QUESTION:
"Not for all the tea in China!" is a common English expression that reminds us just how much tea China produces each year.

Tea was discovered in China more than 5,000 years ago and today is the most popular drinking beverage in the world - next to water. The tea that graces tables in virtually every country around the globe comes from the same plant: Camellia sinensis, a member of the evergreen family.

From the leaves of this one plant spring three basic types of tea. What are they?

A. Black, green and oolong;
B. Black, green and red;
C. Milk, Sugar and Weak;
D. Indian, English and Irish.

ANSWERS:
A is right on the money. From the three main types of tea, black, green and oolong, come more than 3,000 varieties for our drinking pleasure.

One of the most relaxing ways to relax after an afternoon of frenetic shopping in the markets is to find a quiet tea-house. Here you can savor delicious teas in peaceful surrounds and have the tea ceremony, Chinese style, explained and performed.