"Going up the country"
Well I looked when I last posted - 4th of March so much for my one post a week - been in the wars a bit since then - celebrated my 30 several birthday with a curry and I have noticed it doesn't taste quite the same as before I went to India - getting picky I know. Running wise I took a tumble a couple of weeks back - quite spectacular as I was going down hill at the time and as the pavement headed towards me "this is gonna hurt" crossed my mind - landed on my wrist and have a lovely scabby knee which are still giving me probs. Anyway good news wise after weeks of saying I'm not going to Glastonbury cos of blah de blah - madness it didn't sell out which to me is a good thing bit of a return to the old days of strolling in to HMV the week before - I bought a ticket - not bothered about the headliners just hoping there will be a reduction in the camping chairs that I quite often nearly break my neck on (where did all the blanket people go!!) and nutters who complain that I'm blocking their view of the stage - I'm only 5' 5" and a bit - jeeps the number of pine trees I've been stood behind in my time at concerts and just thought that's life - crazy!!
Anyway back to India and where I left off in Srinagar last October - not much more left to go - but plenty of photos.....
Thursday 25th October
As much as the hotel was great - the price wasn't too hot and cos I'm "a bed is a bed" kinda girl (though the hotel Sub Standard in Anantnag was pushing this theory) ended up checking in back at the Dal View where I stayed back in March - it was really nice as the guys remembered me and made me feel real welcome. Best place to stay on the Boulevard as most places were charging twice as much for a room with a balcony overlooking the lake and you had the added advantage of being just upstairs the local branch of the J & K bank.
Afternoon was postcard time as I was well behind in my postcard sending duties - which sounds easy enough but trying to find some wasn't that easy. And don't get me on the stamps - accidently ended up in this room at some immigration place - masses of security before I was told wrong building - easy mistake to make as the actual post office wasn't much different with barbed wire and bunkers.
More fireworks on the lake in the evening which was really pretty and the most sorted meal of paranthas and Shimla mirch at the Punjabi dhaba next door - totally sorted.
Friday 26th October
Up early today to catch a jeep to Gulmarg - India's famous ski resort and home to the highest and longest cable car ride in Asia - bit gutted on the bus when the guy next to me told me the Gondola was closed for maintenance as it takes you up nearly 13000 feet on the shoulder of Afarwat Peak - from where you can I think you can see over in to Pakistan as Gulmarg is quite close to the Line of Control.
Never mind - next time though I'm not too sure how I would be on a cable car as I can be severly iffy heightwise - as my sis has said on a few occasions I have a tendancy to "show myself up" if heights are involved. Saying that I've coped with the dodgy roads and it was quite a climb up from the valley to Gulmarg through some really beautiful woods.
Arriving in town the pony guys got very over excited when they spotted me - chasing the jeep down the road - they did get the message in the end that I don't do horses after following me round the town on my hunt for a Coca Cola fix. Although I've never been skiing in my life this would be the kind of place I would want to come to learn - more laid back and none of the posing that I assume goes in these fancy resorts back in the west. That said in the summer Gulmarg is a lovely meadow to stroll in (or trot on a pony through) though I think they are missing a trick - there is this huge golf course (another one claiming to be the highest in the world) , pitch and put but no CRAZY golf - well I think it would go down a storm!!!
As it was Friday you could hear the muezzin calling for Friday prayers echoing across the valley but what was really nice in this small place was the most gorgeous Christian church that wouldn't have been out of place in the English countryside as well as a Hindu place of worship. Three religions co-existing in this small place and seeming to get along side by side - I know it is a simplistic view but that's what I felt was going on here.
Saturday 27th October
Today there was a strike in Srinagar - not sure who was striking but there were demonstrations planned for Lal Chowk so it was another day going up the country. Nazir had told me this old story about the River Jhelum disappearing into a hole and coming out in Pakistan the last time I was here - I tried googling it when I came home but the only thing I could find was a confusing story about a snake who drained a lake and a gorge near Barramulla so I wasn't totally convinced we'd find this mysterious hole that went to Pakistan.
