While the plane approaches the small airport of the Narsarsuaq community, we can check out the window one of the most peculiar characteristics of the whole Greenland : The impressive ice cloak losing sight of the horizon.
Known as “Ice Sheet”, the glacier ice mass covers about 80% of the territory, which corresponds to an area of more than 1.7 million square meters.
After landing and already on land, it is impossible not to be infected with the thrill of being in one of the most hidden corners of the earth: Arctic . And the sweeping visuals that mix ice, fjords, rocky mountains and small, sparse communities of colorful houses help in the task.
I confess that I was concerned about boarding an adventure trip in full Arctic Without having the size of the place, since it is not such a common destination. But the decision to venture into Greenland, First destination of the fifth season of CNN Viagem & Gastronomy it was more than right.
It occupies what is considered today The largest island in the world where most of the territory (about two thirds) is above the Arctic Polar Circle which means that even in summer we can face very low temperatures.
And it is in the midst of all these characteristics that only almost 57,000 people call the vast area of Greenland by home, a land where the natives are descendants of infit indigenous nation that historically inhabit regions of the Arctic.
But what is the role of tourism here? During my passage through the “green land”, meaning of the name of the territory, I found an explosion of culture, colors and flavors in the form of the cold earth of our planet.
It is a cultural shock, where the proposal is to realize a real Expedition by sea, earth and air.
But it is also a great lesson in the preservation for only here we have a more immediate notion of the impact of our actions on the planet. When we see with our own eyes a glacier reducing in size and noticing the impacts of the defrost worldwide, we rethink our habits as individuals and society.
Due to its size and location, it is common to think that Greenland is an independent country. The territory, however, is a Autonomous Region of Denmark And it is in North America.
Politically and culturally associated with the Scandinavian country for over a thousand years, was a Danish colony until 1953 and gained autonomy in 1979. In addition to having its own government, Greenland has two representatives in the Danish Parliament.
The first people who stepped here arrived between four and five thousand years ago by Canada, when the sea froze and paved the way in the north.
Today, the population is mostly descended from the latest generation of the innights, which arrived here around the 9th century.
Beyond the establishment of the infants, we can also witness the passage of norses , Viking descendants . They disappeared from the map around 1500, but we can still visit their ruins in the south and in Nuuk, the capital and most populous city of Greenland .
Speaking of cities, there are about 18 main ones, which bring together most of the population – the rest is divided into villages and settlements, such as the remote AAPPILATTOQ centenary village that I visited that it gathers only 100 residents, 17 of them children, where subsistence comes from hunting and fishing.
Throughout the territory the official language is the greenish an umbrella term that still covers infitable dialects, but the Danish is also taught in schools. The official currency is the Danish crown and the Capital time time zone Nuk is the same as in Brasilia.
During the trip, I prepared for a menu fueled with what came from the sea: Fishing is the most important economic activity of Greenland as well as the processing and export of fish.
And the tourism has stood out as a sector of potential growth. According to the government of Denmark, the number of foreign visitors here increased by more than 50% since 2000, and the number of cruise line passengers who stop in Greenland grew about 150% in the same period.
Sighting of icebergs , Adventures in Caiaques , hiking by untouched places breathtaking and contact with a culture very different from our – All with a lot of respect – are among the activities we can do here.
The Post Greenland: Get to know the history and culture of the largest island in the world Appeared First on CNN Brazil V&G.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
