What is in Greenland? 😊
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| View of Ilulissat from the hotel |
GOING TO GREENLAND
Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq
The flight to Kangerlussuaq was delayed by an hour.
I was surprised that there were so many passengers for the flight and most seemed calm about the delay. <<I was outwardly calm too to fit into rest of the passengers 😐>>
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| Copenhagen from the air |
While on the flight, I chatted with the passenger beside me who was friendly and helpful.
In our conversation, I got to know that he came from Copenhagen and now lived in Nuuk. He also shared a little bit about the history of Greenland, mentioning that Kangerlussuaq was a former US airbase, and the only airport that can handle bigger commercial planes, and that the American airbase had been consolidated to northern Greenland.
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| Ilulissat location and temperature |
He also shared that most travellers took the domestic flights from Kangerlussuaq to different regions of Greenland, as there are no roads linking the cities/towns in Greenland. Furthermore, the construction/upgrade of the new airports at Nuuk and Ilulissat had been delayed by the pandemic.
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| Flying over Greenland |
Finally, he noted that contrary to popular belief, Greenland is not all ice and snow, as the warmer months are filled with greenery.
Soon the plane arrived at Kangerlussuaq, and he recommended that I also pay a visit to Greenland during the warmer months. 😊
Flying to Ilulissat
I was transfixed by the airport's vast, white rugged landscape. I would have stood outside longer to take in the landscape, but I ended up walking quickly towards the airport building as the temperature was below -20C (?!). 💨
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| Kangerlussuaq Airport |
There were two small planes at the airport too, and the next two connecting flights were for Nuuk and Ilulissat.
<<Memories of weighing myself TOGETHER with the luggages for the ~5-seater noisy and rather frightening flight to Boracay years ago flooded my mind 😑!!!>>
The interior is similar to other planes, two seats on each side and a narrow aisle. <<What was I expecting? benches? 😓>>
There are five seats at the last row (similar to a bus/coach seat configuration). I could hear and 'feel' the luggage being loaded onto the plane..
<<I imagined the luggage scattered over the white ice if the doors did not properly latch?! My mind was on imaginative overdrive 😟>>
At last, the flight took off.
Arriving in Ilulissat
After flying for about an hour over the wide expanse of white terrain and sea, clusters of houses could be seen and the plane started its descent.
There were ten of us on this Free&Easy tour; two each from Denmark, UK, Germany and Belgium, one from Holland and myself.
The hotel's pick-up van loaded our luggage and us into the van and headed for the hotel. The view was amazing and I was excited as well as freezing cold to the bone! 😵
ILULISSAT WALKS
Ilulissat, in Kalaallisut (Greenlandic language) means "Icebergs", and it lies 350km north of the Arctic Circle. It is the third largest city with a population of ~4670 (2020).
Afternoon Town Tour Walk (Day 1)
At last, I am looking and walking amongst the many colourful buildings that I had always wanted to see! <<A tick off one destination on my travel list 😍😙>>
Yellow : hospital or home of town's doctor and nurses
Red : Used by churches and those who practiced a trade.
Blue : Fisheries and workers
Green : Telecommunication
Black : Police Station
Although the colour codes are no longer in use, the vibrant colours of the buildings against the snowy landscape were an attraction in itself and also reflected Greenland's traditional way of living.
The guide also mentioned that almost all vehicles were "work vehicles" and not privately owned as roads are very limited in Greenland.
As I walked in the freezing arctic winter temperature , I could feel the cold most acutely on my toes. 😬
<<Can toes get frozen, then frostbite while walking?! >>
Morning Bay Walk (Day 2)
I was mesmerised by the hive of activities on the frozen ice by the bay as I took a short walk from the hotel towards the town.
Despite the extreme climate, there were people walking and tending to their boats on the frozen ice. 😯
I walked around the pier and stopped by the supermarket, which although small, was rather well-stocked with food and other necessities.
While using the stair to go back to the hotel, I was amused by the sight of frozen fish stored in a container under the stairway. It's such a practical way to store the fish 😆
Sunset walk (Day 4)
It was rather sunny on the last day when I took my last walk. There were also more people out on the street.
