Time for tea, Malacca

In Malacca the restaurants generally shut at four or five in the afternoon, a little inconvenient for dinner. A Malay-European fusion restaurant still open was out as they had the sheer audacity to charge seven pounds for a main course. The Korean place we had planned on eating at (where you could sit at tables over a pond where fish would come and nibble the dead skin off of your feet) had closed and turned into a shop selling Angry Birds merchandise, an Angry Birds merch church in Malaysia, who would have thought it? We were facing a trek across the river to the other side of the other half of town for an Indonesian eatery when we were approached by an old Indian woman offering us a leaflet.
Asia is no different to London, or the Occidental world in general, if you're offered a leaflet (unless you are on a Danny Wallace-esque quest) you have three options. Option the First, the rude option: completely ignore the leafleter and continue walking whilst pretending that you are far too busy to indulge in such frivolities; Option the Second, the polite Percival/Penelope: politely decline the offer with a smile before wishing them a good day (if you do this and it isn't sunny and/or you're not having a particularly good day i commend you) and; Option the Third, standard Brit: take the leaflet to avoid awkwardness or perceived rudeness, glance at it and either put it in the bin around the corner or take it home to recycle. We did none of these. We broke the rules. We did what surely no two people have ever done. We took the leaflet. We looked at the leaflet. Enquired further. And. And followed the small Indian woman down a street to a tea house where we were assured there was food. Followed even after we were told about the "short cut".
But a short cut it was. And dinner available there was. And the "option" of a tea ceremony afterwards...there wasn't. No option that is. Plenty of tea ceremony. Three hours of tea ceremony. And i don't even like tea. And it was great! We learnt all about different types of Chinese teas and how best to prepare and brew them right down to how the value of a clay teapot increases with each use (you pour the first brewing over it) as it gets stained by the tea. I asked whether people didn't just cheat by leaving it to soak in strong tea. I was not expecting her answer to be as touching as it was. She said that you could but no-one would because you watch the teapot growing up and maturing just as you would with your child. Aside from this sweet explanation we also grew to appreciate how hot water could taste sweet after the bitterness of tea and how durian fruit altered the taste too. Even for a non-drinker of tea it was a very enjoyable way to spend a few hours in Malacca and our host knew plenty and was keen to impart her knowledge, expertise and passion for an art that extends a long way back into Chinese history. I would strongly urge anyone in Malacca to find the Zheng He Tea House for a few hours of soothing diversion and an overwhelmingly relaxing time; despite our aircon being broken that evening i slept the best i have all trip.

If you fancy reading non-travel stuff i have a selection of poetry and discussions on gender, identity and eco-graffiti amongst other topics at alexleclez.blogspot.com