At the top of the world

I just returned from my week in Greenland. Accompanying my class "Greenland: A Scientific Expedition" was a one week trip to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The trip was aimed to (from the itenerary itself): "Provide a close encounter with the ice sheet, discuss climate changes, see magnificent wildlife, experience incredibly starry winter nights and learn all about the aurora borealis". The past five days have been incredible, I have never experienced a more brutally magestic place; Greenland is staggeringly magnificent, and intoxicatingly beautiful. It is hard for me to describe it in text, pictures and emotions are probably more adequate. I will at least provide a brief list of the activities the 12 of us did.
Day 1: arrival, introduction to Kangerlussuaq, population 556. Tour around area, lectures on local fauna and geology.
Day 2: Morning hike up snowy peak near camp, dog sledding all afternoon across a frozen fjord.' Kaffemilk' at local Greenlander's residence, a coffee and cakes social tradition. A visit to local museum of the history of Kangerlussuaq. Late night sky gazing, successful aurora light show.
Day 3: Departure to the Russel's glacier and the ice sheet. Many stops and discussions along the way.
Day 4: Morning hike. Muskox safari and hike to lake and grazing grounds. Visit to 'Kellyville', an atmospheric, ionospheric and climatic research station run by the US science foundation and Stanford. Amazing Greenlandic closing dinner and slideshows.

I had many long conversations with people, and got to hear many of the past adventures of our professor, who spent many years studying ecology in Greenland. I think that I really want to look into arctic ecology, there is so much going on up there. In a world that seems to have so few mysteries left, it was amazing to be in a place that still has so many of them.
I put selected pictures in an album for anybody to see on snapfish. Here's the link: http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3416108028/a=4402702028_4402702028/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

At the ice sheet's edge. Massive.

The first day's group shot.