The visible part of the iceberg: Greenland

Residents of Greenland live mostly along its coastline. The most populated city is the capital, Nuuk, although the population here is only around 15,000. All told, about a quarter of Greenland's population lives in Nuuk.         

The general population of Greenland is composed of around 88 percent Inuit. The rest of the population is mostly Danish. The languages spoken are Greenlandic and Danish. Greenland is autonomous within the kingdom of Denmark. It is completely autonomous in regards to internal affairs but connected to Denmark in regards to foreign affairs. The head of Greenland is the Danish queen.

Greenland stays connected with the outside world through the city of Kangerlussuaq, which, unlike other airports in Greenland, has a long enough runway to accept international flights. The runway at Kangerlussuaq Airport was actually built by the US and used for many years as a base. When the American forces departed, the military base was left to Greenland and began to be used as an international airport. From Kangerlussuaq you can also get flights to smaller airports across Greenland.  

Icebergs near Narsaq

Kangerlussuaq is noteworthy not only because it has the only international airport in Greenland but also because you can travel by road to see icebergs. In Greenland, there are no freeways connecting the cities, and generally transportation from one spot to another is done by boat or air.

Most people who live in Kangerlussuaq work at the airport or in the tourist business. Towards the end of the month of April, the air temperature is around negative seven degrees Celsius. And at night, it is even colder.

When you first land, you encounter a deep silence all around you.        

It is difficult to find people on the streets. Every now and then, you might hear a child speaking, breaking the silence.

After touring around Kangerlussuaq for a bit, you can start heading towards the icebergs. It is a journey of around 40 kilometers or so. Even in a vehicle where the four wheels are covered in snow chains and which is equipped for snow and ice, this journey takes a full two-and-a-half hours. Along the way, you see lakes completely frozen. Some of these lakes have fish and other creatures living in them, while others do not. The journey is difficult, but the splendid view that will greet you at the end will erase all memories of what you went through to reach this place.

 The ice that covers Greenland is 3,000 meters deep in some places. In other words, the land is covered by a plate of ice that can be as deep as 3,000 meters. You will see neither plants nor any other signs of life when you are at the icebergs. However, beware. Walking around can be extremely dangerous, and there have been tourists who have lost their lives, falling into unseen chasms and dying.

'The Ice Bridge' in the Robeson Channel

Airplanes are very important, as roads only exist within the cities and towns. This is so much the case that sometimes you have the sense that you are on a minibus when you board an airplane to get from one city to another. These same planes that carry passengers double as cargo planes, delivering goods from one city to another.

A Danish man we spoke with on board a plane in Greenland, named Klud, was born in Greenland and spent his whole childhood there. He later moved to Denmark, but now his son works as a doctor in Greenland; when we met Klud, he and his wife were visiting their son. Their story demonstrates how some Danes have never broken away from Greenland, with this father, whose father also lived here for 50 years, as well as his son a family legacy on this large island.

Looking out the window of the airplane, we began to see the tops of the icebergs, one by one. We were now above the Arctic Circle. In Greenland, the second largest population after Nuuk's is located in Ilulissat. This city has enormous icebergs floating off its shores and is also known for its Disco Bay.  

There are no roads in Ilulissat other than some within the city, which is why huskies are so important. These dogs are very hardy and accustomed to cold weather, and they pull people around on a sled. Other types of dogs are banned in this region. You realize just how strong these huskies are the moment you see them. It is very interesting to watch a group of them, all chained to each other, work together to pull a sled. As they pull, they eat snow whenever they are thirsty.

Huskies

There is an incredible sense of unity and togetherness that binds these dogs. A dog that loses its place among the group is able to immediately find its place again and resume its position. Despite all the ropes and chains, they never get tangled. They give constant support to one another, and while they are always aware of what is going on, they are always on the lookout for the welfare of the pack. They never seem to rest while working. And you have to be careful not to fall off the sled while they are pulling it because they run much faster than you might think and getting back on the sled could be problematic.

 Huskies begin pulling sleds when they are only seven months old. They spend, on average, eight years of their lives pulling sleds. Huskies are strongest when they are between three and four years old. After the age of eight, they begin to lose their strength, and they retire. To illustrate just how important these dogs are, there are more huskies living in Ilulissat than people.  

 Another important area in Ilulissat is Disco Bay. Here, 20 million tons of ice are produced every day, and you realize just how incredible this spot is when you take a boat tour around it. Around 90 percent of the icebergs are under water. The mobile icebergs greet you in all their splendor, and it is such a strange and wonderful thing to zigzag between them on a boat.

Some places are completely frozen over. When the weather is colder than usual, the boats cannot even go fishing. Therefore, there is the danger that the boats will not be able to return since the water through which they came might freeze.  

Seagulls in Narsaq

We next head to the capital Nuuk, again by airplane, and again, the plane reminds us of an inner city bus. We even stop to pick up two passengers en route. It takes two-and-a-half hours, including stops and layovers, to get to Nuuk.        

There are many touristy shops on the streets of Nuuk. And of course, they are quite unique, with Greenland being so distinct in its geography. There are handbags, gloves, shoes and special slippers made from walrus skin. The prices run high, with a walrus skin bag costing 60 euros, a pair of gloves 70 euros and a hat 300 euros. They say that walrus skin is especially effective in keeping you warm.

Greenland, with its icebergs and astounding geography, is a country whose landscape is nothing like anything you have ever seen, though advisable only for those who can stand the cold.

[QUICK FACTS]

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Major languages: Greenlandic (East Inuit) (official), Danish, English

Government: Parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Prime minister: Hans Enoksen

Area: 2,166,086 square kilometers Population: 57,600*

GDP (per capita): $20,000**

Main religion: Evangelical Lutheran

*July 2009 estimate **2001 estimate