Travel
April 24 - 30, 2008
The Epoch Times
P13
Warming up
to Greenland
World’s largest island aims to
attract more Americans
By JONATHAN SISKIN
Special to The Epoch Times
For as long as I can remember,
my only image of Greenland was
an ice-covered mass of land looming 35,000 feet below the window
of a trans-Atlantic jet. A closer,
“down-to-earth” look at the greatest show on ice reveals the vast
dimensions of the largest island
in the world, which encompasses
over 800,000 square miles and is
the size of Great Britain, France,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Austria combined! Most of Greenland lies
beneath an ice cap that covers 85
percent of its surface and in some
places is more than 100,000 years
old and 9,000 feet thick.
While Greenland has previously been “off the map” as a destination for Americans, this situation should change significantly in
the coming years with expanded
air service and an increase in the
number of cruise ships sailing to
the island. The launch of the first
non-stop flights from the United
States to Greenland this past
summer was a major milestone
for Greenland tourism, which is
seeking to expand the U.S. market.
Most of last year’s 35,000 visitors
came primarily from Denmark
(Greenland is a Danish protectorate), Germany, and other European countries, with only a smattering of Americans.
Twice weekly flights aboard
an Air Greenland 757 between
Baltimore’s BWI airport and
Kangerlussuaq International Airport in Greenland began in late
May and continued through the
end of August. A similar schedule
is slated for 2008, although exact
dates have yet to be determined.
The flight takes just four and a
half hours, and I was among the
first group of American journalists invited to experience the island
firsthand.
Musk ox and whales
Shortly after landing, we were
met by a guide based in Kangerlussuaq who took us on a fascinating half-day tour beginning
with a stop at a nearby research
center involved in a study of the
northern lights. With over 300
cloudless days a year, this area is
one of the best places in the world
to observe undulating waves of
multi-coloured lights flashing
across the night sky. From here, we
drove 25 jostling miles in a 4WD
truck to the edge of the ice cap
where we hiked across a section of
ice that extended in all directions
as far as the eye could see. We
then bumped across more rough
terrain, encountering herds of
reindeer and musk ox en route to
Russell Glacier, a towering wall of
ice and snow that in some places is
more than 200 feet high.
From Kangerlussuaq, it’s a
short 45-minute flight to Nuuk
which has the twin distinction of
being Greenland’s largest town
(population 15,000) as well as
the smallest capital in the world.
There are just 18 towns in Greenland with a combined population
of 55,000. More than 25 percent live in Nuuk, while the rest
inhabit 17 other towns and villages
located primarily on the west coast
with a few remote villages scattered on the east coast. With no
roads between towns, the only way
to travel between them is by air or
sea.
We were transported from the
airport to Hotel Hans Egede
which gets its name from the
missionary who founded Nuuk
in 1728. After checking in, we
headed up to the Sky Line Bar
on the top floor which provides
an overview of the town and is
a favourite local watering hole
where tourists and local Nuukians meet and mingle. Adjacent to
the bar is the gourmet restaurant
Gertrud Husk where we dined on
Greenland was one of
the first destinations
to advocate and
practice the principles
of sustainable tourism
from conservation
of eco-systems to
restricting overbuilding
by developers.
a meal of Greenlander favorites
including smoked salmon rolled
in Japanese noodles, musk ox with
potato, snow crab cake, and pickled rhubarb.
During our first day there, we
took a four-hour whale watching
cruise up one of the fjords that is
part of the second largest fjord
system in the world. Everyone
was on the lookout for humpback, minke, and fin whales which
inhabit these waters between May
and September. Unfortunately,
visibility was limited due to low
clouds, fog, and mist and the
whales were nowhere to be found.
However, we were still able to visit
the ruins of the settlement where
Nuuk founder, Hans Egede, lived
upon his arrival in Greenland. The
second day was devoted to fishing
aboard the MV Sirius manned by
Captain Bo Lings, who knows the
fjords like the back of his hand.
He steered us to an area teeming
with fish, where even a certified
incompetent angler (me) was able
to snag two cod. Several in our
group reeled in more than five
and, once our barrel was full, the
captain cleaned and prepared the
Geography Guru
COASTAL BEAUTY: This photo of the old part of Nuuk, situated on the west Greenland coast, provides a glimpse of the European-style architecture
found in the region. Courtesy of Greenland Tourism/Manfred Horender
fish for grilling. Soon, we were
feasting on our delicious “catch of
the day.”
The ultimate challenge
From Nuuk, we headed north
up to Disko Bay and the nearby
town of Ilulissat (the Greenlander word for iceberg). Ilulissat
is Greenland’s third largest town
(population 4,000) and is located
300 miles above the Arctic Circle
where there are more sled dogs
than people.
The town is blessed with a
magnificent seascape and landscape framed by jagged snowcovered peaks. Located here is
the Ilulissat ice fjord, a UNESCO
World Heritage site that is one of
Mother Nature’s most awesome
displays. Nearby Jakobshavn Glacier, the most productive glacier in
the northern hemisphere, constantly calves icebergs that resemble huge floating sculptures as
large as cathedrals. After breaking
off from the glacier, these giant
bergs drift down to the mouth of
the fjord where many run aground
just offshore. (Some scientists
believe that the iceberg that sank
the Titanic came from here.)
