BEFORE becomong synonymous with conflict, the word Kashmir evoked wildflower meadows and crystal mountain lakes.
The crystal mountain lakes of the Sierra Nevada, set among verdant meadows and snowy granite peaks, have become known throughout the world as a paradise for trout fishing.
The moon rides high in the dark sky above a crystal mountain and you have the powerful sense of looking down on a bare, lonely planet.
When he received the commission for the library in 1989, he imagined it as a reflection of the historic Latvian notion of the "crystal mountain," which few people had the courage or tenacity to scale.
Below us, a convoy of army trucks is regrouping at the pass, belching fumes into the crystal mountain air, before heading north towards the Siachen Glacier, the front line of India's long-runnning dispute with Pakistan and Ladakh's other superlative, the world's highest battlefield.
After a visit to Mirth Provisions for some refreshing, handcrafted, cannabis-infused soda, he hops on a gondola to climb nearly 7,000 feet for a last meal at the highest elevated restaurant in the state: The Summit House at Crystal Mountain.
