of wooden planks that are held together by ropes of coconut fiber; the usual wood is 'Aanjili'. The roof is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. The exterior of the boat is painted with protective coats of cashew nut oil. Kashmir houseboats Unlike their counterparts in Kerala, the houseboats in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir are usually stationary. They are usually moored at the edges of the Dal Lake and Nageen Lake. Some houseboats there were built in the early 1900s, and are still being rented out to tourists. These houseboats are made of wood and usually have intricately carved wood paneling. The houseboats are of different sizes, some having up to three bedrooms apart from a living room and kitchen. Laos In Laos, houseboats are used to accommodate tourists on the Mekong river. The houseboats are usually referred to as 'slow boats' and exist in wooden or steel variants. Europe Germany The Port of Hamburg has a sizable water borne community that includes a Flussschifferkirche, or Boatman's Church. Berlin also has some houseboat neighborhoods, notably on the Landwehrkanal in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Netherlands In Europe, some of the finest and costliest examples of houseboats can be seen along the canals of Amsterdam, which even have houseboat hotels. Houseboats are very expensive in Amsterdam because of the limited number of moorings; this expense has reduced the likelihood that the approximately 2,400 families that live on the inner waters of Amsterdam will find themselves confronted by new neighbor boats. The Bloemenmarkt is a houseboat-borne flower market along the Singel in Amsterdam. The town of Maasbommel is pioneering floating houses, with flexible connections for fluids and electricity; these are not primarily intended for travel, but rather to be safe against flooding. Poland Poland is the second largest producer of motor yachts up to 9 meters in length in the world, after the United States. Poland has extensive experience in the production of modern and stylish houseboat yachts and floating houses. Houseboats recreation is practicing on Masuria District and the Vistula and on lakes close to Baltic seaside. According to Zegluj.pl, the largest houseboat rental service in Poland, there are about 100 new units for charter every year. Serbia Houseboats are popular for recreation, dining and clubbing in Serbia. They can be seen in large numbers in Belgrade on the banks of the Danube and Sava rivers, and on river islands. One of them is