Of the map...

Of the map...

søndag den 18. juli 2010

A sunny Sunday afternoon

While Europe is suffering from heat wave Greenland is keeping its cool. On good days the sun is shining and the thermometer reaches about +15 degrees. On bad days the sun is not shining and the thermometer hardly makes it to +5 degrees. But I guess that comes from living in an “arctic climate”. None the less the summer up here is nice. The days are long and the views from different part of the town are stunning. The whales have also come to town and if one is lucky one can spot them on the water surface coming up for air.

Other, much smaller, animals are also making their presence known. A short walk to the coast or up a hillside will acquaint you with two new best friends – a Mrs. Midge and a Mr. Mosquito (in Danish a.k.a. “Knot & Myg”). As most new acquaintance they try to make the most of it and thus keep following you around and tend to stick around long after a “visiting hours” are over. They truly are a nuisance unparalleled.

If one is to venture out into the neighbouring wilderness one does well to bring not only the average mosquito spray but also a full body “mosquito net” (or at least a face net), various kinds of mosquito balsam and sprays and then still be prepare to make a run for it if your new best friends decide to accompany you on your little walk with the whole of their extended family. In Denmark there’s a phenomenon known as “black sun” which as when hundreds of starlings gathers together in big flocks creating fascinating shapes in the air. And with the amount of insects up here there simply must be a similar phenomenon made up by these annoying little creatures. However, since I’m one of those people who tend to always be bitten or stung by every little insect with the ability to bite or stick I tend to spend my sunny afternoons in door or at least fairly far away from these creatures natural habitats.

And thus yet again I enjoy the magnificent view of the towns surrounding mountains from indoor. This time while enjoying a cold beer and reading from the latest addition to my library of “Greenlandic literature” which is a nature guidebook to Greenland’s flora and fauna. In easy language yet with comprehensive details it tells the reader of the many different types of insects there are to be found in this magnificent land and all the bites and sticks they can inflict upon encounter with them. Although I’m tempted to go out and enjoy the good weather this book has persuaded me to stay indoors making this little blog entry possible.