Flying into Kangerlusuaq on the west coast of Greenland I get a glimpse of what’s ahead. My nose is pressed to the tiny plane windows, jaw-dropping, as towering mountains of bright white ice melt into glistening turquoise lakes, the borders of which become momentarily green before the tarmac begins. I read the words ‘Arctic Command’, painted on the roof of a hanger below.
Less of a town, more of an air base, Kangerlussuaq, like many of Greenland’s modern settlements, was developed as a strategic military outpost by the Americans during WWII. A convenient halfway point between North America and Northern Europe, it became a key pitstop for refuelling planes which was utilised right up until the end of the Cold War. Located just north of the Arctic Circle, with a population of just over 500 people the small airport is still the main hub, serving as cafeteria, hotel, gift shop and medical centre.
