Though I'm still confess myself a coffeelover (though I'm more an "office coffee-drinker" than a daily-coffee-drinker, truth to be admitted), I'm finding myself drawned to the world of tea, up to the point that I've been thinking that I want to have tea time with my friends. I'd like to go visit my dear friend Patricia at her beautiful town, close to those awesome mountains and sip a perfumed cup of tea with some sandwiches while we gently fill in each other about all those matters that go on outside our letters. (Penpals have the amazing hability to have LOTS of things to say in a letter, and still have hours and hours of things to say to each other when they meet. It makes me wonder what happens with those friends you only talk to. Are we missing more colors of their soul? Colors that get only revealed in paper and ink?) I'm filled with expectation about going back to Costa Rica, and meet with Dragonfly to share some tea, take the lesson from having been appart for six months, and not let it happen again while we are in the same country. Let's meet, say once a month and have tea, talk over all those things that go from our progress in jogging (more like her progress in running, as summer has squashed me and smashed me), to our work and relationship related observations.
I'd like to round up my other friends as well for tea time too, get around with them, share an aromatic cup of boiled water with marvelous herbs and live the experience of tea.
For a coffeelover like me, whose taste world is all around different roasts and growing techniques, shades and sun exposition and height, vulcanic lands and forests, with a wide scope of cocktailed drinks such as Irish Coffee, Dutch Coffee, short coffee, long coffee, American Coffee, espresso, cappuccino, moccacino, frappuccino and whatnots, the world of tea where different blends are possible and fruits can become teas, it's much like for a Christian to get in touch with Paganism. Really. It's like going from the One True God, Who may have many interpretations depending on the particular sect or branch, church or shepherd, to a world of many gods, where all of them - peppermint, jasmine, ginger, black tea, green tea, white tea, java, ceylon, cinnamon... - are all sacred and powerful, demanding a special attention, rules and rituals. Sugar, milk, lemon... And yes, now I feel like circling with my friends, those who bring all this fabulous, colourful holiness into their lives.
I've discovered a Demmens Teahouse close to where I live, and now, as I drink a cup of delicious Bio Indian Chai, I feel totally transfixed. It's a walk in a forest, in breeze clothes and a hippie kind of reverence for nature and happiness for life, all happening in your mouth. I'm understanding tea time now, or at least getting closer to graps the magic of it. It's a cup that - alone or with friends - create a wonderful environment of intimacy and safety, where all your secrets are protected, but all your thoughts and feelings can be shared, knowing they will be received by the kindest of hearts.
Yes, I intend to take tea time to my friends.
1 comment:
:D Well first of all: when are you coming then? I know plenty of places where you can enjoy a great cuppa … however, you won’t see the mountains from where I live, sorry for that. We’d have to drive for like 30 minutes to see the pale blue silhouettes reaching for the sky. Oh, I have to show you my favourite lake then, Attersee – its amazingly crystal clear but frosty waters are like a mirror on a quiet day :D You’d love it there.
I’d say we indeed do miss aspects of our friends when we’re only talking, cause it’s easier to write thoughts down than to put them in words. You got more time to think about it. Or maybe it’s just that my pen pals are way more interesting people than the others :D
I loved your comparison between monotheism/polytheism coffe/tea – you talk in pictures today my friend! Even on a hot summerday there’s nothing better than tea (though I prefer an iced one with tons of lemon slices in it then). The wonderful thing about it is, that there are so many tea traditions all over the world. Every continent has its own favourite flavours, it’s own way to prepare it, it’s own time to drink it and serve it. I once ordered a book on the matter. I’ll have to look if there’s an English version available.
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