Buffaloes and five best brews

I actually wanted to write and complain about something today, but it just did not work out for me. I woke up early for a Sunday morning (8:30), shaved the first thing when I woke up (I am back to looking like a troll, from a hairy, unshaven troll), me and wife decided to go and have some coffee and sandwiches and-- this actually being the reason for maximum joy -- we found a parking spot on M G Road!!! Let there be celebrations.

Anyway, here I am, in geek heaven -- logged onto the internet through a Reliance cellphone connection, using my wife's laptop and running on the coffee shop's power outlet. It just is not possible for me to gripe about anything right now. Not even the buffaloes. "What buffaloes?", one may be given to ask, and rightly so. Buffaloes don't exactly fit into geeek heaven, not even if they use GPS for travelling between their stables and pastures. I am talking about this herd of huge, black hairy beasts (no, I am not talking about the traffic policemen) which ply every morning from stables near Sachpir street, via M G Road, to some unknown destination in the cantonment, and come back via the same route every evening. Their timing is impeccable; come rain or prime minister, they have to go their way when the tummy rumbles. In fact, it is quite a sight to see vehicles, which would normally not stop for ambulances carrying their own wives in labour, have to give way to twenty odd slow moving animals which keep on chewing their food while they walk home, oblivious of people's hurries.

The second reason why I don't feel like reflecting negatively on life's caprices is because I just had a very fulfilling cup of my favourite cappuccino. I have the same feelings for a good cuppa as Smeagol had for the ring. So, while I sip on my second cup, let me recall the five best bres I have tasted in life.

1. I, along with Sam, went to Palghat for trainin a client on our software. Sam and I are both known to be eccentric, maybe him more than me, but that is my next post. We decided that life was not worth living if one did not taste the best filter coffee ever brewed South of Bombay, We stopped over in Coimbatore for a night and hit the streets in search for the elusive decoction. We tried a nice, swanky restaurant first, but were terribly disappointed. Then, using our combined wisdoms (and thereby reaching an average level), we decided to go to the most delapidated place with the largest crowd outside. Voila! It worked like a charm. We both had two cups each, and I still remember the taste, the atmosphere of the place, and the satisfaction of having succeeded in our endeavour. Number one -- filter coffee from the roadside dhaaba in Coimbaore.
2. I worked at Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, in the fall/winter of 2000. Towards the end of my stay there, it got very cold and started snowing. I really used to enjoy walking through the falling snow, wearing my windcheater with the hood covering my head, one hand in a jeans pocket, the other holding a warm mug of my favourite Mocha bough from Pete's cafe. Pete's cafe in Evanston made the best Mocha I ever had. I tried the same from their outlet on Pittsburgh airport, but it was not very good. Number two -- cafe Mocha from Pete's cafe in Evanston.
3. For a short while I was in Ithaca, New York. Stella's bar in Collegetown was where my short affair with cafe Latte began. Walking back to my apartment through the icy cold breeze, holding my steaming Latte (with whipped cream on top), enjoying the view of lake Cayuga, marvelling at the natural beauty (Ithaca is probably one of the most beautiful places I ever lived at) is a memory etched permanently in my head. Number three -- cafe Latte with whipped cream from Stella's bar, Ithaca.
4. When I travelled to Brussels in 2003, I flew Alitalia (cheapest option), via Milan. The flight was marvellous, with a grand view of the Swiss Alps through the aircraft window. But the high point of the trip probably was the Cappuccino at Milan airport. If I am not wrong, Milan is famous for Cappuccino, and I know why. Number four -- Cappuccino at Milan airport. I have to try one in Milan city someday.
5. This position is still vacant. Though I have at least one coffee at Barista everyday, I don't yet have a favourite. They make very good coffee, but it is not rankworthy. Sorry folks! If you read this, please don't spit in my coffee. Number five -- up for grabs.

Now, if you folks will allow me, I would like to go back to drinking my coffee. You've been such a lovely audience, I would have really liked to take you home with me.