We arrived in Kashmir and found accommodation on a houseboat.
All Kashmiri people, just like our hosts, are very different than other Indians. Their looks are either Caucasian or Middle Eastern.
The lady cooked us traditional Kashmiri breakfast and dinner, certainly the best food in India so far.
The Dal lake is a popular attraction. I found a nice observation point, en route to a temple located on top of one mountain.
From there we went another 90km towards East. Ideally, we would have been able to make it to Leh and then South to Manali. This road, claimed as being the highest in the world by some, was actually closed due to snow. So here’s good reason to come back sometimes!
After some point the road remained open only for pedestrians and horses. So we picked two for the last few kilometers.
We found Kashmir in a highly militarized state. We had to sign in to enter, and then there were barricades every few km. Many military vehicles, garrisons, barracks, patrols and even watchmen on roof tops.

The English language central newspapers claim the troops are on a peace keeping purposes. But the Kashmiri magazines call this a de facto occupation. They say there is today 1 Indian soldier for each 18 inhabitants in Kashmir, far more than actually needed, taking land and resources from the civilians.