A visit to a tea village in Mae Hong Son
Took a local transportation yellow "songthaew" after nearly six-hour mountain road ride, arrived at a tea village in Mae Hong Son Province at about 6,500 feet, Mae Hong Son is located in the northwest of Thailand, near the border with Burma, and close to Yunnan, China. According to history, there are a lot of Yunnan generations living there. They have kept the traditional lifestyle - making and drinking tea.
I was speechless when I saw the breathtaking scenery. Met the Hu family on the side of the lake; they run a restaurant and tea shop. And Hu’s parents are from Yunnan, China. She spoke Chinese with me. They have their own tea plantations in the village. I couldn't wait any longer to go.
We had quite a fun motorcycle ride, and Hu, her brother, and her sister shared with me the difference between each tea plant varieties they have. They were excited and proud of how healthy their tea plants grew, and we tried some edible plants around the tea plant.
I asked them, "Are those organic?" "They're not only organic; they're wild; we never have to water them or kill the insects; I've been drinking this tea since I was four," Hu said.
They are the tea people; they have been living on the tea land since they were born. The smell of tea leaves in the air, the water, and the smiles on their faces are things I will never forget.