Hearing thousands of
Torshavn inhabitants cheer for Iceland in the football match against France last Sunday was a special experience. They gathered to watch the game on a big screen just beside our hotel. Despite the loss they left the harbour in an orderly fashion proud and happy for their neighbours' achievements.
When Iceland hit a
financial rock bottom a couple of years ago, the
Faroe Islands was the first nation/institution to offer a loan. A drop in the ocean perhaps, but still a small foundation for Iceland to build upon at that time. The loan has since then been repaid.
The nations in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean have much in common. The roots in the old Scandinavian/Norse culture and language. The myths like the tragic ones about the
Selkies. Being occupied by the UK and the US during the WW2 and at the same time helping them out by smuggling fish, resulting in a great loss of men to storms and U-boats. The reluctance to join the EU due to a perceived (and probably real) threat to their fishing industry.
Despite being part of Denmark, both the Faroe Islands and Greenland are not members of the EU. In fact, I learned from our excellent guide that Greenland was a member but left after a referendum. Thus, there has already been a Grexit.
These coastal areas also share a number of birds such as the almost unbearable cute
Atlantic Puffin, the sleek national symbol the
Eurasian Oystercatcher, the chubby
Fulmar and the
Black-legged Kittiwake with its three toes.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment