The online photographs of Torshavn, the largest settlement on the Faroe Islands, between Scotland and Iceland, have something odd in common: They’re all showing green fields and clear seas in daylight. Yet, at its far northern latitude, in the Norwegian Sea, Torshavn spends an awful lot of time in cold and darkness.
We may think our winters here in North America, but over in Torshavn today, the temperature is… hold on… it’s 36 degrees F. Outside my own door in Upstate New York this morning, it’s just 6 degrees F. It’s also colder than Torshavn in continental Europe. In Copenhagen, it’s 28 degrees F. Of course, Copenhagen is warmer than where I am as well. Both Copenhagen and Torshavn are surrounded by water, which serves as a source of warmth in the wintertime, rather than making things colder.
There’s a lot of water between Copenhagen and Torshavn, though, even if both are part of the nation of Denmark. So, some of the 12 thousand or so residents of Torshavn are agitating for a separation. They are members of Sjálvstýrisflokkurin. No, I can’t pronounce that either. In English, they might be called the Independence Party. They’re seeking political independence for the Faroe Islands.
The big news in Torshavn today is the selection of a round, abstract design for a great big educational center that will host two colleges and a secondary school on a hill above the town. If you want to gain a more personal window on life in and around Torshavn, I suggest the occasional articles and photographs of Torshavner.
