mountainscape

A selfie by the Lidder River in Pahalgam which runs past the public park we are now in
by shankar s.

Though on a damaged temple part, this ancient Hindu sculpture is relatively intact in comparison
by shankar s.

Sign welcoming visitors to Gulmarg valley
by shankar s.

Beautiful Alpine scenery in Gulmarg
by shankar s.

A selfie in themidst of the bush with bright yellow leaves
by shankar s.

A group of tourists have stopped by the Sind (Sindh) river to look at the frozen streams
by shankar s.

A far view of the treacherous road to Ladakh and the under construction Zoji La tunnel
by shankar s.

Lal Chowk was until recently not a safe place to hang about
by shankar s.

A closer look at the Alpine village deep in the valley on the way to Gulmarg
by shankar s.

Blanks for cricket bats stacked by the road on the way from Pahalgam
by shankar s.

A pleasant village in the valley on the way to Gulmarg
by shankar s.

I was surprised that not a single store in Kashmir offered leather jackets
by shankar s.

Looking over one of the dried fountains in Nishat Garden towards Dal Lake
by shankar s.

View of the snow capped mountains in Sonmarg
by shankar s.

How large and grand the temple once was is evident from these steep steps leading to it
by shankar s.

I tried to zoom in on the snow capped peaks to the extent possible
by shankar s.

A look at the lawns and flower beds of the Mughal Nishat Gardens
by shankar s.

It was time to closer look at Srinagar's Dal Lake at last
by shankar s.

Gulmarg town is still a little way out though
by shankar s.

Here is a final selfie against the Avantipora temple ruins
by shankar s.

The distant snow capped mountains where this stream of snowmelt originates from
by shankar s.

The glacial stream provides interesting foreground to a river frozen in it's tracks in the background
by shankar s.

Colourful local stores as we pass a small town on the Pahalgam to Srinagar road
by shankar s.

A normally stationary houseboat out on a stroll
by shankar s.

I was happy to see an apple orchard, sadly all those apples are fake
by shankar s.

The mandatory selfie against the clock tower on Srinagar's Lal Chowk
by shankar s.

Pleasing snowscape as we exit Sonmarg
by shankar s.

There is still a long way to go to get to the snow capped mountain
by shankar s.

Looking out towards the outer shrine from the ruins of the inner shrine
by shankar s.

Looking back towards the outer shrine as two tourists prepare to ascend the steps
by shankar s.

Some repair and restoration work has been attempted in the Avantipora temple
by shankar s.

I later spotted a group on a Shikara buying something from another convenience store on the Dal Lake
by shankar s.

Beautiful Alpine scenery seen from a public park in Pahalgam, Kashmir
by shankar s.

Thinking back about the Sind (Sindh) river as we exit Sonmarg
by shankar s.

A cluster (flotilla?) of Shikaras so far from the shore
by shankar s.

Another pose by my friend in the ruins of the inner shrine of the Awantipora temple
by shankar s.

I was fascinated by this fast flowing stream of melted glacial waters
by shankar s.

My host in Kashmir displays a traditional Kanger
by shankar s.

A rather large cafeteria across the waters on the Dal Lake
by shankar s.

We hit the main street in Pahalgam looking for a place to eat
by shankar s.

Ascending the steps to what was once the main sanctum sanctorum
by shankar s.

I was surprised at the number of houses along the slopes of the mountain
by shankar s.

My host and friend strikes a pose on the shores of Dal Lake
by shankar s.

We climb on, leaving that town in the distance
by shankar s.

Just look at those luscious, beautiful red Tulips!
by shankar s.

Pleasing snowscape in Sonmarg, Kashmir
by shankar s.

Horses grazing on the slopes across the stream of snowmelt
by shankar s.

My friend with his car- loved the fresh, clean air and traffic free road
by shankar s.

A sprinkling of tourists and the Himalayas towering over the Chashme Shahi Mughal Garden
by shankar s.

Signage at the entrance to the Avantipora Hindu temple ruins outside Srinagar
by shankar s.

I had not seen a glacial stream before and was going overboard with the photographs!
by shankar s.

True fairy tale location for a large Kashmiri house!
by shankar s.

My friend's turn to pose next to the snowmelt stream as we enter Pahalgam
by shankar s.

Another public park on the opposite side of the street has an even better backdrop
by shankar s.

Closer view of the frozen glacial streams which feed the Sind (Sindh) river
by shankar s.

Once again my friend and host shows me an interesting pose
by shankar s.

Love this scene with the glacial stream, the trees and the mountains in the background
by shankar s.

Bit out of sequence, we drive along the Sind (Sindh) river into Sonmarg
by shankar s.

A picture of this snow capped mountain peak will not look out of place on the wrapper of a bar of chocolate!
by shankar s.

Hazy mountains
by Niels Hageman