ICC Nuuk, Greenland, part 7: On the flight out, the song of a Greenlandic choir slips through my inflight movie headphones
Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 5:15AM 
Although I have much left to report from ICC Nuuk and more pictures to display, I must now do it from another place. As you can see, I boarded an Air Greenland Dash 8 turbo-prop and flew out of Nuuk. At first, we went north, to Kangerlussuaq, where the US military once built an airstrip long enough to handle the big jet that I would need to transfer to before I could continue on to Copenhagen.
Looking down at a fjord, near the coast.
The boy who sat in front of me.
This is the jet that I transferred to in Kangerlussuaq.
It was a four-hour plus flight from Kangerlussuaq to Copenhagen and so, after we flew for a bit, I put the headphones on and settled in to watch the inflight movie. About half way through, it seemed to me that I could barely hear the singing of the Greenlandic Choir, Aavaat, who I had enjoyed during the Day of the Seal, as I will yet post.
I did not believe it. I thought it was just music playing in my head, because when I leave a place, the music of that place does always tend to play in my head as I travel.
Yet, muffled though it was by the audio of the movie and the airplane noise, it began to sound real to me. So I removed my headphones.
Sure enough, there was a choir singing, right inside the airplane and it was Aavaat, who had performed so beautifully in Nuuk. Here are some of those who sung.
And here are a few more.
After the plane landed a blonde fellow stood up and he was holding a Yup'ik-style drum from Alaska. It was Christopher Lieu, a Danish musician who has traveled to Alaska many times to perform with Pamyua. He also performed with them in Nuuk.
The drum was made and given to him ten or 11 years ago by Ossie of Pamyua.
I am posting this from inside Terminal 2 of the Copenhagen airport and my laptop battery just went into the red. I had better stop now.
When I bought this computer, they told me the battery would be good for four hours. Ha! It's not even been a full hour.
Really irritating.
Hey! It's the Fourth of July! I am in Denmark, but by evening, I should be back in Wasilla, Alaska, USA. There will be fireworks blowing up.
Reader Comments (9)
what a treat to be serenaded on a flight ...have a great 4th of July
this would happen only in bill's world--you're on a plane...and the passengers break into song! great post.
Agreed dahli222! Bill's life is an adventure for sure.
You missed the fireworks. The city does the city does their celebration at midnight on the 3rd/4th. Besides, it's not dark enough to enjoy the fireworks. I like Stan's display in November much better. And the fireworks at the Fair.
What a fun flight! Have a safe trip home! About that battery issue, sadly it may be time for a new battery; I had to do that recently as mine would no longer hold a charge for more than an hour or so, now with new battery it will go for the recommended time....
Welcome home Bill! Cant wait to see more pictures from your adventure in Greenland!
Welcome home, Bill. I am glad when you go on your adventures and share them with us, but it is good to have you back. From the sounds outside my window, you haven't missed all the fireworks yet. Happy belated 4th!
Get a Mac...there battery last much longer. I've yet to find a PC that last's longer then 45 minutes to an hour. However, if I were on my computer, I'd be typing this from a Ubuntu Desk top with no battery. LOL
I came here searching for a blog about Greenland. So far, I only been to this page, so can't comment much, but loved the Aavaat story. :D
This blog is 100 percent Mac.