Stone and Man in Qaqortoq, Greenland,
Qaqortoq, Greenland, August 28, 2017: Walking around Qaqortoq is like participating in a scavenger hunt. In the 1990s Greenlander artist Aka Hoegh commissioned 18 Norse artists to carve reliefs into many of the town’s rocks. The project is called “Stone … Continue reading Stone and Man in Qaqortoq, Greenland,
A Fountain in the Center of South Greenland.
Qaqortoq, Greenland, August 28, 2017: Qaqortoq is three times the size of Nanortalik with half its charm. It’s the administrative center of Southern Greenland. It has bright painted houses, like Nanortalik but many of them are apartment buildings. You may … Continue reading A Fountain in the Center of South Greenland.
“Nearer My God to Thee” and Icebergs
August 27, 2017, Nanortalik, Greenland: Nanortalik is the southernmost town in Greenland, it has about 1,300 people, which makes it a pretty big town for Greenland. Lonely Planet says it is magnificent with soaring mountains surrounding the town. This Sunday … Continue reading “Nearer My God to Thee” and Icebergs
Prins Christian Sund Redux
I would wager that not many of you have been through Prins Christian Sund. I would also wager that some of you will never go through the Sund. If you do it will be different, with changing weather, day to … Continue reading Prins Christian Sund Redux
Pizza Delivery and Old Whalers’ Drawings.
I may be riding on the most expensive pizza delivery truck in the world. We were cruising through Prince Christian Sound in southern Greenland, approaching the village of Aappilattoq, a town of around 200 people. The Captain came on the … Continue reading Pizza Delivery and Old Whalers’ Drawings.
Waterfalls, Tunnels and Sustainable Fisheries.
According to Lonely Planet Isafjordur in the Westfjord country is best known for its folk museum and for a tunnel that has a “T” intersection in the middle. One part of the T goes to the town of Sudureri and … Continue reading Waterfalls, Tunnels and Sustainable Fisheries.
Where North America and Europe Drift Apart
We berthed in Akureuri, which styles itself “The Capital of the North.” Akureuri, Iceland’s second city, sits at the head of the Eyjafjorur, a 60 mile long arm of water reaching into the interior of Iceland from the Arctic Ocean. … Continue reading Where North America and Europe Drift Apart
Aluminium and Fish, Eskifjordur, Iceland,
You approach Eskifjordur by sailing down the Reydarfjord until you see a big aluminum smelter. A small fjord, Eskifjord, branches off to the starboard. At the end of that small fjord you see some gleaming white fuel tanks. This is … Continue reading Aluminium and Fish, Eskifjordur, Iceland,
Isolation depends on your point of view.
They call themselves isolated. They sit in the Atlantic between Iceland, Norway and Scotland, somewhere around 50,000 people on 17 or 18 islands. But to me they are fully connected. They have weekly ferry service to Denmark, Scotland and Iceland … Continue reading Isolation depends on your point of view.
The King’s Farmer
Johannes Patursson is a “King’s Farmer.” His family has been farming the same land at Kirkjubour in the Faroe Islands for 17 generations, since the Reformation. Kirkjubour, on Steymoy Island, is a town of a little over 200. It was … Continue reading The King’s Farmer
Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
Torshavn, Faroe Islands, August 21, 2017: Holland America assured us that they loved whales but wanted to warn us. “Holland America expressly disassociates itself from whaling. We cannot control the cultural of the areas of the world to which we … Continue reading Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
Shetland, No Ponies
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland: The Shetland islands, no ponies, but we did see a goat. He was raising money to buy an infrared camera to be used by the Lerwick Lifeboat Society, the local search and rescue. We met him … Continue reading Shetland, No Ponies
Rising to Sea Level, the North Sea Canal.
We are onboard and underway, on our cruise to Iceland and Greenland. But we weren’t sure that this would happen. I had complications from surgery the week before we left for Amsterdam and I didn’t get clearance from the docs … Continue reading Rising to Sea Level, the North Sea Canal.
Amsterdam Canals
Here are the promised pics from Amsterdam’s Canals on an absolutely beautiful day taken from the hop on/hop off cruise. Continue reading Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam Thoughts
Our Cruise to Iceland and Greenland leaves from Amsterdam. Given the vagaries of Alaska weather and our desire to avoid jet lag on the cruise we arrived in Amsterdam with four nights and three days to acclimatize. Amsterdam is … Continue reading Amsterdam Thoughts
When Lost in the Forrest, and other Uncommon Gems.
Our summer is full of the joy of music festivals, the Sitka Summer Music Festival, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Uncommon Music Festival, Sitka’s newest. The Uncommon festival features music that is not usually heard but should be. This … Continue reading When Lost in the Forrest, and other Uncommon Gems.
Monday Evening Cruise
Monday was a nice nice for a cruise as a weather front moved in. We went out with the Sitka Conservation Society for their salmon cruise. We went to Redoubt Falls to watch the salmon jump the falls into the … Continue reading Monday Evening Cruise
A Joyful Noise in Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Folk Festival is an annual compass point for our family, an annual highlight. This year was the 44th festival. We’ve been to 38. We go to connect with friends and introduce our grandkids to the joys of a … Continue reading A Joyful Noise in Winnipeg
Wild and Scenic, 50 years on.
Fifty years ago we weren’t sure. The Wild and Scenic Rivers act was before Congress and if it passed the St. Criox, the boundary river between Minnesota and Wisconsin, was to be one of the first 8 rivers included in … Continue reading Wild and Scenic, 50 years on.
“THIS is why we’re American… baseball.”
Bases loaded, one out, a long shot to center right, fielded on one bounce. One run Sioux Falls Canary scores but with a great throw to third the St. Paul Saints turn a double play, third to second, inning over. … Continue reading “THIS is why we’re American… baseball.”
After 241 Years…. Jefferson Still Lives!
Two hundred and forty one years ago a resolution written by Thomas Jefferson and moved by John Adams passed the Continental Congress. It read, in part: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that … Continue reading After 241 Years…. Jefferson Still Lives!
A Beautiful Memory. Sitka Summer Music Festival 2017
The Sitka Summer Musical Festival ends today with a fundraising brunch. I will not be there because I will be on an airplane traveling to Minnesota and grand kids. Together Brian, Liz, Liam, Fiona, Suzi and I will go to … Continue reading A Beautiful Memory. Sitka Summer Music Festival 2017
Stepping into a Salad, Low tide at Point Brown.
It was like stepping off the boat into a salad. That’s what it was like at Point Brown when Allen Marine dropped a group from the Sitka Conservation Society on the east side of Kruzof Island. Sunday morning saw the … Continue reading Stepping into a Salad, Low tide at Point Brown.
A Day in June, Sitka, Alaska
Sitka has no highway connection anywhere. We have a 14 mile road system on an island the size of Delaware. We are not on the inside passage so a lot of ferries do not stop. When a ferry does stop … Continue reading A Day in June, Sitka, Alaska