Artworks that caught me eye....

 One thing I really enjoyed seeing on the island was some of the wonderful artwork. Beautiful murals have appeared all over my home town of Ramsey over the past few years.

I'm sure I missed a few, but here are the ones I managed to capture.

They may not be quite as grand as the painted silos in Australia, but they are beautiful in their own right and certainly brighten up the town.

This first collection was dotted around Ramsey, appearing in unexpected places and adding a splash of colour to everyday life. 

The Dragon was on the wall by Mas's restaurant. 

∘◦❀◦∘

The next collection can be found along North Promenade, where I enjoyed many walks during our visit. Along the promenade are small shelters with benches where you can sit looking either out to sea or back inland. 

The walls inside each shelter have been transformed by local artists into beautiful works of art.

I only managed to photograph two of the four shelters this time. Perhaps I'll ask Jiffy to take the children for a walk one day and photograph the other two for me! 

∘◦❀◦∘

This next mural had only just been completed during our visit. It was lovely to see what had once been a huge, rather plain wall transformed into a striking Manx interpretation of Hokusai's famous Great Wave. 

Even one of the local hair salons had embraced the idea, with its own colourful piece of artwork decorating the outside of the building. 

Finally, I couldn't leave out the basking shark. He was there to greet me as I arrived on the Isle of Man, proudly displayed on the wall at the airport. 

I didn't manage to photograph him then, but I remembered to take a quick snap while we were checking in for our flight home.

The basking shark is the second-largest fish in the world. Despite its enormous size, it is a gentle giant, feeding only on plankton. Every summer they visit Manx waters, and over the years I've been lucky enough to see several. It seemed rather fitting that this magnificent creature should be there to welcome visitors arriving on the island.

I hope you've enjoyed this little wander around Ramsey with me. Sometimes it's the unexpected pieces of art, tucked away in everyday places, that leave the biggest impression.