Monday 30 August 2010

(S)upernavik

If you were a taxi driver, would you stop for someone who has a rifle under his arm? No? Well, it is possible in Upernavik, capital of a very large community on the northern west coast. So there's taxis and there is hunters, and they live in peaceful cooperation. Here, as it seems, the transition to modern times is smooth. The whole aspect of Upernavik is different from any other town in Greenland: It is clean, almost neat, the houses are in good shape, there is a big sports hall and a soccer field, a pretty church and a nice little museum. There is graffiti on the walls - beautiful whales. No kids at the pier, though, that is something we immediately notice. And miss. 
Apart from that, the whole place looks organized, we get a good and instructive introduction on board, the meeting with the choir at the church is well planned, people are on time. Upernavik works. Even national soccer championships are being played while we are in town. A modern, friendly town. But remember the man with the rifle. We are still in Greenland.