Thursday 19 August 2010

Scones and Scores in Itilleq

Bathed in sunlight, the small village of Itilleq is sitting smugly in the small Fjord like a happy collection of colorful dice just tossed over the country. We are being shuttled over on calm, glittering waters, still rubbing in the last bits of sunscreen. A weird but very Greenlandic sight awaits us on the pier: four musk ox heads, with fur and eyes and all, are neatly arranged next to the landing site - it's shooting season. The successful hunters are proudly cutting up the vasts amounts of dark red meat and offer it for sale. Funnily enough our passengers all decline…
The Kaffemik, however, is more than welcome. It is certainly not often that you get a chance to sit in a Greenlander's house, being served delicious coffee and cake, while having a curious look around at the decor. It is surprisingly modern, featuring microwave oven and TV (showing a live broadcast of the football match Narssaq vs. Nuuk) and - probably the result of a grandson nagging for weeks - a gargantuan ghettoblaster in the corner of the living room. Then again, it's all about family, there seems to be not enough space on the wall for all the pictures of many generations. Greenland is definitely in a state of transition, tradition meets modern life.
Later on, guests and staff and crew of MV FRAM are put to the test during the famous soccer match in the middle of the village. For once we are not entirely devastated and come out with a spectacular 3:3. Well done!
And then everything takes a little melancholic turn: it's Captain's Farewell. That means the week - this splendid, beautiful week! - is getting to an end. Under a most romantic sunset we pass our last waypoint and turn into the Kangerlussuaq Fjord, where it all began only a week ago.