President-elect Trump highlights Greenland's rich history while exploring its beauty.

The largest island in the world is Greenland.

President-elect Trump highlights Greenland's rich history while exploring its beauty.
President-elect Trump highlights Greenland's rich history while exploring its beauty.

Greenland was already a popular destination for cruise ships before President-elect Trump expressed interest in it.

cruise ship
Cruise ship passengers take photos of fjords in Greenland (Danuta Hamlin)

One of the ports is Qaqortoq, the largest town in southern Greenland.

Qaqortoq
Qaqortoq means "white" in the Greenlandic language. (Danuta Hamlin)

The ship, originating from Iceland, retraced the path of Eric the Red, a Norseman who established this region in 982. Since Eric was banished from Iceland, he chose to reside here and christened it Greenland.

The majority of the island is covered by icecap, with the remaining areas not appearing particularly green.

greenland's shores
Majestic shores of Greenland (Danuta Hamlin)

Some historians believe that Eric the Red used the name for marketing purposes.

Experts suggest that Greenland may have been warmer in the past, but since the 15th century, it has gone through a period known as "The Little Ice Age," which caused it to become colder. Despite this, he aimed to attract more settlers from Iceland by advertising the island as a "green land."

children in greenland
Children in Nanortalik, Greenland. (Danuta Hamlin)

Despite the harshness of life in Greenland, the native population of the Island managed to endure.

river in greenland
Julianehåb River runs through the center of Qaqortoq, Greenland.  (Danuta Hamlin)

Qaqortoq, situated amidst a stunning fjord system, boasts a creek that flows through the town and snow-capped mountain peaks even in the spring, making it an intriguing destination to discover.

Qaqortoq
Qaqortoq is the fourth-largest town in Greenland.   (Danuta Hamlin)

Although building highways in Greenland is costly, Qaqortoq remains disconnected from other towns and villages by road. However, during warmer weather, the region offers numerous opportunities for nature hikes, kayaking, and fishing.

Qaqortoq 2
Qaqortoq Greenland  (Danuta Hamlin)

The town, founded in 1775 as a trade colony by Norwegian explorer Anders Olsen, has a population of around 3,000 and provides a glimpse into Greenlandic life, Viking history, and Nordic-inspired architecture.

The fjords' severe peaks are softened by the colorful houses scattered on the hills.

street sign
A street sign in Greenland. Greenlandic is an Eskimo–Aleut language with about 57,000 speakers.  (Danuta Hamlin)

Greenland, although an autonomous territory of Denmark, utilizes Greenlandic as its official language. This language is polysynthetic, meaning that there is no maximum length for Greenlandic words.

Deciphering local signs can be fun and challenging at the same time.

open-air art project
Stone & Man, an open-air art project in Qaqortoq, Greenland, featuring rock carvings and sculptures (Danuta Hamlin)

Despite the scarcity of trees, the area is rich in various rocks and boulders. Some of these stones have been transformed into intricate carvings of faces and whales, in honor of "Stone & Man." This impressive open-air gallery is the creation of local Qaqortoq artist Aka Høegh.

fountain
Mindebrønden fountain is the older of the only two public fountains in Greenland.  (Danuta Hamlin)

The oldest fountain in the country, Mindebrønden - Memorial Fountain, is located in Qaqortoq and was completed in 1932. During the winter months, the fountain is turned off.

fish market
A fish market in Qaqortoq. Seal meat is a key ingredient in Greenland's national dish, Suaasat.  (Danuta Hamlin)

Local fishermen catch and sell a variety of seafood at the town's fish market, including fish, whale meat, and seals.

Greenland's diet is heavily influenced by seafood, as Qaqortoq is primarily a fishing town.

Nanortalik
Nanortalik is a village on Nanortalik Island, with some 1,072 inhabitants.  (Danuta Hamlin)

In Nanortalik, a village in Greenland, the local congregation welcomed tourists with a musical performance.

people singing
Nanortalik choir singing outdoors in Greenland in 2018.  (Danuta Hamlin)

No bears were seen in the village known as Nanortalik, which translates to "Place of Polar Bears."

open-air museum
Nanortalik’s old colonial port area is an open-air museum. (Danuta Hamlin)

Any tourist brave enough to journey to Greenland, the world's largest island, will be rewarded with an unforgettable adventure.

Greenland’s fjords
Scenic cruising along Greenland’s fjords. Cruise ships anchor in Greenland during transatlantic voyages between North America and Europe.  (Danuta Hamlin)
by Danuta Hamlin

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