On Facebook, I recently said my goodbyes to a friend who kept posting stuff about the cosmic law, increased awareness and the power of the rising blue moon. Don’t get me wrong. It’s OK to do so. I’m just not interested in witches, spirits and esotericism. Nevertheless I have to admit that strange and mysterious places do exist on our planet, and some of them are definitely located in the Faroe Islands, including the village Gásadalur. How to get there? Taking the plane to Faroe Islands, you will arrive on Vágar. Head further west to Gásadalur, walk up to the end of the cliff, sit down on the bench and listen to the cries of the seagulls. This is the moment you will feel it, too: The whole place is full of strange energy and mysteries. It almost appears as if the past would rise at any moment.
Maybe it’s because the village has been isolated for so long. Until a road and a tunnel were built in 2004, the 16 residents living in Gásadalur had to take a strenuous hike in order to make it to other villages. Gásadalur is surrounded by mountains, and it sits on the edge of a tall cliff overlooking the sea – a very dangerous place for ships. And even though the helicopter had flown to Gásadalur since 1983, the postman walked up the mountain three times a week. The old route that leads from Gásadalur to Bøur is steep, it runs close to the edge of the mountain, and it is full of history. Before 1873, all coffins had to be carried over the mountain. The trip was very difficult and the only place that the bearers could rest was a place called Líksteinurin (the body stone).
Back to today’s world: Yesterday night, I watched a movie on TV, Nick Murphy’s „The Awakening“, some ghost-thriller, unfortunately not half as good as „The Sixth Sense“ and not half as scary as „The Blair Witch Project“. This is for sure: Visiting Gásadalur is much more exciting than watching „The Awakening“. I still don’t believe in ghosts. But I am absolutely certain: If I ever meet one, it will be in Gásadalur, at the very end of the cliff. We will sit on that bench, and the ghost will tell me about the old days. My part? I will have to explain what a helicopter landing spot is made for.