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Darjeeling from the Clock Tower

Don Ellis

Member
When Leela and I were in Darjeeling in 1996, the clock in Darjeeling’s Clock Tower was accurate twice a day – because it was stopped. It had been broken for years because, we were told, because the mechanism had been stolen. Hmmm…

Anyway, on our return trip in 2006, the first thing we notice was the clock working and illuminated. And we were told it was only completed, with the help of the Rotarians, two months before we arrived. So we were lucky.

I was so charmed to see it in operation that I asked the authorities if I could go up inside the tower and they agreed. I ascended by narrow ladder to the platform behind the four clock faces, and from there I was allowed to climb another ladder to the top of the tower and onto a precarious four-foot-square, tin-sheet roof where the loudspeakers are tied to a low rail for the chimes. It was from this vantage point that I took these four photos.

They will at least give you an overview of part of the town and a view that is seldom (maybe never, who knows) seen. :)












And here's the Clock Tower that I was standing on to take these photos... behind the small fenced area at the top. This was taken on another day... the clock chimed and I pressed the shutter. All images were taken with the Canon Pro 1.


 
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pollobarca

New member
Great views Don. A privilege to see these views. Lovely compositions and detail.

Noticed that they have Lipton Tea in Darjeeling! Advert in the first pic.

BTW did you get to see the Darjeeling and Himalaya railway?

Thanks for sharing the views

paul
 

Don Ellis

Member
Absolutely great photos, Don. Now I need a cup of tea. That would be Oolong in my case, but still.
Ceylon, in my case (I took my own), but I did have a few cups of Darjeelinf for the ambience. I was amused by the one restaurant the didn't serve tea... standing on some principle or another... maybe the "marketing principle," since I remember them.

Thank you for commenting, Jorgen.

Cheers,
Don
 

Don Ellis

Member
Great views Don. A privilege to see these views. Lovely compositions and detail.
Thanks, Paul. You know, you just get up there, aim in any direction, try to include some ground and sky, and there you are. Not much to it, except that few people visit and post their photos... I do have that going for me. :p

Noticed that they have Lipton Tea in Darjeeling! Advert in the first pic.
Yes, they don't bar it... I think you can even find coffee, although I don't drink it, so I only search for Leela.

BTW did you get to see the Darjeeling and Himalaya railway?
You mean the steam-powered, narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway which is also a World Heritage Site (albeit a moving one) that crosses the road over 100 times on its way from Siliguri to Darjeeling? Also known as the Toy Train?

No, we didn't see it... :D

Ok, we did see it... and took more photos that most visitors will ever take. We've ridden the train on both trips to Darjeeling, although this time we took a shorter trip to Siliguri, because the entire journey is about 86 km (53 mi) and the train is quite slow and we've already done it.

I'll process some of the Toy Train, as soon as I can. We're off to England next week and I have a lot of things to do before we go, so I can't promise when they'll be up... but I'll post them here.

Thanks for sharing the views
paul
Thank you for the nice comments.

Cheers,
Don
 

Don Ellis

Member
Formatting

Sorry about the text formatting so you have to scroll left and write to read it. When I post wide photos and remember, I line-break paragraphs so the copy is all on one screen.

Don
 

pollobarca

New member
Don,
those are the trains. Do they still have a couple of guys up front throwing sand on the tracks? Those steam locos are 120 years old now.
Look forward to seeing the pictures .

BTW have a good trip to England

b rgds

paul
 

les

New member
Once again, great stuff Don, and the background description makes them all the more intriguing. Enjoy your trip to England.

Les
 

Don Ellis

Member
Don,
those are the trains. Do they still have a couple of guys up front throwing sand on the tracks? Those steam locos are 120 years old now.
Look forward to seeing the pictures .

BTW have a good trip to England
b rgds
paul
No guys with sand pails on the few trips we've taken. But then there wasn't snow or rain on the tracks. Just one guy in back shoveling coal, and the obligatory stop at the water tower.

Will post more as soon as I can. Thanks for the bon voyage... we both enjoy London and it will be nice to return.

Cheers,
Don
 

Don Ellis

Member
Once again, great stuff Don, and the background description makes them all the more intriguing. Enjoy your trip to England.

Les
Thanks, Les... a photo may be worth a thousand words, but it's been my experience that you need to supply some of them yourself. :p

And thanks for the send-off... should be fun. It's been awhile since I've had a holiday.

Cheers,
Don
 
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