As for Almaty there are other dangers like getting run over by rich kids in S.U.V’s (I’ve observed the more expensive your car is in Almaty the faster and more wreckless people drive.)and getting hit on the head by falling cement from the historic architecture being knocked down daily.

It’s true you can spend more money here on things like cell phones, apartments, and restaurants with spotty service and questionable haute cuisine(better to have the Lagman for a couple of hundred tenge in the zylony bazaar)and I’ve spotted a Cartier Jeweler in the Semal district!

As for the smog here I’m sure at times it gets worse than L.A. but at least Almaty has the alpine air to push it all away.

There aren’t the miles upon miles of suburban sprawl yet in Almaty that L.A. has but I’m sure the city is working on it. Equally as interesting as suburban sprawl you can walk around almaty and enjoy all of the metal walls they put up to hide the destruction of the city. A French friend of mine has dubbed these synonymous walls as ” Le Metal Blanc”.

As for being so expensive here it seems as if most of the businesses that cater to the rich don’t really need to make a profit. I’m sure there’s a reason for this. I don’t really need to get creative with this but I’ve seen places that are similar on Rodeo Drive in L.A.-perhaps they’re little pet projects for rich housewives with nothing better to do.