I just came back from a business trip from Cox's bazaar (world's
largest unbroken sea beach 710 km. Located in south of Bangladesh,
border with Myanmar( former Burma). After my business work, I got a
day off to explore around. I have decided to explore Arakan (Border
city in Myanmar with Bangladesh). When I entered the city, I have
found this tea shops full of people, chatting, laughing. My guide
offered me to have a cup of Burmese style tea. I have tried two
different kinds of tea-

1) This was blend of Bangladeshi CTC tea Assam CTC. Myanmar shares
border with Assam(India) and Chittagong Hill track ( Bangladesh). The
blend steeped in hot water, then they add full cream warm milk then
put date Juice in it. Here during winter date juice is very popular
and rare now a days. This new styled tea gave me a totally different
taste. Very tasty. I drank four cups on by one. Full body, fruity,
malty- a real treats.

2) This is a new taste first time, I have discovered in my life.
According to the tea seller and my guide. The tea was a Burmese
production. I had the tea straight. What surprise- tastes like
Yunnan. Earthy, peppery, brown liquor. But also got some hints of
Assam. I asked the tea seller, where is this tea growing region. He
said this tea is from north-east region of Burma. Instantly my memory
reminds me- Myanmar share border with Chinese Yunnan province. He also
told me Laos and Vietnam produces the same kind of tea. Strong logic-
this four country shares border with Yunnan province. I gave $50 to
the tea seller and requested him to send me some tea to my Bangladesh
address. He took the money and promised me to send it with in 10 days.
By the way, the tea was orthodox tea, twisted tightly. I have to have
this tea again.

My guide thought I am crazy to believe a stranger. $50 is a lot of
money in Myanmar. He thinks he just took the money and will never
contact me. He didn't know, I am in love with tea. I believe people
easily and so far I am fine. I believe in myself and believe people .
Maybe I am crazy but deep inside my heart- I strongly feel, this man
will send me the tea.


Ripon
(Chittagong, Bangladesh)

"Ripon" > wrote in message
om...
> I just came back from a business trip from Cox's bazaar (world's
> largest unbroken sea beach 710 km. Located in south of Bangladesh,
> border with Myanmar( former Burma). After my business work, I got a
> day off to explore around. I have decided to explore Arakan (Border
> city in Myanmar with Bangladesh). When I entered the city, I have
> found this tea shops full of people, chatting, laughing. My guide
> offered me to have a cup of Burmese style tea. I have tried two
> different kinds of tea-
>
> 1) This was blend of Bangladeshi CTC tea Assam CTC. Myanmar shares
> border with Assam(India) and Chittagong Hill track ( Bangladesh). The
> blend steeped in hot water, then they add full cream warm milk then
> put date Juice in it. Here during winter date juice is very popular
> and rare now a days. This new styled tea gave me a totally different
> taste. Very tasty. I drank four cups on by one. Full body, fruity,
> malty- a real treats.
>
> 2) This is a new taste first time, I have discovered in my life.
> According to the tea seller and my guide. The tea was a Burmese
> production. I had the tea straight. What surprise- tastes like
> Yunnan. Earthy, peppery, brown liquor. But also got some hints of
> Assam. I asked the tea seller, where is this tea growing region. He
> said this tea is from north-east region of Burma. Instantly my memory
> reminds me- Myanmar share border with Chinese Yunnan province. He also
> told me Laos and Vietnam produces the same kind of tea. Strong logic-
> this four country shares border with Yunnan province. I gave $50 to
> the tea seller and requested him to send me some tea to my Bangladesh
> address. He took the money and promised me to send it with in 10 days.
> By the way, the tea was orthodox tea, twisted tightly. I have to have
> this tea again.
>
> My guide thought I am crazy to believe a stranger. $50 is a lot of
> money in Myanmar. He thinks he just took the money and will never
> contact me. He didn't know, I am in love with tea. I believe people
> easily and so far I am fine. I believe in myself and believe people .
> Maybe I am crazy but deep inside my heart- I strongly feel, this man
> will send me the tea.
>
>
> Ripon
> (Chittagong, Bangladesh)

Interesting story, Ripon. I hope you get your tea. If (perhaps I'd better
say, when <g>) you get your tea and can try it, let us know if it tastes
that same as you remember it.

I'm curious: why did you need a guide? Is the language that different, or
does the political climate in Myanmar require it if you're a foreigner?

