It’s amazing how quickly you get out of the habit of certain things.
For the last couple of day’s I’ve been wandering round Tórshavn with the roads all closed off for the national day celebrations so haven’t even had to think about traffic.
On the few occasions I did come across traffic there were zebra crossings. In the whole of the Faroes (according to the tour guide on Tuesday) there are four sets of traffic lights. One set controlling access to a narrow crossing in the Northern islands and three sets in Tórshavn, and those were switched off today.
Thankfully, I did remember in time when I got to the first crossing in Copenhagen, but only just I was just about to walk out when I remembered about the little green man.
Showing posts with label Faroe Islands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faroe Islands. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 July 2010
For how much longer
It’s been an interesting couple of days on the Faroe Islands.
Seeing their national day has show how fiercely proud of their Faroese culture, language and life the islanders are.
Whilst they may technically be part of Denmark, you get the distinct feel that this is a separate country.
And that’s been highlighted by some of the language I’ve heard to describe Denmark.
It’s been said in jest, and I get the impression that the chance of an armed uprising to remove the colonial power is not likely to happen, but on lots of occasions I’ve heard the Danish (and more importantly the Danish Navy and Army who have bases on the islands) described as the Occupiers.
One phrase that I think hints at an underlying sadness that the Faroes are still part of Denmark was “When the British left one set of occupiers were replaced with another. We still invite the British back”
The British invaded the Faroe Islands shortly after Denmark had fallen to the Nazi’s to stop the islands falling into their hands and to secure the North Atlantic supply lines. The Faroese, in turn helped to keep the British alive through fishing and running goods to Scotland. The cost in terms of Faroese lives lost was high. Following the end of the war it looked as though the Faroes could become a separate country, but by 1948 all the plans had been watered down to effectively “Home Rule” within Denmark.
Whilst the language is more civil it’s very reminiscent of the issues raised by the Scottish regarding the UK.
I doubt either situation are tenable in the longer term, so perhaps the question should be, which one will happen first – The Faroes gaining their independence, or the dissolution of the UK?
Seeing their national day has show how fiercely proud of their Faroese culture, language and life the islanders are.
Whilst they may technically be part of Denmark, you get the distinct feel that this is a separate country.
And that’s been highlighted by some of the language I’ve heard to describe Denmark.
It’s been said in jest, and I get the impression that the chance of an armed uprising to remove the colonial power is not likely to happen, but on lots of occasions I’ve heard the Danish (and more importantly the Danish Navy and Army who have bases on the islands) described as the Occupiers.
One phrase that I think hints at an underlying sadness that the Faroes are still part of Denmark was “When the British left one set of occupiers were replaced with another. We still invite the British back”
The British invaded the Faroe Islands shortly after Denmark had fallen to the Nazi’s to stop the islands falling into their hands and to secure the North Atlantic supply lines. The Faroese, in turn helped to keep the British alive through fishing and running goods to Scotland. The cost in terms of Faroese lives lost was high. Following the end of the war it looked as though the Faroes could become a separate country, but by 1948 all the plans had been watered down to effectively “Home Rule” within Denmark.
Whilst the language is more civil it’s very reminiscent of the issues raised by the Scottish regarding the UK.
I doubt either situation are tenable in the longer term, so perhaps the question should be, which one will happen first – The Faroes gaining their independence, or the dissolution of the UK?
Small facts of Island Life
According to the tour guide on Tuesday, the Faroes get their fruit delivered on a Monday. Fresh fruit is therefore only really available on a Monday or a Tuesday, except for the Banana’s which are delivered green on the Monday so they ripen up towards the end of the week.
So, no popping to Waitrose on a Thursday for a fresh ugly fruit and two kiwis then!
(The sound of a Londoner, well out of their depth with Island life!)
So, no popping to Waitrose on a Thursday for a fresh ugly fruit and two kiwis then!
(The sound of a Londoner, well out of their depth with Island life!)
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Feel sorry for the cleaners
I’ve never been particularly sporty, so have never participated in sporting celebrations, which appear to be emptying champagne over yourself, your competitors and anyone else in range.
I’ve always felt that the correct place for Champagne is in a glass and then shortly after down my throat, not all over the floor.
So I’ve never experienced what the aftermath of these celebrations is actually like.
Wandering back through town from the restaurant this evening I wandered past the area where the prizes for the rowing competition had been handed out.
The winners had been given trophies and medals and then had done the customary champagne spraying ritual.
A couple of hours later and the area absolutely stank (and I’ve had to walk through Car Parks in Croydon on a Saturday morning before, to put it on a scale). It was also incredibly sticky.
I’m assuming that they are going to clean it up the same way they prepared the area last night, by getting the fire brigade trucks to blast it with their hoses.
However it was a bit of an eye-opener (or more a nose-opener) and I now can only feel truly sorry for the poor person who has to clean up the podium after a Formula 1 race or other Champagne fuelled celebration.
I’ve always felt that the correct place for Champagne is in a glass and then shortly after down my throat, not all over the floor.
