At an altitude of 1500m, the city of Srinagar is often called "the Venice of Orient". Surrounded by lush mountains, this city is bordered by several lakes enabling families to live on "house boats". Its habitants, because they cannot live off tourism since the war began, most of them survive from their agricultural lands, thanks to the fertile valleys of the Srinagar basin. They also sustain their families with the different fish they can bring back to the surface on their small Kashmiri "shikaras", small flat wooden boats. Despite the frequent attacks and raids the citizens have to live with, this true "pearl" of Kashmir is considered by all as a paradise, magnificent gift from Allah.