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Ilulissat - Gargantuan icebergs, whale filled fjords and fascinating Inuit hunters
By Stephen Gollan
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![Listen to Greenlandic Music when you fly Air Greenland]()
Listen to Greenlandic Music when you fly Air GreenlandGreenland has a vibrant cultural scene with some of the best music in the world. A great way to pass the time on your flight if you are coming from Copenhagen is to explore the diverse sounds of Greenlandic musicians. Even though geographically Greenland is part of the North American continent there are no direct flights from that part of the world. To reach Greenland, you must fly from either Copenhagen in Denmark or Reykjavik in Iceland, or take a cruise - which may start
![A Greenlandic wedding - Love in Nuuk!]()
A Greenlandic wedding - Love in Nuuk!I had the privilege of being invited to a Greenlandic wedding. A friend of mine from Bulgaria got married to a very nice Inuit guy born in Aasiaat (one of the biggest towns in Greenland, located in the southern end of Disko Bay). Nikolina and Kunuk got married in Nuuk, and it was such an honor to attend the ceremony, It was a tradition many years ago, that adults arranged marriage for their children. They had no other option since it was a necessity at their community, though there was no
![Tupilak - a souvenir that protects you]()
Tupilak - a souvenir that protects youTupilak means ‘the ancestor’s spirit’ - As part of Inuit mythology, tupilaks were special and meaningful for Greenlandic tribes. Nowadays, when travelers glimpse Greenlandic souvenirs for the first time, tupilaks are sort of a piece of art they can bring home, but not so often they know the meaning or the origin of tupilaks. Before turning into souvenirs, these unique carved figures possessed magical powers to annihilate enemies. All these small or big tupilaks ca
![Dorit Olsen - the transparent talent at Dooit Design]()
Dorit Olsen - the transparent talent at Dooit DesignI have visited a few times different souvenir shops in Nuuk; you can find a lot of things and at the end it becomes difficult to decide which souvenir you'd like to buy for your family and friends. There is a very-very-very nice art gallery in the main street of Nuuk Centre, where the pieces of art are mostly made of glass. Introducing Dooit Design Dorit Olsen is the artist and designer, owner of “Dooit Design”. She has a store that is perfectly located at
![Face to face with Russell Glacier]()
Face to face with Russell Glacier“Why did you choose Greenland as a travel destination?” = "Simply because I want to enjoy the arctic nature in all its glory" If this is what you would reply, then you must visit a glacier when coming Greenland. I had the opportunity to visit Kangerlussuaq and booked a flexible tour and the guide picked me up at the time I chose since I had no other chance to book it later. When travelers are having a layover in Kangerlussuaq, this
![Helicopter Summit Flight – Nuuk]()
Helicopter Summit Flight – NuukTaking a helicopter scenic flight over an incredible landscape is a bucket list item for many people. Having the opportunity to land on a remote mountain peak as part of that experience makes it even more special – and is a highlight for anyone on vacation in Nuuk. Sermitsiaq mountain is one of the icons of Greenland’s capital city - Nuuk. It stands independently forming its own island in the Nuuk Fjord, and its jagged peak features in countless images. Sermitsiaq peak a
![A Northern Lights myth from Greenland]()
A Northern Lights myth from GreenlandAs with the constellations of stars we see in the night sky, there are many, many myths about the magical Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Northern lights over Sermitsiaq - as seen from Nuuk Greenlanders call the Northern Lights “Arsarnerit”, which literally means “ball games”. Watch the following video from Nanook - one of the most popular Greenlandic bands - to find out why. Greenland is one of the best places in the world from which to see the Au
![Greenlandic souvenirs]()
Greenlandic souvenirsSometimes when we travel, we are cluless about what to bring as souvenirs. You have plenty of options when you come to Greenland. People can find cool stuff related to the animals, map, or landscapes from Greenland, such as ordinary magnets, keyrings, bags made of fabric, displays, postcars, posters, t-shirts, etc. But what about getting something special? Something you can only find in Greenland? You can support this land buy buying local products. Slippers made of seal skin, or bags, ha
![Knitting in Greenland]()
Knitting in GreenlandHow local ladies spend their free time? When weather is not so good for a hiking excursion, the hunting season is over, and the nights are getting longer in the arctic, it is always nice to find more indoor activities you can do. People can cook, play instruments, try their dancing skills, or knit! I spent 3 months traveling in Nuuk and had the privilege to meet Silvia, a sweet and wonderful lady from Canary Islands living in Greenland. She is so friendly and enthusiastic, also very nice
![Fish market in Nuuk, tasty and fresh!]()
Fish market in Nuuk, tasty and fresh!Must of the hunters and fisherman in Greenland sell the meet to the locals or to the Open Markets. In Nuuk you can find a Fish market right in the centre of the town; its name is Kalaalimineerniarfik. The name of this place is KALAALIARAQ, which means "the little greenlandic" and is located in the old town of Nuuk. As you may imagine, people can find here not only fish but meat. The most popular is: cod, cat fish, salmon, acadian fish, trout, halibut, whale (minke whal
