HOTEL ARCTIC- GREENLAND

You've got to really want to get there, but once you arrive at Hotel Arctic, you understand why you made the hefty journey to what is literally the world's most northern 4-star hotel. Talk about a sense of arrival, the surrounding views stun you almost immediately when you realize you're on the edge of the Ilulissat Ice Fjord, a complex phenomenon full of constantly changing shapes, colors and sounds.

Head to reception, past the display of thick coats made of skins and it's game time: take the room, or the IGLOO? Sure, there are rooms here, but why the heck do that when you can stay in an igloo on the edge of the fjord? There are 5 to choose from, set so close to the edge it could make your knees week. Solid as a rock with aluminum frames, they're surprising modern and filled with creature comforts just like any other room.

But the view? We're talking majestic cliffs, drifting floes and a bay with waters that are completely at peace. Just like you'll be.

Greenland cuisine takes some getting used to if you're not a hearty fish or meat eater but they've got a decent selection of fresh specialties and a curious collection of wines around the world at their Ice Rock Bar.

All roads lead first to Copenhagen when you're heading through, from there, Air Greenland has several flights per week to Kangerlussuag where you'll need to hop another 45 minute regional flight t Ilulissat for your 5 minute transfer.Alternatively, if you find yourself in Reykjavik, Air Iceland flies to Ilulissat directly. Hey, getting there is half the fun anyway, right? www.hotelarctic.com

EXPLORATEUR EXCLUSIVE-Special winter warmer gift pack pre-departure to prep you for the brisk temps! Click HERE for more info and as always, be sure & tell 'em The Explorateur sent you!

THE WEIRDEST THING WE EVER ATE- by guest Explorateur blogger Greg A.
Living in a culture obsessed with expiration dates, the idea of eating something that is rotten on purpose seems as far fetched as life on Mars. Given the recent photographs from the Red Planet showing water and “99% pure ice”, it might be time to put aside all thoughts of “sell-by” dates as well. Enter hákarl, Iceland’s most potent food offering.

Hákarl, simply put, is putrefied shark meat. It is the meat of the Greenland Shark hailing from the North Atlantic waters. Oh, and, its flesh is poisonous due to the high levels of uric acid that build up in its body throughout its lifetime.

Toxic flesh might be enough to stop most of us from even considering any culinary use, but Icelanders took a different approach. They found that after gutting and beheading the shark, it could be buried in a shallow hole at a slight angle for six to twelve weeks. This process is used to drain the fluids out of the shark’s body. It is then cut into strips, and hung to dry in a covered, outdoor building for as long as six months. And when it’s dried, the meat is cut into small, bite-sized cubes and is ready to eat. Ready, that is, only for those with strong stomachs and a sense of adventure, as even many Icelanders themselves do not eat hákarl.

Given the overwhelming smell of ammonia emanating from the meat, it’s preferable to have a shot of the Icelandic spirit, Brennivín (a potato spirit flavored with caraway seeds) ready to wash the taste of hákarl down and then, perhaps, something else to wash away the taste of the Brennivín, also known as “black death”, itself.

If you’re still interested (seriously?), the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum is the place to have the authentic hákarl experience. While there, you can see a small museum dedicated to the hákarl business, a drying shack and there just might be a “fresh” catch somewhere on the premises. If you cannot make it to Bjarnarhöfn, rest assured, hákarl can be found in grocery stores in Reykjavík.

Guest blogger bio- When not traveling, Gregory has filled his time working as a landscaper, political advisor, graphic designer, child model and an alcohol taste-tester (strictly pro bono). He currently lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, the city that brought the world baseball and Frank Sinatra, and can be reached via his Twitter account @culverlake.

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