Forgot to mention- last night I had a kebab from Cafe Sandwich.Apart from me there were 3 guys in there all watching MTV on the massive plasma screen.The power kept going off and a bit of a comical farce ensued when the chef had to keep turning the generator on and shouting "is it back on?" Cue "Yes.No.Yes.No..." from the guys.When it did come back on,the telly went to default channel Kringvarp Føroya,which unfortunately happened to be showing a documentary about childbirth.A screaming lady's undercarriage on a 50" HD screen isn't what you want to see whilst waiting for your dinner,and all the men made disgusted noises and shouted at the chef to turn the telly off again.It's little incidents like this that make me love travelling.
This morning at breakfast I feel sad that I'll never again taste bacon the way the Faroese cook it.I don't know what they do,but anyone who can make streaky bacon taste palatable let alone amazing,deserves an award.I have 5 rashers.As well as lots of scrambled egg and toast :/
Today I decide to walk to Hoyvík to visit the National Museum.When I see the Skansin lighthouse I realise I've gone the wrong way.Back at Steinatun I've missed the bus,so I go for a walk.
I briefly went to Vidarlund Park yesterday but I didn't realise it was so big.There aren't really any trees in the Faroes,so if you want to see some,Vidarlund is the place to go as most of them were planted there within the last century.There are also plenty of ducks there,pretty views of the city and the countryside,and a war memorial statue which scares the life out of me as it's massive and I'm not expecting it.
This is the first day that the sky has been blue and that there's been any real sun.I think about grabbing a sandwich or something and sitting by the duck stream but no,it's my last day- I have to at least go to Hoyvík or find the Nordic House.It turns out that the park ends about 100 metres from Steinatun so I just sit and wait for a bus.Local buses in Tórshavn are free,yet in northern European fashion they're still all clean and unvandalised.If you need to connect with another line somewhere,just tell the driver and he'll radio ahead to let the driver of the other bus know to wait til you get there.Things like this make you realise (as if you didn't know already) that Britain is crap.
Not knowing the name of the bus stop I need,I think Hoyvík School sounds logical,and work out that it's 7 stops away.It's about 7 stops when the last person gets off,so I get off too.Turns out I'm still a good 10 minutes away from Hoyvík and I'm actually in a suburb called Millum Gilja,which is actually beautiful and has gorgeous houses and lovely views of Nólsoy.I take pictures for a while then get on another bus.
The museum is good for its £4 entrance fee and there are exhibits about fishing,knitting,Faroese national dress (including an outfit worn by Eivør Pálsdóttir that's like a modern twist on the traditional),and (my favourite) three stuffed Lítla Dímun sheep- a breed that was purposefully made extinct in the 1860s.Most strange of all was a fragment of an old ceramic pot from the 13th century (I think),that came from Frechen in Germany.Why strange? Well,I'd never heard of the place until May this year when I stayed there on Eurovision weekend.*Whistles "It's a Small World..."*
Coming out of the museum I see the Atlantic Airways helicopter which serves as a form of public transport in the Faroes.The Faroese word for helicopter is "tyrlan" which makes me think of "twirly" which is appropriate considering the rotors.Yesterday I contemplated getting the twirly to Klaksvík this afternoon,but in the end decided that would be too much effort.Next time though.It does only cost around £15 after all.
Waiting for the bus on the way back,an impatient looking man comes up to me and asks me (I presume) "has the bus been yet?" I say no and he paces up and down,sighing and checking his watch.I reckon he's a driver who's never taken a bus in his life and feels put out doing so.I like this.It reminds me of home.
I stop at SMS for supplies and come across some excellent additions for my collection.A shame most of them are imports from Sweden and Denmark,but still...
...and my favourite...
Human Juice.As the Faroese speak perfect English,I wonder how well sales are doing?
I have lunch at the Hvonn restaurant at the hotel.Chicken club sandwich with rock salty chips and the best caramel iced coffee I will ever taste.I do a bit of shopping at Andreas i Vagsbotn (2 pairs of wonderfully soft and thick woolly socks and an incredibly itchy scarf which I'm going to use as a blanket) and a Faroese flag.When I get back to the hotel,there's very loud,very heavy metal music coming from the music school opposite.Très scandinave.This is around 4pm.
Havnar Kirkja is right opposite the hotel so I have a look around,and then one last walk around Tinganes and the shopping streets,despite the shops being shut ages ago.Back at the hotel I munch on one of those nice triangular sandwiches and some yogurt,pack,have a shower and then get the televisual surprise of my life.There's been a lot of coverage of the Tour de France on Danish telly,but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought they would show an hour-long documentary about Andy Schleck,the man who made me want to become a cycling WAG :) What do I learn? That he doesn't like going downhill,he really loves his brother,and that he needs to lose 2 kilos (!) Anyway,what a nice way to end what's been a lovely holiday.
The heavy metal finally stops at midnight.
(By the way,I just found that documentary on youtube)
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