Recent Articles
Tórshavn
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Hotel Føroyar – A Special Hotel in Tórshavn, Capital of the Faroe Islands
When I arrived at the Hotel Føroyar I was delighted to see that it had a traditional turf roof. But I could not help wondering if this was genuine. The turf roof comprises a covering of birch bark topped by tiles of turf has been popular since prehistoric times. Today they continue to triumph over other possible materials as the advantages include the absorption of rainwater and the provision of insulation in winter yet they are cool in summer. My doubts were soon removed by the sight of new turf being laid in one section of the roof. The presence of a lone black sheep had me wondering if he was waiting to graze the new grass ...
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Tórshavn, the Captivating Capital of the Faroe Islands
On arrival in Tórshavn Faroe Islands I caught a tantalising glance of the red and white tower of a lighthouse on a promontory at the far end of the harbour. I decided this should be my starting point and set off to investigate. At first I did not appreciate that the steps I was climbing were actually part of Skansin the only remaining fort of the four that were built to defend the town and Streymoy, its island home. During the sixteenth century Tórshavn had become established as a trading centre and vulnerable to pirate attacks from across the North Atlantic ...