Shopping from our Kashmir House Boat

by Gail
(Auckland)

Staying on a Kashmir houseboat on Lake Pal in Srinagar was a highlight of my overland trip to Kathmandu.


Fully furnished, with lounge, dining room and bedrooms, they really were just like fully functioning houses..... with water for a back yard. After staying in some very basic accommodation, we were really enjoying this luxury.


Everything from Flowers to Coffins!


At regular intervals, we would hear the sing song plaintive cry "Flow - errrrrrs....... flow - errrrrrrs..........you buy my flow - errrrrrs?"


We would stick our heads over the side, to assure the brown face looking up from their shikara...a simple wooden craft packed with colourful wares, that "no thanks", we didn't need flowers.


Next it would be scarves........ or fruit............. or shirts...or beautiful jewel like papier mache boxes... which we bargained for if we decided to buy.

One of our group was sick enough to ask a doctor to come to the houseboat. Medicine dispensed, the doctor had no sooner gone, than along comes the next seller.


"Coffins...........you buy coffin? Aaaahhhhhh.................well...no thanks....we won't need a coffin......he is not that sick!


He paddled off looking very disappointed.

We laughed for days at the opportunism. No doubt if he didn't try to sell us a coffin, someone else might!Obviously shikara telegraph works well too!