(16) Nuuk Greenland, new friends and a big Gun.

Nuuk Greenland
We arrived here middle of the afternoon yesterday 17/7/14 and rafted up alongside a neat alloy sloop belonging to Glen and Anne Bainbridge called Gjoa.
They hail from Canada and have most recently come from Ireland (a two plus week trip) They were waiting on customs so we decided to sit pat and wait for them as well.  By 1700 there was no sign of the officials and we reasoned that they were unlikely to turn up out of hours so we headed ashore to explore the town/city of Nuuk. As it happens we found the supermarket, the ATM withdrew some cash and headed for the Fishermens Hostel/Motel for dinner, rumoured to be all you can eat...  Alas, to Rossco's chagrin this rumour proved false, though the meal was more than adequate for everyone else!

Next morning we headed over to the fuel wharf to fuel up.  We stocked up on some some provisions and selected a gun and ammunition at the Arctic Supplies Store across the harbour.  It was Matt and Rossco's turn to pay as we are trying to keep the expenditure per person roughly equal as we travel so there is less sorting out to do at the end.  As you'd expect the bill was largish running towards the several thousand DK.  None of their cards would work and the Store would not take their filthy American $ either!  The Store owner offered to drive them to the Bank a few Ks away and get their cards sorted and maybe change their US$ for proper Greenland money, Kroner.  

This process all proved fruitless as the Bank, where the sister of the Artic Supplies owner  worked coincidently, couldn't solve the CC problem and there was a limit on the amount of US$ they could take in a single transaction.  So  we made other arrangements.

That wasn't the best part though, while they were driving to the bank Matt casually asked their driver (of Artic Supplies Fame) if he knew anyone by the name Arne Petersen.  A bit like asking the taxi driver in Dublin if he knew anyone by the name of Paddy Murphy!  Ah! He said "there's only one Arne Petersen in Nuuk and he's my best friend..."   I'll take you to see him as soon as we've finished with the bank!

And so he did and it was the right Arne Petersen and he invited us all to his home last night where we met his beautiful Greenlandish wife Lisbeth who is a famous local artist and is very interested in native greenlandic culture etc. etc. then a friend of Lisbeth's heard there was a party at the Petersen's as they had visitors from far away and so they came round and the evening went on and on and on... Very Greenlandic we're assured!

Michael and I left, very weary, at about 0130 and make our way (carefully) down the long flight of wooden steps
(think Seaforth Battle Boulevard steps) to the boat harbour and retired to our bunks.  Rossco and Matt held on for another few hours and fell into the boat about 0500 this morning...  Arne G Petersen and Lisbeth "Drina's new best friends in Nuuk Greenland" Many thanks from Drina for your wonderful hospitality and kindness.

Some Pic's attached, Approaches to Greenland Nuuk, rafted up in the boat harbour, The boat harbour from Drina, Nuuk as you approach the Harbour Leads. PK in Nuuk Greenland.