1  Home at Last!

        "The plane will soon be landing at Srinagar Airport, the capital of Kashmir. Outside the windows, you can see the foothills of the Himalayas ......" The announcement of our arrival filled everyone with excitement as they eagerly looked out the windows. The Himalayas were covered in white snow, a vast expanse of white.

        Just as I was about to raise my camera, a flight attendant approached, "No pictures!"

        Why? Phones aren't allowed on the plane, and cameras are included?

        Alas! Missing the beautiful scenery right before my eyes!

        After disembarking, we traveled by car, then by boat. A trip to the north involved a grand mobilization of land, sea, and air.

        Our ferryman had the face of a celebrity, holding a heart-shaped paddle in his hand.

        Finally, we arrived "home." Our "home" was on Dal Lake, a boat anchored in the centre of the lake.

        On the boat, looking out, the Himalayas were a shade of blue, silent and speechless, gazing back at me. No teasing, no avoidance. The mountains were vast, serene, tranquil, restrained, and profound...

        It is said that there are nearly a thousand houseboats on the lake. Each boat has its own name. My boat is called Risina. Each boat has a caretaker who is responsible for taking care of the guests, cleaning, and providing warmth, as well as preparing meals. My caretaker is Ashraf.

        Mr. Guru, the head of the travel agency, said to me, "Rest for a bit, and I'll take you on a boat tour later."

2  Outing

        In water towns, having been to Venice, what one sees is nothing more than magnificent cathedrals or dilapidated old city walls, or perhaps cafes. Venice flaunts its drunken, extravagant history as a major trading centre.

        In water towns, I've also been to Zhouzhuang (周庄）near Shanghai. Historical and cultural assets have become cash cows for modern people, with pig trotters sold everywhere, and the original national industry has disappeared. Historical culture has soured and deteriorated, leaving only an empty shell.

        Of course, we must also mention the Bangkok floating market. The Bangkok floating market is, to put it bluntly, a gimmick. You can reach it without taking the waterway.

        Recently, I went to Guilin and took a cruise on the Li River. It felt like the yacht's journey was moving in the opposite direction of the humanistic landscape in ancient poems.

        Kashmir, once a paradise on earth, what does it look like now?

        Let's go out!

      We boarded the boat, and the caretaker handed us blankets to cover our knees, as well as a small stove for warmth. Kashmiris affectionately call the stove "the wife of winter."         The stove is filled with charcoal ash.

        Kashmiris like to hide their hands in their robes. The loose clothing has hidden depths, perhaps with a small stove in their hands.

        Kashmir doesn't have many tourists to begin with, and it's currently the off-season in winter. On such a large lake, we were the only boat touring.

        At the foot of the Himalayas, enjoying the vastness of the world, the wide waters and high skies made me feel extravagant.

        At the foot of the Himalayas, the cold wind blew in gusts. The fog varied in thickness, and the Himalayas were sometimes visible, sometimes hidden, as illusory as a dream.

        Then I wondered, what is illusory like a dream, the mountains or life?

3  Shopping

        After circling around the lake scenery, the small boat "fell into the mundane world" again.

        Still on the water without landing, small handicraft shops, grocery shops, photo shops...... huddled together in a row. Huddling together for warmth, they also created momentum and attracted attention. If I wanted to buy a bottle of cola, I'd row the boat over. If I wanted to buy a postcard, I'd row the boat over. If I wanted to buy a local scarf, I'd row the boat over......

        Waterborne trade provides convenience and is unique to the villagers living near the water.

        Saying "row the boat over" isn't entirely accurate. In the evening, back at the houseboat, small boats loaded with goods docked in front of the houseboat to solicit business.

        Each small boat only sells one type of product, such as lacquerware, photos, wood carvings, jewellery, scarves, etc.

        With my consent, the vendors carried their bundles into the living room. They spread a piece of coloured cloth on the floor and patiently displayed their dazzling array of goods.

        I enjoyed the vendors' introductions, displays, persuasion, and even bargaining. The simple and kind nature of the Kashmiris can be seen in their interactions.

        When a salesperson is trying to sell you something, even if there is another salesperson selling other items next to him, he will patiently wait until the previous transaction is over and the vendor leaves before he starts his pitch.

        Shopping at the houseboat, you are guaranteed one-on-one service.

        Behind the living room of the houseboat is the dining room, then the small kitchen, and the bedrooms are at the back of the boat. Usually, there are two or three bedrooms, depending on the size of the houseboat. Salespeople only enter the living room area. If you are not interested in the goods, you only need to wave your hand, and the salesperson will understand and leave, rarely being pushy.

