undersea tunnels and ferries.  To reach the far side of the main island we passed through a 2-mile-long tunnel. 

Tórshavn is the largest city and capital of the Faroe Islands.  Visiting old town,  the Tórshavn Cathedral stands out with its white paint and slate roof.  The second oldest existing church of the Faroe Islands, it  was erected in 1788. Since 1990 it has been the seat of the bishop of the Faroes and is therefore known as a cathedral. 

Walking along one of the many streams in town I spotted three boys returning from school.  Using a tree branch they had improvised a fishing pole complete with hook, line and bait (bread) from their lunchbox.  From my vantage point, it didn't look like their mother should depend on them bringing home a catch for supper.

In the center of Tórshavn's  city park is a memorial to the 132 islanders who were killed during WWII.  Though the Faroe's did not serve in any armed forces, they supplied fish to the British Isles.  Their small boats were no match to the German's North Atlantic Warships.