Arctic Greenland in 2004

Last winter I indulged in a 10 day cruise to Antarctica and spent the following three and a half months exploring South America. The rough experience of crossing the Drake Passage and the incredibly beautiful scenery were unique. I enjoyed the cruise tremendously largely because of the excellent organisation of activities on the M/V Orlova. When I learned that the same ship would be visiting the western coast of Greenland, well inside the Arctic Circle, I was first tempted, then I dreamt about it and finally I gave in and booked passage for their August cruise.

The cruise package started in Ottawathat I reached by bus from Montreal. After a night at the Chateau Laurier Hotel, a charted flight took us to the town of Kangerlussuaq in Greenlandwhere we boarded the M/V Orlova and sailed north to Ilulissatin Disko Bay. We then sailed south to Sisimiutand to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.

After Nuuk we crossed the Davis Strait to visit Nainon the Labrador coast and a Viking site at Anse-aux-Meadowsbefore reaching St-John's, Newfoundland's capital where everyone made their own arrangements to get back home.

I took a short flight the same day to Saint Pierre et Miquelon, a part of France that I had not visited yet. After a few days there, I returned to Newfoundlandby ferry at Fortune and made my way across the island by bus to Corner Brook that I had visited in 1951.

Finally, I took a ferry at Sainte Barbe and crossed the strait of Belle Isle to visit Quebec's remote "Basse Côte Nord", the less distant "Moyenne Côte Nord"and the remarkable Saguenay Fjordon my way back to Montreal.

As usual, I am providing some information on costs and hotels  that might be useful to you if you are considering a trip in that part of the world.

I continue developing this site for the pleasure of sharing the joys of discovery with you. Meeting wonderful people of all skin colours, ethnic origins and beliefs has inspired me to set up the Humanist Foundation of Quebec to promote critical thinking and intercultural tolerance.

You may download and use the globetrotter's photos provided you mention "Photo by Bernard Cloutier" with a link to this site below each photo. High resolution versions can be acquired from our agent Travel-Images.com.

If you feel like it, you may exchange comments and impressions with other readers in the questbook or express them to me privately by the e-mail link. Putting a link on your web site, if you have one, would invite your viewers to enjoy free virtual travel as I hope you did.