many areas in this vast , amazing city display the techniques of the ancients . Giant wooden structures engineered hundreds of years ago to withstand the movements of the land , ornate stonework , palaces , and fortresses still used in many respects .
The wake-up call is timely , our shikara is set to take us to the floating markets , traditional life is encapsulated on the waters of Dal .
The shikara , a form of man powered waterborne taxi , awaits . An elderly gentleman welcomes us aboard and as we sit on the comfortable , cushioned seats I can ’ t help but reflect that this officially brings a close to our ride through the Indian Himalayas .
The gentle motion of the boat , an occasional splash from the oar , the numerous houseboats , along our journey is a vast contrast to the last few days of riding . Rough terrain following the bed of a sometimes raging river gave way to narrow bitumen tracks , which in turn morphed into major roads made hectic with the throws of Indian traffic , animal life and every present soldiers standing sentry . As we descended from the high desert plateaus the land displayed evidence of vegetation which soon became lush forests and farmland . We were now in the foothills of the World ’ s tallest mountains the tropical landscape had resumed .
Our ride had brought us around the shores of Dal , eventually making our way across the water by shikara to Shera Palace . This most ornate of houseboats was filled with old world charm , an indication to when the boats were for only the elite of society . Over a welcoming cup of lemon tea , Mr Shera had explained the history of his ‘ palace ’ and that of the surrounding lake and culture . Now we were amongst the people who call the lake home , the Kashmiri or Koshur , Indian yet not .
Sliding our way through fields of
TRAVERSE 25