Like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland it's hard to know where to start.
`Begin at the beginning,' the King said gravely, `and go on till you come to the end: then stop". However if I do that it would be like War & Peace so I'll just give the highlights.
I couldn't take many photographs when I was working, looks like I'm on holiday. So My photos were taken in my free time, which wasn't a lot until the Sunday which was the passengers' free day & mine!
We had a great smooth crossing on a glorious warm & sunny day, from Heysham Port on the North West Coast. The crossing to Douglas was very smooth, just as well because we were on the boat for over 4 hours.
The buildings along the promenade are lovely old terraces many of which were used to house the forces during World War 11. There were palm trees too! They don't get severe winter weather here.
Further along the promenade from our hotel was a lovely park, shopping & cafe area called the Villa Marina.
The Isle of Man has a wonderful transport network. There's an excellent bus service but there are also steam trains, electric trams, a mountain railway & here below is the amazing horse drawn tram service. The trammers as the horses are known pull the carriages along the full length of the promenade from the Ferry Terminal at one end to Derby Castle, the Electric Train Terminal.
I think this one was Robert. The horses are wonderful and they are well cared for unlike the ones we see in other parts of the world. They do a limited number of runs or rather trots the length of the promenade, I think it was four & then they swap the horses over. The horse sheds are at the side of the promenade.
They retire after about 15 years and they are well cared for at the rest home for old horses, ponies & donkeys. You can visit them too at Bulrhenny.
I'll stop now. There's more to come!
