Now that our presidential election season is underway; how about a trip to a place that's been playing party politics for 1,000 years. It's a rural little respite for travelers who might want to take a side trip from the U.K. Part of the British Isles, floating in the Irish Sea, sits the Isle of Man named for Mannanan, the island's mythological sea god.
There are a lot of things that make it a fascinating visit, for one, it's a self governing kingdom, a crown dependency which doesn't belong to either the U.K. or the European Union. It has its own
Parliament, Tynwald, said to be the oldest in the world dating back to the Viking settlements.
Look around and you'll see the island's symbol of independence, the three legs of Man. Even though English is the primary language, people also speak the Celtic tongue known as Manx and yes, this is where the tailless cat comes from.
At 33 miles long and 13 miles wide, most of the scenery is bucolic as almost half of the land is uninhabited. Douglas is the capital but I don't exactly call it bustling. While the winter can be a wee bit raw, it’s an affordable time to visit, but the famous Victorian era trains and trams aren't operating until the summer months, and most of the attractions start up after Easter.
Now that our presidential election season is underway; how about a trip to a place that's been playing party politics for 1,000 years. It's a rural little respite for travelers who might want to take a side trip from the U.K. Part of the British Isles, floating in the Irish Sea, sits the Isle of Man named for Mannanan, the island's mythological sea god.
Perhaps the island is best known for the rollicking motorcycle race known as the TT that has taken place for the past 100 years on a 38 mile circuit that closes down the public
roads in late May.
It's a quick flight from most U.K. airports to the Isle of Man. For more, visit www.isleofman.com.