 |
| Quiet morning |
A bit of coffee, a danish of course, and run back up to the room for a last minute check and empty of the bladder. The driver arrived spot on time into the hotel lobby holding up a slip of paper with our room number scribed on it to assure we had the correct car. There's no guessing culture in these Scandinavian countries which is a pleasant change from the third world attitude.
Traffic was light so we arrived at KEF (Copenhagen Airport) ahead of schedule. During the drive we told our driver our destination was the Faroe Islands. He let us know all he knew of the Faroe's and left us on the curb with a short but memorable verbal salute, "Enjoy the food"
 |
| Our Taxi driver warned us |
 |
| very odd snacks on Icelander Airline |
 |
| Our little village of Midvagur |
We approached the Vagar Airport low over the ocean and flew over a velvet green mountain with a top resembling a US Marine's dress hat then over a large lake finally touching down and taxiing to the modern but small terminal. The ground crew rolled the stairs to our exit door, connected and the jostling for deplaning began. Down the stairs into the terminal and using our travel intuition we were waiting together with the other passengers at baggage claim. A woman with a officious announced sans amplification "I see a number of visitors with passports in their hands. You can put those away because the Faroe Islands are a friendly place" The bags began to slide through the chute. We grabbed ours and true to her word we walked past two officers and the official woman. Before we went through the double doors Sharon asked if she could get her passport stamped. One of the officers said they didn't do that here but maybe a policeman might. What an odd beginning to this island.
 |
| lots of sheep |
We made our way into the lobby and made our way to the information desk to find a way to our guest house. We had a choice of renting a car which we found none were available, take a bus which we were unsure about finding the Magenta Guest House in the village of Midvagur or take an expensive taxi. Little did we know our taxi ride was only 15 minutes to a remote little town to a building without signage, without a number, and a small note on the door instructing us to enter around back. We followed the directions and entered into an antique emporium entry room with sticky notes welcoming us and letting us know we are in room one. No one was in the house so we retreated to our room. The room was an eight foot by eight foot with a queen size bed shoved into a corner to make room for the sink to supplement the down the hall tub, shower, and toilet for the five additional guest quarters. The room's ceiling height dropped on a sideways angle starting at seven feet deminishing to three feet on Sharon's side of the bed. When together in the room it forced us to slide sideways like a penguin.
 |
| scary steep cliffs |
The weather being a nice 55 degrees, partly cloudy, we decided to take a walk around this small town. Following the pavement up some hills we found a grocery with a small coffee shop hosting a war museum attached to the strip center. After scoping out the nicely stocked store we stopped for a couple of coffee drinks and a piece of cake. The pleasant aged woman suggested we take a walk along the islands largest lake where at the end there was a waterfall. So we took her suggestion and began the walk that turned into quite a hike up to that mountain that we flew over and as I described above. Since it stays light like late afternoon until midnight it was hard to say how far we hiked but I'll guess six miles round trip over sheep filled hills, mind you we had not taken any provisions, not even water... Along the way we met a few friendly elderly couples, surprised by their hearty fortitude, we were given a box of juice and some chocolate truffles, so it was a pleasant though tiring journey, that started as a simple "walk." Now on our way back, we had worked up a vicious hunger. There weren't any restaurants we discovered until we encountered an Asian Food Truck in a bank parking lot a couple blocks from our guest house. We had returned to our room but still no one around so we lifted our starving bodies from bed and walked to the Asian discovery. We ordered unfamiliar to go boxes and returned to the formal dining tables of our inn's downstairs common area. The meal was filling but the taste was less than desirable. We took baths and retreated once again to our suite and passed out from an exhausting day.
Next morning I went downstairs at 7:30 AM for some coffee and once again I discovered no one around so I sat looking at the lush green hill sides the one that we walked the day before wishing I had a cup of coffee. About a half hour later a very slender mid forties woman with straight black hair entered the room with boxes and other provisions. I greeted her with "good morning" but she half smiled without pause. She went from the kitchen to the formal dining room a number of times without addressing me or acknowledging my presence I thought maybe she might be mute. I discharged any further attempt to communicate thus avoiding an embarrassing situation. Sharon came downstairs and finally the mystery woman began to speak. I think she was feeling guilty for being a bit late plus I didn't know breakfast was usually set for 8AM after all t
he non existent concierge/proprietor was missing in action yesterday.
Soon we were talking with Diana and I told her my dilemma about no rental cars available and she confirmed that there is a shortage because of the large influx of tourists now. I asked if I could use her phone to call a few agencies in hopes of a cancellation. The first two companies chuckled when I asked for an available car but on the last call the women suggested I call a man who might have something. So I called Ken at "Make Travel". He answered with a friendly cheerful voice so I unloaded on him my desperate need for a car...any car. He asked how long and I said a week but a few days will due. He said it was my lucky day because someone turned in a car this morning but I would have to return it four days later. I couldn't hold back my excitement. He said meet him at the front door of the airport and we will do the deal without going through a rental agency thus saving me 400 kr. which is about $75. Diana offered to drive me to the airport at 11AM. Sharon and I waited at the front door of the nearly deserted terminal when the new Ford Focus pulled up with Ken and the paperwork. Within minutes Sharon and I were off to explore of slender roadways and endless tunnels of the Faroe Islands.
No comments:
Post a Comment