COLD in China

No question, it is VERY, VERY cold in Southern China .. must be global warming!!!!
That's a tuff sell if you are living through this as CNY approaches, Millions of people on the move, NOT.
500,000+ stuck in the Guangzhou train station.
"Passengers wait for delayed trains at the Guangzhou Railway Station in Guangzhou, in south China's Guangdong province Monday, Jan. 28, 2008. Over 500,000 passengers have been stranded in Guangzhou after heavy snow in provinces to the north created havoc with transport networks"
How cold is it ... Ture story ...
I met with a sales engineer today (in Dongguan), he is from Wisconsin, quote " It's really cold here" I rest my case.

Keeping tabs on what's his name

'Nil carborundum illegitimi' - Illegitimi non carborundum, variants of a mock-Latin aphorism jokingly taken to mean:
"Don't let the bastards grind you down."
It’s a good life if you don’t weaken.
So here we are back in downtown Taipei ..(seems like I was just here .. like a week ago..)
Thursday morning I hightailed it out of Dongguan into HK reroute to Taiwan.
Taipei Jan 17th .. thu Jan 23rd.
Back to to Donnguan on the 23rd with plans to make it back to So. California, Feb.3rd, just before Chinese New Year gets under way.
But first, stop by the factory ..Rebbecca, on the left, finds time to make a pot of tea "Xie Xie"The day takes shape .. we need a wireless hub!!!!So; check out of Dongguan:.....Check-in to Taipei ..

Sherpas light oil lamps in Kathmandu

January 14, 2008:

Sherpas light oil lamps in front of a portrait of Sir Edmund Hillary at a monastery in Kathmandu.Sir Edmund Hillary (L) and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa display their climbing gear at the British Embassy in Kathmandu following their conquest of Mount Everest in 1953. Nepali Sherpa friends of Sir Hillary, who died on January 11, 2008, lit butter lamps and offered special Buddhist prayers in monasteries for the mountaineer, calling him a great philanthropist and friend of Nepal. Hillary, who scaled Mount Everest in 1953 along with Nepal's Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, spent much of his life afterwards helping Sherpa communities in Nepal, including projects to build hospitals and schools.

Quick Lunch - Unique Restaurant

Tuesday, near our factory; in Shu-Lin City, Taipei County ....... (about 1 hr from Taipei 101) there is a really unique restaurant.
Inside the whole place is made to look like a street scene circa 1930 ish. Plus lots of other "old stuff"
The owner must have had fun creating the place, everywhere you turn is an old something or other ..
L to R: Eric, Felix, Tim and Sherry:...

China Postings -- Playing Catch Up

Belated postings ..
As I have uncensored Internet access in Taipei .. I can play Catch-Up.
Couple of new cake/brick of Pu-erh ..I forget the details .. both in the 180-240 RMB range.
Samples tasted promising.
This one will be my daily tea..
Christmas present from Betty ... Xie Xie Ni Betty ...
Five Gold medals .. The Five Olympic Mascots ...
Stopping in Tang Xia for lunch I spot this very impressive store specializing in: Yi Xing / Zi Sha "Purple Sand" products.
Understanding that the average tea shop is a 1/3 to 1/4 this size .. I am full of anticipation.
Inside .. very clean .. well organized .. attentive staff .. stock; nothing out of the ordinary. BUT !!! VERY HIGH Prices !!! I've seen stuff in Taiwan less expensive . This way out of scale for Mainland China. Note: a lot of Hong Kongers and Taiwanese stay/run factories in this area.

Happy New Year .. China Mobile

English Tea, Scottish Whisky, Italian Cars, in Taipei

You just can’t plan this stuff .. serendipity plays its hand…  Early Sunday morning, I have an hour to kill.) Inside 101

Taipei - Tim and Tea with Charmaine

Taking advantage of a having a couple of hours this morning (Saturday) my friend Tim (Taipei native) we headed of to: Wang's Tea shop in the older section of Taipei City.
26 Lane 64, Sec 2, Chung King N. Road Taipei.
Tel. (02) 2555-9164
http://www.wangtea.com.tw/

Fortunately there is underground parking near-by, a two minute walk and we reach a small park surrounded by buildings on three sides. The park has various markers and plaques depicting the story of: tea processing.
On Saturday the park is a makeshift thrift market.
Wang's family tea business.

Wang's has a relationship with the government to help maintain and promote Taiwan tea making and selling.
Charmaine Wang, the eldest of 3 grandchildren, ......
She runs this store, 1 of 3, but only this one has the tea processing factory.
Fortunately Charmaine speaks very good English and we sat drank tea swapped stories for a little over 2 hours .. time fly's when your having fun (poor Tim he is coffee drinker).
Inside the factory area .. sorting out the stems

The old roasting bays and some old hand tools:...

Some retail sales:...

If it’s Friday, it’s Taipei !

Just as in Monopoly; I drew the “GO TO JAIL” do NOT pass GO, do NOT collect 200RMB, card.
The consolation is that my Jail will be Taipei.
With luck I should be back in China Jan 8th.
This is a “Problem solving/resolution implementation” trip.
Some days I feel like the man in circus parade, walking behind the Elephants with a broom and shovel.
(a lot of Elephants)

Sitting in Cathay first class lounge at Hong Kong International. .. it's not all bad.
I arrive Taipei 15:15 .. get to the plant around 17:30.

One of these days I'll get around to catching up on Tea Blogging.
Wholesale Pu-Erh:
Quick FYI .. about 20min from my place in Dongguan ... they are building a New Wholesale-distribution Center dedicated to ... Pu-Erh about 75-80 stores .. Its insane this place is only 30 min form Wan Jiang with 400+ such dealers (more details and pictures when I get back)

Japan – making the Tea PLAN CHANGED

Maccha .. for the classic Tea Ceremony

Here is collection ready to set out on my quest. (PLAN B pictures later.. read on)

Tea Bowl
Bamboo Whisk
Tea Container
Tea Scoop and Tea Dipper
I’ll concentrate on getting the tea to yield a taste I like.

