May 25, 2011 (Day 48) - Isle of Man (IOM)

Hello, from the Isle of Man! I finally made it, albeit after a 1.5 hour departure delay that put me into port at 7pm instead of 5:45. The crossing was a little rough and very windy. Getting shots from the outside deck wasn't easy...every time I let go of the railing to take a photo, I damn near got blown over! I wanted to take some photos coming into port, but it was just too windy by that time. Overall, my first ferry crossing was quite enjoyable and actual a nice way to go :)

My first CouchSurfing hosts, Tony and Laura, were gratious enough to come collect me from the ferry port. They're both wonderful people and world travelers themselves. I have to say, it's really nice to have complete strangers pick me up, bring me home, feed me, give me a nice room to stay in, and hand me the keys to their flat! Amazing...and I don't have to work for a week to boot! WooHoo!!

This morning was cloudy and very windy, but no rain in the forcast, so I decided to walk around Douglas and take in the sights. I started by walking down to the harbor and then around to the Loch Promenade, a boardwalk street that runs along the water. It was (very) low tide this morning, so the water wasn't right up against the break-wall, but still a nice view.

I saw a couple of horse-drawn trams along the Promenade. They are the world's oldest surviving horse trams, dating from 1876, with 20 of the original 51 tram cars still in use. They have operated continually since 1876 with the exception of World War II. The clydsdale horses that pull the trams are purchased as yearlings and beginning pulling when they're 4 years old. They're called "trammers" and work for about 15 years, but pulling only 2 hours a day, and are then retired to The Home of Rest for Old Horses on Richmond Hill on the outskirts of Douglas (where they can be visited).

After walking the Promenade, I took a stroll down The Strand, a parallel street behind the Promenade with lots of stores. From there, I walked up to Noble Park where the TT racestand is located. For anyone who doesn't follow motorcycle racing (like me!), the Isle of Man TT is a 2-week festival of motorcycle racing that is celebrating its 104th anniversary this year. The festival starts next Monday, May 30th, with some practice runs, so I'll see if I can get some photos before I leave Tuesday morning for Dublin.

All this walking took me about 3.5 hours, so I headed back to the flat for a rest (and to put up this blog) before Laura gets home and we set out again. Tony plays football (soccer) tonight in Peel on the other side of the island, so we thought we'd start walking that way and see how far we get. It's about 10.5 miles, so my guess is Tony will be picking us up somewhere along the way when he's on the way back from his match!

Anyway, hope you enjoy the photos. It's supposed to rain here tomorrow, so I'll probably head to the Manx Museum (free admission) to stay dry and learn more about the island's history. BTW, the island is also where the Manx (tailless) cat originated more than 300 years ago...