Kolahoi Glacier - Sonamarg

4th August

Today it rained and rained and rained  and we trekked up hill and down dale in the rain and mud, slipping and sliding, getting wet, cold and filthy. God, you can tell we are tourists but see the glacier we would.

 

We had a chai stop on the way up to the glacier. The rain hadn't started here but it was threatening

 

Chai spot

 

 

 Salim is mountain bred and the weather did not bother him at all or impede his goat like ability to scale mountains without any difficulty what so ever. Neil, not mountain bred but used to walking easily on roof tops, handled the conditions a lot better than his nimble wife. At one stage, on the way back down, I was terrified that I was going to slip in the mud of the almost non-existent track down the side of the mountain. Luckily, however, Salim nursed me through the worst patch and I survived the experience.

 

Looking down on Sonamarg

 

Heading up the hill. At this stage there was a track to follow - muddy but still existant. Glacier on far hill hidden in the fog!

Goats and goatherder.

Glacier in distance.

Looking up the valley past Sonamarg.

Animals and Salim trying to escape the weather.

The gypsy huts here gave very basic living.

 

We were not the only ones getting drenched that day!

Wear a yellow raincoat when you're out in the rain.............. Can't remember the rest of the song. Mine was worse - bright orange!

 

When we were almost back to our car a frightened goat came hurtling down the mountain leaping off a verge and landing on the track almost on top of us. A wild dog was loose in the flock and the goat had sought our protection. The poor thing was panting with fear and did not wish to leave us. Once again Salim saved the day and lead her to safety.

 

The plastic raincoats did protect us a little but we were still very wet across our shoulders and the top of our backs and the trip back was a cold one indeed.

 

Hiking the Hills to Gypsy villages

3^rd August

Today we headed for the hills once again. This time off the beaten track or rather up a goat track to hike amongst the gypsy, nomadic Gujar, villages.

The first stop was to admire the view at a site where an Islamic festival is held each year. It is a huge open space that apparently holds 3 to 4 thousand people. The festival lasts several days so I guess you would hope to arrive early to get a level spot to camp on.The first village we saw today is in the distance.

 

Festival site in foreground, gypsy village in the distance. The festival site has bench seats positioned right across the site. Odd as I think the site only gets used once a year. Maybe it is also a picnic destination. Who knows?

Anyone in there? The bin kept this little one amused for about 15 minutes!

Isn't the view stunnning?

Further into the hills we stopped in the next gypsy village and bought some paratha and chai before hiking down to the river then back through the village .Their villages of turf roofed mud houses are mainly their winter homes, which accommodate both the shepherd families and their livestock, but there still seemed to be many around. Perhaps nowadays the younger families and elderly stay at home. The village does have a school for the younger children. 

Our paratha being made - absolutely delicious.

The finished product!

 

 

 

 Yep, the water is cold and no, I won't be swimming!

 

Thistle? It grows everywhere up in the hills.

There is a school in the village for the younger children. School's out for the day!

Note the solar panel on the roof!

 

Cape Cod extension?

Grass is cut, dried and stored during the summer months - food for the animals during the winter snows.

We ate our picnic lunch back at the festival site. The crows were eager to share it with us.

The weather today up in the mountains has been a good break away  from the heat. We had some light showers but not enough to worry us.

Afternoon traffic back in Srinagar

 

Thirty seconds prior to this photo the traffic policeman looked in danger of being run over from more than one direction. It seemed that he gave up on trying to manage the traffic in favour of living.

 

 Mobile shoe salesmen getting phone orders?

 

Everyone has a mobile phone!



The Mughal Gardens and the Old City of Srinagar

2^nd August

Neil was feeling a lot better today so we played the tourist together. We stayed locally, visiting perhaps four different Mughal Gardens which was quite a hot exercise as it was a bright sunny day. The first gardens, The Parimahal Gardens or ‘Fairy Gardens’, nestle high on a mountain overlooking the town and the lakes. The spectacular view puts into perspective the layout of Dal Lake and the positioning of Srinagar.

The Parimahal Gardens

Looking down on Dal Lake

 Looking across Dal Lake to Old Srinagar City and the Fort on the hill in the distance

No, I wouldn't enjoy mowing the lawn either!

Neil, Mughal Lord, with his huqqa.

 The last gardens visited were the Shalimargh Bagh. Back in the day the Mughal rulers of India used to find retreat from the heat of the plains of India in the cool green heights of Kashmir where they built formal gardens to lounge around in, smoking huqqas, and pass the time of day perhaps dallying with fair maidens. Shalimargh Bagh was built by one of these rulers, Jehangir, for his beautiful wife. The gardens had fallen into disrepair but now a great effort is being made to restore the fountains and watercourses to their former glory.

Huge Walnut Tree

Salim enjoyed playing photographer and there are quite a few photos of Neil and I together!

Foreign lady frightening one of the local cuties.

Shalimargh Bagh Gardens

Boys will be boys!

The old wall that once kept the riff-raff out

Once upon a time the gardens extended into the lake with a bridged walkway. Only some of the bridges remain. 

It was a Hindu holiday today and Hindis holidaying here from southern parts were out and about in their best clobber. It always amazes me that there are always so many locals who want to get their photo taken with the old foreigners. But it is the case so quite a few people have holiday pics with two old Australians in them! What a hoot!

We had a packed lunch which we ate across the road from Shalimarg Bagh in the shade of one of the many kiosks.

After lunch and on the way to the old city we stopped by a carpet factory. The sole purpose, of course, was for the hard sell. However, it was interesting to see the carpets. There were some beautiful ones and those were very expensive!!! The factory owner was not impressed with my don't want one attitude and suggested Neil to return without me!

A weaver in action.

Once we had escaped the carpet factory we were able to  stroll through the Old City at the base of the impressive Hari Parbat Hill with the Fort on top. Unfortunately you can’t visit the fort as it is occupied by the military.

The Fort overlooking the old city

Looking at the fort from the river side

The old city is a labyrinth of alleys with mosques, shops, houses and schools. It is the commercial centre for the locals. Our suitcase had suffered the worse for wear and had a broken wheel so we took it to one of the little shops and had it fixed. It should be good again now for a few more hundred kilometres. While exploring the alleys we visited the Jama Masjid (there a lot of mosques of the same name in India), another beautiful old, old mosque which has a beautifully painted papier-mache decorated interior and the Tomb of Zain-ul-Abidin. The tomb doesn’t have the body of said fellow inside but his mother. Said fellow is buried outside but I guess you can’t name such a beautiful Persian looking tomb after a mere female!

Jamu Masjid

The beaautiful old mosque with the papier-mache interior

It was very hot in the alley ways - just right for an afternoon nap

Bridal Shop

Tomb of Zain-ul-Abidin

Through the gate to the Zain-ul-Abidin's Grave

It's one of those!