Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.10.2018, Page 52

LIFE IN PICTURES
FOOTBALL
IN THE
FAROES
Text: John Rogers Photos: Timothée Lambrecq
This summer, as the World Cup was hitting
its peak, we were out on a road trip driving
the winding fjords, mountain passes and
endless tunnels of the Faroe Islands. The vil-
lages were often tiny, even by Icelandic stan-
dards, and as we made our way around the
archipelago, we were struck by two things.
Firstly, that every single village and hamlet,
no matter how small, had a football field.
And secondly, that they were all empty.
It’s true that we were driving around most-
ly during office hours, so perhaps the kids
were stuck in the classroom and the adults
in work, instead of living out their heroic
sporting fantasies. Even so, the empty foot-
ball fields of the Faroe Islands—at the peak
of World Cup fever—were a striking sight to
behold. Lodged into the landscape between
jagged cliffs and wide, windswept beaches,
they seemed like a powerful testimony to
the truly global appeal of the world’s most
popular sport.
The only football field which has a water hazard
THE HOME
OF ICELANDIC
SEAFOOD
AND LAMB
APOTEK Kitchen+Bar is a casual-smart
restaurant located in one of Reykjavíks
most historical buildings.
We specialize in fresh seafood
and local ingredients
prepared with a modern twist.
APOTEK KITCHEN+BAR Austurstræti 16 101 Reykjavík apotek.is
The loser has to go dive off the end of the peninsula
Extra points for hitting the steeple
Fact: this pitch is in a giant's footprint