![The longest word in the Greenlandic language]()
The longest word in the Greenlandic languageGreenlandic is a polysynthetic language which allows for the creation of really long words by stringing together roots and suffixes, and is therefore pretty well known for its long words, but which is the longest? If you go to a website called kalak.gl it claims the longest word is this: Nalunaarasuartaatee-ranngualioqatigiiffissua-lioriataallaqqissupiloru-jussuanngortartuinnaka-sinngortinniamisaalinn-guatsiaraluallaqqooqiga-minngamiaasiinngooq." Consisting of 153 letters.- Qaqortoq, the biggest town in South Greenland'Qaqortoq' means 'white' in Greenlandic. South Greenland has more green fields and trees than any other places in Greenland, however ironically the name of this biggest town (population: 3,084 - Statistics Greenland 2017) in South Greenland is 'white'. Does Qaqortoq envy other towns in Greenland with a lot of snow and ice? Qaqortoq has been my favorite town in the whole of Greenland since my first travel to Greenland in 2010. So far, I have visited nine towns/settlements in Gree
![Things I miss living in Greenland]()
Things I miss living in GreenlandRecently, I was in London, immersed in the heaving mass of city life. I was reminded of the things one misses when living in Greenland. Here are some of them. Coffee. As far as I know, it is not possible to buy a good cup of coffee in Greenland. People used to drive out to Nuuk's airport café, as it had a reputation for the best coffee in town. But the café has changed hands and I can’t say I was all that impressed even before the café’s latest incarnation. Th
![Dog Sled Expedition in East Greenland]()
Dog Sled Expedition in East GreenlandIn April 2018, I embarked on a two-person, twelve-husky, dog-sledging expedition from Diilerilaaq to Isortoq. Our route was uncertain. Max, the team’s driver, a former professional hunter and an experienced Ice Cap explorer, mapped a few leads after consulting other hunters and village elders. Our first challenges were to boat across Sermilik Fjord and to disembark safely onto the fast ice that clogged Johan Petersen Fjord. Next, we would start scouting the coastline for a way up the- Feeling one with GreenlandWhen we travel, we are always looking for something different, eat special local food, experience seasonal activities, discover landscapes we've never seen before, find out the highlights and share the weirdest anecdotes when we are back home. Some of my favorite moments in Greenland are when I have plenty of time to feel the cold breeze, the snow falling on my face, my hair blowing in the wind, or my fingertips getting frozen while shooting photos. Every single time I'm in th
![Sailing among giants]()
Sailing among giantsHow does iit feel to sail in Ilulissat? Well, first of all we must keep in mind the meaning of this town. Ilulissat means "icebergs" in kalaallisut (greenlandic). So now you can picture yourself sailing in a chilly paradise during the winter time, surrounded by its residents, frozen giants floating freely, huge white buildings standing all around Disko Bay, witnessing the beauty of West Greenland. As soon as the sea thaws, the boat trips are available and ready to wander around the coast to- The true size of Greenland, should it be a Continent?Greenland is the 12th largest country and is known as the largest island in the world. Due to its massive size and a tiny population of less than 57.000, it is the least densely populated country with 0,026 people per square kilometer. It is mostly covered by the second largest mass of ice in the world, which, if it were to melt, is estimated to cause a global sea level rise of up to 7 meters. All these things clearly signify that it's a humongous country, so the question is: why isn't i
![Sailing in Nuuk Fjord around Mount Sermitsiaq]()
Sailing in Nuuk Fjord around Mount SermitsiaqTaking a boat tour in the Nuuk Fjord is one of the highlights of visiting Greenland's capital city. Read on to find out about my 2.5 hour trip all the way around Sermitsiaq mountain on a beautiful, blue-sky winter day I arrived at the harbour a little before our departure time and was met by our captain for the adventure, Thue, and Aputsiaq, our guide. Both are native Greenlanders who were super-keen to take us out and show us how beautiful the Nuuk Fjord is -&nb- My 10 favourite Greenlandic PhotosWould like to share some of my best moments in Greenland. Without so many words, but I have written on each photo what you see. Enjoy! A good listener, the Greenlandic sleddog, sharing the sound of the icebergs cracking The green » Greenlandic lady « also know as Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis Following the pads in Ilulissat Surrounded by cool friends. Dogsledding at its best Reaching the frozen smiles... making a way
![5 things to do in Greenland during Winter]()
5 things to do in Greenland during WinterGreenland is well known for being this rough remote place with long and harsh winters, so is it even worth traveling to here in the winter? Well here are a few things you could do if you choose to come in the midst of winter. 1. Dogsledding Dogsledding has been an essential part for surviving the winters here in Greenland, and it is still one of the best ways to move around in the high north. It is still a means of transport almost exclusively used by hunters, but they've started to g
