A garden of teapots in the middle of Hong Kong island

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It’s summer time and summer is conducive to taking a break from our routine. So we did! And, in the same spirit, this blog takes a break from its usual self-imposed subject matter of showcasing Taiwan by leaving the island for one short picture essay. Hong Kong is our destination. A city that never ceases to fascinate me and that I can now say has become nicely familiar after many visits in the last 25 years. I’ve seen it under the British rule, and now under Chinese one. I’ve seen it lose its lustre a bit to the competing mega cities of the mainland, like Shanghai, and I am now witnessing its charming civility being roughed-up and challenged by the incessant influx of mainlanders flooding in for a weekend trip. Despite all this, Hong Kong is still a unique city that one must experience at least once in his lifetime.  So, today I propose to you my personal take on Hong Kong as I attempted, once again, to get lost and let the city entrap me in its maze of little alleyways and staircases that organically traverse the island. There are no cliché shots of of the skyline with lasers, no busy shopping street scenes, no Disneyland, but, some of you may be reassured that tea remains an integral part of our travel plans and still inspires our itineraries as we feature a “must visit” spot for tea and tea ware enthusiasts: the Flagstaff House, home of Hong Kong’s Museum of Tea Ware.

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Going wild for Shan Cha: Hunting down Taiwan’s indigenous tea tree

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Of all the tea cultivars that are unique to Taiwan, none is more precious and intriguing as the wild indigenous mountain tea bush also known as Shan Cha (山茶). If you think that centuries-old wild tea trees with 30 cm leaves can only be found in the forests of Yunnan (not to forget India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam), think again. You must add Taiwan to the list! This unique specimen is not only of great interest as a varietal tea, it is also important and revered as the father (or mother) plant to some of the most unique and distinctive tea hybrids of Taiwan. For example, it is from this unique wild strand that the Taiwan Research and Experiment Station (TRES) has successfully developed the now famous TRES-18 Red Jade black tea which has fueled the black tea revival on this island since the turn of this new century. Four distinct protected areas have been put in place in central, south and eastern Taiwan for the preservation of this national treasure. Of these four protected areas, the one that is reputed to make the best varietal tea happens to be just up in the eastern range close to Taiwan Tea Crafts’ base, in the Township of Yuchi of our Nantou County. Follow us as we climb the hills to hunt down specimens of these wild bushes and witness at the same time the transformation of a local economy brought about by the revival of black tea.

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