More postcards from Kenting

Brewing tea outdoors is wonderful! This Cha Xi at sunset on the beach is one of my favorite vacation memory. There's a relaxed feeling in the air as people gather to watch the sun disappear in the sea.

The 'wild' Concubine Oolong in my cup tastes somewhat close to the Gan Kou Oolong that is harvested some 10 km away from here! I'm surprised by this. But it makes sense: both are high oxidized and roasted Oolongs. And here, on the beach, I breathe the salty air from the sea. This adds a slight salty taste to the Concubine that is present naturally Gan Kou Oolong. Maybe the farmers should rename this tea the Mermaid Oolong to better capture the feminine call from the sea in these leaves! (And yes, the next day, I purchased some winter 2010 Gan Kou Oolong for my selection.)

The most heavy and difficult accessories to transport are the kettle, the burner and water. So, if I do, I think it's also worth it to bring a complete tea setup. It doesn't take much more space. For the tea vessel, I tend to choose a gaiwan so that I can brew all the teas in it. Also, I wouldn't mourn it the way I would an Yixing teapot should it break along the way. But I also like to add a local touch. Here, my children found some white corrals on the beach to decorate my blue Cha Bu. It's a nice marine fit with the white and blue qinghua porcelain.

Plan and improvise. Learn and reinvent. Then brew and enjoy!