Isle of Man is an island with oh-so-breath-taking-scenery and gorgeous, gorgeous beaches. It's capital is Douglas, and it is on the east coast of the island. Legend has it that the Isle of Man got its name from a warlock called Manannan. In year 447AD St. Patrick visited the island and wanted to break the spell from the warlock. However, he was not certain what to do, and the warlock, sensing his indecision, taunted him saying, "whichever way you throw me, I stand". St. Patrick then turned him into a three-legged symbol and that became what is now the island's emblem. 

 For this tiny island, it is unbelievably beautiful, and living there, according to James, is having the best of both worlds. Medieval castles, ancient burial sites, centuries-old fortresses, Victorian railways and many other old-world landscapes co-exist with the modern ways of life. Do you know that the Isle of Man holds the annual motorbike races attracting hundreds and thousands of tourists? My, that must be the time when the island sinks a bit under the weight of these visitors?

Anyways, what surprises me even more was when I was told that there are a lot of Filipinos working in the nursing and care-giving fields there. Truly, Filipinos are everywhere, and what a fantastic job they are doing. James asked me whether they are graduates from a medical assistant school. I told him we don't have such schools in our country but we do have nursing schools that churns out thousands of graduates every year.

The stamps used are definitely my favourite. It is probably from a set of definitives that show the diverse lifestyle and cultural heritage of the Isle of Man. According to the Isle of Man Post Office site, the images selected are "slice of life" photographs of real people who live and work on the island.

Thanks very much, James. Surely, this postcard has a special place in my album.