[Jim, discussing his Chinatown tea buying experience in general]

snip

> If I've learned any thing
> about tea there is no correlation between price and taste.

snip

On that we can all -- or most of us -- agree. I'm drinking a *very* pleasant
Bian Cha at the moment, and although I don't know its precise price, I know
it was in the lower rather than the higher realms. The tea has complexity,
it has subtlety, it has taste and aroma, it has style, and it's nicely made.
My groping through samples of this year's much discussed Long Jings seem to
support your contention as well.

Nonetheless, There are teas out there that are truly rare, truly wonderful,
and truly expensive. Ultimately, it's all a matter of taste and style, eh?
Besides, in Chinatown you get to pour over hundreds of pretty tea boxes with
pastoral scenes and pretty ladies pointing at tea leaves with that come
hither look. But, from our main purpose I digress. Let me stop while I'm
ahead.

Michael