6 Countries Every Tea Lover Has to Visit At Least Once!

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6 Countries Every Tea Lover Has to Visit At
Least Once!
Published Date April 17, 2018 Categories
FOODIE There are only two kinds of people around
the world those who love tea and those who love
coffee. For coffee lovers, nothing can replace
coffees energetic kick or its refreshing smell
strong enough to wake up even the most tired
soul. On the other hand, the love affair with tea
is much deeper. For tea lovers, tea is more than
just an instant energy boost its a ritual, a
tradition. Tea is that tiny moment of bliss in
the midst of a long day. On a rainy day, sipping
a cuppa tea sitting by the window is nothing
short of peaceful meditation. Tea is also the
thread that binds friends together in never
ending conversations. Thats the thing about tea,
theres one for every mood and every
situation. If you are cold, tea will warm you
if you are too heated, it will cool you If you
are depressed, it will cheer you If you are
excited, it will calm you. William Ewart
Gladstone For tea addicts, theres no better way
to start the day than by leisurely slurping chai
unless its cuppa in a faraway foreign land.
So, tea lovers, heres your guide to finding the
best teas around the world. Turkey
When it comes to loving tea, Turkey stands
unbeaten. The Turkish are known to drink on
average 6.96 pounds (3.16kg) of tea per capita
annually! A classic Turkish tea is black and
sweet served in a tiny tulip-shaped class. No
matter where you go in Turkey, you will always
be welcomed with a warm cup of tea, whether
youre shopping at the Grand Bazaar or checking
in to an AirBnb homestay. Book flights to
Istanbul on EMI with Mihuru Splitfare.
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China
Turkey may be the biggest tea consumer in the
world, but China is where it all began. The
Chinese tea culture dates back to 10th century
BC, making the oldest in the world. It was
from here, that tea spread to the rest of the
world. In China, they dont love tea, rather they
love a multitude of different teas green,
yellow, black (or red as the Chinese call it).
For an old school Chinese teahouse experience
complete with gossip and a game of mahjong, head
to the teahouses in the Sichuan province. You
can now Book flights to Beijing and Shanghai well
in advance with Splitfare and pay the remaining
amount on EMI. India
Just like its neighbor China, India not only
loves tea but is also one of the largest
producers of tea in the world. Although Indians
were known to consume tea since ancient times,
its real love affair with tea began in the early
19th century when the British started
commercially producing tea in the country.
Indians like their tea with milk and laced with
spices, obviously. Typically, the legendary
masala chai is flavored with spices like
cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and
lemongrass. Such is the obsession with chai that
youll find tiny tea stalls at every nook and
corner! If you want to enjoy a proper tea-trip,
head to Indias stunning tea estates in
Darjeeling, Assam or Munnar where you can stay
in a plantation and sip on chai while soaking in
spellbinding views.
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Morocco
After Turkey, Morocco is the largest consumer of
tea. In Morocco, its not just their tea thats
fascinating but even their art of preparing and
serving the tea. The famed Moroccan mint tea is
brewed using pellets of green Chinese gunpowder
tea and infused with sugar and mint leaves. The
locals call it, Berber Whiskey. Typically,
Moroccan mint tea is prepared and served by men
it is a tradition that is passed down from father
to son. This tea is consumed throughout the day
during meal times, while taking a break, and in
social gatherings. Japan
You havent truly experienced Japanese
hospitality and culture until youve attended a
traditional tea ceremony. In this age old
Japanese tea ceremony (also known as Way of Tea),
a hostess dressed in a kimono performs the
traditional ritual of making and serving matcha
tea (powered green tea thats slightly bitter in
taste). To counterbalance the teas mildly bitter
taste, small sweets are served (thankfully!).
The entire ceremony is quite a performance!
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United Kingdom
Is it even possible to talk about tea and not
mention the United Kingdom? The Chinese may have
first made the tea, the Indians may be one of the
worlds largest tea producers and the Turks may
drink 6.96 pounds of tea per capita annually, but
it was the British who put tea in the global
spotlight. For the Brits, tea is an inseparable
part of their way of life. It would be a shame to
visit the United Kingdom and not participate in
the four oclock afternoon tea tradition.
Accompanied by cucumber and salmon sandwiches,
cakes, and scones with clotted cream, nobody
quite does afternoon tea like the Brits! Let
the travel bug bite you and Book flights by
paying a small cost upfront and the remaining
amount in EMIs. Time for some tea-tripping around
the world, we say!