Srignagar - Houseboat on Nigeen Lake and watching the world go by

 

As the philospher Lao Tzu said "Make your heart like a lake with calm, still surface and great depths of kindness"

So Basav, my friend, and I, having not booked a place to stay in Srinagar on our last night there, decided to stay on a houseboat on Nigeen Lake. This Lake had been recommended by Basav's friend, and what a recommendation it was, serene, calm and relatively off the beaten track of Dal Lake which is much more commercial.

Having reached after lunch, we watched the world go by from the verandah of the houseboat in the remaining part of the day. There was so much to see, men fishing from a boat in the placid waters of the lake, Common Moorhen scurrying about, daintily stepping on lotus leaves and ......

...the ubiquitous boats in the reflection of the trees by the water's edge. Local people going about their business.

There was a mountain range opposite the lake, watching the clouds against these mountains and house boats in the foreground was a delight. 

These houseboats are made of pine and the part underwater resists getting soggy, these floating houses last for decades, finally (and sadly) being moored in a little backwater to house migrant labour. Each houseboat is exquisitely but differently carved, this carving was on ours. 

The next morning we were on a boat by 0430 am, first we went to the floating vegetable market where locals buy vegetables, this market was over in an hour....

...our next stop was interestingly a bakery in which bakers (kandur) make the local bread  (Tschott).  This is eaten, amongst other delicacies, with the very popular tea and spices, kahwa, of which we must have had about ten cups a day.  The bread is baked in a kind of tandoor, and bought while it is still hot, it was  absolutely delicious. 

Then we went to the floating flower market, a veritable tourist trap where there were more photographers than boats selling flowers. A pretty sight but very touristy and crowded and soon we were away.

The lotus stem, called Nadru, is a staple food here, though expensive, it used in many Kashmiri dishes.  This plant grows on most lakes in Srinagar and the flower is a delicate pink and blooms in profusion.

The marshy land has many wooden foot-bridges and boatmen use the canals and waterways in simple uncovered boats...

...Unlike the opulent and covered shikara,, waiting for tourists later in the day.  It is too early in the morning yet and they are apparently forlorn and empty at this early hour.

The Rainawari Backwaters are interesting with some old houses with verandahs and balconies overlooking the canal.  But now the water is very littered with the detritus of 'modern' living, mainly plastic of various shapes and sizes.  Sadly as we rowed past more garbage was being thrown into the waterway.

Our boatman passed his house and so stopped a bit, Basav and I sat in the boat and watched the world go by. There were pigeons meant for racing or homing, flying around frames meant for them: people going about their daily life using the water as a thoroughfare, perched precariously (or so it seemed) at the end of their boats. Four hours later we tied up at our houseboat., and we don't know whether we were saddened or learned by the experience, maybe a bit of both.

It takes lakes and mountains to see the serenity of your own soul

Auli- Wreathed in Clouds

 

“the light spread, there were long lines of cloud in the sky and presently above them the outline of the snow peaks appeared, cold and hard as if they were made of iron; they turned from black to grey to white while the hills were still in darkness.” - Rumer Godden seemed to be describing Auli

Auli was a delightful mistake, lovely views, walks, clouds and mountains across the valley. I had given myself three days spare in the Valley of Flowers, and having not used them, I was meandering my way down, when I asked the taxi driver where could I go? Without hesitation he said "Auli", so Auli it was.

The beauty of the place was the clouds, the mountains and the interplay of the sun at different times of day.  In the mornings the clouds rose from the valleys and by about noon wreathed the mountain-tops, in the evenings the sun shone through the clouds with the peaks peeping through.

Auli is a winter sports resort, mainly for skiing, so there are at least three (possibly four) ski lift systems festooning the hillside. Taking a ride to the last stop in a ski lift, I had a drink and came down again.

I had gone "out of season" and in mid-week, so I had the entire GMVN resort to myself.  The "room with a view" had a stunning one, terraced hillsides, valleys, mountains and the ubiquitous clouds.

In front there was a mountain range with some of the higher mountains in the Himalayas visible, I know not a single one, and who cares, the sight was so breathtaking.

The sun set on my trip too soon, and it was time to go. Getting a bus early morning, and I mean really early, 4 am got me from an ethereal world to the real one in eleven hours. I couldn't have made a more lovely 'mistake'.

Beneath the moon, chilly winds blow through the pines as wisps of clouds arise. So many mountain ridges layer into each other for miles around! The valley stream is quiet and clear — I’m not done with this boundless joy.” Peter Levitt could be describing my feelings.

South Africa - Vignettes of the Cape in Spring

South Africa is a multi-hued country, colourful in every sense of the word, it is beautiful everywhere and in all seasons, but my favourite is spring in the Cape. Flowers bursting in a riot of colour with dainty birds sipping nectar. These pictures are a glimpse of the views that you have to look for.

The protea
The king protea is the national flower of South Africa and at this time of the year it is blooming everywhere, huge and colourful.  There are many varieties of protea, some so different in shape and size, however all are colourful and pretty.

Flowers Flowers Everywhere
Nothing strikes you so much as the profusion of flowers and nowhere more than at the West Coast National Park. A part of this park, Postberg, is open for two months only, August - September during which it is a breathtaking palette of colour.  We went on the last few days and only the yellow remained, but  literally in carpets. 

