Tea Culture

Drinking tea can be a real art form in China. Pu Er Tea is considered a treasure of Yunnan province, and its leaves can be bought from any normal price up to even a thousand dollars per kilogram! Tea bags are not normally used, like we have in the West. Loose leaves sit at the bottom of a glass and one learns to wait until they are all settled (none floating) before attempting to drink. Or, as in these pictures, a process of cleaning the leaves and filtering them in a small pot takes place...

Then it is poured into very small dishes (not really cups) and sipped on. To do it right, however, you must smell it first. Also, don't forget to appreciate its color!

We can literally spend hours tasting different tea, sitting around a special table like this. It is an excellent community experience, as different people can come and go and sit and chat.