A typhoon for Halloween

A powerful typhoon crept covered all Taiwan on the evening of Halloween. Usually, the New Taipei city municipality organizes a street event where kids and teenagers come in scary costumes. This was cancelled. Instead, we were besieged by relentless, gushing rain, Southern winds were hurling and hissing, battering the windows with intense pressure. Even with all windows closed, the wind still managed to enter the apartment and shake the doors. At the loudest, it felt like demons screaming again and again. 

Objects were flying in the air and the pressure against metal could be felt on every floor. The fences of both construction sites across from my building broke down under the relentless assaults of the record winds. Luckily, the island was on a typhoon holiday and (almost) everybody braced for impact at home. The electric grid seemed challenged, but didn't break down.  

The typhoon was so active that its center left the island at 8 PM, much faster than the previous, lazy typhoon. That one wasn't very strong, but since it crawled, it caused most of its damage through the heavy rain, while yesterday did most of its damage through its wind. 

This quick departure enabled a much quieter night than what we had expected. But it was a sinister calm and the air was still filled with a kind of fowl and humid breath. I didn't sleep well and woke up early. I need tea and started right away with a brew of this semi raw gushu puerh from 2005.

It's not just a tea with autumn smells. Most importantly, it's a sweet, energetic tea that fills your whole body from head to toe. And it grounds you gently. After a very windy and shaky experience, it felt right to be grounded, connected to the soil and time through the experience of all my senses.

When something extraordinary and uncontrollable happens, we cope by doing those little rituals that we control most. For me, it's tea. 

For this old lady, it's the burning of 'lucky money'! This rite is quite powerful, because it involves fire (kids, don't play with fire!) and the flames look like dancing spirits that are called, fed and then tamed until extinction. 

I do feel fine again and will teach a tea pairing class this Sunday on a very seasonal food: pumpkin! I hope you'll join me. In the meantime, you may also enjoy great teas from my selection during these hectic times.