Elizabethian Essays: O is for 'Odds & Ends'

A collection of Hodge Podge pictures - birds, money, stamps, newspapers, Nordic House, sports, National Holiday etc.

Birds

The National Bird ('tjaldur') is the oyster catcher.

Lots of puffins can be seen on the cliffs this time of the year.
(Aren't they cute?)

Money

The Faroe Islands have their own bills, but use the same coins as Denmark.

Stamps

Lots of beautiful stamps with Faroese scenery and well known people.

Newspapers

The Dimmalaetling (Dawn) started in 1878 and is still a very popular newspaper.

Before the days when all the news could be read on the Internet, Ragnar's Dad used to mail this paper to us in the Philippines, minus the ads.

Nordic House

The Nordic House was built to serve as a forum for cultural life in the islands.

It was a joint effort -

- Architects - Norwegian & Icelandic

- Glass - Danish

- Roof - Icelandic

- Furniture - Finnish

- Woodwork - Swedish

- Tiles - Norwegian slate

- Work done - Faroese craftsmen

It opened in 1983 and always has something going on - concerts; exhibitions; or festivals.

Sports

Soccer is the most popular sport in the Faroes, closely followed by handball, volleyball, rowing and swimming.

Soccer fans still like to talk about the 1-0 victory over Austria during the World Cup qualification in 2010. Each member of the football team in the Faroes has a regular job, and being on the soccer team is a sideline for them. So it was quite an accomplishment for 11 amaturers beating 11 professionals!!

Rowing (kappróður) is the national sport. There have been rowing competitions since 1930, and they still have annual competitions, held in seven different places during the weekends of June and July.

National Holiday

St.Olaf's Day (Ólavsøka), celebrated on July 29, is a spectacular sight and fills the town with a lively, fun atmosphere - musical processions and sporting events – including regattas in the harbour. Work stops and people flock to the capital, Tórshavn, from all over the islands.

Over the years the festival has grown and in order to accommodate all the activities on the program it now starts on the eve of Saint Olav's Day. The festival is officially opened with a procession through the town headed by men on horseback with the Faroese flag at the forefront, making their way to the lawn in front of the parliament building.

The festivities continue until midnight when the holiday is officially over as everyone gathers for the community singing in the middle of the town. Weather permitting, St.Olaf's Day guests continue celebrating for several hours until everyday life begins once again the next morning.