Although sunny, it was still extremely cold. I visited the souvenir shops and a department store, and had a nice cup of coffee in one of the cafes before heading back to the hotel.
As I walked along the road by the bay, I noticed that a portion of the frozen ice had melted.
Also, the road had been cleared of more snow and ice too.
Disko Bay/Iceberg Cruise (Day 2)
The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland.
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| Cruise boat and scenery at the pier |
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| Disko Bay and Icebergs |
Although the cold was exacerbated by the wind, almost all the travellers braved the elements to be outside the boat to take photos and gawk at the fascinating landscape of icebergs and arctic wildlife and observe the local fishing boats.
<<It was quite literally one of those BBC Earth Wow! moment >>
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| Birds, fishing boat and frozen fish |
There were again many birds as in Antarctica. <<Have they ever thought of settling down?>>
I was intrigued by the sight of some dead fish strewn on the ice that the birds fed upon. <<I had wanted to ask the cruise crew more about this but forgot, sign of old age 😑>>
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| More icebergs |
Shaped by nature, each Iceberg floating along the bay looked unique and extraordinary.
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| Getting ice for the toss |
When the boat stopped by the edge of the iceberg, the crew carefully shaved off a chunk of iceberg and hauled it onto the boat.
He then chipped it into smaller pieces of ice cube, and offered us each a glass of wine with the ice.
Before long, the cruise sailed back to the pier. It was a fascinating cruise.
Dog Sledding (Day 3)
I waited in anticipation for the dog-sledding activity.
We arrived at dog-sledding place, a shed with stacks of fur-lined gear and clothing. Clumsily, I put on an appropriately sized suit.
I was a bit surprised that the huskies were not as big as I had imagined, and the sled was made purely of wood.
<< Hmmm, it is a sled meant for transportation, not a slick, nicely-decorated sled one for tourists, haha >>
There were three of us on the sled including the musher (dog-sled driver) and about ten dogs. I was instructed to sit and straighten my legs along the inner-side of the sled.
The landscape stretched before me as the dogs raced ahead. Occasionally, the driver would wave and 'crack' his whip to steer the dogs.
After about 45 minutes, we stopped for a break and had a drink. Some of the dogs rolled around in the ice (to cool down?) which others took a rest.
Fortunately, I managed to 'squeeze' my leg to a cross-legged position as it was tiring to sit with extended leg.
Also, my face mask had solidified into an ice-mask.😲
<<Squashed the momentary thought to break the ice-mask. It was too cold and challenging to do it>>
I was amazed when I noticed the driver only had a headband and was not wearing a winter hat!!! 😶
It was a (very) cold but exhilarating experience.
Dogs and Sled
In Greenland, the dogs and sleds are one form of transport, and there are roadsigns for the sled's speed 😀. We had been reminded a few times that the dogs in Greenland are working dogs and we should approach them with caution.
On our way to the Sermermiut trail, we passed by a dog compound and could hear the dogs howling and barking for a sustained period.
The dogs got very excited and ran and jumped to greet the man as he walked by.
<<The dogs actually knew the man was coming even before he arrived or they knew the timing? Indeed - "Dog is man's best friend"! 😍>>
<< Someone mentioned that the dogs do not go into their hut in winter but only in summer to escape the heat>>
Isfjordcenter/Sermermiut Trail
Isfjordcenter (Day 3)
I saw the Isfjordcentre on my flight to Ilulissat, a solitary structure in the snowy-white rugged landscape.
The Icefjordcentre is situated 250 km north of the arctic circle. It is a low-key yet iconic piece of architecture at the starting point of the Unesco World Heritage Ilulissat-Kangia trail.
Inside the building, there are various exhibitions and a mini theatre.
Sermermiut Trail (Day 4)
The start of the trial is at the Icefjordcentre.
Fortunately, the wind weakened, and we walked to the boardwalk.
