I’m back! Usually I try to post about a trip while I’m still on it, but in the summer the sun never sets where I was last week (really, I mean that) and therefore we adventured all night and got back out again in the wee hours for more fun with no time to sit up and blog. So here I am on my couch, watching the photos download onto my computer and I almost can’t believe they’re real.

The Faroe Islands are a group of 18 little islands halfway between Scotland and Iceland, and absolutely one of the top 3 most beautiful places I’ve ever been. You’re never more than 3 miles from the ocean, there are no native mammals (today they have sheep, hare and mice which were all introduced by humans), and 5-10 times as many puffins as people. They still speak Faroese, similar to the old Norse of the vikings, as well as Danish (it is technically a self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark). Most people also speak English, although our car got parked in once by an oldtimer re-paving a driveway who I’m sure spoke none. They have their own breed of sheep which have no flocking instinct due to hundreds of years without any natural predators.

My flight landed around 8 pm, I had the most relaxed rental car check-out ever at the teeny tiny airport, and had an hour to spend before my cousin Ellen landed. It takes awhile to get used to how small the islands actually are – I drove halfway across one of the biggest in about 10 minutes to a place on the map called “Trøllkonufingur,” which I correctly guessed meant something like “the troll finger.” The light was golden like sunset, but the sun never did set. I was sold on this place in the first minute. (Can you find the troll finger?)

97% of their economy is through the fishing industry, and while there are a lot of boats out at sea, fish farms were also a common sight (like in the last picture).

After Ellen and I reunited we drove to the next island (again, only a 30 minute drive from the airport) to our AirBnb, which was one of my all-time favorites. Both of our hosts are native Faroese, and 3 of their 4 kids are off on other islands or in Denmark so they rent all 3 upstairs bedrooms out. They were super sweet and every night found us all up until midnight chatting away at their kitchen table with freshly baked cake and tea. The view out the window wasn’t too shabby either.

(This was 11 PM)

So now the stage is set and our first full day was such a big one that I’m going to give it it’s own post. I hope your appetite is whet. If not, here’s a peek: