684   10/01/2016

Waking up in Almaty

As I enter the club lounge of the plush Ritz Carlton breakfast, I realise I am the only woman. And I am wearing an orange sweater! All eyes are on me suddenly!
 
There are Russian businessmen and American engineers. Suited Japanese officials and Chinese tycoons. Everyone comes to Almaty for technical work due to oil and mining. They all are wearing dark suits, talking in hushed tones. I am obviously the odd one out.

Having traveled half the world for years now, I am well versed with breakfast buffets. Huge tables are lined with fruits, cereals, cheese, variety of bread and hot dishes. People rushing to fill their plates for morning dose of energy.

But this buffet is different. Bite sized fruits are placed creatively in tiny white porcelain dishes. There are precisely 6 pieces of cheese and 8 pieces of croissant. Small counter is preparing hot egg dishes with beans and mushrooms. Small bowls of variety of cereals are placed neatly on the left of the buffet and the center table has small pieces of different types of bread and Danish pastry. It does not seem lavish but looks stylish. I am told food, especially fruits are very expensive in Almaty come winter. I can see how carefully they have calculated the numbers of guests and placed only that much food. I munch on French bread and some cheese gulping down with Mint tea. 

Life is indeed god on some days! I am not an engineer, and not into mining. I am just a feng shui consultant and a card reader passing by to fix the energies for some high profile clients. How cool is that! Who would have thought a middle class Gujarati girl from Bombay with no money or backing would land this far?

My breakfast table overlooks the morning bumper-to-bumper traffic. Life on the road sucks in the morning everywhere - Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Farabi Avenue! 

Welcome to Almaty 

 



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