Wednesday 15 September 2010

Itto - what??

Nobody will blame you if you resort to the Danish name for the place that guards the entrance of the worlds largest fjord system. OK, but we'll give it another try:
Ittoqqortoormiit, aka Scoresby Sund. It is our first landing in Greenland after the tough passage, so everybody is really looking forward to touch firm ground. And firm the ground is, consisting of beautifully mangled old rocks that make the landing site a colorful place. And the greeting is typically greenlandic - let the children do it!

So we are ready to explore the 450-soul village that was founded by Eijnar Mikkelsen, whose bust watches FRAM from uphill, as a second dwelling place besides Tasiilaq further south.
Life is tough up here, people are hunting for whale, musk ox, bear and seal, proudly presenting the catch of the day to us visitors. In many places the snow never melts, so summer is extremely short here and nearly gone.
Two things seem help to master this life of darkness and hardship: Belief, that's why we find a very pretty church here, and - unfortunately - sometimes alcohol, that's why there is a prison, too. Today there is actually one villager dwelling in N° 261, Ittoqqortoormiit, which means "The place where you live in big houses". Even sometimes with bars on.
After a really interesting landing and many talks to many friendly people we sail further north, passing huge icebergs on our way.