The boardwalk is built above the coastal part by the sea. The ground is frozen with ice and snow, and numerous icebergs can be seen floating off the sea. Undoubtedly, an out-of-this-world-type of panorama.
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| Air Greenland plane and the broadway completely covered by snow |
However, I was also worried about the gloomy weather and the occasional howling winds. We came to a stop and turned back when the boardwalk 'disappeared' under a blanket of snow.
<<Imagine walking off the board walk into the deep snow?!?! 😑>>
Northern LightsDay 1
The hotel is situated above the arctic circle, ideal for northern lights viewing.
As night fell, I looked out of the room's window but saw no traces of the lights at all. I was very tired too, so I just went to sleep. 😴
Day 2
The sky was clear before the sunset but the Aurora app indicated that there would be a low level of aurora activity.
There was a faint trace of the northern lights and nothing much else.
I went to sleep after midnight. 😴
Day 3
The sky was clear and the Aurora app indicated moderate aurora activity.
Late into the night, a faint trace of light appeared in the sky, and gradually became brighter, as more lights appeared across the sky too. 😀
When I opened the narrow window opening to take photos, I realised it was extremely(x3) cold outside. I stayed up till early morning to enjoy the sight. <<The room was comfortably warm 😊>>
Day 4
On the last evening, the sky was clearest it had been and there was an indication of rather high aurora activity.
I was glad to have the chance to see the northern lights again, and also from the comfort of the bedroom. 😍
Lodging - Hotel Arctic
Hotel Arctic has been touted as the most northenly 4 star hotel in the world. When I checked into my room, I was visibly moved by the view of the Disko Bay and the city from the window.
Although the hotel is about 10-15 minutes from the town centre, I liked the hotel's location for its view and the overall pleasant and clean environment and the nice spacious room.
Despite the extremely cold temperatures, I would take a short daily walk along the broadway to relax and take photos. 😗
I would stay in this hotel again if I come back to Ilulissat.
Food
Food at the Hotel
The nightly dinner in the hotel was delicious. I also enjoyed the extensive breakfast buffet. 😋
I had seen a Hong Kong Cafe signboard on my first day of town tour, and wanted to have a meal there.
I had a decent curry lunch at the Hong Kong cafe on my last day.
<<It does not have the usual Cantonese fare, and the curry had been 'localised'. haha>>
Departing Ilulissat (Day 5)
We sat in the plane with the winds howling around us, awaiting takeoff. Suddenly, the pilot announced that the flight would be cancelled if the strong winds continued for another half hour. A sense of unease could be felt. 😐
As the clock ticked, there was a flurry of communication by the stewardess over the mic. The pilot announced that the plane would commence takeoff. Very quickly, the engine started and the plane took off for Kangerlussuaq.
<< 😌😙>>
Although the flight was late, we did not miss the connecting flight.
I had my lunch, waited for my check in time, and then boarded the flight for Copenhagen.
The airport looked so tiny yet stood out against the white landscape.
The plane flew over the expansive, permanent ice sheets of the Arctic as we headed towards Copenhagen.
Thoughts
While walking back to the hotel once, the wind was so strong 💨, I was momentarily worried that I would not be able to make it back to the hotel.
The most memorable part of my trip was seeing the locals working by the bay and my encounters with others who live in Greenland. Even though it was difficult to communicate at times, I found myself to be truly impressed by the Greenlandic people and their way of life.
I would like to travel back to Greenland, and have added sailing from Nuuk to Ilulissat into my travel list. ⛴
Also of note, apparently delayed/cancelled flights occur more frequently than usual because of the weather in Greenland.
Others:
I brought my pair of snow crampons that had helped A LOT in my walking.
Seeing that I only had my hand-carry luggage, a nice Dutch lady asked if I had sufficient gear. I said I'm good and wearing all the gear I had. We laughed (although it is not a joke for me, haha). 😊
I dropped my pair of glasses after using it to look at the map 😔. Lesson learnt : Bring the pair of cheaper back-up glasses instead, and double-confirm when putting it away, especially when wearing thick pair of gloves and gears.
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