Getting High in the Himalayas!

High, as in 9000 feet up, that is! 

9000' up in the Himalayan Mountains, by the River Sindh 

in Sonamarg, Kashmir, India ~ June 2012Kashmir is located in northern India and is situated mostly in the Himalayan Mountains. Because of its verdant valleys, abundance of water,  and pleasant climate, Kashmir has been a mountain retreat for Mughal Emperors, Buddhist lamas, and the English colonialists. One nickname for Kashmir is "the Alps of India."

However, it's also a controversial tourist destination because of its proximity to Pakistan, recent terrorist activities, and civil war.  From Wikitravel, "Please be aware that the amount of military presence in the valley can be quite overwhelming for some. You will encounter soldiers with semi-automatic weapons guarding the airport, which may look like a heavily fortified place in a conflict zone before you finally step into the Terminal building. Soldiers will be seen all around the city and outskirts." This was certainly our experience. We encountered many military posts and had to show our identification numerous times. Going to the region of Jammu & Kashmir is not for the faint of heart. 
Since we were invited by a well known and respected Kashmiri family, we chose to travel to Srinigar,  but please check with your Dept. of State if you wish to travel there, because this area is considered an area of unrest. We were advised to say we were European when asked where we were from. Best not to reveal that we were Americans. 
Our host, Mohammed Wangnoo, is from an old Kashmiri family, who have been in the tourism and houseboat business for a long time. We felt safe traveling with Mohammed up country to the mountain resort of Sonamarg, 55 miles north of the city of Srinigar.  Sonamarg means "meadow of gold" and is an alpine valley situated along the banks of the River Sindh. It's a popular tourist destination, nestled in imposing Himalayan peaks and glaciers, 2800 meters (9186 feet) above sea level.

We began our journey with a shikara ride across Nagin Lake, where we met a car & driver, named Musthaq,  who Mohammed had hired. The drive to Sonamarg is though spectacular countryside on a winding one lane road called the Srinagar Laddakh Highway, which travels alongside the Sindh River (the largest tributary of the Jehlum River) through the valley of Kashmir.  In our journey we passed farming areas, rice paddies, rocky hillsides, oxen pulling plows, mountain towns, and buses overloaded with travelers. The Sindh River tumbled noisily , sometimes in wild rapids. The weather was grey, cool, and rainy when we reached our destination. Here is some of the scenery we passed along the Srinagar Laddakh Highway...

We saw distinctive Tibetan looking mosques as
 we traveled through up-country Kashmir

Mountain village of Kangan

Mohammed encouraged us to take photos of the mountain people with their distinctive faces. 

Mohammed thought this man was from Rajasthan and not worthy of a photo! 

spice seller in Kangan village

I looked out of place in Kangan.

This woman's smile was bright and beautiful, despite the burden she carried! 

Sindh River winds through the countryside.

typical farming technique

terraced fields 

"Burma Shave" style signs encourage safe driving! 

a village by the River Sindh

fellow travelers on the Srinigar-Laddakh Highway

Old gent by the riverside

We had a picnic in a little gazebo by the river in a holiday village built to house Hindu pilgrims. The pilgrims  trek up to Sonamarg and beyond to visit a cave with a Hindu relic in it. Next post: Seeing the Mogul Gardens and the city of Srinigar....Post #13