Nomads i Norden 6--Greenland!

 We had a "sailing" day where we didn't leave the ship. It may or may not have been the day we were supposed to have some excursions (I've kinda lost track....) but the fog set in to where they couldn't be sure there weren't any polar bears around, so we spent it taking pics of icebergs.  We learned the size names on the day I'm writing this. Under a meter tall is a "growler". 1-5 meters are "bergy bits" (LOVE that one!) Then they get boring--5-15 meters is "small", 15-45 meters is "medium", etc. Most of the following are bergy bits. Flock of growlers Yeah, that's just crushed ice! These were too far out to determine size.  Large bergy bits or maybe smalls. Growler, but so pretty! In the middle of a lecture, our first up-close Medium! Note that we are on the 6th level....

The morning was spent with a presentation by Ellen Frederikssen, the motive force behind the Greenlandic Sheep Wool Project.  She is trying to revitalize the use of sheep's wool in Greenland, where tons of wool are burned every year because there is no market for it.  Lindblad Expeditions has been helping with the project, which is very much in its infancy. " The Greenlandic Sheep Wool Project is the very first project in the Arctic sponsored by the Artisan Fund a board the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions fleet. Working with local educator and artisan, Ellen Frederiksen,  whose husband is a descendent of Greenland’s first sheep farmer, this initiative provided critical equipment to help the people of Qassiarsuk process wool, train artisans, and create blankets, mittens, yarn and more to sell to both visitors and locals." We then visited her farm, which also happens to contain the UNESCO Heritage Site "Brattahlid"--the farm that belonged to Eric the Red....

 Today we visited Hvalsey, the remains of a Viking settlement that was active beginning in the late 10th century.  We were led around by a guide from UNESCO. Borrowing heavily from Wikipedia: According to the Icelandic Book of Settlements ( Landnámabók ) , the farmstead was established by Erik the Red's uncle. The site, which has the ruins of two stone great halls, had an additional 14 houses close to a church-house. The old hall, which is 46 ft long and between 9.8 and 13 ft wide, is in the middle of the ruins. The well-preserved newer hall measures 26 ft by 16 ft. The church-house, which was first erected in the early 12th century, might have been built by Scots-Norse stonemasons, as similar structures are found in Norway and Orkney.  The church-house was exceptionally well built from carefully chosen stones that in some cases weigh in excess of five tons. Its walls, which are up to 5 ft. thick, measure 52 ft by 26 ft on the outside. T...