I visited an area in the south of the island today called the Sound. It has an area of thatch-roofed farm homes called “Cregneash,” where they continue to practice the same agrarian techniques of centuries past. They still use Clydesdale horses to till the fields to grow oats, barley, potatoes, and several strange vegetables that I can’t remember.

I actually went into one of the little houses and took this nice picture out the window. It was very quaint inside and they had absolutely no internet. I asked how they played MMORPGs, and they just gave me a return stare somewhere between a sheep and an ox.

Filed under the categories: Isle of Man, Travel

The Isle of Man sits here in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland. It’s like England without the people and Ireland without the charm.

The Isle of Man has about 70,000 people and about 37 miles long. There are also a lot of sheep here. The name used to be the Isle of Manannan, named after some old God who supposedly would throw his cloak of fog over the island to keep it safe. This was told to me by a wizened old man with one eye that I found tending some sheep. I only caught a few words of what he said, and I am 25% sure he cast some sort of Celtic spell on me.

People that live here do not call themselves English or Scots – they call themselves “Manx.” There is even an old Manx language that a few people still speak here. It’s some form of Gaelic that can only be understood by dolphins and Enya.

I’ve spent most of my time here in the capital of Douglas. It’s a nice little town with lots of Victorian architecture.

Filed under the categories: Isle of Man, Travel

Where is the Isle of Man anyway? I wasn’t totally sure, but the pilot knew. He was such a show off.

It’s pretty chilly here, and my internet access is not so great. They have not had many technology improvements since the Vikings invaded.

But they did have a coffee shop, where I grabbed a quick one.

And they have this little castle.

And they have this beach. I will have more pictures once the feeling gets back in my fingers and I find a more stable internet connection (I am currently being attacked by a wayward Viking.)

(Pictures located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles.)

Filed under the categories: Isle of Man, Travel