Day 0 - What Day Is It?

We got up bright and early on Sunday to head to the Dupont Circle farmer's market for pastries, and by the end of dinner, it was past 9PM on Monday. 

Our First View of the Faroe Islands

We're in the Faroe Islands, finally taking the trip we were supposed to do in 2020, but something came up. 

We got here the shorter way, via Iceland, but it was still a long day. I did get a bit of a nap on the first flight, which is likely the only reason I was even up for dinner. Here are some photos from the first bit of driving:

 For this first bit, we're staying in Torshavn, the capitol city, with an apartment overlooking the harbor. Once we figured out check in, found the correct parking, pulled in our luggage, and stopped in a local cafe for a small snack, it was close to the end of the day for most of the retail. Bill scanned the recommendations listed in the apartment's extensive directory and found a restaurant for dinner. We then walked around a bit to get oriented and hit a grocery store. And then I asked how far a walk it was to the lighthouse we could see. 

 The lighthouse turned out to be reasonably close and walkable. It's part of an old fort that has been around for at least 400 years, with the newest armaments dating back to WWII. In addition to being fun to walk around, it also provided a great view back into the Torshavn harbor. 

 Next up: Dinner at Áarstova. I got salmon tartar with crisp toasted nuts, tons of herbs, and sesame oil: Roasted lamb shoulder with a crisp skin and a wonderful sauce: A shared cheese course: And a lovely lemon mouse.  Bill's rhubarb dessert was one of the best rhubarb dishes I have ever had. I paired my dessert with an 8 year old Kilchoman - when we visited, the distillery hadn't been open long enough to have anything legally considered Scotch. After dinner, the waiter took us on a tour of the house, including the room they serve visiting VIPs in, and the wine attic (killer staircase). He also showed us that the street just outside had a river underneath when the house was built. 

 All in all, a great start to the trip. Can recommend: lounge access at Dulles - far more civilized than any other way to wait for a flight. Cannot recommend: wandering between parking lots while dragging luggage to discover you walked up a completely unnecessary hill.

Away We go (Day 0)

We were fortunate enough to be able to upgrade our flights to the Faroe Islands as "Saga class" on Iceland Airlines. This seems to be the equivalent of first/business class. The vacation is off to a fortuitous upon checking at Dulles  in that we learn Sage class gets us access to the Air France lounge while wait for our first flight. The lounge is sleepy when we enter and we have no trouble snagging some nice lounge chairs, then the next order of business is checking out the food and drink offerings. The hands-down favorite is a multi-bean and olive salad. The charcuterie is also welcomed, and being Air France's lounge, the wines are all French. Not a bad way to start a vacation. 

The flight between Dulles and Reykjavik is about five and half hours. Our seats our comfortable, but don't really recline. I manage to get a small catnap in, but continue to struggle to sleep on planes. 

When we arrive in Reykjavik we our offered a small surprise. Our plane is parked in the center of the tarmac and not connected to the main terminal. Thus, we get to deplane down the stairs and walk over to a transport vehicle for a ride to the terminal. Also, it's in the 30's outside. Surprise! 

Our layover in Reykjavik is around 4 hours. On this side of the flight we get access to the Saga Lounge to while away our time. There are multiple automated coffee stations located around the lounge which aligns with my priority of getting a hot cup of coffee. 

It's now six in the morning and they have a breakfast buffet on offer. After breakfast is taken care of, we turn our attention to the selection of Icelandic spirits the lounge has to offer. Not trying the gins with locally harvested botanicals or their brennivin seems rude, so we oblige the lounge and support the local producers. 

After an hour and a half flight on a dual turbo prop plane we land in the Faroe Islands.  First impressions, the airport is so much larger than the Lofoten airport. That's probably not surprising since this single airport services an entire country and the Lofoten airport serviced a couple of islands. Second impression, this next part is going to be tricky. I need to drive about 40 minutes to Torshavn. I need to learn the nuances of Faroese driving real time, and I have slept maybe 2 hours in the last day.  Also I need to not get distracted by the amazing scenery and focus on the driving. It is a tall order. 

On this initial drive I'm a bit fuzzy on the speed limit when you're not in a town. They don't bother to post speed limits when they aren't restricted. We eventually make it to the apartment we're renting for the week. We have some initial obstacles to accessing the apartment that Dawn irons out... and the place is as advertised. Hurrah. 

We are exhausted. First order of business is getting down some food so she doesn't have to go homicidal. After we stop by a cafe and get a sandwich and some coffee, we walk around the town... and it is CHARMING. 

Based on the recommendation for local restaurants included with the place we're renting we make reservations for dinner at a place called Aarstova.  Dinner is amazing. I approve of a wine pairing that includes a cocktail, wine for each course, and a nightcap. Why aren't more restaurants using this protocol? It just seems civilized. 

Every course is well considered and very tasty. At the end of dinner we get a tour of the entire building. There are so many little private dining rooms hidden in the house that has been here for hundreds of years! There is a dining room for VIPS where the table is a repurposed boat that is more than 100 years old. There is another dining room that used to be a bed room. Basically, every time you think you've seen it all, there is another door off to the side, with a set of even more treacherous stairs leading to another private dining room. How many levels does this building have!?! 

Back at the apartment we are well feed and we are tired.  Our first day in the Faroes promises a very good vacation.