4  The Call to Morning Prayer

        In the early morning, I awoke to the call to prayer from the mosque's leader.

        The call was slow, faint, leisurely, long, earnest, and urgent, suppressing excitement, filled with anticipation, and also full of vicissitudes. The long appeal stopped abruptly, like a stream suddenly blocked, leaving the remaining demands even more pressing. The urgency was to rush to a prayer to cultivate oneself and understand one's nature.

        Ninety-five percent of Kashmiris are Muslims, and the influence of religion makes this place distinctly different from other parts of India that follow Hinduism.

        In terms of race and skin colour, Indians are darker, while Kashmiris are fair-skinned.

        In terms of clothing colours, other parts of India are bright and vibrant, with strong contrasts. Kashmir, on the other hand, prefers light and elegant colours, with gray and mud yellow, forming a kind of echo and coordination with nature.

        In terms of food and water, tap water in India is not suitable for drinking. What about the water in Kashmir? The tour guide said, "The water in Kashmir comes from the mountain springs of the Himalayas. The water contains minerals, and drinking it will prolong your life."         Believe it or not? It's up to you!

5  Beyond the Lake Area

        In winter, it snows, and the snow is white.

        In addition to the lake area, if you are interested, you can also go to the snow mountains to learn to ski. The most famous is Gulmarg Snow Mountain, at an altitude of 8,800 feet. You can rent ski equipment on-site, and the cost is not high, attracting a large number of ski enthusiasts from Russia, Italy, France, and other places. The cable car can also take you to a high point of 10,050 feet. If you have the courage to cross the mountain, the other side is Pakistan.

        In winter, you can see snow, and in summer, you can see flowers. Historically, Indian emperors even considered moving the capital to Kashmir to enjoy the flowers. Mughal Gardens was the imperial garden of that time, with mountains behind it and water in front of it. The gardens are laid out in seven layers like terraces. Seven is a lucky number for the locals.

6  Human Life

        In the early morning at the floating market, watching villagers buying and selling vegetables is a dynamic painting.

        In the mist, two boats approached, haggling over prices like playing a guessing game. After the deal was done, the boats lightly brushed past each other.

        The early morning is quiet and lively.

        Suddenly, the tranquillity was broken by shouts. Amidst the gesticulating and cursing, the paddles flew over. Nearby boatmen subdued the conflicting parties, resolving the physical dispute, but the shouting continued......

        The snow mountain is a playground, the imperial garden is history, and the floating market is real life. The small episode allowed me to see the villagers' primitive, impatient, impulsive, direct, and unrefined nature. Because it is imperfect, it is real.

        Paintings often freeze on a moment of tranquillity, which is a choice to yearn for beauty.  However, the dynamism of real life is always full of conflicts, and tranquillity is only a relatively brief existence.

7  Caretaker

        In the bedroom, in addition to providing warmth, the caretaker will also prepare a hot water bottle in your bed. An attentive and thoughtful service. After learning more, I realized that the caretakers have all received traditional British management service training. They have their own way of treating guests. Caretakers start with small boats and gradually get promoted. With experience, they manage large boats. They are skilled in their work, with the composure and skill of a manager, as well as the kind and meticulous nature of their ethnicity.

        For the last dinner, Ashraf cooked for me in the Kashmiri way, with spices mixed into the rice, exuding a faint fragrance.

        "Sir, please do me a favour!"

        "Sure."

      The caretaker unlocked the cabinet and slowly took out a notebook, asking me to leave a message.

        I wrote, "The houseboat, a marriage of professional service quality and friendly folk customs. Beautiful, sweet! A big hug for Ashraf!"

        I made the caretaker very excited. He said to me, "I like you too!"

    The caretaker read it sweetly for a while, then put the commemorative book back into the cabinet and locked it.

        The message is just a personal memento for the caretaker, not an advertisement.

8  Parting Words

        The winter in the Himalayas has snow, love, and dreams.

        I boarded the boat, about to leave "home" again.

     The boat swayed in the water, the sky swayed, the mountains swayed, and the dreams swayed. In the swaying, I looked at the         Himalayas up close for the last time. A flock of birds perched on the houseboat railings. Why didn't the birds fly south? The lotus leaves lurking under the ripples stretched out their arms and swayed, it was unclear whether they were waving goodbye or trying to keep me.

        I asked the mountains, but the mountains were silent.

        I asked the water, and the water reflected the mountains.

    "Self-reflection, endless tolerance," parting words from the mountains and waters?

        Farewell. Goodbye mountains and waters, I don't know when we'll meet again.