Ramsey Bus Station

                     Say hello, wave goodbye


Probably one of the first places I ventured to when I arrived to live on the Isle of Man and head off and explore the island, the bus station. I still do. A bus gives you a vantage point above car level for sights over hedges and down coastal areas you would otherwise miss. Also another perspective for photographers. Even though it makes the journey longer, the views around the island are worth that extra time now and again. 


Jane Hards Photography

Image part of The Weekend in Black and White

RAMSEY BUS STATION

All aboard

After skywatch  yesterday a more realistic photograph. One of those walking shooting images you take when you hope no one is looking. Notice that white lump in the background that was the embarrassment of snow I told you about we had? It settled on the mountain and wouldn't budge just didn't make it's way down to the town. Told you our snowfall was pathetic.  That's going off at tangents though. This is as you can all read is the bus station.

 As there are locals on this I have compressed and posted the low res version. This was last Saturday. Not very busy is it? Credit Crunch after Christmas not many travelling to the sales in Douglas. You can see the buses lined up ready to go as far a field as Douglas and Peel. We even have bus called the "Ramsey Skipper" which basically travels full circle around the town. Handy if it's raining(have I mentioned it does that a lot) or you just can't be bothered walking with your shopping. It's a great way to see the town should you be a tourist or new to the area as you get to see not only the town but a trip along the promenade for a normal fayre and not an over priced tourist bus price. If you are visiting the island I recommend a bus ride. Fabulous way to see the full majesty of the coastal cliff areas from the top of a double decker you just don't see from a car. As you can see our bus station is graffiti free inside and out and the waiting room has non vandalized toilets and radiators that work in winter. Jealous aren't you? I here so many places now where people won't wait inside. Sometimes it's good to be small. When you can't get a bus though......

......Get a taxi. We have had a lot of problems recently in Ramsey with the merger of two taxi firms, one now owning the other and the service I am sad to say has not been up to the old standard and we have been let down badly. Happily a new one man operation we came upon by chance taxied me to Douglas. I want to give a big shout out here to Adrian of NE Cabs 817272 Executive Private Hire. Came at very, very, short notice let me take a detour to drop off some work, was on time and got me to my destination on time too. Friendly and professional and I did say to him that he was getting a plug on the blog. If you read this blog and you are North of the island, call him. First time we'd used him and we continue from now on. We all to often moan about bad service, but tend not to praise good. Redressing the balance. 

Maybe I should be a tourist for a day and try the skipper. I can't recall the route so that could be fun. Who's for a virtual bus ride round Ramsey via the camera and the internet. Let me know. Do have a local skipper type bus and do you use it I wonder?

RAMSEY, BUS GRAFFITI - ODD SHOTS MONDAY

Isle of Man map or Graffiti Odd shot?

Well no one can ever say I only put the pretty shots on. I did say you might be getting a lot of snapshots this week, well here's the first. For those of you who just want Moody Blues and glorious Ramsey sunsets look away now. For those of you who can handle honest Ramsey read on.

I snapped this on the one of the local buses. I waited 'til everyone had got off and quickly knocked off a few auto shots. I didn't take the material to the edge of the shot so you could see what it is. Yes it is a bus seat. It's had a makeover by the look of it too.

I think the kids may have been bored over the holidays. It is graffiti, but I hate to say it's the most ingenious graffiti I've seen on the island. That green splodge you see dotted about the bus seat is the Isle of Man. Most of the map is right, but for some reason they have placed Kirk Micheal(KM) on the opposite side to where it should be. I think this person doesn't like Peel either as where the KM is should be Peel. Unless of course they are just trying to fool the tourists. We don't want you taking all our lovely Davidson's ice cream or Manx kippers. Good idea, lets hide Peel. The 3 legged object in the centre of the map is of course the most famous Manx symbol, The Triskelion as featured on the flag.

This is really a shot that should be monochrome, but for the purposes of odd shots you really needed to see the green land, and the blue sea. Don't we just have the quirkiest bus seats? Jealous aren't you! I bet you don't have a regional hand coloured map on yours either do you? No you don't do you! Now kids if you're reading this. It's very naughty, don't do it again. Instead put those artistic geographical skills to use at school and produce some er legal artwork.


Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY

RAMSEY BUS STATION

As it's sunday the buses will be off to a later start, which gave me the opportunity to photograph the the fleet before they set off. Yes that was all the buses that were leaving today, a small amount for a small island. You can see the first bus is going to Douglas via Peel which is great bus ride if you aren't in a hurry, and want to go the scenic route to Dougals. You can also see the wording is in English, but occasionally you will see locations written in Manx. Might even be both languages, with the island you never know.

Still like opinoins on yeterdays' photo, art or graffiti. So far art is ahead. Wonder what the person who painted it it the first place intended it as?