Monday 14th June
Lloyds bank closed on Mondays in Castletown and the library only open at 2.00pm, so spent the morning exploring the castle and the House of Keys, which is the old government house of the Isle of Man. In this there was a great audience participation show using the original room and furniture. One was asked to vote on certain issues appertaining to specific important dates in the history of the island's parliament. Good fun but what a shame that there was only myself and a fellow Brummie in there.
http://www.iomguide.com/oldhouseofkeys.php
Also went in the old grammar school house there.
Had lunch on a bench overlooking the bay and rushed for my bins when a summer plumaged great northern diver flew around before landing on the water in front of me. Fabulous bird. Shame I couldn't phone anyone to say of its presence as the Isle of Man is treated as a foreign country by my mobile phone provider.
After bank and library cycled to the nearby headland, Dreswick Point, seawatched and counted the seals on the rocks here; 18 grey seals.
Met some people whilst sitting here and was informed that the beautiful large lighthouse here was one of the homes of Jeremy Clarkson. Some dog walkers it seems resent this but others seem to think that he has done an excellent job restoring the building and so what if some of the headland is fenced off. Considering the amount of dog faeces and the usual faeces filled plastic bags on evidence here I do not blame Mr Clarkson for doing so!
More in a bit. Coffee first.
If you go on holiday to the Isle of Man then don't miss seeing the cafe/restaurant at The Sound, overlooking the Calf of Man. Luckily for me I was there on Tuesday the 15th of June with the sun setting and the sea very calm. Fabulous sunset, best of the year - so far.
I had met a lovely, quite distinguished -looking gentleman, who worked as the
cricket professional at the nearby King William's Independent School at
Castletown in the morning. Originally from Accrington, Lancashire, he coached
David 'Bumble' Lloyd, the best TV cricket commentator, ex-Lancashire and
England player and coach. Bumble is a legend in the sport as all cricket fans
know and his comic antics, as well as his perceptive interjections when
commentating make him one of the best personalities in the sphere of the
world’s greatest sport. Guess what we talked about for half an hour or so?
I needed a shower and so I went for a swim at the Castletown baths. Fifty
lengths of the pool after the much-needed hot shower, this is the life, I
thought to myself as I lay on my back, floating in the lukewarm water. Later I
talked with a local girl who, with her husband runs a Physics education
software company - Furry elephant [
www.furryelephantscienceteaching.blogspot.com ]. Just been on their blog and
learnt a few things!
Explored St Mary's and even lay on the beach at St Erin's in the hot sunshine
reading my latest book - Boy in the Blitz by Colin Perry.
Back to The Sound. What a fabulous view to be had from a seat in the cafe. A
superb vista seen through large tinted windows. Treated myself to coffee and
carrot cake and watched the sunset develop.
In the café I met a cartoonist/artist, John Hancox from Rugby Warwickshire with
his son, Warren. From a collection he had on a board in the back of the car, he
gave me two sets of his brilliant motorcycling comedy postcards. Great
postcards.
www.hancoxart.com
The area, as well as being magnificently beautiful was a great place to watch Red-billed
Choughs with a family of five flying around me here and a couple of other pairs
further away. Atlantic Grey Seals were here too on the rocks and some auks were
tazzing around the bay.
I had felt a little down this afternoon; well not down as such but aimless
having no reserve or bird as a target but this place had set me right back on
track; as had singing 'positive thinking' by Morecambe and Wise!
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