G Is for Greenland (And H Is for Halifax)

Greenland, soon to be in sight

For almost all of my life Greenland was just the big island at the far edge of North America. I knew very little, actually next to nothing, and had no plans to visit there. I don't think I'd known anyone who had ever been there. But that all changed in the winter of 2020. 

I was at the Travel and Adventure Show, an exposition that takes place every winter and features travel tour groups and travel providers from around the world. While I was there I came upon a very upscale group that included trips to Greenland. Though the price was out of my budget, the information engaged me. I went home and tried to figure out how to put together a trip to Greenland. At that time there were no large cruise ships that went there and the alternative was to fly to Copenhagen and then fly to Greenland and arrange hotels and excursions. Greenland then and when I was there in 2022 didn't have a robust tourist infrastructure with organized tours, though there were pricy expedition trips. 

Our ship's tender is about to land in Qaqortoq

  

But March 2020 came along and thoughts of going to Greenland or just about anywhere came to a halt. I had two cruises -- celebrating my 70th birthday -- that were cancelled  and I put my travel plans aside. Greenland, and everywhere else, I hoped to see would have to wait for the indefinite future. Fast forward to May 2022 and travel was back in my thoughts. I had nothing besides my college reunions planned for 2022, but my thoughts were  turning back to travel. 

In one of the many emails I received was information about a cruise that included a stop in Greenland. It was from Celebrity Cruises, with whom I'd sailed with before. The trip left from New Jersey and included two stops in Canada, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and three stops in Iceland. It was even in my budget. I thought about it and called the next day. Since it was less than ninety days to sailing, I needed to book and pay for the trip that day. I took the leap and I would be on the way to Greenland in August.   

Our port in Greenland, Qaqortoq

I'd never heard of Qaqortoq before my trip. Qaqortoq is the largest town in Southern Greenland with an approximate population of 3,000 people. Like other  towns in Greenland, the connections are via boat, rather than a network of highways. We toured the town and I was especially taken with the grocery store. Except for fish, everything is imported and much of it is from Denmark. Greenland, as with the Faroe Islands, is an "autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark," and  Danish is one of the languages spoken there. 

 

Qaqortoq had a well stocked grocery for a small town 

Keeping up with the A to Z Challenge, I'm also writing about H and chose Halifax, since it was also part of the same cruise. It was my second trip to Halifax and I was delighted to return. On my first trip I took the excursion to Peggy's Cove to see the beautiful lighthouse there. On this trip I stayed in Halifax and explored the harbor area. Halifax is the capital of the Canadian Province of Nova Scotia and I am totally in love with it. The harborside is lined with a walking path, benches and lots of art. It's one of the prettiest urban areas to walk anywhere. 

Cows, one of my all-time favorite ice cream stores anywhere

I hope you've enjoyed our visit to Halifax and Greenland. Our next letter is I and I am in a conundrum. Three places I've really enjoyed begin with I -- Iceland, Ireland and Italy. I'm leaning to Ireland, but I never know what might drift into my mind at the last minute.  

As ever, thanks all for the comments and for visiting. Much appreciated!