Regards,
Dean

on 1/30/04 02:41, Ripon at wrote:

> I just came back from a business trip from Cox's bazaar (world's largest
> unbroken sea beach 710 km. Located in south of Bangladesh, border with
> Myanmar( former Burma). After my business work, I got a day off to explore
> around. I have decided to explore Arakan (Border city in Myanmar with
> Bangladesh). When I entered the city, I have found this tea shops full of
> people, chatting, laughing. My guide offered me to have a cup of Burmese
> style tea. I have tried two different kinds of tea-

This sounds like the perfect place just to relax and drink whatever comes
your way. The tea you describe in "1" below however is not what I would
prefer came my way, though. It's the cream that bothers me most. Here in
Brooklyn -- Brooklyn is a small country off the coast of mainland North
America, for those of you not familiar -- Thai restaurants are very popular.
"Thai Iced Tea" includes a big shot of "cream" and a lot of sugar and
something that renders the concoxion orange-red, much more orange-red than
tea should be. This, along with poached salmon, is nearly the only thing in
the gustatory world I really truly *dis*like.
>
> 1) This was blend of Bangladeshi CTC tea Assam CTC. Myanmar shares border
> with Assam(India) and Chittagong Hill track ( Bangladesh). The blend steeped
> in hot water, then they add full cream warm milk then put date Juice in it.
> Here during winter date juice is very popular and rare now a days. This new
> styled tea gave me a totally different taste. Very tasty. I drank four cups
> on by one. Full body, fruity, malty- a real treats.

I should hope it would be *fruity.* It's full of date juice. No, no, I'm
not going there.

[re $50. outlay against Ripon's tea futures]

That countries and areas around Yunnan should share Yunnan's tea style is
logical indeed. Deep in my heart I do believe that you will see your tea
someday.

Michael



Dean,

I remember in India a "guide" helped a lot to cut through local red tape and
clear the paths through layers of beaurocracy, etc. A good guide is a real
value. Bengali and Burmese are completely unrelated languages. (More on that
from Ripon.)

Michael

Michael Plant > wrote in
:

> I should hope it would be *fruity.* It's full of date juice. No, no, I'm
> not going there.

Thank you :O)

"Dean Macinskas" > wrote in message >...
> "Ripon" > wrote in message

>
> Interesting story, Ripon. I hope you get your tea. If (perhaps I'd better
> say, when <g>) you get your tea and can try it, let us know if it tastes
> that same as you remember it.

Dean:

I will let you know. I already wrote the taste discription in my tea
taste log book. Somehow I thought the tea seller was a honest guy. His
eyes told me that.


> I'm curious: why did you need a guide? Is the language that different, or
> does the political climate in Myanmar require it if you're a foreigner?

Michael is right about guide in India. But the guides here in
Bangladesh and Myanmar(Burma)are different. They are more interested
to show their country rather then suck your money. There are some
exceptional cases. History says- Bengali people has this reputation
for their hospitality. If you ask a glass of water to a Bangladeshi,
they will give you a glass of water with some food. No mater the
person is poor,middle-class or rich.

About Myanmar- the reason I hired a guide is- Many Bumese people(most
of them are muslim) are pushed in Bangladesh by Burmese communist
government. Morover lots of people in Coxs bazzar areas are from
Myanmar for economic oppurtunity. Lots of foreign tourist are their
and easy to make some money. Our Government and people accepted them
though we have lack of job. They brought their Burmese culture here
and we love to share with them. Burmese can be Buddist and Muslim
both. They build some nice Pagoads in cox's Bazzar and you can see
many very old Tonka's(Wrttien history in a piece of leather) stored
securly inside this pegodas. In Coxs Bazzar there are many Burmese
markets. My guide was a Bangladesh-Burmese and I thought he can show
me Arakan better then any one else. I like Burmese people and proud to
share whatever we have in our small country. they made our culture
more colorful and rich. I collect wooden curving and pearls- my guide
helped me to collect some good pieces for me. Moreover, I was very
happy and proud to have a guide like him who made some money thorugh
me. Burmese language is different that was another reason. Bangladesh
is a secular muslim country and some Burmese political people doesn't
like it. We have some tention in the border but our stronger Army
protect our border and resources very well. Another reaosn I went
their to see "Loris". They are very shy small rare kind of monkey. My
Guide took me this Burmese guy who had one of this. I was very happy
to see and touch a "Loris".

Ripon
(Dhaka, Bangladesh)

1/30/04


snip snip snip
>
> About Myanmar- the reason I hired a guide is- Many Bumese people(most
> of them are muslim) are pushed in Bangladesh by Burmese communist
> government. Morover lots of people in Coxs bazzar areas are from
> Myanmar for economic oppurtunity. Lots of foreign tourist are their
> and easy to make some money. Our Government and people accepted them
> though we have lack of job. They brought their Burmese culture here
> and we love to share with them. Burmese can be Buddist and Muslim
> both. They build some nice Pagoads in cox's Bazzar and you can see
> many very old Tonka's(Wrttien history in a piece of leather) stored
> securly inside this pegodas. In Coxs Bazzar there are many Burmese
> markets. My guide was a Bangladesh-Burmese and I thought he can show
> me Arakan better then any one else. I like Burmese people and proud to
> share whatever we have in our small country. they made our culture
> more colorful and rich. I collect wooden curving and pearls- my guide
> helped me to collect some good pieces for me. Moreover, I was very
> happy and proud to have a guide like him who made some money thorugh
> me. Burmese language is different that was another reason. Bangladesh
> is a secular muslim country and some Burmese political people doesn't
> like it. We have some tention in the border but our stronger Army
> protect our border and resources very well. Another reaosn I went
> their to see "Loris". They are very shy small rare kind of monkey. My
> Guide took me this Burmese guy who had one of this. I was very happy
> to see and touch a "Loris".


