Tea Shop Under the Bridge

The sun was bright and the skies were clear when we set out on our last river exploration. So after some wading, we stopped under the bridge at a makeshift tea house to have a drink. This is the view from where I sat at my table, looking toward the riverbank. You can see the shopkeeper walking toward her little hut where she stores the hot water, tea, and glasses.

tea shop under the bridge

This is what we ordered — flower tea. Isn’t it pretty? The white “rocks” are sugar. There’s not much flavor, just hot water with a bit of a sweet taste. But it’s refreshing when you’re thirsty.

flower tea with rock sugar

Yes, drinks in China are traditionally served hot. The main reason is simply because tap water must be boiled before it’s safe to drink. And there is also a fear in Chinese medicine that iced beverages are bad for your body.

We buy 5 gallon drums of drinking water at home, but many people still boil their water rather than pay a higher price for water delivery. (A five gallon drum is about $1.50.) For anything that will be boiled such as cooking pasta, soups, gravies, I always use tap water.

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Tagged as: Add new tag, food, living in China