After a walk through an overcrowded shopping area in a hot, humid climate, what could be more relaxing than sipping an afternoon tea inside a cool, elegant tea house built over the pond?  This is the city's oldest tea house where textile merchants used to gather back in the 18th century.

They have all kinds of Chinese tea (traditional, flower, herb...) to choose from.  Tea leaves come in a tiny glass pot filled with hot water and can be enjoyed several times over by adding more hot water.  With tea, they usually bring 4 or 5 different kinds of snack food such as quail eggs, flavored flat tofu and sweet rice cakes.

Price of a pot of tea may be 10 times more than a store-bought bottled tea, but the experience in such a beautiful setting was well worth it.


Tea House, Shanghai, China I

Click here for an enlarged view.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 inches (21 x 29 cm)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold