Fares, Faeroes, Ferries And Fairies (3)

The Faeroes Has A Prime Minister

Aksel Vilhelmson Johannesen (born 8 November 1972) is the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands representing the Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin). He took office on 22 December 2022.

He has an office within the opulent block of Government Offices at Torshavn.

It might be a challenge to battle through the heavy security to get to his office!

How very Scandinavian and very delightful!

Bigger Ferries

The public transport diagram shows the ferries in light blue ...

Just by way of an example, fbb will take a brief look at the route from Torshavn to the island of Nolsoy (below bottom right).

A more geographical map shows the ferry route but shows no other transport on the island as there isn't any!

Nólsoy is the lowest of the Faroes; the highest point is Eggjarklettur (372 m) on the mountain Høgoyggj. 

The southern coast contains two capes, each with a lighthouse (Øknastangi on the south-east, Borðan on the south). The lighthouses were built in the late 18th century to aid smugglers working against the unpopular trading monopoly imposed by Denmark. 

This, courtesy of Google Streetview, is the end of one of the Islands typical country roads ...

... and this, a quieter backwater of a road!

More excitingly, a typical thoroughfare in the capital of the island, called, convenienty Nolsoy.

And, of course, we have a busy shopping centre.

Just opposite the shop is a huge sign directing visitors to wherever they might want to go.

Notably the bottom sign guides the elderly visitor to the most important building; very small sign, very big deal!

In this video, fbb does not know which language the singer is using. He hopes it is Faeroese!

To get there, you catch a car ferry ...

... which docks at he busy ferry terminal (above). Here the ferry is pulling into the harbourt at Torshavn ready for its next trip.

It takes vehicles as well as passengers. Island ferrt fares are charged according to the distance sailed. Nolsoy is one of the short sea routes. 

The ferry runs seven days a week.

Like the Mykines ferry, the last trip does not appear to ever arrive back in Torshavn, but fbb is sure it does. The concept is that the above are departure times.

Fares for passnegers only

They are given in Danish Krona but the Faeroese Krona is at par with its mummy nation and exchanges at approx 10p per K,

Various rates apply to vehciles ...

... and a variety of "buses" is catered for.

fbb cannot think what you would do with a bus on the busy highways of Nolsoy! But it may be more practical on some of the other short hop islands. 

Fare collection is, once again, electronic.

And whilst on the subject of fares, the blue country bus operation publishes fare tables for all its routes.

Yep, that's it. The Zonal fares apply throughout the Islands. They are not cheap, apparently, but about the same as in the UK?

Away With the Fairies?

There is a tradition, the guides say, of making a model of your own house and displaying it nearby. Despite extensive research on the interwebnet, fbb could only find one picture showing this "popular tradition".

House and identical small scale version are planted identically!

Some authorities call these miniature buildings "fairy houses" but fbb could, again, find no reliable supportive evidence of this "tradition".

Maybe fbb should construct a scale model of fbb mansions and neighbouring property and display same in the extensive front gardens? Or maybe such a model would be more useful at Peterville Quarry Railway?

It might work!

Tomorrow, fbb will publish a list of titles of planned blogs for the next week and perhaps beyond. Don't get too excited, it's not good for your mental health!

 Next Variety blog : Saturday 11 Jan