Another bus ride out to Batmaloo and then a jeep ride to take us to Sopore near to Wular Lake where the Jhelum flows through - talking to some guys in town they seemed to think the hole was something to do with a hydro electric project near Uri - but as a foreigner I couldn't go to Uri as it was right on the border and in a very sensitive area. To be honest I had no great wish to go and see hydro electric holes - seen more than enough in the Kinnaur valley thank you very much - but it did dawn on me then about the tourist map that I had puzzled over the previous day - all the roads seemed to stop at one point and then start again with a big gap in between. Not some weird road building project but rather when you ask for a map of Kashmir in either India and Pakistan they don't mark the border because even after 60 years of independance they still can't agree on it so you get the whole of Kashmir!
Anyway change a plan we decided to head out to Wular Lake one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia - really nice ride out of town through apple orchards but lots of soldiers by the side of the road. Because of my map confusion I wasn't really sure how far we were from the Line of Control so it did make me a bit on the nervy at times. Walking up to the shrine of Hazrat Baba Shakur-ud-Din Wali which is about half way between Sophore and Bandipura I did get a bit alarmed at the number of chickens that were being carried up the hill - just hoped there wasn't some big sacrifice going on at the top of the hill. From the top really amazing views of the whole of the Lake and thankfully no mass chicken sacrificing - got to admit I did get a bit crabby with the washing as there were no bathrooms and I ended up having to use a tap on the side of this building which meant my feet ended up being dirtier that before I started - still the thought was there!!!
I don't think the people saw many foreigners as I did gets lots of curious looks - and I ended up leaving the prayer room as I totally distracted all the women deep in prayer. One thing I do remember was a family group who had brought their young baby along for its first haircut - it was a real big occasion with sweets being scattered around - from what I can gather in real simple terms is that it brings good luck to the child if his first hair cut is at a shrine.
Headed off down the lake and a long the way managed to rip my trousers real badly - took a tumble down the hill on the loose rocks - good job I had my yak shawl with me as I adapted in into a skirt but it didn't half look a bit daft as witnessed on this video. Anyway here's me doing my best Judith Chambers impression by the lake which was an amazing place as it just felt totally untouched by the modern world:
Anyway back to India and where I left off in Srinagar last October - not much more left to go - but plenty of photos.....
Thursday 25th October
As much as the hotel was great - the price wasn't too hot and cos I'm "a bed is a bed" kinda girl (though the hotel Sub Standard in Anantnag was pushing this theory) ended up checking in back at the Dal View where I stayed back in March - it was really nice as the guys remembered me and made me feel real welcome. Best place to stay on the Boulevard as most places were charging twice as much for a room with a balcony overlooking the lake and you had the added advantage of being just upstairs the local branch of the J & K bank.
Afternoon was postcard time as I was well behind in my postcard sending duties - which sounds easy enough but trying to find some wasn't that easy. And don't get me on the stamps - accidently ended up in this room at some immigration place - masses of security before I was told wrong building - easy mistake to make as the actual post office wasn't much different with barbed wire and bunkers.
More fireworks on the lake in the evening which was really pretty and the most sorted meal of paranthas and Shimla mirch at the Punjabi dhaba next door - totally sorted.
Friday 26th October
Up early today to catch a jeep to Gulmarg - India's famous ski resort and home to the highest and longest cable car ride in Asia - bit gutted on the bus when the guy next to me told me the Gondola was closed for maintenance as it takes you up nearly 13000 feet on the shoulder of Afarwat Peak - from where you can I think you can see over in to Pakistan as Gulmarg is quite close to the Line of Control.
Never mind - next time though I'm not too sure how I would be on a cable car as I can be severly iffy heightwise - as my sis has said on a few occasions I have a tendancy to "show myself up" if heights are involved. Saying that I've coped with the dodgy roads and it was quite a climb up from the valley to Gulmarg through some really beautiful woods.
Arriving in town the pony guys got very over excited when they spotted me - chasing the jeep down the road - they did get the message in the end that I don't do horses after following me round the town on my hunt for a Coca Cola fix. Although I've never been skiing in my life this would be the kind of place I would want to come to learn - more laid back and none of the posing that I assume goes in these fancy resorts back in the west. That said in the summer Gulmarg is a lovely meadow to stroll in (or trot on a pony through) though I think they are missing a trick - there is this huge golf course (another one claiming to be the highest in the world) , pitch and put but no CRAZY golf - well I think it would go down a storm!!!
