Old Ramsgate and Margate maps, Pleasurama and a few of today's photos

 These maps both come from John Lewis's book about Thanet's history published in 1736

 We do publish a cheap modern reprint of the book so you can of course come into the bookshop here in Ramsgate and give it a browse

It's a funny old world don't you know, the picture above is of the development TDC turned down, the one that was to have a swimming pool in the bottom of it that was to have been given to the town.

I have put it on the blog to remind me to ask TDC how the developer of their choice is getting on with the site. I do this every year.

Today - a day of Christmas shopping didn't start auspiciously with a flat tyre, I have to confess to giving it one look and skiving off to Wetherspoons aka The Royal Victoria Pavilion where I tentatively sketched the cruet. 

My phone had no signal due to the O2 business, I use Giffgaff at the moment, which uses the O2 network.

On the phone front I am still using the Oukitel K3 phone, which you can buy new for about £125, this comes unlocked and I use the Giffgaff pay as you go £10 per month goodybag which gives me unlimited calls, texts and 3GB of data.

I am putting this in as several customers in the bookshop have discussed cheap smartphones and pay as you go deals and I know that some of them read the blog.

The phone can be bought on Ebay here is one link and a bit dearer on Amazon where it comes from the UK and arrives within a week here is the link I use the phone for the business and blog and haven't been able to find a better alternative that does all of the things I want.

The advantages that I have to have centre around it having a big battery. 

With my camera the phone supports OTG which means I can connect the camera to the phone to read the SD card and at a pinch charge the camera's battery.

The phone will also charge my sound cancelling headphones and Bluetooth keyboard.

The phone's camera is a bit average but as I carry a camera in my pocket this isn't an issue for me.

I don't think any phone would be able to take the hand held pictures I want to take, for example I took the next 5 photos from Harbour Street using a Nikon P610 and increasing the zoom shot by shot

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No tricks to this, hand held no extra support, no expensive equipment

The next lot were taken from the top of the pavilion

On the book front I have just finished Murakami's new book, Killing Commednatore which I thought was excellent.

I have just started Zusak's The Book Thief, one I should have read before but missed.

Next the link to the books we put out in the bookshop yesterday.

Having broken my laptop and not got around to dealing with it yet, the majority of this blog post has been written on my phone. Granted I have a folding Bluetooth keyboard, but I think I could get by technology wise just with a phone.