Kalsoy Adventure (Day 9)

Today is the day that Dawn and I have probably discussed the logistics for the most since we started to plan this vacation. Every tour guide we consulted basically said if you're in the northern islands you need to go to Kalsoy and see the two big tourist attractions there. Also, the only way to Kalsoy is by ferry so you need to sync up your visit with the Ferry timetable. Also, there are only so many spots for cars on the ferry, and it's possible to get stranded on the islands. 

It turns out that while that is possible, it's not likely - but we only learned that last part once we were in Klaksvik. The Klaksvik tourist information kiosk did confirm that residents get first dibs on ferry car spots, but the company does hold a few spots back, and if you book online ahead of time you can guarantee yourself a spot on the ferry. So Dawn books us passage on the ferry. It turns out that all of the guaranteed spots are already booked on two of the sailings, so it looks like we're leaving here at 8:00 in the morning and coming back at 5:40 in the evening. That's pretty much a full day on Kalsoy island. 

The ferry ride to Kalsoy is short. Maybe 20 minutes. The weather is great today and the water is calm. I don't even get sea sick on our ride over.  I am amused the car's navigation tries to track us while we're on the ferry.   

Kalsoy island has four villages on it. The grand total population of the entire island is 80 people. There is essentially one single-tracked road that runs up the east side of the island. The ferry drops us off in Sydradalur, which is the southern most village. It seems like most of the other cars on the ferry are also here on sight seeing business because a convoy of us take off an head north. 

Both of the big tourist attractions on the island are on the north end. There is a statue of the Seal Woman in Mikladulur, and then there is a hike to a light house in Trollanes. The hike is supposed to be only an hour each way and super scenic. Also, in the last James Bond film they shot Daniel Craig's death scene on that site, so it's also now the place James Bond died. The owner of the property has installed a grave stone for James Bond and it's become a bit of a thing to go and visit it. It's obvious that most of the people in our caravan are headed for Trollanes for the hike. We decide to pull off at Mikladulur to see the Seal Woman and note that most of the caravan continues north. This is a stoke of luck because it means we have the place more or less to ourselves. 

Mikaladur has a population of just of 20 people. There is a small cafe there, that isn't open at this time of year. There are a couple of Airbnb places and not much else going on. We walk down the steps to the ocean and visit the Seal Woman statue which was installed in 2014 based on a mythological story involving Mikaladur, a farmer who held the seal woman captive, and how she came to curse the town's men. I gotta say, I think the location and the statue really work well together, and think this is a really successful art-installation-come-tourist-attraction. 

We continue our track north to Trollanes. While the lighthouse and James Bond might be the major draw, Trollanes holds a second delight that Dawn and I are looking forward to. For some reason there is also a Thai restaurant here on the edge of the world. Our plan is to do the hike and then get lunch at the Thai place. This is also the only hike we're doing in the Faroes that charges a fee. Hiking is popular here, and some of the hikes are technically trespassing on private land. So they're worked out a culture where people pay to hike across private land. It turns out in Trollanes you pay at the Thai restaurant to hike to the lighthouse. After paying we head up the hill. It looks like the owner has decided to install a permanent path to the lighthouse fairly recently because there is a gravel path most of the way there and the tell-tale signs that a backhoe has been at work. 

The new trail probably makes the hike easier, if not slightly less picturesque. Once we round the corner and enter the valley of the lighthouse, the view point, and James Bond's gravestone its hard to argue that the scenery isn't breathtaking. Since we visited the Seal Woman first everyone else on the first Ferry beat us here and they start to wrap up their visit as we're getting started. We select the view point as our first target, I make good progress until we get to the final approach which just drops off to the left and right and my fear of heights kicks in. I realize that there is no way I can make it out to the view point unless I crawl in the mud to get there. I bow out and Dawn continues forward. 

Afterwards we head of the lighthouse which is also very nice. Finally we visit James Bond's grave site.... but only half heartedly. This is obviously a manufactured reason to visit... judging by the number of people visiting, it's effective, but still.... it's not really a thing. After that we just sit down on the side of the hill and enjoy the scenery. It really is quite gorgeous. We hand out there until we judge that the tourist from the next ferry ought to be making their way there. We got the timing just right, because on 

our way out we pass a large number of tourist hiking their way in. 

The next stop if the Thai restaurant for lunch. I say restaurant, but that's not really what's going on here. Trollanes is more a functioning farm than a village. I think less than 20 people live here. It looks like a single farm. The restaurant is really just a farmhouse. You sit in the family room, they cook food in the farmhouse kitchen. There is nothing commercial about this. It seems like it could be a B&B. I'm pretty sure the owners kids seat us and take our order. Sometimes the kitchen door is briefly left open and I see an older Thai lady working the kitchen stove in the back. The food is great, the setting is kind of sureal, I had a great time. 10 out of 10. I would definately eat Thai for at the edge of the world again if I happen to be on the island. 

 After lunch we still have 4 hours to kill before our return ferry trip. The weather today is great and the sun is actually been poking out from the clouds. We decide to return to the Seal Woman to see if it's even better with better lighting. There is!  And we get some great photos. 

After that we return to Sydradalur. There is another lighthouse south of town. The town info plaque says it's an easy 15 minute walk. I'm going to reserve judgement on "easy", but it's not a long walk, and no one fell into the ocean or got their feet super muddy. Just as we're returning from the lighthouse we see the ferry before the one we booked come in and leave. We cap our time off on Kalsoy enjoying the view from an elevated car park and waiting for the ferry. Once back in Klaksvik we return to Amarant to try out their dinner. I get a fish and chips and Dawn gets curry chicken bagel. Both are solid executions and we remain impressed by this restaurant. To finish the night we host our own aquavit tasting back at the apartment. Skaal!