Waves lash the shore
The WCNP offers some spectacular seascapes too, raw rocky beaches being lashed by the violent Atlantic and the placid Langebaan Lagoon, with its varied palette of blues.  There is an island here which is the refuge of thousands of seals and with a pair of binoculars one can see them.  The violence of the Atlantic made the west coast the terror of sailors in the days of sail and north of here lies the dreaded Skeleton Coast of yore.

Wine labelled with the National flower
A little distance out of Cape Town is the Paarl Valley, one of the premier wine growing areas of  famous wines of South Africa. In this area, there are towns like Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch, all surrounded by vineyards. there is a distinct French flavour to many of these areas, perhaps that's how the wine industry took off.

Kirstenbosch with Castle Rock standing sentinel
A botanical garden established by Cecil John Rhodes on the apron of Table Mountain, is the repository of much South African flora and some exotics as well. Beautifully laid out and colourful in spring, it offers a tranquil but educative walk amidst flowers and birds of various hues. Castle Rock is a part of the Table Mountain massif.

Mandela's Gold
In a tribute to the iconic Nelson Mandela, this golden coloured Bird of Paradise is carefully bred at Kirstenbosch.  The more common flower too grows in profusion here.

Sipping Nectar
A brilliantly coloured sunbird sips nectar from a variety of protea at Kirstenbosch.  There are many birds at Kirstenbosch, some are semi-tame like species of guinea fowl, ducks, geese and spur fowl.  Then there are birds like these, flitting among the bushes and enjoying the flowers.  A certain tree has been home to generations of spotted eagle owl, and not to disappoint we saw the mother sitting over her brood.

A craftsman's hands
Stone carving is a popular handicraft, various stones, particularly this variety of grey stone is carved then oiled for a lovely play on shades of black and gray. Subjects range from the traditional to the modern. Handicrafts in the Cape, are very meticulously wrought with great attention to detail and finish. 

Life in Stone
Artisans chisel the stone rapidly, but surely, a slip or mistake can ruin a large block.Statues of animals, people and activities; statues in a variety of stone; statues of realistic figures and abstracts; there is a wide variety here.  They offer to ship large pieces to one's home country.  Mostly the work has meticulous attention to detail and finely finished.

A Loving Couple
On our way to the Cape of Good Hope we stopped at Red Rock Tribal area which has a delightful restaurant run by this very friendly couple.  The small and very meticulously laid out dining area is made of wood with vines on the outside walls; very redolent of old residences.The pastries, Coffee and tea were absolutely delicious.

Friendly....
One of the ladies attending to us in the Red Rock Tribal area was this pretty girl. She had her hair tediously knotted into tiny knots and exactly arranged.  She graciously allowed me to take pictures, chatting away all the while. The most of the ladies have interesting hair arrangements.

Franschhoek Motor Museum
Located between Paarl and Franschhoek, the FMM has an eclectic mix of cars.  Ranging from a Model T Ford and Lorraine Dietrich from 1911 to modern Ferrari's; tourers, sportsters, formula 1, shooting brakes all make for a breathtaking range of cars.  Worth a visit by any car buff, by anybody for that matter.

The iconic Table Mountain
the best place to see the breath-taking views of Cape Town is from Table Mountain. It has a cable car to go up, but for the intrepid there are many routes to climb up on foot. These are interesting trails that allow one to see the different views and flora as one climbs.  There are climbs for the beginner and for the technical expert.  However none of the trails are a casual walk so be prepared with adequate water (at least two litres per person on a hot day); and a jacket for the considerable change in temperature from a warm bottom (pun intended) to a windy and cold top. Please see my earlier blog on  walking up Table Mountain

Cable car to the top...
For the easy going or the not-so-fit or for those in a hurry there is a cable car to the top. The hitch is that the Mountain creates its own weather system which is often uncongenial to go up in.  Strong winds, poor visibility (the 'tablecloth' of cloud) and bitter cold can prevent one from going up and enjoying the views. On sunny days the wait for a ride in the cable car can be upto two hours, book online to half the wait time. Timing and planning is critical for Table Mountain.

On top...
 Once at the top one is rewarded with beautiful views and seacapes, there are palettes of blue punctuated with cotton fluff white in the water and the sky. Take an easy walk to the highest point on the Mountain, Maclears Beacon.

The Lighthouse atop Cape Point
Cape Point is the south west most point of the continent, a promontory with a well established tourist facility with views all around.  The seascapes are vast and ever changing in shades of blue, from a pale sky-blue to the deep-blue bruises of deep water. The weather is ever variable and white wisps sailing through a pristinely blue sky can change suddenly to glowering clouds and rain, so be prepared. The drive to Cape point is through a National Park and along the way one can see baboons, ostrich and varieties of antelope.

The art of Dylan Lewis
One of the more well known sculptors of South Africa, his work on display is mainly African animals and surrealistic human figures portraying "the animal within". His work is displayed at a sculpture garden in Stellenbosch where he has placed pieces amidst natural surroundings, worth a visit to walk the large estate. His animals are very accurately represented, with a lot of fluidity and action.

Protea buds
South Africa is spectacular, scenic, uncertain weather, colourful flowers and birds; and the Cape more than most places.  If one likes history, scenic panoramas, seascapes, flora and fauna; the Cape is for you.  Doing it as a tourist with a been there and done it agenda is not the best way, perhaps long walks and drives to soak in the scenery, watch the wondrous flora and fauna and soak in the turbulent and often violent history of the land.