DAILY PHOTO: Himalayan Lizard

 

Taken in July of 2016 on the trail between Naranag and Sonamarg

Taken in July of 2016 on the trail between Naranag and Sonamarg

 

This isn’t the wildlife I expected to see on our Kashmiri Great Lakes Trek, but I’ll take what I can get.

DAILY PHOTO: Lamayuru on a Rainy Day

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Taken in August of 2016 at Lamayuru Gompa

Taken in August of 2016 at Lamayuru Gompa

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DAILY PHOTO: The Shore of Pangong Tso

Taken in August of 2016 at Pangong Tso in Ladakh

Taken in August of 2016 at Pangong Tso in Ladakh

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With each change in cloud and sky, Pangong Tso looks like a different lake.

 

Pangong Tso is a long, narrow lake that crosses the border between India and China. By length, the majority of the lake falls in China, but these photos were all taken on the Indian side of the border.

 

It’s actually substantially higher than Lake Titicaca in Peru, which claims the title of highest navigable lake in the world. Pangong Tso is 4,350 m (14,280 ft) while Titicaca is 3810 m (12,500 ft.)

 

Don’t ask me what constitutes “navigable.” My wife and I tried to figure that out when we visited Titicaca several years ago. We didn’t see anything bigger than the boat we were on–nothing that would be called a ship. Of course, we saw not so much as an inner tube on Pangong Tso, and the fact that it’s so narrow in places may mean that a boat would have to have an exceedingly shallow draft to make it down the lake’s length. That is if one could travel the lake’s length without trigger happy Chinese or Indian military forces freaking out and blowing your boat out of the water.

DAILY PHOTO: Shanti Stupa, Leh

Taken in Leh in August of 2016

Taken in Leh in August of 2016

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Built by a devout Japanese Buddhist in 1991, the Shanti Stupa is on a hill overlooking Leh. It’s most popularly visited right before sunset when one can capture the colors falling over the town below.

DAILY PHOTO: Diskit Monastery

Taken in August of 2016 at Diskit Gompa in Nubra Valley

Taken in August of 2016 at Diskit Gompa in Nubra Valley

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DAILY PHOTO: Lillies in Srinagar

Taken at the Botanical Garden in Srinagar in August of 2016

Taken at the Botanical Garden in Srinagar in August of 2016

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DAILY PHOTO: Mosques in Leh

Taken in August of 2016 in Leh

Taken in August of 2016 in Leh

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DAILY PHOTO: The Path to Thajiwas Glacier

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Taken in July of 2016 near Sonamarg

Taken in July of 2016 near Sonamarg

DAILY PHOTO: Shikara on Dal Lake

A shikara is a shallow-draft wooden boat commonly seen on lakes in Kashmir. It should not be confused with a Shakira, which is a Colombian pop star / belly-dancer. Asking for a Shakira ride, is a common–but potentially offensive–mistake. IMG_0470

Taken in July of 2016 on Dal Lake, Srinagar

Taken in July of 2016 on Dal Lake, Srinagar

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DAILY PHOTO: Double Rainbow on Pangong Tso

Taken in August of 2016 at Pangong Tso, Ladakh

Taken in August of 2016 at Pangong Tso, Ladakh

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