The cruise around Disko Bay in
between and around the icebergs,
an excursion that is only possible
here and in Antarctica, took us
within touching distance of ice
glittering in varying shades of blue
and white. From Ilulissat, you can
also hike to the prehistoric settlement of Sermermiut and take a
helicopter tour which sweeps over
glaciers and the ice cap.
Greenland especially appeals
to a select niche of “eco-tourists”
seeking close encounters with
nature and who enjoy hiking,
backpacking, mountain biking,
boating, fishing, and kayaking.
Those who prefer to explore the
countryside on foot have plenty
of choices available, from moderate day-long hikes that wend their
way past crystal clear streams and
lakes to hikes on glaciers and the
ice cap to strenuous 7- to 14-day
treks across mountainous terrain.
Intrepid adventurers in search of
the ultimate challenge compete in
Greenland’s 100-mile Arctic Circle
Race. Held every April, the world’s
toughest cross-country race is an
ultimate test of perseverance and
endurance. Another daunting test
of courage and stamina is a hike
during the winter from the west
coast to the east coast. Anyone
bold enough to attempt this epic
journey that takes 25–30 days to
complete in brutally cold tempera-
DINNER? The author enjoyed a sumptuous meal of Greenlander favourites, among which was musk
ox, at the Gertrud Husk in Nuuk. These local “inhabitants” can be seen often while touring western
Greenland. Courtesy of Greenland Tourism/ Lars Reimers
NORTHERN TREK: Hiking along
the ice cap near Kangerlussuaq.
Courtesy of Greenland Tourism/Signe Vest
WHALE OF A TAIL: This water
inhabitant can be spotted during
whale tours outside of Nuuk.
Courtesy of Greenland Tourism/Anders Skov
Hansen
The Epoch Times
TM
“Growing your geography knowledge”
Fill in the boxes using numbers between 1 and 9 so that each column,
each row, and each 3x3 square contain all nine numbers only once.
Quiz #161
ELEVATED AND LEVEL: A plateau is an expanse of land that is
raised and relatively level. Below are some notable plateaus in the United States. Match the plateau on the left with the state listed on the right
in which it is fully or partially located. HINT: four of the five plateaus
share their names with a nearby major river or lake.
Colorado Plateau
Columbia Plateau
Cumberland Plateau
Edwards Plateau
Ozark Plateau
Arizona
Missouri
Oregon
Tennessee
Texas
Read The Epoch Times next week for the answer!
Answer for Quiz #160:
WE’RE #2: Brazil, Canada, China, and Sudan are the largest
countries on their respective continents, when measured by total area,
which includes inland water. The #2s: South America—Argentina;
North America—United States (#1 in land area); Asia—India; and
Africa—Algeria (#1 in land area).
Exclusive Epoch Times puzzle.
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This week's solution
INUIT CULTURE: The author expressed a desire to learn more about
Inuit culture in Greenland. The upper part of the national dress seen
here is made of thousands of beads. Courtesy of Greenland Tourism/ Lars Reimers
tures should be sure to bring their
polar bear pants. Greenland sustains
While some governments as
well as tourism organizations
and venues have recently begun
to focus on sustainability issues,
Greenland was one of the first
destinations to advocate and practice the principles of sustainable
tourism from conservation of ecosystems to restricting overbuilding
by developers. By necessity, it has
long enforced strict pollution controls since any waste disposed of
on land or in the sea takes much
longer to degrade than in more
temperate climates.
As a result, Greenland is blessed
with some of the purest air and
water on the planet. Several tourism officials that I met during my
stay emphasized that Greenland
will continue to resist the overbuilding by developers that has
damaged ecosystems and transformed unspoiled coastlines and
landscapes into unsightly eyesores.
There are currently just 700 hotel
rooms on Greenland and, while
new hotels will be built and rooms
added to existing hotels, the island
will remain free of high-rise chain
hotels, sprawling malls, and tourist traps. It is also—at least for
now—one of the few destinations
without a Starbucks, Macdonald’s,
Pizza Hut, and other fast food
outlets.
Greenland is also playing a
key role in the study of global
warming. A four-year project is
currently underway that involves
drilling far below the surface and
extracting the deepest layers of ice
to calibrate the extent that melting
is occurring now as compared to
past centuries.
The five days that I spent in
Greenland last summer whetted my appetite for much more
than outdoor pursuits, including
a closer look at the native Inuit
people. Beginning their arduous journey in Alaska, the Inuit
arrived here in the 1400s and
had to eke out a living in a harsh
climate with minimal shelter and
nothing to protect them but the
clothes on their backs. I believe
my Greenland experience could be
enriched by meeting and interacting with descendants of these
original settlers and learning more
about their heritage, culture, and
everyday life.
For information on tour operators that can arrange tour packages,
Greenland outfitters, hotels, airline
schedules, and more, contact Greenland tourism at www.Greenland.com
and Air Greenland at
www.AirGreenland.com.
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