Måløy, Norway... Part 1 of 2

Being our first visit to Måløy, I rose early (5:30) to capture the endless scenery sailing up the Nordfjord bringing us to Måløy. When Captain Friso announced yesterday that he planned on entering the fjord at 6:15 in the morning, I knew that was the place for me. The sail in was absolutely wonderful and I am happy that I was able to experience it! Måløy is situated on the island of Vagsoy and is surrounded by the Stadhavet sea…one of the most exposed areas along the coast of Norway. Luckily, we got off the ship and did some touring before the rains came. Måløy is a charming town and the rain did not stop our quest for street art. Måløy has attracted attention in recent years for its fantastic street art representing the coastal culture of Vagsoy Island. These paintings are stunning and probably some of the best we have seen on our travels. We were able to capture 16 of the now 20 artworks within walking distance of the town center. By chance Ann spotted a pop-up store selling prints of the art, so we stopped in looking for a map of the artwork location…What a find…Tone Andal, the Street Art Project Coordinator working in the shop. When Tone Andal returned to her hometown Måløy in 2010, she became aware of Måløy’s potential as a street art town…Due to the Måløy Raid during World War II, most of Måløy was bombed and burned down, and the town lost most of its older wooden houses and characteristic boathouses. Since then, large industrial buildings and concrete blocks were used to rebuild in the 1950s. Tone thought her street art project would be a perfect starting point to turn grey stone into gold. We spent some time speaking with Tone and her coworker, a gal from Iowa who speaks perfect Norwegian. Coincidentally, Tone was just finalizing the prototype copy of a street art map and we were given the first copy. As well, she wanted a photo of us for her Instagram page. With the help of the map and local knowledge we were able to find the remainder of the art. We decided to stop at the Havfruen Cafe for a break…we indulged in their pastries…bar none the best pastries we have ever eaten anywhere. We did do some last-minute shopping as this is our last port in Norway. Despite the rain we had a delightful time in Måløy. An unusual way to spend the 4th of July but great nonetheless… A very happy 4th of July to my family and friends back home!