Front of new phone!

I missed this photo from the previous set!!
I must admit that I wasn't totally convinced about the colour scheme at first. I think it has grown on me a little bit, but given a choice, I would prefer a darker/metallic look.
Other initial thoughts :
The white colour makes it appear to be cheap plastic. The rubber case doesn't fit very well and I think will become annoying over time. The touchscreen is too small for internet use, and the '2 finger pinch' doesn't create a very big zoom. In zoom mode, the text doesn't cut to the screen size, meaning I still have to scroll sideways.
Mobile internet pages, however, ARE rendered to fit the screen in full with no zoom option making them, for my old eyes, unreadable.
Also unreadable is the keyboard. In bright, or direct sunlight, the backlit keyboard turns the letters white so that texting is impossible in these conditions. (Rather cleverley, the letters turn dark when the blacklight dims).
It is probably more to do with my lack of prowess with touchscreens, but I tend to promote actions unintentionally. Wiping dust from the screen or changing grip whilst holding the phone causes windows to open, which is annoying.
So that seems a fairly poor phone, then.
But the good stuff is really good!
The keyboard is fantastic! Much better than on my old E71, which itself was, I thought, better than the Blackberries. Although small, the screen is a lot better resoloution, the text and images are sharp and clear.
The camera is really good. I'm from the 'point and click' school of photography, but the comparison between 3.2mp and 8mp can be seen in these pictures and, when I work out how to use it properly, will get better.
MP3 player works fine, and the 'shuffle' feature is easier to use than on the E71, with album art presented as a carousel on the touchscreen.
So far so good!

New Phone/Old Phone!

This is a bit of a camera test, with my old Nokia E71 being photographed by a new phone (which I am borrowing to see if I like), and then the new phone being photographed by the E71.
I am not convinced I can do 'touch screens' that easilly (fat fingers, no patience) so it i is good to have a try first before spending the money!

Scarborough Castle

Whitby Boat Action

The Lifeboat House in Whitby is now a museum which contains an old lifeboat on display. The actual lifeboat (14-14) is moored on the River on the opposite bank. The Harbour Pilot has a similar colour schemes to the RNLI. All a bit confusing.

North Marine Drive

...alternatively known as Scarborough Cricket Ground. One of the outgrounds for the Yorkshire County team. We managed a quick peek before the groundsman arrived as they'd left the gates open.

More Coastal Defence

More bits of the wartime defensive buildings at Cayton Bay. These pieces were previously attached to the part photographed earlier (on the top of the cliff). There are two pill boxes on the main stretch of the beach which now being used as Ladies and Gents toilets/changing rooms on the beach by surfers and swimmers.

HMS Archer

Listed on the AIS as 'Coalition Warship undertaking Military Ops' it was quite exciting to head off to Scarborough harbour to see what was happening. On arrival, however, it was soon clear it was a slightly exaggerated description. HMS Archer is a small (lifeboat sized) training vessel and the 'Military Ops' turned out to be Royal Navy cadets titting about trying to park it.

Another Mine!

Another sea mine which has now become a giant collecting tin for Shipwrecked Mariners. This one is by the harbour in Scarborough and still has the metal spikes attached. After a good prodding I can confirm that the spikes must have been deactivated.

RAF Lissett, 158 Sqn Bomber Command

The village of Lissett was home to a WWII airfield, and is just inland from the East Coast south of Bridlington. It was home to 158 Squadron, flying Halifax heavy bombers. The site has now been turned into a wind farm with each of the large turbine generators being named after one of the aeroplanes that operated from the base during wartime. The memorial for those air and ground crew who lost their lives during this time is situated on the edge of the site, adjacent to a local lane. It is a very haunting experience to drive around the bend and suddenly come face to face with the ghosts of a bomber crew returning from a raid. The lifesize memorial includes the names of all those lost from RAF Lissett which are etched into the metalwork. Also at the site is a wooden bench in memory of an Air Gunner from the Volunteer Reserve who flew from the airfield as part of the crew of 'Lili Marlene'.

Filey

The Lifeboat House wasn't open on the Cobble Landing at Filey, so my collection of Lifeboat photo's has stalled at an early stage. On the promenade, however, is an old WWII sea mine which is now being used as a collecting tin for The Shipwrecked SeaMariners Society. I remember these 'collecting mines' being quite common at seaside towns when I was younger, but you don't see them so often now. (I think there is one at Fleetwood too). Not sure how they get the money out though....
The second photo shows a flower bed in the town gardens which contains 5 stone blocks, believed to be pillar bases from a Roman construction. These were discovered on the Brig, which used to have a Roman Fort/lookout tower on it.Maybe these are something to do with that?

Peasholme Geisha

It has been a while since we last had a walk around Peasholme Park in Scarborough. There have been one or two changes, one of which is a sudden outbreak of tree sculptures. This one is, I think, a Geisha which is in keeping with the Oriental theme of the park.

Lifeboat Collection

The start of an ocaisional and ongoing collection of Lifeboats from around the country. This one is at Scarborough operating on The North Sea.

WWII Coastal Defence

This is what is left of part of the coastal defence system for the East Coast to protect Cayton Bay from any attempt the Germans made for an invasion. Bits of the structure, which have broken off, can be found at various points down the cliff face and there are some pill boxes embedded in the sand on the beach. The entrance door has been blocked in to stop local youths using it as a drink/drugs/sex den.