This accomplished, I’ll see if I can improve my ceremony skills.

My hotel balcony will be my substitute tea garden come tea house.

Just as I set out to set up my tea house .. all hell broke loose.

Despite its 5 star rating ..

Today! was the day to start repairs on the superstructure and naturally my "Tea House" (balcony) was in the line of fire ...shrapnel everywhere...

RESET .. for now I'll make SENCHA Cha

Most popular of Japanese green teas. This particular one is a middle of the road in price/quality.

I'm using my glass teapot, this will allow me to see the reaction of water and leaves etc.The tea is a pleasing and refreshing mix of a slight sweetness with only a hint of bitterness, the soup is a light green. I must admit it may take me a little time to get used to the colours .. the taste and effects are pleasant. A winner.

Japan – Re-Visited

In the late 90’s and early 2000 I spent a few years going back and forth to Nagano. (site of 1998 winter Olympics). My main contact at Fujitsu was an ardent tea buff. As much as he/we tried I never developed a taste for Japanese tea. … So now here I am in South China for Christmas and New Year, I have decided to revisit Japanese tea. Last week in Hong Kong I picked up a few utensils/essentials to aid my quest. The Great food Court in Pacific Place (basement level) is an Aladdin’s cave of; food and beverage from around the world. Cha-no-yu (茶の湯, literally "hot water for tea") Usually refers to a single ceremony or ritual, while: Sado or Chado (茶道, or "the way of tea") refers to the study or doctrine of tea ceremony.
Synopsis of selected Japanese Teas:

Most popular type of Green Tea. About 85% of Japanese teas are SENCHA. In both quality and price SENCHA has a wide variety. High quality ones are served only on special occasions. Average qualities are for everyday use. Tea buds begin growing in April and the leaves are mature in May. Immediately after the leaves are picked, they are steamed, rolled, and then dried until the become like green needles. The resulting tea is a mixture of subtle sweetness, bitterness and fresh green scent. The soup is a light green.

GYOKURO  This is the best Japanese Tea. It is a precious tea and is served as a treat to visitors. GYOKURO means "the dew of jewels". GYOKURO has a stronger flavor and aroma with less bitterness than SENCHA, however it has a darker green - blackish colour. Te leaf is thicker than that of high quality Sencha. This is because when the buds are about to come out, near the end of April,the teas bushes are shaded from sunlight. When harvested only the soft leaves are selected for picking.

BANCHA The lowest grade of TEA, but some BANCHA is very nice as a different meaning. It has a very simple taste, so it is pleasing to drink after meals or to drink when thirsty.

GENMAICHA  A mixture of BANCHA and popped GENMAI (hulled rice kernels). It makes a light brown tea with a savory flavor, for everyday use

HOUJICHA 
This is a roasted BANCHA. It has a brown color and unique toasted flavor, and light golden beer color when steeped. It is also pleasant to drink after meals or when thirsty.

KUKICHA  It's tea stems are also selected while refining. It has a light taste and fresh flavor, also everyday use.

MACCHA  This is used for the TEA CEREMONY. This is a type of tea ground to a fine powder. To make MACCHA tea is mixed in hot water with a bamboo whisk.

MECHA  It's tea buds are selected while refining SENCHA or GYOKURO. It has strong flavor and taste. It is better than coffee to keep you awake.

Book(s) review UPDATE 1/4

Suffice it to say, Dongguan is a veritable desert when looking for English language books.

So when in Hong Kong/Kowloon its time to stock up.
Page One, a well stocked bookstore in: Kowloon’s Harbour Center (3rd floor) yielded this ethically inspired collection.

Alexander McCall Smith .. Tales from 44 Scotland Street, a great collection of stories set in modern day Edinburgh, as if Edinburgh folk could mentally live in the “modern day”.

Being Scots born only enhances the pleasure from these books. I’m from the west coast (Ayrshire) and enjoy when east coasters poke a little fun at themselves.
Smith, a great story teller and painter of verbal pictures, is quite prolific, and not limited to tales based in and around Edinburgh.

This trilogy offers a satisfying read and lets you vicariously participate in the "real life" of others.

In one short excerpt, Smith sums up modern day travel for me.

This in a letter from; Domenica to Angus Lordie:

"..... to make the journey by sea,.... I do not regret it for a moment. Air travel is completely artificial. ..... airline people speak a different language altogether, a sort of debased mid-Atlantic English which is full of circumlocutions and cliche.

The word "now", such an honest, work-manlike word, has been replaced by : ...... "we are commencing our descent at this time". Why can't they say "now"?

Smith offers a counterpoint to: Ian Rankin’s first rate detective tales featuring; Inspector John Rebus. (these a must read) A couple more books from Alexander McCall Smith: both enjoyable.

A book by; Ian McEwan, purchased on the basis of the named author. (Name sake of my best friend). “Just finished it .. major disappointment .. boring, with dull boring characters.” "FLASHMAN and the DRAGON" by George MacDonald Fraser:

Stories of a Victorian adventurer, come James Bond, come Austin Powers.

While entertaining, this was a two book read (first and last). "Just not my cup of tea"

2nd of a two part story .. A very nice comprehensive book by: Liu Tong .. English translation by" Yue Liwen.

New Toy – “The Disinfector”

A really handy counter top device.
Antiseptic Dishes Cabinet...... Marked with “Disinfect” cycle. The Midea MXV-RLP60 An ideal present for; tea buff or the obsessive compulsive in your life.