Sunday, April 04, 2010

Big Job to put the Clock Back an Hour .............

We were looking for something to do on Easter Sunday, so decided to commence photographing the Colac Cemetery (yeah, I know, you just can't get over what an exciting life we have).  On the way, we came across the monthly market at Camperdown - then noticed that the Camperdown Bell Tower was open.

This is an interesting and very economical (only $2 a person) tour to take.  Pay your money (don't buy the "I've Climbed the Tower" sticker (only $1) however until after you've done it - otherwise you'll be cheating).  To get to the top requires climbing a number of very steep stairways, with a number of platforms upon which you can rest on the way up (or down, for that matter - otherwise we'd still be up there wouldn't we?).  On the way there are a number of great stained-glass windows to enjoy.

About half way up you come across the three bells that create the "chimes" every quarter-of-an-hour, plus the hourly count.  We were standing right next to them when the clock struck one - but no running mice to be found.  Fair causes one to soil the old trousers when not expected - here we were fortunate; they hadn't turned the clock back an hour for the end of daylight saving, so at least we didn't have to endure, close-up, a full twelve chimes.

From the bell platform, it's another flight up to where the clock mechanism is housed; and then one more up to the viewing platform at the top, where one gets a great 360 degree view of Camperdown.

After soaking up the panorama, it's just a matter of negotiating the steep stairs all the way to the bottom - when, of course, one can legitimately purchase the aforementioned sticker.  Definately, well worth the $2 admittance fee.

After that, the Cemetery was some what pedestrian - although, we did manage to photograph nearly a 1000 headstones before heading back home.