Hi all,
Just back from visiting my parents who are living in Iqaluit for a year. We are all from Newfoundland.
My flight was from Dublin, Ireland where I currently live & I was there for about 1 week (3rd week of November 2008) I have to say it was amazing!
Yes, it was cold - but a dry cold. As long as I had my winter jacket, ski pants, boots, hat, mitts and thermals, I was fine. It got down to -37 one day with the windchill factor but I have to say sometimes it feels colder in Dublin with the rain!!! :) The town is small as you would imagine but there is a lot to see and do! The natural surroundings alone provide days of activity.
A must is a visit to the museum where there are great displays of Inuit dress, carvings, language & tools as well as a shop where people can buy amazing carvings, wall hangings, clothes, prints and pictures all made by local artists. The Legislative Assembly is available for guided tours and I believe there are many opportunties for people to go on hunting trips, sea & wildlife adventures as there is a very active tourist industry up there.
I have to say my visit really gave me new insights into the people and the Inuit culture, I learned so much while I was there & I feel very privileged to have visited the Arctic and witness a small piece of the reality of the Canadian North. It definitely affected me personally, perhaps more than many of the other places I have been. I would recommend to anyone that is in the position to think about visiting Nunavut, not just Iqaluit, but many of the surrounding communities as well - you'll see what I mean!
Happy trails!