Lush Lanka
Sebastian traveled to Sri Lanka about three weeks after the tsunami hit. Here is an account of his trip.
 The
central hill country, where much of the tea is produced, was directly
unaffected, but along the coast wide swaths of rubble were still
evident. More than one Sri Lankan pointed out that, ironically, the
tsunami allowed for beautiful views of the Indian Ocean to be visible
for the first time in decades. But it was hard to fully appreciate this
when people were still living in tents donated by international aid
organizations.
In the central highlands I traveled to Kandy and Nuwara
Eliyah, stopping by various tea estates in between. Gorgeous green tea
bushes wrapped the lush hills, and the narrow roads wound through the
verdant groves. Most estates are also home to their own tea factories,
processing thousands of tons of tea in many instances. (Sri Lanka is
the world's third largest producer of tea in the world.) Along with the
many grades of black teas, including those similar to the Ceylon Orange
Pekoe we offer, I found an interesting white tea called Golden Tips. It
is similar to the better-known Silver Tips with a stronger taste and
slightly yellow, instead of white, leaves. I also had the opportunity to stay with a British friend who
lives in Galle on the south coast. Except for the fort area protected
by a 17th-century, Dutch-built wall, the coastal areas of the
beachfront town were devastated by the tsunami. Rory is involved with
local efforts to rebuild. He also just purchased 58 acres of a
once-thriving tea estate up the hill from Galle, and he has plans to
grow teas, fruits, and spices. More information about Project Galle, which has been very
active with tsunami relief in southern Sri Lanka, is at Rory's website,
www.thewebofhope.com.
This Ceylon Orange Pekoe, is a classic breakfast tea from
the island of Sri Lanka. The name comes from the Dutch Royal House of
Orange -- not from the fruit. Travel Diary, Sri Lanka 2005 |
