Kashmir

Took an 8 hour bus at 11am to Jammu, Kashmir (Hindu section). Worst traffic jam ever, bus must have turned off his engine 30 times along the way ( I'd let it idle w/e). Went to a restaurant for 2 hours across from the bus station. Everybody was curious to talk to me, was a great welcome to Kashmir. Then back on an 8 hour overnight bus to Srinagar (Muslim Kashmir). 

This place is heaven on earth. The 1,400 house boats on Dal Lake use to be a very popular place for both English and Indians to vacation. Over the past 20 years political tension, violence, occasional 24 hour curfews etc. have limited tourism making it affordable for somebody on a budget like myself. I have been reading the Kashmiri newspapers the past couple weeks, soo interesting. Long story short after the 1947 partition of India the Kashmir region was divided. Pakistan and India control roughly 40% each, China has a 20% slice. The people identify as Kashmiri and want their own state. This territory is the focal point of the tension between Pakistan and India. When tensions do flare and people speak of nuclear war between the two countries it is over this region. The Indians have deployed troops in order to quell separatist extremist. Most of the violence in the city I am in takes place between the Indian soldiers and separatist who want them out. The locals usually make like the Palestinians and throw rocks but there have been many casualties over the past 20 years, over 100,000. The troops are not going anywhere, depends who you ask there is a minimum of 250,000 Indian troops in Indian controlled Kashmir

I came to Kashmir to talk to people and learn more about the conflict, everywhere I go is to talk to people about local politics and whatever world/local opinions they may have. I also came because it is a truly incredible place. Definitely my favorite place thus far in India, it is like nowhere I've seen before. Immediately jumped to one of the coolest places I have ever been to. My brother stayed on a house boat during the 2001-2002 winter for 5 months. I came to find the same family he stayed with in order to enjoy my stay in heaven on earth. A sub-city built on a lake, canals lined with markets, hospitable Kashmiri people, all set in the Himalayas

The first day I couldn't find the boat my brother stayed on. This is the front view from the boat I did stay on. Getting picked up by a shikara

Only way to get to these shops is by shikara. All the buildings are built on this shallow section of the lake

In winter times the panchos are very popular apparel. I have one at home that my brother bought me. I also wore one for the duration of my stay in Kashmir. He is holding a fire pot underneath, aka personal heater. picture of fire pot later

Here Namaste is traded for Asalamalakum

Cruising the streets

Life on the lake

OnLand, street food in the city

Center

Back to the boat

Some very nice boats on the lake, but no tourists to fill them

All with English names. Supply and Demand makes competition stiff

On the second day I moved over to the sister boat of the Star of Kashmir where my brother stayed. I had a small 2 bedroom, 2 bath boat with a small living room in front all to myself. I got breakfast, tea all day and dinner included. Shikara ride to the street also. It is a good life sitting on the front of the boat watching lake life pass by. Vendors rowing past selling fruit, chips, coke, beer etc. 

My boat on left

All to myself

I wasn't trapped on the boat, was abe to hang out on a small strip of land behind the boat. The strip is surrounded by water on all sides. Winter was also rapidly approaching

fruit salesman rowing past my boat

Went on a shikara ride for several hours which has to rank as one of the greatest experiences ever. Began by heading across the open lake towards the mosque about an hour away. I think you should be able to see snow capped peaks but I was there in December, this is a summer destination and it was foggy/overcast the entire time.  

A persistent gem salesman rowed over from another shikara (canoe) as we passed this. I asked my driver who Neil Armstrong is. He told me "it is the name of the boat". "Yes, but who is he?". Gem man said "He is the name of the boat". They both agreed, as do I. Neil Armstrong is the name of this boat

Lotus floating

Srinagar is famous for their gardens. December is not the best time of the year to see them. Here is a flower garden in the middle of the lake

Eagle. They grow tomatoes here. Can you imagine ripe tomatoes w/ green leaves, blue skies and snowcapped Himalayan peaks in the background? place is amazing

Approaching the mosque

a laundry service here which is certainly contaminating the water

short walk in the city. My shikara driver picked up some shoes and warm socks for his 5 year old daughter. 100 rupees ($2.20 for the shoes)

