The Faroe Islands

I'm interested in checking out the Viking Legacy. (If only Noodles would wake up to understand the joke behind that...)

If you continue talking footie on my tourist/info thread, I will take that as an invitation to get on any and all footie threads and start spouting random rubbish about teenage pop stars and linguistics. Just don't.

The pictures I've seen look great! Like Scotland, but bleaker!

This looks better than The Needles on the Isle of Wight!

...looks like a lovely place to stay!

Very funny "review" accompanying the picture. This bloke who went on this nonstop whirlwind tour of Greenland and Iceland in a week, and then got upset when he got to the Faroes because there was "nothing to do but walk around on green hills". Which sounds like my ideal holiday, really.

(What am I doing here? I'm supposed to be cutting shorthand to study! I've got an exam in an hour and a half! arg....)

You are the only person who's had any knowledge of Faroe that isn't football (except maybe Tiit)!

http://www.sagflaat.com/Faroe/Kirkjubour-10.JPG

http://www.sagflaat.com/Faroe/annes_hjemmesider006-004.htm

Are the Faroe Islands actually part of Denmark? I'm sure Denmark has good healthcare, but in the Faroe Islands they'll probably be all "A-heert, ah-hoort, we haff not a doktooorrrr, but you can go to Die Vet!"

http://www.commerce.usask.ca/faculty/mentzer/faroesmap.JPG

Apparently, they're a Danish Territory, but that doesn't mean they're actually part of Denmark of the EU.

Apparently Torshavn is the smallest capital in the world....and home to the oldest parliament, the Løgtingið.

(Though I see those specific trees are in a bit of a hollow, and therefore probably protected from the HOWLING WIND.)

xpost

Quick'n'dirty:
"The ruins we see here are of a cathedral that was never finished. It was started under Bishop Erlendur of the Faroe Islands; he was bishop from 1269 to 1308. The cathedral was partially destroyed by an avalanche in 1722, but most of it remained standing. The faces carved in stone depict Bishop Erlendur and the Norwegian King Håkon V. Slightly north of this cathedral, there are remains of an even earlier church, St. Brendan's. This has been dated to the early 12th century.

Today, a somewhat newer church is in use in this place: St. Olav's Church. Originally built in 1111, it was restored in 1874 and 1966.

The wooden buildings shown in the pictures are Roykstovan, a 900 years old farmer's house. The farm has been owned by the very same family for 18 generations. Its interior is how it was in Medieval times. At the first floor, there is a room that is said to have been used by the young King Sverri. He was born here in the Faroes in 1149 and lived her until 1174, when he went to Norway to claim the throne after his father."

The paperclip was invented there.

x-post, yes, that is a concern. This might be the only thing that stops me from going. HSA pointed out that not only is it difficult to obtain veggie food in strange places, but also that fish is such a large part of the diet of Islands that almost all of it could kill me. Unless I want to eat nothing but breakfast cereal for a week...

What what what? I believe that was in Norway, or at least by a Norwegian... Do you have a source for your RIDICULOUS CLAIM???

;-)

They're an autonomous part of Denmark, just like Greenland. They have their own provincial parliament, but they must adhere to Danish laws. I'm pretty sure they joined EU when Denmark did, and couldn't have done otherwise.

Hey Malta, get a tree!

(dashes off to look for Malta thread)

(I'm adding that because you do seem to take everything I say here literally).

how to get there

The most utterly spot on the money involuntary self expression which has occurred on ILX to date.

BOYS IN A BAND

24 GIGS IN 24 HOURS AND DEBUT ALBUM NEWS

"They sound like The Strokes without that crushing pretension ruining it…Plus, seeing them live, is an experience to say the least." Clash magazine

“…huge stars…” NME

With one foot planted firmly in modern indie rock ground and the other wobbling about, Boys in a Band look backwards into music history, eclectically mixing that which they see fit into a musical melting pot of well calculated chaos. The reckless and danceable rhythms of classic rock n roll, the weighty and lofty vitality of pre-Elvis black gospel and blues, the epic grittiness of old school country, the bare idealism of hippy protest singing and the groove of seventies cock rock – these diverse and, at times, more than slightly contradictory elements exist in perfect harmony in Boys in a Band's universe, thanks to their utterly infectious and youthful charisma, of which they are brimming.

The band has and is going to play several big festivals since they started playing in September '06 – Roskilde (DK), Iceland Airwaves (IS), EuroSonic (NL), by:Larm (NO), Canadian Music Week (CA) and SXSW (US). Despite having formed only 18 months ago the boys are gaining reputation for their fantastic music and stagecraft earning them international attention as one of the most exciting up and coming bands from Scandinavia.

The Boys have just released their debut album in the Faroe Island’s where they reside. The album entitled Black Diamond Train was recorded in London with legendary producer Ken Thomas (Sigur Rós, Dave Gahan, David Bowie, Sugarcubes & more).

To celebrate its release the band performed, a possibly record breaking 24 gigs in 24 hours around the 18 islands performing by waterfalls, in caves, on the roof of a toilet, on a boat & many other locations as well as travelling by helicopter, boat, motorbike and cycle ending at the mini G festival in Gøta performing a full set. This unique occasion was documented on film to capture a truly unique country - its people, nature and culture - from a curious angle made to nurture the passion from music lovers on home turf as well as around the globe.

The album will be out in Autumn ‘08 and there's no doubt it will trigger the fastest rolling musical revival since Be Bop A Lula. Amen.

www.myspace.com/boysinaband

http://www.tyr.net/myndir/ragnarok/tyr.jpg

http://blog1.musicfield.jp/du_ds8/archives/tyr%20ragnarock.jpg

http://www.cs.auc.dk/~torp/Foto/FR/by.jpg

I wonder if those dudes also eat http://www.thescreamonline.com/photo/photo2-2/isaac/images/puffin.jpg and http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Snow-Seal-Print-C10054502.jpeg

COS SERIOUSLY FAROESE FOLK LOVE EATING CUTE THINGS APPARENTLY!

These Faroe Islands PRIDE photos can give you a lift if you're feeling down. Apparently 1/10th of the population were on the March.

http://www.gaycities.com/outthere/25343/photos-gays-in-the-faroe-islands-tiny-nordic-country-march-for-equality/4/