Greenland had already captured the attention of the cruise ship industry even before President-elect Trump expressed interest in it. Many cruise ships selected charming towns in Greenland as their ports of call, sailing from Iceland to explore this untouched destination.
Cruise ship passengers take photos of fjords in Greenland (Danuta Hamlin)
One of the ports is Qaqortoq, the largest town in southern Greenland.
Qaqortoq means “white” in the Greenlandic language. (Danuta Hamlin)
Following the path of Eric the Red, a Norse explorer who established settlements in Greenland in 982, these ships retraced history. Eric named the land “Greenland” to attract more settlers after being exiled from Iceland.
Some 80% of the island is covered by icecap and the remaining parts do not appear very green either.
While Greenland may lack abundant trees, it boasts an abundance of rocks and boulders. Some of these natural elements have been transformed into sculptures depicting faces and whales in an art installation known as “Stone & Man.” This outdoor gallery is the creative work of local artist Aka Høegh from Qaqortoq.
Mindebrønden fountain is the older of the only two public fountains in Greenland. (Danuta Hamlin)
Qaqortoq boasts the oldest fountain in the country – Mindebrønden – Memorial Fountain. The fountain was completed in 1932 and is turned off during the winter months.
A fish market in Qaqortoq. Seal meat is a key ingredient in Greenland’s national dish, Suaasat. (Danuta Hamlin)
The town’s fish market sells whatever has been caught on a given day by local fishermen. It could be fish, or it could be whale meat, or perhaps a seal.
Qaqortoq is, after all, a fisherman’s town and seafood plays a vital part in Greenland’s diet.
Nanortalik is a village on Nanortalik Island, with some 1,072 inhabitants. (Danuta Hamlin)
The official religion of Greenland is Evangelical Lutheranism. In another port of call, a village called Nanortalik, members of the local congregation welcomed tourists with a musical performance.
Nanortalik choir singing outdoors in Greenland in 2018. (Danuta Hamlin)
Nanortalik means the “Place of Polar Bears”. No bears, however, were spotted loitering around the village.
Nanortalik’s old colonial port area is an open-air museum. (Danuta Hamlin)
Greenland is the world’s largest island – a treat for any tourist adventuresome enough to venture there.
Scenic cruising along Greenland’s fjords. Cruise ships anchor in Greenland during transatlantic voyages between North America and Europe. (Danuta Hamlin)