He wasn't expecting a camera when he popped out. It's ok, I wasn't expecting him either

Vegetable gardens. Everything is in the lake surrounded by water

I went across the open lake on the way to the mosque. Way back I went through the sub-city on the lake. Several bridges along the way

Selling flowers including local seeds

large floating garden

lotus in the middle. The cold winter is coming

Out of all the pictures from my travels, this one is my desktop

run down houseboat

Dec 6th would have been my Dad's 60th birthday so I brought a cake to share with the family my brother stayed with for 5 months about in the winter of 01-02. Would have preferred banana cream pie but didn't find any.  Told him for many months that when he was gone I was going to go travel extensively. He was excited for me and told me to make the most of it, never know if I will have the chance again. Been to 23 countries in the 24 months he has been gone,8 on this trip, 15 last year.  (As of Dec 6 2010, not date of posting)

My firepot under my robe & world famous Zeppelin jammies

My brother told me when he was here he bought a goose, so I did the  same

Told this is a good time to buy goose, they are putting on fat for winter

ot as great as the goat sacrifice in Nepal

At least I got him out of his cage from under the structure. He is relaxing on top of the chickens in front now

I don't know his name but this is the 14 year old from a village who works for the boat owner. 

Says he doesn't go to school because he doesn't like it. Seems to prefer transporting goose across the lake

Don't think he enjoyed defeathering him though

The mother

All the way to the dinner plate. They asked how I wanted it cooked, told them however they liked. Made sort of a stew out of it. One with tomato and the other turnip

One of the most enjoyable parts about being on the lake is all the birds. They are hard to get pictures of though. Watching them fish is the best. One of the birds goes about 30 feet above the water, points their beaks straight down and does a nose dive. I can watch that over and over. Others float on the lake and duck in for a swim. 

One day I was on a long walk in the city and people kept talking to me, good people. One guy (Abdul) approached me, I told him I was from California and he said he has a friend in Lake Tahoe. Most people don't even know LA is in California so that struck me as different. Then he told me that he likes Bush, he doesn't like the violence or war, he is a pacifist, but Bush is firm and sticks to what he says, he respects that. He is an interesting guy, anyway, I had a good vibe from him so asked if he wanted to get a tea, we did. Said he is a historian by hobby and wanted to show me the city. After walking around the city and talking about the conflict and history worked it out that I could stay at his house if I wanted in a village near the city. I had my train to Agra the next night but was too good an opportunity to pass up, so we arranged to meet.

Couple pictures of the city (Srinagar)

You can't imagine how many soldiers there are in Srinagar. I'd pass hundreds every time I went for a walk. When I'd enter a restaurant or internet cafe there may be 5 or 6 chatting by the front door. It is seriously insane. I don't take many pictures of them. 

but here is a military bunker in the center of the city

Across the street what is left of a shootout. Was told it happened on June 11th, believe last year but could have been this year. Kashmir has been in full blown rebellion against India since 1989. The conflict continues to this day. Over summer Srinagar was under curfew for 2 straight months (tourist season). 

I had originally planned to leave at 9am to catch my 11:45 pm train in Jammu but slept in til 9 with the new plan of meeting Abdul in front of a hotel in the center of the city at 10:30am. When I woke up I learned the city was placed under curfew by the Indian army so that was not feasible. No rickshaws available due to the curfew so had to walk the 45 minutes to the bus station. Got turned around by soldiers who wouldn't let me in. A house boat owner helped me out and we went a different way via a different check point. There are thousands of soldiers in the city but really the first thing I noticed is every single shop being closed. Nobody is making any money. Can't say that I did not left with a positive impression of the Indian army and with a lot of sympathy for the Kashmiri people.

Since I couldn't meet with Abdul tried to catch my 11:45 train in Jammu. It took 3 hours to get out of the city, passing numerous check points. Saw over a hundred of these jeeps and trucks as we left. fyi If anybody reading this is going to Kashmir and would like to be in touch with Abdul and have him show you around the city I can put you in contact with him

took these from inside my jeep. Should crop this one. This is what a lot of the soldiers look like though. I assume it is to protect themselves from Kashmiris throwing rocks

Check point on the slow ride to Jammu. It would be a loong trip to my next destination: Agra, home to the Taj Mahal