Our first “landing” on Greenland was in the small town of Nanortalik on Nanortalik Island in southern Greenland. Nanortalik, which translates as “Place of the Polar Bears” or “Place Where the Polar Bears Go,” is in an area first settled by the Norse.
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| Nanortalik |
The town was founded in 1770 and today has around 1200 inhabitants.
We had booked a walking tour of Nanortalik. When it was time for our tour we took a tender (Nanortalik has no docking pier) to the town and met our guide, Inniq, a local of pre-Atlantic descent.
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| Our guide, Inniq |
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| Nanortalik hotel |
Inniq told us that every summer Nanortalik sponsors a soccer tournament, which can last for a week, for other teams in southern Greenland. We had not seen much truly green vegetation thus far in Greenland, but the soccer field was certainly well maintained and manicured and almost looked like artificial turf.
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| Soccer field |
The indoor sports complex is used for soccer, handball, tennis and other sports that can be played during the winter months.
Our next stop on the tour was at a water station.
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| Water station |
Inniq told us that while most houses were plumbed for running water, there were still some houses without this feature and their only recourse was to fill containers at this station and carry them home. Next, we came to the cemetery serenely overlooking a bay. We were informed that nearly all Greenlanders are members of a Lutheran body which is reflected in the makeup of the cemetery.
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| Harbor |
As we made our way back toward the harbor area we passed an elementary school (there is no high school) that was back in full swing from summer vacation. The children all shouted and waved at us the windows of their school rooms.
Back at the harbor, we were in a business sector that included a fish market, a clothing shop, the town’s powerplant, two supermarkets, a café/bar, and government buildings including a town hall and courthouse.
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| Cemetery |
In other words, Nanortalik has it all, including lots of people who can provide good Lutheran fellowship!
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| Sea Memorial |
Moving on, we came to a Sea Memorial remembering all locals who died at sea. The memorial was next door to the church, a beautiful structure that was built in 1909. As we made our way back to the ship, a couple of schoolboys tried to impress us by detonating popper caps with a rock which really made them giggle.
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| The church |
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| The school |
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| Fish market |
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| Clothing shop |
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| Power plant |
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| One of two supermarkets |
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