What time is it????

 The night before we arrive in Greenland we are told to manually turn our iPhones back one hour as they may not automatically do so, but do I believe those in the know?  Of course not!

We are awakened hearing balcony doors opening and closing and so, not to have FOMO, we pull back the drapes to see the most beautiful icebergs of all sizes and shapes, floating all around us, reflecting the glorious blue sky and brilliant sun, something we haven’t seen since we left LA.  My iPhone says 7:30am but it’s really 6:30am in Greenland.

We quickly throw on clothes and grab our cameras. Sue Stockdale, the guest speaker for this morning, narrates our approach into Prince Christian Sound.  Dom & Larry brave the wind and stand on the bow of the boat to get the best shots while Arlene & I sit cozily in the Explorers Lounge with glass all around us.  The ship effortlessly glides through the narrow passageway, making sharp rights and lefts as we come upon a little village of about one hundred 30 something’s, who miraculously have WiFi.  Something to be said for literally living off the grid, I suppose.

Nanortalik, (translation: “place of the polar bear”) Greenland soon comes into view.  I must investigate this, but I think Viking goes to these little towns with buckets of red, blue, green and yellow paint to refresh the shore houses so they look as picturesque as they do in the brochures.  Dom thinks I’m crazy.

Nonetheless, we opted for a self guided walking tour to learn more about the life and lives lived in this town.

We peruse a series of cabin-like structures with photos from the 1800’s up to about mid 1900’s.  One cabin served as the ‘hospital’.  Mostly mid-wives handled the medical care with one nurse rotating every year or so in and out of the town.  Pregnant women had to go to the ‘big city’ at 7 months as there was no guarantee the one and only doctor would be available when she went into labor. 

There was a dentist chair and other early medical equipment.

Another cabin had a kayak. The narration went into detail as to how the Inuit people built the kayak, being sure not to weave the wood framing and seal skin too tight as there must be some space for the souls who perished to escape. These hunters would carry rifles and position themselves on rocks to have a good view of the seals.  They then tied the slaughtered seal to the kayak and dragged it to land where every part of the animal was used for their survival.

Soon we hear music and make our way to this lovely Lutheran church where 8 choir members sang several hymns in 4-part harmony acapella.

Since it was Saturday, several young families were out enjoying the beautiful weather, some in shorts and tee shirts; probably the one day a year they get to wear them!

There is a grammar school and a ‘new’ one story hospital and a grocery store in this town of little more than 1,000 residents.  I didn’t see an Amazon truck or a Costco so I doubt I could live here but bless these people.  I cannot fathom how difficult life must be, especially in the harsh winters but they have endured since they made their way from Russia, walking over the frozen Bearing Strait, into Canada and then Greenland. Another factoid: 88% of the Greenlandic population is Inuit and they speak Greenlandic.

Not surprising, 50% of their calories come from fat.  There are no fresh vegetables or fruit grown here.