24th Jul
I’ve found that I sometimes get general comments or questions in responses to different posts, so I’ve put in this post as a place for feedbac, ideas for future posts, etc. Feel free to let me know what you think (good and bad). Don’t forget to drink lots of tea!
24th Jul
I had a question the other day about the types of tea sets common in Taiwan. Here are some photos I took at a couple of teashops lately that provide good examples. Some people go for basic sets with a pot and cups, others like full matching sets, and hard-core fans usually by separate components to mix and match. There really is a huge variety to choose from in any price range or for any tea. Read the rest of this entry »
22nd Jul
I recently got a new ride (see picture) and needed to take it for a test ride, so I decided to head out to the Baojong tea capital of Taiwan, Pinglin. This is the town that held the Baojong Tea Festival, and also has ‘the largest tea museum in the world’, or at least Taiwan. My previous bike was a 150cc Hartford (local brand) that I bought new and rode for 5 years. Although I’ve been very happy with it, it was time to move on, and Hartford’s new 200cc DT-style bike was an excellent choice. It has more power for handling the mountain road I live on, firmer suspension to smooth out Taiwan’s notorious streets, and rides higher than my 150, which is more comfortable for longer trips. If you’re looking for a new bike in Taiwan, take a look at this model before buying. Read the rest of this entry »
22nd Jul
Pinglin is the baojong tea center of Taiwan, and I recently rode through there on a bike trip (see Pinglin
Road Trip). I plan to do a more in-depth report on the town in the future, but here are a few pictures for now. The town is a lot like small rural town in the US. The main highway out to the coast cuts the town in half, and a new freeway built nearby bypasses the town completely, making it harder than usual to make a living. Everyone in town is tied to the tea business in some way, and tea tourism is a major part of the economy. They have a large tea museum (that’s actually pretty good), hold a Baojong Tea Festival every year, and they have recently developed an extensive system of biking/hiking trails as well. Read the rest of this entry »
22nd Jul
On my recent Pinglin Road Trip, I was lucky enough to drive by some locals drying some fresh-picked oolong leaves in front of their home. I stopped and chatted with them a little, and they agreed to let me take some pictures of their tea. Read the rest of this entry »
22nd Jul
You never know when a great opportunity to share some classic Taiwan culture is going to jump up and bite you on the butt, but it’s always a good idea to get some pictures when it does! On my recent Pinglin Road Trip, I found myself in need of taking a rather urgent meeting, and fortunately, this conference room presented itself along the roadway. They’ve been setting up more of these in recent years because of increased traffic on weekends, and I was quite glad to find one this day. That is, until I opened the door . . .
(If you are a bit squeamish you may want to skip the rest of this - don’t say I didn’t warn you!) Read the rest of this entry »
16th Jul
Our second typhoon of the season is heading towards us (from the Philippines). This one isn’t too big 
yet, and is predicted to hit us on the northeast part of the island, around the Ilan - Keelung area. The strongest winds and damage will likely be along the coastal areas. It seems to be moving pretty fast, and we should be ‘under the influence’ late Thursday/early Friday.
For general typhoon information, check out Typhoon Report. Also, here is a direct link to the CWB Website.
11th Jul
Just read this article on MSN, and thought I’d share it. Seems that the list of uses for tea never ends. The story is about a woman in Japan who served tea to a robber to calm him down, and was then able to get away and call the police. Click HERE to read the full story.
9th Jul
In addition to warm hospitality, interesting conversation, and great tea on my recent trip to Miaoli (click HERE), I also came away with a new teapot. Aaron felt that since I’ve been getting into Tie Kuan Yin teas, he let me bring home a pot he used exclusively to brew this type of tea. For the first testing of this pot, I decided to share it with A-Liang (and not just because he has much better TKYs than I do at home, although that was certainly a factor). Read the rest of this entry »
28th Jun
I’ve mentioned in other posts about the benefits of setting up a space to have tea at home, and how preparing ‘gung-fu’ tea in a relaxing atmosphere is a great way to unwind at the end of a long day. However, it’s also very rewarding to enjoy your tea while camping in the mountains, hanging out at the beach, or having a picnic in a park. While the logistics of transporting teaware, kettle, etc. to a suitable outdoor location may seem daunting to some, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Read the rest of this entry »