As it was Friday you could hear the muezzin calling for Friday prayers echoing across the valley but what was really nice in this small place was the most gorgeous Christian church that wouldn't have been out of place in the English countryside as well as a Hindu place of worship. Three religions co-existing in this small place and seeming to get along side by side - I know it is a simplistic view but that's what I felt was going on here.
Saturday 27th October
Today there was a strike in Srinagar - not sure who was striking but there were demonstrations planned for Lal Chowk so it was another day going up the country. Nazir had told me this old story about the River Jhelum disappearing into a hole and coming out in Pakistan the last time I was here - I tried googling it when I came home but the only thing I could find was a confusing story about a snake who drained a lake and a gorge near Barramulla so I wasn't totally convinced we'd find this mysterious hole that went to Pakistan.
Another bus ride out to Batmaloo and then a jeep ride to take us to Sopore near to Wular Lake where the Jhelum flows through - talking to some guys in town they seemed to think the hole was something to do with a hydro electric project near Uri - but as a foreigner I couldn't go to Uri as it was right on the border and in a very sensitive area. To be honest I had no great wish to go and see hydro electric holes - seen more than enough in the Kinnaur valley thank you very much - but it did dawn on me then about the tourist map that I had puzzled over the previous day - all the roads seemed to stop at one point and then start again with a big gap in between. Not some weird road building project but rather when you ask for a map of Kashmir in either India and Pakistan they don't mark the border because even after 60 years of independance they still can't agree on it so you get the whole of Kashmir!
Anyway change a plan we decided to head out to Wular Lake one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia - really nice ride out of town through apple orchards but lots of soldiers by the side of the road. Because of my map confusion I wasn't really sure how far we were from the Line of Control so it did make me a bit on the nervy at times. Walking up to the shrine of Hazrat Baba Shakur-ud-Din Wali which is about half way between Sophore and Bandipura I did get a bit alarmed at the number of chickens that were being carried up the hill - just hoped there wasn't some big sacrifice going on at the top of the hill. From the top really amazing views of the whole of the Lake and thankfully no mass chicken sacrificing - got to admit I did get a bit crabby with the washing as there were no bathrooms and I ended up having to use a tap on the side of this building which meant my feet ended up being dirtier that before I started - still the thought was there!!!
I don't think the people saw many foreigners as I did gets lots of curious looks - and I ended up leaving the prayer room as I totally distracted all the women deep in prayer. One thing I do remember was a family group who had brought their young baby along for its first haircut - it was a real big occasion with sweets being scattered around - from what I can gather in real simple terms is that it brings good luck to the child if his first hair cut is at a shrine.
Headed off down the lake and a long the way managed to rip my trousers real badly - took a tumble down the hill on the loose rocks - good job I had my yak shawl with me as I adapted in into a skirt but it didn't half look a bit daft as witnessed on this video. Anyway here's me doing my best Judith Chambers impression by the lake which was an amazing place as it just felt totally untouched by the modern world:
We were going head on to Baramulla and stay the night there but arriving back in Sopore all the shops were shut - so no chance of me buying some more trousers. Quick tea and toast in the local hotel and twenty questions off this bloke about my marital status - it does get to me from time to time so I started to tell him what questions he should be asking - I know poss they don't get to meet many foreigners but opening questions of how old are you and are you married don't tend to get people off on the right foot with me.
Back in Srinagar it was quite eerie on Lal Chowk - the main shopping street - there had been demonstrations earlier on in the day so the only people around were the soldiers and a dodgy group of men who kept staring at me so it was a case of hot footing back to the lake by rickshaw where things seemed a bit more calmer.
Right hoping to get some more photos on in couple of days - thanks to people who've left me comments - it is nice to know people are reading this and its not just me jabbering like an idiot to myself.
Back in Srinagar it was quite eerie on Lal Chowk - the main shopping street - there had been demonstrations earlier on in the day so the only people around were the soldiers and a dodgy group of men who kept staring at me so it was a case of hot footing back to the lake by rickshaw where things seemed a bit more calmer.
Right hoping to get some more photos on in couple of days - thanks to people who've left me comments - it is nice to know people are reading this and its not just me jabbering like an idiot to myself.
posted by aliceinw67 at 10:17 PM
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