Lorises come in "slow" and (presumably) "fast" versions. The slow loris is a
personal friend of mine, having taken up residence in the Zoological garden
of the New York Zoological Society, the garden known to New Yorkers as "The
Bronx Zoo." You can watch him (or her?) for many hours and see no
perceivable movement whatsoever. A creasture after my own heart. (I last
communed with the loris in the late 1960's. Wonder if he's moved.)

I'm drinking a yummy green pu-erh today. NFI.

Listening to Bach. Never bad.

Michael

"Ripon" > wrote in message
om...
> "Dean Macinskas" > wrote in message
>...
> > "Ripon" > wrote in message
>
> >
> > Interesting story, Ripon. I hope you get your tea. If (perhaps I'd
better
> > say, when <g>) you get your tea and can try it, let us know if it tastes
> > that same as you remember it.
>
> Dean:
>
> I will let you know. I already wrote the taste discription in my tea
> taste log book. Somehow I thought the tea seller was a honest guy. His
> eyes told me that.
>
>
> > I'm curious: why did you need a guide? Is the language that different,
or
> > does the political climate in Myanmar require it if you're a foreigner?
>
> Michael is right about guide in India. But the guides here in
> Bangladesh and Myanmar(Burma)are different. They are more interested
> to show their country rather then suck your money. There are some
> exceptional cases. History says- Bengali people has this reputation
> for their hospitality. If you ask a glass of water to a Bangladeshi,
> they will give you a glass of water with some food. No mater the
> person is poor,middle-class or rich.
>
> About Myanmar- the reason I hired a guide is- Many Bumese people(most
> of them are muslim) are pushed in Bangladesh by Burmese communist
> government. Morover lots of people in Coxs bazzar areas are from
> Myanmar for economic oppurtunity. Lots of foreign tourist are their
> and easy to make some money. Our Government and people accepted them
> though we have lack of job. They brought their Burmese culture here
> and we love to share with them. Burmese can be Buddist and Muslim
> both. They build some nice Pagoads in cox's Bazzar and you can see
> many very old Tonka's(Wrttien history in a piece of leather) stored
> securly inside this pegodas. In Coxs Bazzar there are many Burmese
> markets. My guide was a Bangladesh-Burmese and I thought he can show
> me Arakan better then any one else. I like Burmese people and proud to
> share whatever we have in our small country. they made our culture
> more colorful and rich. I collect wooden curving and pearls- my guide
> helped me to collect some good pieces for me. Moreover, I was very
> happy and proud to have a guide like him who made some money thorugh
> me. Burmese language is different that was another reason. Bangladesh
> is a secular muslim country and some Burmese political people doesn't
> like it. We have some tention in the border but our stronger Army
> protect our border and resources very well. Another reaosn I went
> their to see "Loris". They are very shy small rare kind of monkey. My
> Guide took me this Burmese guy who had one of this. I was very happy
> to see and touch a "Loris".
>
> Ripon
> (Dhaka, Bangladesh)

Ripon, thanks. I've never had the opportunity to travel to your part of the
world, so I'm pretty ignorant about how life is lived there. I appreciate
your taking the time to explain.

I do enjoy your tea and food, though!

Regards,
Dean

Dean /2/04



>> Another reaosn I went
>> their to see "Loris". They are very shy small rare kind of monkey. My
>> Guide took me this Burmese guy who had one of this. I was very happy
>> to see and touch a "Loris".
>>
>> Ripon
>> (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
>
> Ripon, thanks. I've never had the opportunity to travel to your part of the
> world, so I'm pretty ignorant about how life is lived there. I appreciate
> your taking the time to explain.
>
> I do enjoy your tea and food, though!
>
> Regards,
> Dean

Sorry, forgot to mention that the Loris is actually in the order Primate,
but alas, prosimian rather than anthropoid, hence decidedly *not* monkey. I
know how *important* this is to a tea group, but I am really quite fond of
lorises and want to see them well represented, so to speak. (Those famous
guys from Madagascar are also prosimians FTOYWNTK. A couple of them have
been posting to rfdt.)

Michael