So I’ve never experienced what the aftermath of these celebrations is actually like.
Wandering back through town from the restaurant this evening I wandered past the area where the prizes for the rowing competition had been handed out.
The winners had been given trophies and medals and then had done the customary champagne spraying ritual.
A couple of hours later and the area absolutely stank (and I’ve had to walk through Car Parks in Croydon on a Saturday morning before, to put it on a scale). It was also incredibly sticky.
I’m assuming that they are going to clean it up the same way they prepared the area last night, by getting the fire brigade trucks to blast it with their hoses.
However it was a bit of an eye-opener (or more a nose-opener) and I now can only feel truly sorry for the poor person who has to clean up the podium after a Formula 1 race or other Champagne fuelled celebration.
Góða Ólavsøku
Good St Olaf’s Wake!, today is the eve of Ólavsøka, a national holiday in the Faroes and as with all good eves, it’s when all the boozing and celebrations take place before the serious business of the day proper including religious ceremonies and the opening of the parliament.
The population of the Faroes is around 48,000 people, and it looked as though every single one of them and quite a few more had crowded into Tórshavn today to celebrate.
The streets were filled with people wandering around in national dress (including young kids), and everyone was in a party mood.
I couldn’t help but notice a couple of interesting points:
- I think the Faroese must have a target of smashing the 50,000 mark as the number of babies was amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a large number of buggies in the same place at the same time.
- The big sound of the event was the very Faroese Vuvuzela, and the Irn Bru stand appeared to be doing a roaring trade, but apart from those small examples of Globalization the rest of the celebrations were very much Faroese.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Interesting interpretation of day
The Faroese appear to take a different approach to the concept of a day.
For most people a day lasts for 24 hours. Here in the Faroe’s they appear to have made that up to at least 60 if not more.
Of course, it’s not every day, just on particular day.
Thursday is the Faroese national day – St Olav’s day.
Except today is Tuesday afternoon and the national day celebrations have already started with the town centre completely closed to traffic and bands playing live in the streets.
Then again, perhaps the Faroese have a slightly more mature attitude to dealing with their national day than other people.
The really heavy party is tomorrow night, so the hang-over’s from hell take place during National Day and not on the day afterwards.
Of course, that’s assuming that it doesn’t just turn into a 60 hour drinking marathon, in which case the hangovers won’t strike until Friday.
For most people a day lasts for 24 hours. Here in the Faroe’s they appear to have made that up to at least 60 if not more.
Of course, it’s not every day, just on particular day.
Thursday is the Faroese national day – St Olav’s day.
Except today is Tuesday afternoon and the national day celebrations have already started with the town centre completely closed to traffic and bands playing live in the streets.
Then again, perhaps the Faroese have a slightly more mature attitude to dealing with their national day than other people.
The really heavy party is tomorrow night, so the hang-over’s from hell take place during National Day and not on the day afterwards.
Of course, that’s assuming that it doesn’t just turn into a 60 hour drinking marathon, in which case the hangovers won’t strike until Friday.
Monday, 26 July 2010
Did it shrink in the wash?
It’s pretty wet in the Faroe Islands. So you would expect that some things might shrink a bit in all that water.
I’m slightly concerned that it appears to also be shrinking the planes.
When I checked in at Stansted I was assigned seat 17F a seat on the back row.
The fact that the plane only went back to row 17 already indicated that this wasn’t the largest of aircraft.
We were called forward to the gate 10 minutes early and I was one of the first people to board, which was lucky as I walked down the plane and got the distinct feeling that there was something missing.
What were missing were rows 16 and 17.
They did sort of exist, in so much as there was a 16 A, B, C and a 17 A and C, but no D’s, E’s or F’s for either row.
I checked with the stewardess who suggested I sit in 15F for the moment as the flight was almost full, but they didn’t normally fill those rows.
Thankfully nobody boarded with a boarding card for 15F, but it’s a bit of a concern that between the details being loaded into the system and the plane arriving it had shrunk by two rows.
Of course, there is always the chance that it was just ServiceAir being incompetent...
I’m slightly concerned that it appears to also be shrinking the planes.
When I checked in at Stansted I was assigned seat 17F a seat on the back row.
The fact that the plane only went back to row 17 already indicated that this wasn’t the largest of aircraft.
We were called forward to the gate 10 minutes early and I was one of the first people to board, which was lucky as I walked down the plane and got the distinct feeling that there was something missing.
What were missing were rows 16 and 17.
They did sort of exist, in so much as there was a 16 A, B, C and a 17 A and C, but no D’s, E’s or F’s for either row.
I checked with the stewardess who suggested I sit in 15F for the moment as the flight was almost full, but they didn’t normally fill those rows.
Thankfully nobody boarded with a boarding card for 15F, but it’s a bit of a concern that between the details being loaded into the system and the plane arriving it had shrunk by two rows.
Of course, there is always the chance that it was just ServiceAir being incompetent...
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