68º 69º Parallel North

Online, *Lofoten* search results present a dazzling array of colourful mountains, vivid fjords, rorbu a plenty, aerial panoramas and social media swirls of Aurora Borealis: a tourist board's dreamland. Offline, reality presents a sparsely populated and hostile terrain, connected by delightfully antiquated infrastructure not easily found in the southerly regions of oil rich, modern Norway.

Fishing is sovereign across the 1227km² Arctic archipelago, with a myriad of tiny ports making a living from the world's largest Atlantic Cod & Salmon stocks, seemingly abundant around the Lofoten's heavily protected sea and fisheries. Move mere meters inshore and the subpolar oceanic climate clashes abruptly with soaring precipitous peaks, that are more a concoction of fantasy fiction than studied geological fact.

Arctic winter light is special. Its kaleidoscope of colour wraps around everything in its path like relentless yet luxurious honey, creating the most subtle of shadows. Bright, delicate hues of red, blue, purple and orange seem at odds with the harshness of the frigid landscape subjugated by weather existing between 68º to 69º parallel north.

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