There are few geographies (with their perks) that I would rather be than amidst the ancient tea forests of southern Yunnan, and fewer-still fluids that I’d rather consume than these forest’s ancient teas. The full article here: “Tea’s Ancient Trees”
Thankfully, I will be within the forest’s folds shortly on Jalamteas’ sourcing journey.
Yes, I am snogging an ancient tea tree - few better snogs out there
As a sort of look back – and forward, from a tea perspective.
It must be served to be consumed
I thought I’d include one link every few days to tea blogs that I’ve been doing for Templar Foods since late 2010. First blog was “Six Sips in Beijing” in the big grey of Beijing. To be read with a sip or six…
Beijing isn’t the greatest place to enjoy the leaf, but, in some ways more necessary than here in the mountains or tea forests to take the time to take tea.
http://www.illywords.com/2012/03/7740/
One of the faces that move, that stir and that inspired. The face of a muleteer whose tails and memories gave blood to the Tea Horse Road
After much advice – some not so subtle – from friends, readers, and audience members from the recent Shanghai and Beijing Literary Festivals, I’ve sped up work on the creation of the ebook version of my book “The Ancient Tea Horse Road”. Plans were in the works, but a certain ‘push’ has now been introduced. One student from the YCIS school in Shanghai, where I spoke, asked directly why I hadn’t gotten it done yet. That sort of sealed it right there. Will update as it progresses.
Vincent Zheng of China Radio’s “Voices from Other Lands” interviews Jeff on the Tea Horse Road’s many strands and influences:
Tea's Great Journeys
Returning to the winds, a shy sun and some sputtering snow flakes here in northwestern Yunnan from Shanghai and an inspired ‘2011 Shanghai International Literary Festival’. Huge thanks to the entire team at “M on the Bund”, particularly the energy bundle that is Michelle Garnaut. Another huge thanks and applause to Tina Kanagaratnam from AsiaMedia for poise, calm and enthused passion.
A post of Amber Mizerak’s interview with me about – no surprises here – the Tea Horse Road’s eternal importance here. Will be leaving soon to source teas in Xishuangbanna…and collecting the odd tale I can dig up on that sacred green leaf.
With the Kawa Karpo Expedition now complete – with limbs intact and the mind pulsing – a return to Beijing for tonight’s talk at the Capital M Beijing International Literary Festival. Left a blizzard in ‘Shangri-La’ yesterday where the white from above coated (and threatened our departing flight) everything. A tremendous journey with great company: the eloquent and understatedly tough Bill Roberts, and the smiling energy package of talent that is Roberto Gibbons Gomez.
What I've just come from in northwestern Yunnan
The full story-piece of our journey which took in 264 kilometres of a previously unknown strand of the Tea Horse Road will appear in an exclusive feature upcoming in Outpost Magazine in Canada.
For now, a heaping cup of tea in a hotel room.
Departure date looms, white falls from above
One of the little towns that border our departure point
With three more days to go until departure on the Kawa Karpo expedition we’ve had a more than intense dump of snow from above, turning our town into something I wish it would be all year round: almost perfect.
We will leave the valley close to hear heading west
Beautiful as it is, it does add an edge and that natural wonder of unpredictability to our departure. What comes down hard here, will be coming down far more intensely upon the mountain passes that await us.
The way west on a day that does not relent
We will leave from a small “v” of a valley heading west out of the highland valley of Shangri-La (known to Tibetans as Gyalthang). Walking out to the area of our departure point, the entire floor of the land is a white sea, with only a few scattered yak hoofs dotting the floor.
And it clears briefly. One of the wonders of any day in the heights is that a change in the elements can come in minutes
The snow has in its eternal and rather welcome way muted all of the world’s sharp noises, barring the loyal canines.
Houses, mortals, four legged creatures and those that fly all welcome some white back...at least for the moment
Regardless of the departure day’s weather, the white brings a welcome reprieve from the dry sand coloured days. For myself it bodes well for a expedition through the mountains.
As the old traders of the Tea Horse Road used to say, “everyday begins and that is all you know when you wake up”.